It is truly hard to believe that it has been 25 years since the senseless tragedies at Columbine high school, an event that truly devastated a nation. In this Memorial Edition, author Dave Cullen examines the Columbine high school massacre meticulously. Cullen exposes the false script, misconceptions, and embellishments that clouded the reality of what really happened on April 20, 1998.
Today, we reflect of the Columbine tragedy as a school shooting, but Cullen details Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s master plan. The deranged students wanted to top Timothy McVeigh’s Oklahoma City bombing, and had they been successful in their mission, the death toll would have been in the hundreds. The author shares the heroic acts that saved many lives, including beloved teacher Dave Sanders.
The book documents the early years of the killers, and how they ultimately meet and started formulating their deadly plan. Harris and Klebold left behind disturbing evidence of their grief, including journals, website rants, and videotapes. Cullen also reveals what has been learned from the police files before and after the tragedy. Additionally, Cullen shares the coping and healing process the community had to endure.
I especially enjoyed Cullen’s analysis of the media coverage of the event, exposing the many myths that were spun from spotty journalism. Reflecting back, there were many media mistakes reported, that caused rumors to circulate. Initially, a third gunman theory was presented. Many might remember the killers branded as goths and/or members of the Trench Coat Mafia. There were rumors they were gay, were heavily into Marilyn Manson. The media coverage also falsely portrayed the Columbine high school as toxic.
Cullen tells the survival stories, such as Patrick Ireland, who was deemed as the boy in the window. The book also exposes the many cover ups involved in the case, and the lawsuits and settlements that followed. The author explains the changes in protocols that resulted from this tragedy, as well as the changes in legislation that were proposed. If you want to know the full story of Columbine, I highly recommend this work.
By: Dave Cullen
Narrated by: Don Leslie, Dave Cullen
Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
Release date: 03-26-24
Publisher: Twelve