Review: Columbine by Dave Cullen

I'm in the middle of reading a different book. I'm going to try and review books soon after I read them while they are still fresh in my mind. However, some books stay with you long after you read them. I finished this one about a month and a half ago and I still can't stop thinking about it.

Columbine by Dave Cullens

Overview: It's been over 10 years since the Columbine Massacres. When two students decided to try and bomb their school and shot and killed thirteen people the US changed forever. This book recounts the events leading to, during, and after the killings.

The Writing and Words: The book is a very straight facts, no personal emotion involved telling of the events. It goes back and forward between what happened during the killings, before the killings, and afterwards. It exposes several facts about the town and the police. They tried to hide a lot of paperwork on the two kids that showed that they were warned by one family that they were dangerous. Of course, back then, such threats weren't taken as serious as they are now.
The book is very, very well written. It flawlessly goes back and forward in chapters. It tells events and facts without ever sounding bias.

My Opinion: I honestly think this is one of the best books I have ever read. And I have read well into the hundreds of books. I remember being a little one in 8th grade, listening to my teacher talk about what was happening and even turned on the news for us to watch. That's one of the things about Columbine that made it so different: it was televised WHILE it was happening. It was also one of the first times that SWAT teams were dealing with kids, schools, and the threat of kids with guns.
The book brings to light several things and myths about what happened, although I won't give away all of them. However, the one that is brought to light is very, very chilling: there was nothing that set these kids off. They were not bullied, part of the Trench Coat Mafia, or even liked Marylin Manson. They were, especially Eric, pyschopaths. I told one of my co-workers this and she couldn't accept that that was real. They HAD to have been bullied or something.
I love books where I learn and make me think long after I'm done with the book. Armed with knowledge is an amazing thing. The straight forwardness of the book and no bias makes it that much more emotional for the reader. They are not being led into how to feel: the lack of emotion in the book makes the reader feel raw emotions; their own emotions.
 My hat is off to Mr Cullens. Great, great job.