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The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies
Gun rights advocate John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime, rebuts recent antigun "factoids" with real statistics.When it comes to the gun control debate, there are two kinds of data: data that's accurate, and data that left-wing billionaires, politicians, and media want you to believe is accurate. In The War on Guns, economist and gun-rights advocate John Lott turns a skeptical eye to well-funded antigun studies and stories that perpetuate false statistics to frighten Americans into giving up their guns.
6 pages, Audiobook
Published August 1, 2016
132 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
John R. Lott Jr.
21 books50 followersJohn Richard Lott Jr. (born May 8, 1958) is an American economist and political commentator. Lott was formerly employed at various academic institutions including the University of Chicago, Yale University, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Maryland, College Park, and at the American Enterprise Institute conservative think tank. He is currently a Fox News opinion contributor. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from UCLA.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 12, 2020
Very scholarly and well researched! Economist Dr. John R. Lott Jr, who is often cited by gun control critics, debunks the many myths surrounding gun control using studies and news stories that are often left unreported by the media. Among the myths debunked are: the United States has a gun problem; Stand Your Ground laws harm minorities and increase crime; more guns means more crime; large magazine bans work; Australia’s gun buyback worked; and background checks on private transfers reduce crime. Glenn Beck’s book Control is also an excellent read for all gun-owning Americans!
April 24, 2022
This book is meant for the uncritical reader who wants assurance that gun control advocacy is misguided, despite an enormous amount of published evidence suggesting otherwise. Mr. Lott cites unscientific surveys, creates lots of graphs, and quotes other pro-gun advocates, even sourcing his own work, to buttress his argument. There simply is no credible peer review included in his research or writing process. This alone is reason enough not to take his assertions seriously.
As many researchers have found during reanalysis, his methodology is flawed, he misrepresents the conclusions of other studies, and he has discredited himself even further by lying about a survey he did for an earlier book and inventing a former student, a sock puppet named Mary Rosh, to answer his critics.
If you believe that the National Academy of Sciences, FBI Uniformed Crime Reporting, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Epidemiology Reviews, the American Journal of Public Policy and other academic journals are all conspiring to enforce an anti-gun message while Lott and his Crime Prevention Research Center emerge as one of the few guiding lights in the contentious gun debate, you may have found your favorite book. To anyone who understands that quality evidence needs to be reproducible with minimal bias, this book is a terrific example of motivated reasoning taken to an extreme.
Finally, in delving further into the work of Mr. Lott, I see he also believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen, global warming is an "environmental myth", smoking regulations on planes harm smokers more than they benefit non-smokers, and that a certain amount of crime is good for society. As these fringe positions suggest, Mr. Lott is not someone you will find commanding a discussion with well-reasoned prose.
As many researchers have found during reanalysis, his methodology is flawed, he misrepresents the conclusions of other studies, and he has discredited himself even further by lying about a survey he did for an earlier book and inventing a former student, a sock puppet named Mary Rosh, to answer his critics.
If you believe that the National Academy of Sciences, FBI Uniformed Crime Reporting, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Epidemiology Reviews, the American Journal of Public Policy and other academic journals are all conspiring to enforce an anti-gun message while Lott and his Crime Prevention Research Center emerge as one of the few guiding lights in the contentious gun debate, you may have found your favorite book. To anyone who understands that quality evidence needs to be reproducible with minimal bias, this book is a terrific example of motivated reasoning taken to an extreme.
Finally, in delving further into the work of Mr. Lott, I see he also believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen, global warming is an "environmental myth", smoking regulations on planes harm smokers more than they benefit non-smokers, and that a certain amount of crime is good for society. As these fringe positions suggest, Mr. Lott is not someone you will find commanding a discussion with well-reasoned prose.
May 26, 2018
If you've ever wanted a CLEAR statistical approach to understanding the FACTS about firearms and their use in the USA, look no further than this book by Dr. John Lott, PhD.
His superb statistical analyses and scholarly research are the latest entries into the oft debated topic of gun control. Through careful research, study, personal interviews and peer-reviewed published studies, Dr Lott carefully exposes the lies that today's media--and their many supporters--perpetuate on a weekly basis.
SUPERB read and clear conclusions on one of today's most vitriolic subjects.
His superb statistical analyses and scholarly research are the latest entries into the oft debated topic of gun control. Through careful research, study, personal interviews and peer-reviewed published studies, Dr Lott carefully exposes the lies that today's media--and their many supporters--perpetuate on a weekly basis.
SUPERB read and clear conclusions on one of today's most vitriolic subjects.
April 26, 2018
Dr. Lott covers basically every angle of the gun debate in this book. He uses cold hard data whilst debunking the silly claims of the gun haters. Dr. Lott also conducted his own research, in which he presents in the book. Subjects include: data before and after gun policy, why gun registry’s are pointless, mass shootings, and per capita murder rate along with some others. I loved the book. It was payed out simply and cut right to the important points.
September 19, 2021
Talk about being red-pilled. To use that overused phrase of the right-wing, appropriated from The Matrix, which is ironically a left-wing wank-fest of a film that, more ironically still, practically salivates over firearms and gun violence.
