Gun Control Myths by John R. Lott Jr. – Book Review

I’m always looking for a new read, so when someone I follow on Facebook recommended Gun Control Myths by John R. Lott Jr. I ordered my copy right away. I wish I could recall who recommended it because I like to give credit where it is due, but no luck. What was lucky was finding this book and all the great information it contains.

About the Author

John R. Lott Jr. is the President of the Crime Prevention Research Center. He has a Ph. D. in Economics and has previously worked for several universities. He has written ten books, including More Guns Less Crime and The Bias Against Guns. Gun Control Myths is his latest look at how the media and popular opinion get it wrong about guns.

About the Book

If you’re a data wonk and love facts and figures, you will definitely love this book. It covers a wide variety of well known and not so well known studies. Mr. Lott goes through each study and shows how either the initial data or the results have been massaged to create a false narrative about guns and gun violence in the US. These studies have had a significant impact on firearm policies and public opinion.

Gun Control Myths is divided into a few different topic sections. The first part of the book covers general gun violence studies. As you move through the pages you get information specific to mass shootings and public health research, as well as a deeper look at Michael Bloomberg and the money that goes into these studies. One chapter looks specifically at the role the FBI plays in gun violence research.

Perhaps my favorite chapter is the one that covers several unreported incidents where a firearm saved people. It is generally accepted that these types of stories are grossly under reported by mass media, so it is always good to see them shared. The Well Armed Woman also shares these kinds of stories on their website.

Final Thoughts

While the information provided is amazing, this book can be a little hard to read at times. There is so much information it can get overwhelming. This isn’t helped by the fact that it can be hard to determine which graphic goes with what information. It’s definitely not a book to be read at the end of the day when your attention is less focused. However, if you’re looking for well researched, clear and concise information to counter your anti-gun friends arguments you can’t beat Gun Control Myths by John R. Lott, Jr.