Bloodbath Nation
Bloodbath Nation by Paul Auster
9780802160454
160 Pages
Publisher: Grove Atlantic, Grove Press
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Nonfiction (Adult), Politics, Gun Control, Mass Killings
The author begins the book by telling stories of his experience with guns. As a toddler and young boy, he played being a cowboy with hat, holster, and gun. The only thing missing was a horse. When he was older, he went to summer camp and attended a gun shooting course. Later, he went to a friend’s home and did skeet shooting. He describes his relationship with guns in relation to other boys and young men that grew up constantly around guns and hunting. He also tells a few stories from his time with the merchant marines.
The bulk of the book revolves around mass shootings around the country. He talks about how we have been almost desensitized to hearing news of shootings because they are now so frequent. There is one story where he goes into more detail. It is the good guy with a gun versus the bad guy with a gun.
The story is well written and researched. There are eerie photos of shooting sites without any people. It is sad to realize that gun control is something that must be fought over. As a gun owner, it makes sense to me that the number of mass shootings would go down if there was gun control.
