Rating: 
Summary: Eloquent, honest, beautifully crafted and very timely.
Review: In 1999, this book could not be more a propos. . Goneboy succeeds on so many levels- it is a wonderful narrative, a love story, a crime novel, a revenge fantasy, an open-minded dialectic on guns and violence, and, even, as a detracting reader put it, an "angry journal." Of course anger permeates the story - Gibson's son has been murdered. But this anger is not self-righteous; rather, it is a catalyst for humor, insight, self-searching, and transformation. What makes this book so compelling is that Gibson, as much he is willing to follow the momentum of his rage for long periods of time, has a keen enough mind to ultimately be conscious of the problems of living in anger. His interviews of the people familiar with the murder case may be motivated by obsessiveness but they are also learning experiences for him - and for the reader. Gibson's writing is mellifluous and poetic, a rare example of non-fiction literature. His structure is remarkable in that it is unconventional, starting and stopping at different places, the whole while remaining seamless. I wish I could mention an aspect of the book that failed - if only to appear more objective - but none comes across that doesn't seem nit-picky or forced. Gibson's exquisite candor- his ability to bare the painful truths of his sometimes nearly insane state of mind - is not alienating at all, rather, it helps to fully realize Gibson as a character and make it even easier to give the reader a chance to fully occupy his shoes. Gibson's love for his son, his anger, his sense of wit, his insanity, his catharsis, is, at least for a while, ours. His book is almost altruistic in that we benefit so much from his profound searching without having to suffer such a huge loss. I personally cannot even comprehend losing someone the way Gibson has but that did not prevent me from huge emotional upheaval and acquiring significant wisdom while reading this book. Which leads me to believe that it would be almost impossible for family survivors of gun violence - of which, unfortunately, there have recently been many - not to find anything in this book that might assist them in their own grieving process. How does one deal with the juggernaut of feelings of injustice, rage, grief, loss, love, nausea, cynicism, and depression that ultimately follow senseless killings? Incredibly, this book seems to provide many answers.
Rating:
Summary: Not since Capote's In Cold Blood have I been as spellbound
Review: Not since Truman Capote's In Cold Blood have I been as spellbound by a book. The author of Gone Boy's thoughts and emotions struggling courageously to come to grips with a universe literally blown to smithereens are palpable on every page. The reader's responses run the gamut from horror to laughter, ever guided by Mr. Gibson's sense of irony and truth. The book puts me in mind of Pirsig's classic, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, combined with the drumming vector of Lee Marvin's movie, Point Blank. His confusion and pain become our confusion and pain. His search for meaning and consolation becomes our search. The author's final coming to terms with his son's death through understanding and grace is this book's unique gift.
Rating: 
Summary: the unspoken victims
Review: Not too much has been said about the other victims, the hapless young boys who were friendly with Wayne Lo before the murders. These young boys were hounded out of school by a seething, Salemesque mob and were blamed for not doing anything to prevent the killings. Killings which, for them, were as shocking, incomprehensible and traumatic as they were for the other students at the school. Their only "crime" was being friends with the shooter. They did not know, they could not know that Lo's boasts of wanting to shoot the place up were serious. How could they? They were only children themselves. Keep in mind that this incident occurred many years before the spate of senseless school shootings of recent years, which means that these boys had no point of reference, no reason to suspect that Lo was dangerously serious. Rather, blame the authorities who knew of Lo's problems (witness the undisclosed settlement paid to the victim's family) and did NOTHING. The young boys I speak of are still traumatized by this crime, but because of the stigma attached to them were deliberately kept out of the counseling process offered to the other students. They suffer every day for a crime they did not commit, nor were even able to predict. Please, a little understanding and kindness for these young boys, the unspoken victims.
Rating:
Summary: An emotional journey
Review: Once I started reading Gone Boy, I could not put it down. Many times the words were a blur as tears filled my eyes thinking of Mr. Gibson's pain. He writes in a style that bears his soul and makes him as vulnerable and racked with pain as you and I would be in the same situation. However, he deals with it in a most unique way, he trys to find out all he can about Galen's murder, from the mental state of his killer to the manufactuer of the ammunition and everything in between. The most fascinating aspect of it all is that Mr. Gibson searches for all the components of his son's murder and gives us a picture of how all of these fragments happened to come together in the same place and time on that tragic day. My heart goes out to him and his family. His story is a sad one but necessary for the healing process.
