Guns

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 48 mins

Publisher's summary

In a pulls-no-punches essay intended to provoke rational discussion, Stephen King sets down his thoughts about gun violence in America. Anger and grief in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School are palpable in this urgent piece of writing, but no less remarkable are King's keen thoughtfulness and composure as he explores the contours of the gun-control issue and constructs his argument for what can and should be done.

King's earnings from the sale of this essay will go to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Stephen King is the author of 11/22/63, Under the Dome, Carrie, The Shining, and many other best-selling works.

"The overwhelming response from readers of the Kindle Single edition of Guns underscores the great need for thoughtful discourse on the issue of guns in America…I’m thrilled Audible is bringing Guns to the quickly growing audience of audiobook listeners." (Stephen King)

©2013 Stephen King (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"There are a handful of subjects in America so emotional and polarizing that the national dialogue around them amounts to little more than a shouting match. Chief among these is the subject of guns. In this intimate and moving Kindle Single, Stephen King employs all his gifts as writer and citizen to address gun violence in America. But why should we care what Stephen King has to say? As it turns out, there are a number of reasons. Despite his "liberal creds," King is an unapologetic gun owner himself. He is also the author of a novel--published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman--that has served as a "possible accelerant" for at least four real-life high school shooters. King had his publisher take that book off the market long ago, but the guns and the occasional bursts of unfathomable violence remain. When division is everywhere, is it possible for someone to argue passionately for the middle road? That is what King seeks to do here--this is a frank and thoughtful contribution to a dialogue in dire need of voices from the 'all-but-deserted middle.'" (Chris Schluep, Amazon.com)

Gun control Argument? Read this.

Where does Guns rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Strongly recommends every one reads Stephen King's essay 'Guns' good for both For and Against Gun control. Please give it a go.

Well thought out discourse

Stephen King uses a practical approach to the debate on mass shootings. Although left leaning, it is a very informative piece on the dangers of AR's. It is good to hear someone who owns guns, speak on there inherint danger. I'm still digesting what I listened to, and will have to listen again to feel I've soaked it all in. Great piece of commentary.

Pure King, real facts and reflection

Rummel's narration was the perfect complement to the written words of a literary master. Great thought provoking facts and opinion for both sides of the issue and both sides of the political aisle.

I expected more thorough research from Mr. King.

Unfortunately this essay was just another rehash of the gun banners basic arguments. If the object was to stimulate a dialogue he should not have quoted these same talking points. My biggest problem was that the author doesn’t seem to know the difference between semiautomatic and automatic weapons. (Automatic weapons are highly regulated by law and very difficult to obtain).
Just quoting a quick “google search” for the year 2020, a year in which more Americans died of gun related injuries than any prior year, there were 44222 attributed to gun related injuries. 24292 were suicides, 19384 were murders. The remainder were accidents, law enforcement related or undetermined.
For suicides(45979 total) 53% involved a firearm. For murders(24576) 79% involved firearms.
The FBI listed 38 deaths from “active shooter incidents. (not counting the deaths of the shooters).
Now to the main point. The firearm most desired to be removed from the population the “Assault Rifle” was used in less than 3% of firearm murders.
While any taking of another’s life is deplorable. Do you really think that banning So called “Assault Weapons” will help?

Amazing and thoughtful essay

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend. It is a quick, easy listen with an impactful message. The lesson is spoken to you, not at you. It is a man's opinion, and is presented as such.

Any additional comments?

Excellent material and perfect narration by Mr. Rummel.

What fanatics don’t want to hear

Provocative and compelling but the sad truth that mentally blind narcissistic right-to-tote hysterical fanatics don’t want to hear.

Review by US Army Vet: That's How it Shakes Out

It seems important to mention one's "creds" in writing reviews of Stephen King's "Guns" so I will start with mine: I served in the US Army, and was honorably discharged as a SGT/E-5. I qualified Expert with an M16 (the civilian equivalent is an AR15), and I'm still proud of that.

I also have a copy of "Rage", in the compilation of "The Bachman Books" that I purchased the year it was published, 1985. I remember reading "The Bachan Books" the same week I purchased it. I loved "The Running Man" and liked "Roadwork", and while the plot of "Rage" was intriguing, the writing was so sophomoric, it was painful. I found out later King wrote "Rage" while he was in high school, so there was an explanation. I read "Rage" once again, in 1996, when I heard Michael Carneal shot classmates in West Paducah, Kentucky. It sounded so much like the story I'd read 11 years earlier, I wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining the similarity. I wasn't.

King's essay "Guns" starts with a scathing social commentary, "That's How it Shakes Out." It doesn't matter if the first station you've got programmed into your remote is FoxNEWS and Ann Coulter is your dream date, or if you are so far left you contribute frequently to KPFK: the media cycle for mass shootings is the same.

King argues forcefully - and sometimes vulgarly - for gun control. King is a gun owner himself, and does not want to disarm the country - but he does want assault weapons banned, and large magazines banned; and he wants background checks.

What King argues isn't new or innovative, but the writing is vintage King. There are phrases I remember from "The Shawshank Redemption" (the movie adaptation, not the original novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption") and the unabridged edition of "The Stand." There's also a theme in the first and last section of "Guns" that runs through "The Library Policeman" and "The Ten O'Clock People." The theme was chilling in the stories, and the probability it's a reality is startling.

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The Facts

King uses his talents at storytelling and facts to make his suggestions. He makes some good points, all of which you have heard before, only he does use several facts that back up his statements. King is a liberal and a gun owner. I am a conservative and not a gun owner for those who like to paint everyone with a wide brush.

Chances are he is not going to change anybody's mind in this divided country, but I appreciate the try and it was entertaining on top of everything else.

The narrator was excellent and added to the understanding of the essay.

A good essay, but it won't change your mind

Christian Rummel reads this with the same passion King used to write it. While Mr. King's perspective as the author of Rage is interesting, and it is easy to understand his need to speak out, you are only going to like this if you already agree with him.

The fact that you can tell a person's political bent by the number of stars he gives this work is the saddest (and most telling) fact of all. In that aspect, Stephen King's stated goal of provoking a reasonable debate has failed. Not his fault, really, but that's "the way it shakes out".

This makes a great deal of sense.

Any additional comments?

Stephen King is a self proclaimed liberal. If you have read my other reviews you would correctly surmise that I am a conservative. This essay is truly middle of the road. King has taken this very controversial and serious topic and accomplished two things. First, he tastefully recaps the horrors that America has gone through in the past few years that relate to the topic. Second, he offers some well thought out ideas about what can be done. The crazy thing is, (and this is coming from a conservative) they make sense. Really good sense. Even if you listen to this and disagree with what King has to say you will walk away with a better understanding of what the other political side is thinking. The book is basically free and well worth a listen.
Two side notes:
1) Even though the topic is serious the book is tastefully entertaining.
2) Don't listen to this with your kids there is some language.