Comprehending Columbine
"Larkin creates a powerful lens to examine the complexities of the socio-cultural and psychopathogical forces which contributed to the Columbine tragedy... he does an excellent job of situating school shootings in the larger cultural landscape of violence in America. Larkin's book is destined to be the definitive work on the Columbine shootings." Raymond Calluori, New Jersey Institute of Technology "This book is not just about Harris & Klebold's motivations . . It is about the influence of social structure on those labeled as outsiders . . about structurally entrenched sources of gendered violence and degradation." Peter Freund, Montclair State University "Think you know all there is to know about the Columbine school massacre (4/20/1999)? Think again. Larkin covers known and little-known details, aiming to answer why Eric Harris and Dylan Keble went on their shooting rampage...Some will say that Columbine doesn't need any more scrutinizing. But after the recent Virginia Tech shootings, people will be looking for more insights into youth who feel ostracized and ways to help them avoid feeling so alienated in the first place. There is an audience for this book, which should be considered by public and academic libraries." Library Journal "Larkin's book is obviously the result of a great deal of research... He provides interesting history and details of both the perpetrators of this horrendous shooting, Harris and Klebold." Metapsychology Online "Larkin has undertaken an important task in this work. He deconstructs the Columbine High School tragedy, attempting to reach an objective understanding of a complicated event that has become tangled in myth and emotion. He presents the events at Columbine carefully before examining the influences that may have contributed to this crisis... The author pulls the reader closer to the situation by including narrative from his interviews, quotes from important sources, and specific examples. The resulting work is well organized and written...The content of this book should be required reading for school administrators, educators, counselors, and others who work regularly with young people" Choice