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtfuly, eloquent, wise
Review: One of the best books I have ever read. The author has a quiet courage and wisdom he earned the hard way and couples it with artful prose. I read this book straight through in one sitting yesterday and it still haunts me. Covers a lot of different subjects -- family life, gun control, what passes for "higher education" in America today, immigration, the criminal and civil justice systems. The author has learned much from his encounter with all of these facets of American society and is able to pass his wisdom on. I have children but have never lost one. The story of how one man bore this unimaginable burden is riveting. The author is a man of courage to step up and tell this story without ever falling into mawkishness -- this is the antithesis of Oprah and Jenny Jones, where trivial problems are bloated up into allegedly meaningful crises. This book is worth a dozen 12-step programs and a hundred self-help feel-good manuals. Even though I disagree with the author on some points (the Second Amendment's background and purposes, for example) I was very impressed with his willingness to listen and learn -- he is a true liberal in the classical sense of thoughtful analysis and tolerance for others' points of view. Even if you think the subject of this book is irrelevant to your life or interests, buy it and read it. You will learn a lot and will not be able to put it down. Galen Gibson was lucky to have the author for his father during his short life, and is lucky to have him as his chronicler after his death.
Rating: 
Summary: Looking only for the answers he wants to find
Review: Puts one in mind of a great line from a Graham Parker song: "Some people are in charge of pens/Who shouldn't be in charge of brooms/They have the nerve to rip up a man's life/In a papagraph or two." The most telling thing about this piece of tripe is the people Gibson chose not to talk to and the things he chose not to report. Perhaps they didn't (or he was afraid they wouldn't) support his pre-formed thesis. Gibson "found" only the "answers" he wanted to find, which is a far cry from the truth, and he didn't look to deeply. Sad really.
Rating:
Summary: Looking only for the answers he wants to find
Review: Puts one in mind of a great line from a Graham Parker song: "Some people are in charge of pens/Who shouldn't be in charge of brooms/They have the nerve to rip up a man's life/In a paragraph or two." The most telling thing about this piece of tripe is the people Gibson chose not to talk to and the things he chose not to report. Perhaps they didn't (or he was afraid they wouldn't) support his pre-formed thesis. Gibson "found" only the "answers" he wanted to find, which is a far cry from the truth, and he didn't look to deeply. Sad really.
Rating:
Summary: Gibson's voice is clear, direct and his own; should be read.
Review: The event which occasioned Gone Boy was the murder of young, bright Galen Gibson; but this is no ordinary book about crime, about grief, or about a father's and a family's struggle to come to grips with what must be the most unimaginable of losses. Gregory Gibson opens himself to us as few can or would, and Gone Boy transcends all the theoretical books about loss and unfairness and grief and all the self-help books as well. There is no theory here, no theology of loss, but by showing us the range of his thoughts and emotions we come to understand not only his struggle but ourselves and the nature of grief as well. Gibson's voice is clear, direct, and his own; Gone Boy would be the best book of its kind if there were other books of its kind, but it stands by itself and should be read.
Rating:
Summary: Must reading.
Review: The shooting at Simon's Rock College was the first of what has unfortunately become a decade of shootings. The case has been cited as a "template" for the series of recent shootings across the nation. In Greg Gibson's courageous GONE BOY, he puts into words what may have left others confused, angry or simply speechless. He offers a deconstruction and reconstruction of a school shooting that sheds new light and perspective on these terrible tragedies. This important and powerful boook is a classic for our time. It helps us to not only better understand youth violence in our world today but ourselves as well. Gibson has succeeded in delivering a beautiful, eloquent and engaging book sure to raise awareness and serve as a reminder that one person can make a difference.
Rating:
Summary: Must reading.
Review: The shooting at Simon's Rock College was the first of what has unfortunately become a decade of shootings. The case has been cited as a "template" for the series of recent shootings across the nation. In Greg Gibson's courageous GONE BOY, he puts into words what may have left others confused, angry or simply speechless. He offers a deconstruction and reconstruction of a school shooting that sheds new light and perspective on these terrible tragedies. This important and powerful boook is a classic for our time. It helps us to not only better understand youth violence in our world today but ourselves as well. Gibson has succeeded in delivering a beautiful, eloquent and engaging book sure to raise awareness and serve as a reminder that one person can make a difference.
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