On April 20, 1999, 2 boys set on out on a mission of destruction that rocked the community, press, nation, and even the world. Rumors grew, tensions rose, and the aftermath of the tragedy still is recognized today. Dave Cullen, the author of the book Columbine, produced a factual yet unfortunately enthralling retelling of the lives affected by the Columbine shooting. After a decade of research, Cullen put forth a work that relives every action and story of the Columbine shooting, in a honorable and considerate way.
Cullen wrote the story in sections, that were then divided into chapters, with mini stories or clips that take place. For example, he might jump from the shooter's’ past, to a certain victim’s events, to the press’s involvement, and to how the school is rebuilding afterward, all in one chapter. While this does give us a broad view of everything impacted that day, it seems distracting to the reader to go from one story to the next, and then 20 pages later, recall the story and continue on. A simpler way to have written it would be to write everything that happened before April 20th, all the stories and happenings that took place on the 20th, and then the depression and the rebuilding of the community. This would have been a more concise way to lay out a story with so many interpretations. Now, with that being said, Cullen dedicated his time and resources to find out the truth and write a book about his findings, disproving rumors and clearing up misconceptions. Being a freshman at Columbine, I had many questions about the shooting that I didn’t want to ask out of fear. But with the help of this book and my English teacher, Mr. Leyba, I understand what happened clearly enough to inform others about it or correct misconceptions others may have. Not all, but a lot of us at Columbine have read this book and we can still, to the day, bond together over this unfortunate event, making us a more united school. I love it here. Thank you to Dave Cullen for being apart of helping us. The way he told the families stories of not just the kids but the teachers that lost their lives that day honors them in a way that you grieve for them while reading it. The most morbidly fascinating topic in this book, I have to say, is how we tells of the killers’ stories and signs that led up to the shooting. He has an insider view on charges held against them, their journals, videos, personal lives, and the investigation involving other gunman, that makes him trustworthy and knowledgable. I highly encourage you to read this book if you have any questions about what our community went through that day. Dave Cullen will capture you in the truthful whirlwind that is still felt today.