Blown Away: American Women and Guns

by Caitlin Kelly

A controversy that has divided America for decades. A decision more women must confront every day. In the long-standing and heated debate between gun-control advocates and supporters of the Second Amendment, the perspective of women has often been overlooked in what most perceive to be the "masculine" world of firearms. This is the subject journalist Caitlin Kelly was motivated to explore after she was threatened by a stalker and contemplated acquiring a gun for her own protection. Through interviews and firsthand accounts, Kelly probes the many issues affecting women who own guns and influence gun policies, to those whose lives are most affected by gun violence, and our society's conflicted views on women who acquire guns for sport and self-defense. Voices include activists and legislators such as Representative Carolyn McCarthy, whose husband and son were the victims of a shooting rampage; Patty Varone, who served Rudy Giuliani as a bodyguard for nine years; Mary Leigh Blek, founder of the Million Mom March; and Paxton Quigley, a modern-day Annie Oakley who teaches women how to shoot in the name of empowerment -- as well as insights on guns and violence from such high-profile women as Halle Berry, Madonna, and the late Katharine Graham. Brutally frank in its description, yet balanced in its analysis, Blown Away is an up-close and unflinching look at guns in America -- and the women who live with them.

324 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2004

Reviews

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book, I had little understanding of the gun issue in the U.S. My purpose in reading this book was to learn more. I have a better understanding of the issues having read this book.

The author, Caitlin Kelly, a journalist, after being the victim of a crime herself, sought to investigate the different ways guns are used by women and their motivations for using them. The author did a lot of research in speaking to different types of women who used guns: victims of crime, women who killed someone with a gun, women who have it for protection, women who use guns for hunting or sport ex. clay shooting. The author states that 75% of women in America will be a victim of a crime in their lifetime.

As part of her investigation, the author enrolled in a gun course and learned to shoot. She met other women enrolled in the course and learned about their motivations.

Although written in 2004, it is still a very informative book about women and guns in our society.
The author calls for our society to address domestic violence (she says 1/4 of women are in abusive relationships), teen violence and advocates for gun safety - especially in the home i.e. keeping them out of the hands of children and/or family members who are depressed/suicidal.

An interesting well researched book about a complex subject.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book, but it might have benefitted from some more editting. Some of the paragraphs tended to jump around a bit without a segue from one to the other. I admit to the feeling of wanting to throw the book across the room a few times and if it hadn't been one I was borrowing, would have made that trip to the far wall.

The book, while pretty well researched, is dated. I would like to see this revised for a more contemporary time, BUT since gun laws are changing so rapidly, the author would have a difficult job, as when the book was published, it would already be out of date.

Some of the people interviewed were SCARY uneducated about the topic, especially the politician who was writing and attempting to pass gun control legislation. I firmly believe that the politicians should NOT be writing and passing laws if they are not well educated on the subject in the laws.

I got the feeling, especially towards the end of the book, that the author was leaning more pro-gun control than pro-gun or neutral. I'm not sure if that is the case or not, but I do give her credit for actually TRYING a gun at a shooting range. I also believe that this book would have benefitted from interviewing more women who worked in the law enforcement field. She interviewed one who was a hero and then was disgraced, but I believe that may have been the only one.

I know quite a few women who are LEOs and their stance on guns does not seem to be reflected very well in this book. Not a dig on the author, the scope of the work is large and it is always difficult to get everyone's side of the story in on something as big as this topic, but I think it would have been more fair to get female LEOs' thoughts on guns as well.

All in all not a bad book. I hope a revised one will be in the offering. If there is one already and I don't realize it, please let me know. I would like to read it.

[Andrea Juliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

People often think I am crazy when I recommend this book. Knowing my personality and very liberally slanted beliefs, they are confused and think that perhaps I have fallen, hit my head, and woke up the extreme right wing side of things in bed with Charlton Heston. While this is extremely untrue, I found this book to be so interesting and enlightening. It not only provides a historical perspective on women and the use of guns in the U.S., but it also provides dozens of personal perspectives from real women on gun ownership. I found that I learned a lot about issues surrounding the ownership and use of guns, and I also learned a lot about the nature and character of women. There is a stigma in this country about men owning and using guns, and there is an even greater one about women!

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to read this, but I just couldn't. I got to page 43. It was so rambling, so anecdotal, so concerned with gender binary, and so inconsequential that I found myself dreading reading it. It's greatest contributions were stating that some women like guns and that women should learn how to use them -- sentiments that could have been dealt in an article. There were barely even any interviews with women who use guns. It was disappointing.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I'm named in the acknowledgements here, but it's really not for doing much. Caitlin's insights into guns, power, women, and violence are well documented and compellingly organized.

[Priscilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

So badly written. And in most respects just so very bad. But still kind of a fun read, even if what fun you're getting is being pissed off at the writer.