Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Columbine by Dave Cullen

14 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

I picked up this book after reading Sue Klebold's memoir. This less biased perspective on the tragedy calls into question much of how she characterizes her son. The focus on those who survived the tragedy, alternating chapters between the aftermath and the events of April 20, 1999 shows how varied reactions to the tragedy were, and personalizes tragedy in a way that the sensationalized news coverage of the events did not.

I find it very unsettling that so many pastors used the tragedy is an excuse to recruit people. Whilr I understand the idea that church can be comforting, the ways that they went about it feels predatory.

The actions of the police in terms of not following up on the repeated warnings about Eric Harris, and the willful destruction of evidence and dragging their feet in releasing their report is reprehensible.

While incredibly informative, and thoughtfully written I don't know that I would recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

Minor: Bullying and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

puglover's review against another edition

challenging dark informative slow-paced

3.0

It was just ok. Not great, but not horrible, either. I didn’t like the way that  the book was written (both the writing style and the pacing) and I’ve also heard that it’s not 100% factual, despite being nonfiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Self harm, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism, Misogyny, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

hayleyvharrington's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Bullying, Mental illness, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

olddatainadeadmachine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad fast-paced

5.0

one of my favourite books (normal)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Mass/school shootings, Death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Racism, Self harm, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Medical trauma

acbrummitt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Suicide, Medical trauma, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

cghegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Blood, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Gore

Moderate: Misogyny, Antisemitism, Cursing, Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcohol

A grim but necessary read in light of the ongoing pandemic of gun violence.

nota_candycaine's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Violence, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, and Racism

stephanywrites's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Hoo boy, this was a tough read. It was incredibly well-researched and well-written, but I would not recommend this book to HSPs. It really affected my mental health while I was reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Suicide

mondovertigo's review

dark informative sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Homophobia, and Racism

desertmountainreads's review

5.0

An interesting and horrifying account of the Columbine massacre, this book was really well researched and presented.  Dave Cullen did an excellent job of relaying the events and details in a way that was, in my opinion, as unbiased as possible given his experience.  It was not an easy read - I had to read it shorter chunks over a longer period of time, which was of course due to the subject matter, but also due to the extent of detail.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence