Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America (Social Institutions and Social Change)

Rating:
Summary: Don't debate gun control without first reading this book.
Review: A rigorous and dispassionate statistical examination of a topic more often distinguished by emotion than reason, Mr Kleck has created a book that everyone interested in the suject of gun control should read, and which every second amendment advocate should own.

This comprehensive study starts with an examination of the ideological nature of arguement on the subject, and thoroughly examines the nature of gun ownership and use in the United States.

Supporters of gun control have tried and failed to impugn the integrity of the author, who owes allegiance to no vested interest, and who reached his conclusuion that gun ownership has a more positive than negative effect on society in spite of his own early leanings.

Thoroughly documented, Point Blank is a required reference book for anyone with the courage to set personal bias aside, and search for the truth.

Rating:
Summary: Point Blank
Review: Imagine James Bond only as a teenager, well that's exactly who the main character of this book is only his name isn't James Bond it's Alex Rider. This book is the sequel to the last book I read Stormbreaker. The book starts out with Alex trying to catch some drug dealers, but he ended up messing up and going to jail. The secret agency he works for, M-16 was able to get him out though. He went to M-16's office and got his mission. Something's going on at a private correctional school in France called Point Blanc; they want Alex to find out what.

However, Point Blanc only takes the sons of the really rich or really powerful. Because of that, Alex has to disguise himself as a billionaire's son. While he is doing that he gets all of his gadgets for the mission. A CD player that turns into a saw and a book that shoots poison darts, and an earring that if you put the two ends together it will explode in 10 seconds. Once Alex gets to Point Blanc he finds out that there is a mysterious "project Gemini" happening. He also makes a friend named James. Then one night he hears screaming in the hallways, but when he goes to see what happened there is nobody there. You have to read the book to find out what happens next.

HOLLA BACK PLAYA

Rating:
Summary: A former gun-phobe
Review: What is striking is that Prof. Kleck actually began this series of studies to "prove" that guns in the hands of citizens doesn't reduce crime. Ya see, Kleck is a liberal Democrat. He is a member of the ACLU, Common Cause, Amnesty International and supports the typical liberal agendas. When he got done crunching the data he found results that shocked him. At a minimum, Americans use firearms 2.5 million times per year in direct, face to face defenses. And that is Kleck's admittedly conservative estimate. Additionally, only 1% of the time is the thug shot, and only 0.1% of all encountered thugs are killed. Remarkable restraint, I'd say. Good people just left alone.

The bad news, Kleck received far fewer invitations to Florida State University cocktail parties. The good news, He won the Hindelang Award for the most significant work by a criminologist (in a whole bunch of years).

I would suggest that most people who would consider buying "Point Blank" would be happier getting Klecks collaboration with Prof. Don Kates titled, "The Great Gun Debate." It covers the same issues in a more digestible, less academic manner, and should be about half the price.