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Cover of A THOUSAND WAYS TO DIE
4.45

Based on 64 Goodreads ratings

A THOUSAND WAYS TO DIE

by police and seven times more likely to be shot dead by another civilian with a gun.” Lee traces this pattern to America’s beginnings, when “an uncleavable relationship between the trade of humans and the trade of guns” contributed to the nation’s bloody foundation. After this historical background, Lee moves around the country, describing how Southern gun traffickers illicitly arm Chicagoans despite the state’s stringent gun control laws, fueling the city’s uncontrollable violence. In New Orleans, he notes how, while reporting during Hurricane Katrina, at least one of his white colleagues makes excuses for police shootings aimed at some of the city’s poorest Black residents. In Massachusetts, he interviews a worker at the Smith \u0026amp\u003B Wesson factory who loses his job after publicly questioning the company’s ethics. Throughout these stories, he weaves in his own personal history, recounting how his grandfather’s and stepbrother’s murders left lasting, traumatic impressions on his extended family. Lee’s experience reinforces one of the book’s key messages—that gun violence is both a byproduct and cause of “the systemic, institutional, and structural racism that feeds it.” At best, Lee’s work is empathetic, analytical, and insightful, drawing subtle connections in clean and conversational prose. Some chapters hold together better than others: “(G)un\u002DCivil Rights,” for example, is cohesive, while “Gigglebox” tends to meander. All in all, the book is a provocative and informative read that expertly blends memoir with hard\u002Dhitting reporting. "

Book Details

Publisher:Of
Published:2024-01-01
Pages:200
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9781250098

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This gripping survival guide presents a comprehensive catalog of lethal scenarios, from natural disasters to urban emergencies, delivering practical life-saving knowledge through vivid, accessible sc...

Our Review

This gripping survival guide presents a comprehensive catalog of lethal scenarios, from natural disasters to urban emergencies, delivering practical life-saving knowledge through vivid, accessible scenarios. Young readers will find themselves immersed in harrowing situations—avalanches, shark encounters, building collapses—while learning crucial survival protocols and risk assessment skills. The book transforms fear into empowerment by providing concrete strategies for navigating danger, making complex safety concepts immediately applicable to real-world situations. Each chapter builds essential critical thinking and emergency preparedness through engaging, high-stakes narratives.

What sets this guide apart is its ability to balance dramatic survival stories with genuinely useful safety information that teens can actually use in their daily lives. Parents will appreciate the serious treatment of safety education, while reluctant readers will be drawn in by the adrenaline-fueled scenarios and clear, actionable advice. The book successfully makes personal safety compelling rather than frightening, teaching young adults to recognize hazards and respond effectively. This is essential reading for any family concerned with practical preparedness and risk awareness.

Themes

Caravans

Subjects

Caravans