I mean, to be more precise, I won't say I was entirely converted to a gun rights supporter by reading this. It has, however, made me look at the debate in a different way. I was always more or less on the fence on the question of the right to bear arms. I have no fondness for guns at all, and I'm very glad that my home country - Australia - does not permit easy access to them. However, things are very different in America, for a number of reasons. While I do not think it is (barring some exceptions) the war-zone environment gun proponents act as though it is when they vouch for public access to assault rifles, I do appreciate the much greater need to protect yourselves from criminals - more so in a proactively deterring manner than a retaliatory defensive one. This had led me to think Americans should, generally speaking, be able to keep their guns. Though at the same time I do think it's a lamentable fact that they are considered necessary.
On the flip side, while my conservative wariness towards a government wishing to disarm its people, and the populace's propensity to violence the media is all too willing to overlook if it doesn't conform to their overarching narrative leads me to sit quietly on the side of gun-rights, I also believe I would quickly change my mind if I had more of a personal stake in the matter - say, if my own child had been killed at school by a lunatic who never should have had access to a firearm.
To conclude, I haven't really changed my position. I am not a fan of guns at all, but I think more harm than good will ultimately come by forcing citizens to relinquish their weapons (and so many of them would find ways around such a law anyway). I am, at the same time, no less sympathetic to those who wish to see guns removed. I cannot imagine many things worse than losing a loved one to a public shooting or any other act of terror. But I have come to see the superficiality and the highly dubious means the (primarily) left-wing opponents of gun rights use to stifle serious conversation, and use the power of the media to ensure only their side is heard or taken seriously.
I expected this book would annoy me and make me more against guns because of its poor arguments. Turned out I was completely wrong. Dr. Lott has written a very thoughtful, well-argued and scholarly book in support of something you are almost never allowed to stand in support of in the public square these days.
I mean, to be more precise, I won't say I was entirely converted to a gun rights supporter by reading this. It has, however, made me look at the debate in a different way. I was always more or less on the fence on the question of the right to bear arms. I have no fondness for guns at all, and I'm very glad that my home country - Australia - does not permit easy access to them. However, things are very different in America, for a number of reasons. While I do not think it is (barring some exceptions) the war-zone environment gun proponents act as though it is when they vouch for public access to assault rifles, I do appreciate the much greater need to protect yourselves from criminals - more so in a proactively deterring manner than a retaliatory defensive one. This had led me to think Americans should, generally speaking, be able to keep their guns. Though at the same time I do think it's a lamentable fact that they are considered necessary.
On the flip side, while my conservative wariness towards a government wishing to disarm its people, and the populace's propensity to violence the media is all too willing to overlook if it doesn't conform to their overarching narrative leads me to sit quietly on the side of gun-rights, I also believe I would quickly change my mind if I had more of a personal stake in the matter - say, if my own child had been killed at school by a lunatic who never should have had access to a firearm.
To conclude, I haven't really changed my position. I am not a fan of guns at all, but I think more harm than good will ultimately come by forcing citizens to relinquish their weapons (and so many of them would find ways around such a law anyway). I am, at the same time, no less sympathetic to those who wish to see guns removed. I cannot imagine many things worse than losing a loved one to a public shooting or any other act of terror. But I have come to see the superficiality and the highly dubious means the (primarily) left-wing opponents of gun rights use to stifle serious conversation, and use the power of the media to ensure only their side is heard or taken seriously.
I expected this book would annoy me and make me more against guns because of its poor arguments. Turned out I was completely wrong. Dr. Lott has written a very thoughtful, well-argued and scholarly book in support of something you are almost never allowed to stand in support of in the public square these days.
May 1, 2017
A solid overview of statistical arguments that "gun bans" and similar measures aren't necessary, aren't effective, and are inherently discriminatory or otherwise wrong. Unfortunately, Lott misses a lot of chances to identify problems which actually could be solved in some other ways (rather than as gun bans), merely asserting (and providing pretty strong data to support) that gun bans are ineffective ways to address those problems.
February 9, 2017
All pure stats and numbers and little narrative. Made it extremely difficult and boring to read and follow along at times. But all his facts/stats/data are absolutely factual and flawless.
September 26, 2017
Great resource
A great deal of information and statistics. All backed up with real sources and factual data. I always enjoy reading Mr Lott's work.
A great deal of information and statistics. All backed up with real sources and factual data. I always enjoy reading Mr Lott's work.
November 26, 2017
Excellent , well worth the read
This Book was amazingly well researched and the conclusions were supported by reason and facts. Additionally it provides information that could help make changes to combat crime and ensure Americans are able to provide for our safety.
This Book was amazingly well researched and the conclusions were supported by reason and facts. Additionally it provides information that could help make changes to combat crime and ensure Americans are able to provide for our safety.
April 25, 2018
He makes *some* good points. Then completely undermines himself with obvious admissions and biases.
June 29, 2021
A great book covering the facts on the gun debate. This book goes through the research done, mostly from the FBI Crime Statistics and the ineffective laws based on faulty research.
