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Lethal Passage: The Story of a Gun Paperback – January 15, 1995

by Erik Larson (Author)
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This devastating book illuminates America's gun culture -- its manufacturers, dealers, buffs, and propagandists -- but also offers concrete solutions to our national epidemic of death by firearm.

"Touches on all aspects of the gun issue in this country. Gives great voice to that feeling...that something real must be done." --San Diego Union-Tribune

"One of the most readable anti-gun treatises in years." --Washington Post Book World

It begins with an account of a crime that is by now almost commonplace: on December 16, 1988, sixteen-year-old Nicholas Elliot walked into his Virginia high school with a Cobray M-11/9 and several hundred rounds of ammunition tucked in his backpack. By day's end, he had killed one teacher and severely wounded another.

In Lethal Passage Erik Larson shows us how a disturbed teenager was able to buy a weapon advertised as "the gun that made the eighties roar." The result is a book that can -- and should -- save lives, and that has already become an essential text in the gun-control debate.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 1995
  5. Dimensions
    5.2 x 0.66 x 7.95 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0679759271
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0679759270
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wall Street Journal reporter Larson has written a new afterword to this timely study of American gun culture.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Larson takes us past the absurd myths, past the numbing statistics, and into the face of reality.... Journalism at its highest."

-- Los Angeles Times Book Review



"An artful slice of the story of what may be the greatest shame we as a nation have tried... to hide from ourselves.... Fascinating." -- Chicago Sun-Times

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; 33124th edition (January 15, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0679759271
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679759270
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.66 x 7.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Erik Larson

Erik Larson

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Erik Larson is the author of six previous national bestsellers—The Splendid and the Vile, Dead Wake, In the Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, The Devil in the White City, and Isaac’s Storm—which have collectively sold more than twelve million copies. His books have been published in nearly forty countries.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
495 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

dixiepeach
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book about a current topic
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book should be updated to include current information as it was written in the early 90's. The information is pertinent to today's mass killings and the need for gun control. It's appalling what our legislators will not address regarding gun safety, the gun manufacturers, gun lobbyists and the NRA.

Please note that we paid for life membership in NRA for my ex back in the 70's when we lived in Montana. I own guns and keep the weapon and its ammunition stored separately.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, sad story.
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Good book, well written with incredible detail and facts. Unfortunately it was written quite a while back and society has continued in the wrong direction. His style and prose make the reality of guns very clear, yet so many still cannot grasp the fact that they kill people. They ways that society has made the opposite side of reality appear to be true in terms of how guns are sold and licensed. We seem to be the only country in the civilized world that has this problem at this level, and the death rates prove it.
4 people found this helpful
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Punkie
5.0 out of 5 stars Learn from this book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you want to understand this country's gun violence insanity, how it started and where it's going read this book. Erik Larson's books are very readable.

I bought this book because, in reading the library's book, I realized I needed to be able to underline and highlight while I read.
4 people found this helpful
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Tom
3.0 out of 5 stars More essay than non-fiction; a bit outdated
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2016
Verified Purchase
I'm a huge fan of Erik Larson, but this book (one of his earlier works) doesn't really line up with the type of storytelling for which he has come to be known. Based on books like Thunderstruck and Dead Wake, I expected Lethal Passage to tell two interwoven stories: One of the actions of Nicolas Brown, and one of the path his Cobray M-11/9 took before ending up in his hands. Both, I figured, would be exhaustive, enlightening, and generally compelling.

Instead, the book spends a few brief chapters exploring Brown's actions and devotes a massive number of words to what is essentially a persuasive essay about the problems with America's gun culture/gun laws. The narrative imbalance is jarring -- for example, a 60-page exploration of gun publications, the NRA, and the media, is sandwich between a 5-page and 12-page exploration of Nicolas's actions and their ramifications. Not much of a story to be told.

I don't particularly disagree with the assertions Larson has made here, but it's a far cry from his other works and leans much closer to the realm of long-form opinion/editorial than non-fiction exploration. Additionally (as others have said), the book is definitely dated -- it's hard to take too much meaningful information out of it given the way gun violence and gun culture have evolved over the 22 years since its publication. I almost wonder if the book is due for an update.

In the end I'd say it's a worthwhile read for those curious about how America's gun culture evolved through the late end of the 20th century or for Larson fans looking to check another work off the list, but would be hard-pressed to recommend it on its merits alone.
54 people found this helpful
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JB
5.0 out of 5 stars An fascinating objective look at how we might control guns in our society
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
Erik Larson is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint me in any way. In is usual style he weaves a portrait of a character and events with historical information that is well researched and presented in a fascinating way. The climax of the book for me was his ideas and "best practices" for managing guns in our society. He provides some logic which seems to be missing in a lot of discussions today. It's original story is from the past but we continue to perpetuate the same tired arguments against controlling firearms while innocent people are taken away for no reason. One would think the book was written yesterday. The solutions he offers would be well taken and should be read by every lawmaker in Washington, and state and local governments.
3 people found this helpful
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RN Chuck
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2019
Verified Purchase
Interesting reading. I admit I was raised in rural Western Pennsylvania where the first day of deer season was a school holiday, so I was raised in a gun culture. I believe any true sportsman does not have an issue with reasonable gun laws. However the extremes on both sides of the issues get all of the attention and the moderates, who are probably the greater number, get lost in the shouting. Overall, a good read. Unfortunately, it is a bit dated and that is a national tragedy as the body count continues to rise. Just today I was reminded the Pulse Night Club attack was three years ago (I am in the greater Orlando area). As Phil Esterhouse on Hill a Street Blues always said “be careful out there.”
7 people found this helpful
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Mischi
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome!
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
I ordered this book because it mentioned a prominent citizen in my little town, and I wanted to look at Mr. Larson's references to find out about the murder of this person. Mr. Larson did not solve my mystery but he wrote a fascinating book about a gun, the Cobray M-11/9, a type of gun that had been used in many crimes across the country in the '80's. He described how this gun got into the hands of criminals. Most often through legal sources (what a surprise). Well written, a real page turner! read it in a day.
7 people found this helpful
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cooperkat10
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Delivered promptly and is in excellent condition. Recommend this vendor.
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Vancouver Purchaser
5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone must read this book before taking a position on gun control
Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Eric Larson is my favourite author. I have read every one of his books. They are well-researched and well-balanced stories of historic events. This book is not different, except the story is very hard to read because it is the true story of a particular school mass shooting written from the perspective of the gun. How did this particular gun get into the hands of this particular child, who then brought it to his school and used it to shoot his classmates? If you do not have an opinion on gun control, read this book. If you have an opinion on gun control, read this book to see if your opinion on gun control stands up to this historic event. If you believe guns don't kill, people kill, that belief will be shaken by this book. Mine was!
One person found this helpful
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von mir
2.0 out of 5 stars schwach
Reviewed in Germany on April 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
langatmig, nicht zu vergleichen mit Larson's anderen Büchern 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2
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Angi E.
5.0 out of 5 stars Erik Larson at his best
Reviewed in Canada on June 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
An insightful and informative look at gun control ... or the lack of it. Erik Larson weaves a single story along the path of his documentation of the history and issues of guns, gun users/collectors, the process of getting a gun in different states, etc .... Very interesting read.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!!!!!
Reviewed in Canada on July 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Excellent, excellence!
Loved it! Loved it
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