Towards the end of the book, some of the discussion gets into the minutia of the research that becomes very dense. It is interesting, but going the details of the research without a background in statistical analysis makes this part very dry... While I understand much of it, even I found it beyond me. It's been many years since my statistics class to be able to reproduce his analysis based on the research, which is all provided for anyone who wishes to delve deeper.
The first two thirds of the book are the best part as it takes apart the faulty research from groups like Bloomberg's Everytown and the like. This will give you plenty of ammunition, pun intended, to discuss the gun debate with facts to counter the media narrative.
Towards the end of the book, some of the discussion gets into the minutia of the research that becomes very dense. It is interesting, but going the details of the research without a background in statistical analysis makes this part very dry... While I understand much of it, even I found it beyond me. It's been many years since my statistics class to be able to reproduce his analysis based on the research, which is all provided for anyone who wishes to delve deeper.
The first two thirds of the book are the best part as it takes apart the faulty research from groups like Bloomberg's Everytown and the like. This will give you plenty of ammunition, pun intended, to discuss the gun debate with facts to counter the media narrative.
October 9, 2020
This is clearly a book that was written to call out into the echo chamber of people who share the same thoughts on this issue as the author, and not to actually shed light on the subject, or even be a reasonable sounding board as someone trying to make a point about bias. This is easily one of the most biased books I've ever read, and did nothing to inform anybody of actual "facts" as it claims. If anything, this muddied it's own waters even more, by making claims so narrow in scope and not sourced that it was difficult to take seriously.
I am even more of the mind that gun control is needed, and soon.
I am even more of the mind that gun control is needed, and soon.
December 11, 2016
For the amount of research put into this book I cannot see giving it less than five stars. For anyone interested in the issue of gun control this may be an eye opener. And for those who do not believe the media is biased you may as well pass on this one. The truth probably would not open your eyes anyhow. And always remember that the best gun control is being able to hit your target.
November 10, 2016
Just the facts. Lott shows how the Soros-funded anti-gun lobby uses his financed researchers to cherry pick the data to support their claims...which turn out to be false. Good read for those who want to know the truth.
November 12, 2016
Good book...probably a little less relevant now, at least for the next 4 years. But, without a doubt, us law abiding gun owners are in a war against the gun control advocates and their made up statistics.
June 2, 2017
Great Book, Great Information
John Lott is a fount of information and he backs up his research and claims, he quantifies his sources. Very good source of information.
John Lott is a fount of information and he backs up his research and claims, he quantifies his sources. Very good source of information.
March 5, 2018
Very good. The raw data alone is very helpful.
January 5, 2019
Great Presentation
No matter which side of the debate you are on, Lott’s research is enlightening. If only elected officials would be willing to read it.
No matter which side of the debate you are on, Lott’s research is enlightening. If only elected officials would be willing to read it.
August 18, 2019
Very thorough and well researched. Gives you a lot to think about
April 25, 2020
If you are afraid of facts and cogent arguments, then please do NOT read this. Its just full of the dang things showing the lunacy and lies of gun control policies and those that advocate them.
November 27, 2020
Empirical evidence does not care about one’s feelings. A must read.
November 30, 2020
wow...remarkably bad.....how the heck is something like allowed to be published?!?!
July 16, 2019
I didn’t dislike this book, but it didn’t wow me either.
I thought the author did a good job showing the analysis and comparison of gun incidents, deaths, crime across the world is very subjective and not uniform with varying agendas and purpose for each country.
Where the US seems to work hard at capturing / counting anything and everything (even questionable additions) to its numbers, other countries may work to minimize
Incidents by hiding ownership/incidents/crime.
The book was informative, but struggled to keep me engaged.
I thought the author did a good job showing the analysis and comparison of gun incidents, deaths, crime across the world is very subjective and not uniform with varying agendas and purpose for each country.
Where the US seems to work hard at capturing / counting anything and everything (even questionable additions) to its numbers, other countries may work to minimize
Incidents by hiding ownership/incidents/crime.
The book was informative, but struggled to keep me engaged.
September 16, 2019
Oddly paced and poorly written narrative, but good information, and pairs well with research on ths other side of ths issue that specifically references Lott.
December 23, 2023
Professor Lott debunks the popular, media and politically driven, anti-gun narrative with facts. Don't bother with it if your position on gun ownership is emotionally based.
September 16, 2016
Even as a gun rights supporter I find, Lott too is guilty of cherry picking data based on semantics. As an example he conveniently goes comparing the "developing world" statistics with those of the "developed world," in order to make his point. Lott unfortunately falls into the trap of coloring his research with his politics, limiting the use of any of the material on partisan grounds. While I too have a problem with Bloomberg funded studies, biased results in the other direction doesn't help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2022
The presentation of information could have been better. I believe Lott manipulates the data exactly the way he accuses the anti gun groups of doing. However it is an extremely important message that needs to get out so for that I will give it 5 stars.
Read
June 12, 2017Good to have to be able to quickly reference the other side of the gun "control" debate.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews