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For Alison: The Murder of a Young Journalist and a Father's Fight for Gun Safety
Renowned activist Andy Parker's account of the story that shocked America, the murder of his daughter, reporter Alison Parker, on live television, and his extraordinary ensuing fight for commonsense gun safety legislation and doing "Whatever It Takes" to end gun violence. On August 26, 2015, Emmy Award–winning twenty-four-year-old reporter Alison Parker was murdered on live television, along with her colleague, photojournalist Adam Ward. Their interviewee was also shot, but survived. People watching at home heard the gunshots, and the gunman's video of the murder, which he uploaded to Facebook, would spread over the internet like wildfire. In the wake of his daughter's murder, Andy Parker became a national leader in the fight for commonsense gun safety legislation. The night of the murder, with his emotions still raw, he went on Fox News and vowed to do "Whatever it Takes" to end gun violence in America. Today he is a media go-to each time a shooting shocks the national consciousness, and has worked with a range of other crusaders, like Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Lenny Pozner, whose son was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School and brought suit against Alex Jones and Infowars, who claimed the shooting was staged. In For Alison , Parker shares his work as a powerhouse battling gun violence and gives a plan for commonsense gun legislation that all sides should agree on. He calls out the NRA-backed politicians blocking the legislation, shares his fight against "truthers," who claim Alison's murder was fabricated, and reveals what's ahead in his fight to do whatever it takes to stop gun violence. Parker's story is one of great loss, but also resilience, determination, and a call to action. Senator Tim Kaine, also a fierce advocate for commonsense gun laws, contributes a moving foreword.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
17 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Andy Parker
1 book3 followersOn August 26, 2015, the lives of Andy and Barbara Parker changed forever when their daughter Alison, a journalist for WDBJ7, was murdered on live television near Roanoke, Virginia.
Vowing to do whatever it takes, Andy turned his anger into outspoken activism and action to fight gun violence. From branding the NRA a terrorist organization to publicly calling out legislators for their cowardice, Andy is willing to say what others only think. With assistance from the Georgetown University Civil Rights Law Clinic, he has now taken on Google in an effort to remove the video of Alison's murder from YouTube.
Andy has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox News and multiple international outlets and has been a contributor to such national publications as the Huffington Post, Time, Newsweek, Washington Post, USA Today, New York Post, and New York Daily News. A member of the National Press Club, he proudly serves on the advisory board of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 12, 2022
On August 26, 2105, Allison Parker, Adam Ward, and Vicki Gardner were shot by a disgruntled ex-employee while doing a live news broadcast. Allison and Adam died. The killer had installed a Go-Pro on top of his head and uploaded the video of the killing to Facebook and provided the link on Twitter.
Andy Parker, Allison's father, has written a raw, poignant, no-holds barred memoir. He became a fierce advocate for gun control immediately after Allison's death.
A quote at the beginning of the book sums it up well, "Evil exists not just because of its perpetrators. It exists because of bystanders."
Andy's anger is palpable. He doesn't mince words. And he gets incensed when gun control organizations want a "soft" message. He firmly believes in rattling cages to bring about change.
The memoir provides historical and current context about guns, as well as many suggestions on how we can get involved and not be bystanders as mass shootings and other violent shootings occur.
Highly recommend!
Andy Parker, Allison's father, has written a raw, poignant, no-holds barred memoir. He became a fierce advocate for gun control immediately after Allison's death.
A quote at the beginning of the book sums it up well, "Evil exists not just because of its perpetrators. It exists because of bystanders."
Andy's anger is palpable. He doesn't mince words. And he gets incensed when gun control organizations want a "soft" message. He firmly believes in rattling cages to bring about change.
The memoir provides historical and current context about guns, as well as many suggestions on how we can get involved and not be bystanders as mass shootings and other violent shootings occur.
Highly recommend!
January 18, 2019
One of the most famous lines in The Shawshank Redemption is "Get busy living or get busy dying." The easiest way to describe this book is that Andy Parker took that quote and turned it into "Get busy fighting or get busy dying."
You know who Alison Parker is. She and her cameraman (or "photog," for a fun bit of TV news lingo) Adam Ward were murdered on live television. Now, almost four years later, her father has turned that senseless tragedy into a crusade.
This is a hard book to read. You can feel his heartbreaking grief and his fury on every page. There's every chance that it will make you cry. At the same time, though, it's a book about hope, specifically the hope that we will be able to pass common-sense gun control laws. (For example, mandatory background checks with no loopholes and limiting the amount of rounds.)
The most powerful aspect of this is Alison herself. We hear stories about her childhood and her adult life, and it's so clear that this is a lady who would've made the hugest difference in the world. She had such a clear sense of joy and purpose that would've changed the world. That makes her murder all the more tragic; we will never see what she would have done. We're seeing what's done in her name, however, and that's still worth a great deal. To paraphrase Cheryl Strayed, "it will never be okay" that Alison's not here. No matter what comes next, it's not worth her loss. I feel so grateful to get to see more of her as a person and not as a news story. (In the interest of full disclosure, though, we have a friend in common and, while I never met her, I have already gotten some sense of her. This book is obviously a much better, more complete view.)
This is an amazing book about the worst thing that could possibly happen and a book about turning tragedy into purpose. We all need to get busy fighting, not just for Alison but because any of us could be next.
Highly, highly recommended.
You know who Alison Parker is. She and her cameraman (or "photog," for a fun bit of TV news lingo) Adam Ward were murdered on live television. Now, almost four years later, her father has turned that senseless tragedy into a crusade.
This is a hard book to read. You can feel his heartbreaking grief and his fury on every page. There's every chance that it will make you cry. At the same time, though, it's a book about hope, specifically the hope that we will be able to pass common-sense gun control laws. (For example, mandatory background checks with no loopholes and limiting the amount of rounds.)
The most powerful aspect of this is Alison herself. We hear stories about her childhood and her adult life, and it's so clear that this is a lady who would've made the hugest difference in the world. She had such a clear sense of joy and purpose that would've changed the world. That makes her murder all the more tragic; we will never see what she would have done. We're seeing what's done in her name, however, and that's still worth a great deal. To paraphrase Cheryl Strayed, "it will never be okay" that Alison's not here. No matter what comes next, it's not worth her loss. I feel so grateful to get to see more of her as a person and not as a news story. (In the interest of full disclosure, though, we have a friend in common and, while I never met her, I have already gotten some sense of her. This book is obviously a much better, more complete view.)
This is an amazing book about the worst thing that could possibly happen and a book about turning tragedy into purpose. We all need to get busy fighting, not just for Alison but because any of us could be next.
Highly, highly recommended.
February 20, 2019
I truly believe this is one of the most important books of our time. I was able to read an advance copy of For Alison in exchange for an honest review, and I was genuinely blown away by the book. Gun violence is devastating America and the author shares his journey to do everything in his power to put an end to it. ("Whatever it takes.") The book is an emotional read, but it left me feeling inspired and empowered. I finished the read feeling more informed about the issue of gun violence, knowing which politicians are backed by the NRA and the commonsense gun legislation they refused to enact, as well as more informed about the work of people fighting for commonsense gun legislation, like the author is. I want to be part of the fight for reform; I think it's a civic duty. This book gets my highest recommendation.
March 9, 2019
Alison Parker and Adam Ward were gunned down on live tv by a mentally ill former employee of WDBJ 7 where Alison and Adam worked. For Alison is the story of a father who lost his daughter and reluctantly began fighting for gun reform.
This book, as Parker says, is part memoir, part current affairs, and part call to action. The first three chapters are hard to read. Parker talks about what happened when his daughter was murdered and how he responded. The rest of the book has both happy and sad moments as well as personal struggles. He talks about being at a family wedding and realizing he’ll never walk his daughter down the aisle. He shares honestly and sometimes abrasively moments like this—moments that most will never consider unless they are in his situation.
As Parker states, there are now too many people like him in the club that nobody wants to join. This is an important book. It is a good book, and it is a heartbreaking book.
This book, as Parker says, is part memoir, part current affairs, and part call to action. The first three chapters are hard to read. Parker talks about what happened when his daughter was murdered and how he responded. The rest of the book has both happy and sad moments as well as personal struggles. He talks about being at a family wedding and realizing he’ll never walk his daughter down the aisle. He shares honestly and sometimes abrasively moments like this—moments that most will never consider unless they are in his situation.
As Parker states, there are now too many people like him in the club that nobody wants to join. This is an important book. It is a good book, and it is a heartbreaking book.
January 29, 2019
Andy Parker is the father of murdered journalist Alison Parker, who was shot to death in August 2015 on live television. This is his plea to the masses to vote for common-sense gun laws and to decouple the NRA from American politics.
This book is gut-wrenching. It intimately explores the relationship between father and daughter, starting from when Alison was born. In my mind, I picture these pages as pieces of a red, bloody heart beating tirelessly. Parker's agony, frustration, and despair are visceral. This is where the book succeeds for me - there is so much more to the story, so much more to Alison's life, than can be told in a sixty second news interview.
Parker also addresses the common arguments against gun control and comes back at them with his own answers. He answers the question of what the average American citiznen can do about gun control. His experience with Everytown and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America are enlightening and will undoubtedly inspire some readers to join their causes.
Some of Parker's commentary on race was misguided, such as comparing gun control to the civil rights movement. Considering the dark history of this nation, I don't think the two can or should be compared.
I appreciated Parker's conversation around the internet as it related to his daughter's death, specifically about the "truthers" and the endless battle to remove the video from Google/YouTube. It's a crucial conversation that deserves much more attention than it gets.
Overall, "For Alison" is a devastating, important book about the pain of losing a child and navigating the personal and political sides to gun violence.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss and Apollo Publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is gut-wrenching. It intimately explores the relationship between father and daughter, starting from when Alison was born. In my mind, I picture these pages as pieces of a red, bloody heart beating tirelessly. Parker's agony, frustration, and despair are visceral. This is where the book succeeds for me - there is so much more to the story, so much more to Alison's life, than can be told in a sixty second news interview.
Parker also addresses the common arguments against gun control and comes back at them with his own answers. He answers the question of what the average American citiznen can do about gun control. His experience with Everytown and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America are enlightening and will undoubtedly inspire some readers to join their causes.
Some of Parker's commentary on race was misguided, such as comparing gun control to the civil rights movement. Considering the dark history of this nation, I don't think the two can or should be compared.
I appreciated Parker's conversation around the internet as it related to his daughter's death, specifically about the "truthers" and the endless battle to remove the video from Google/YouTube. It's a crucial conversation that deserves much more attention than it gets.
Overall, "For Alison" is a devastating, important book about the pain of losing a child and navigating the personal and political sides to gun violence.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss and Apollo Publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2025
The author stated that “this is an angry memoir.” That it was.
June 1, 2019
The front flap of the dust jacket on Andy Parker’s book, “For Alison,” states, “After a journalist is gunned down on live TV, her father says never again,” but the story is so much more than that. Make no mistake, this book is about an attack on a family, one that could have been (and unfortunately still could be) yours or mine. I say that because with each person in this country who is shot and killed, there is a ripple effect as hundreds of other people, family members, friends, and colleagues have their lives altered forever and in some cases, utterly destroyed. The Parker’s story brings this point home in an especially poignant way.
The theme here is one every gun owner should understand, the need to protect the family above all else. It seems to me (and to Mr. Parker) that the best way for gun owners to retain their privilege to own guns for protection of their families is to defend the rights of every other family to protect theirs. And the way to do that is by removing the threat of gun violence perpetrated by those who should never have had easy access to guns in the first place.
As swiftly as they paddle their kayaks through the Class III rapids of the Nantahala River, after Alison’s death, Andy and his wife Barbara launched themselves into the high stakes world of politics, leveraging legions of like-minded people and organizations dedicated to commonsense vetting and training for gun ownership and use (something that 94% of Americans actually agree with). Their goal is to protect every other family in America from experiencing the kind of heartbreaking tragedy and loss that they have in losing their beloved Alison.
While not an easy book to read emotionally, the author moves the pace right along, engaging us with his forthright style and honesty. Lest you think he paints himself as some saintly crusader, Andy readily admits that, saturated with grief and rage, he has not always behaved in ways he has been proud of later. However, it is readily apparent just how lucky Alison was to have had a father like Andy, surrounded as she was by the bright bubble of unconditional love and support from him, as well from her mother Barbara and brother Drew. Andy states that righteous anger is the fuel for his way forward in this fight; that is understandable, given how any parent would feel in his shoes. Anger can provide momentum, and make us feel like we are in control of our situation; it is what keeps us from falling apart. However, my take is that the most powerful weapon he has, the one that will ultimately ensure his triumphal success in this endeavor is love. His love for a beautiful, extraordinarily talented young woman named Alison, and the memory of her love for him.
The theme here is one every gun owner should understand, the need to protect the family above all else. It seems to me (and to Mr. Parker) that the best way for gun owners to retain their privilege to own guns for protection of their families is to defend the rights of every other family to protect theirs. And the way to do that is by removing the threat of gun violence perpetrated by those who should never have had easy access to guns in the first place.
As swiftly as they paddle their kayaks through the Class III rapids of the Nantahala River, after Alison’s death, Andy and his wife Barbara launched themselves into the high stakes world of politics, leveraging legions of like-minded people and organizations dedicated to commonsense vetting and training for gun ownership and use (something that 94% of Americans actually agree with). Their goal is to protect every other family in America from experiencing the kind of heartbreaking tragedy and loss that they have in losing their beloved Alison.
While not an easy book to read emotionally, the author moves the pace right along, engaging us with his forthright style and honesty. Lest you think he paints himself as some saintly crusader, Andy readily admits that, saturated with grief and rage, he has not always behaved in ways he has been proud of later. However, it is readily apparent just how lucky Alison was to have had a father like Andy, surrounded as she was by the bright bubble of unconditional love and support from him, as well from her mother Barbara and brother Drew. Andy states that righteous anger is the fuel for his way forward in this fight; that is understandable, given how any parent would feel in his shoes. Anger can provide momentum, and make us feel like we are in control of our situation; it is what keeps us from falling apart. However, my take is that the most powerful weapon he has, the one that will ultimately ensure his triumphal success in this endeavor is love. His love for a beautiful, extraordinarily talented young woman named Alison, and the memory of her love for him.
May 2, 2020
This is a difficult book, not because it’s bad (it’s not) but because the subject matter is one of the most harrowing epidemics in American society. You might remember the shooting where journalist Alison Parker was murdered on live TV. Her father has since become an activist and has written this book, not only about Alison’s murder, but about the media storm, the nature of gun discourse, the politics, the non-profit turf wars, and the poison from Internet trolls. I felt angry, sad, and hopeful at various times while reading, but it’s definitely a one chapter at a time read, especially the beginning.
I have some personal connection to the book, too. I am about 80% certain that I watched the video of Alison’s murder shortly after it happened and had a minor panic attack. Yeah, it was on a screen but it wasn’t at all like watching a movie or TV show. Now I know better.
But there’s more. Andy Parker came to speak at my church last October, which is actually where I got the book. I even joined the group lunch we treated him to on the second day of his event. At the time, he was touring around the world to hold community forums about gun legislation and gun violence, and my pastor (who provided clergy services in the fallout of the Virginia Tech shooting) made arrangements for him to come speak at our church. We filled the churchyard with pinwheels bearing the names of everyone who, up to that point in 2019, had been a victim of gun violence in our city. It was over 300.
So this book is a heavy read, but necessary. Parker does not mince his words. You will not feel coddled or edified. You will be disturbed and challenged.
The only “criticism” I really have is that Parker discusses so many people that I lost track of who most of them were and why they were important. Part of this is because it took me 6 months to read this book and the other part is that him becoming such a public face really did involve a flurry of interacting with a thousand people all the time.
I have some personal connection to the book, too. I am about 80% certain that I watched the video of Alison’s murder shortly after it happened and had a minor panic attack. Yeah, it was on a screen but it wasn’t at all like watching a movie or TV show. Now I know better.
But there’s more. Andy Parker came to speak at my church last October, which is actually where I got the book. I even joined the group lunch we treated him to on the second day of his event. At the time, he was touring around the world to hold community forums about gun legislation and gun violence, and my pastor (who provided clergy services in the fallout of the Virginia Tech shooting) made arrangements for him to come speak at our church. We filled the churchyard with pinwheels bearing the names of everyone who, up to that point in 2019, had been a victim of gun violence in our city. It was over 300.
So this book is a heavy read, but necessary. Parker does not mince his words. You will not feel coddled or edified. You will be disturbed and challenged.
The only “criticism” I really have is that Parker discusses so many people that I lost track of who most of them were and why they were important. Part of this is because it took me 6 months to read this book and the other part is that him becoming such a public face really did involve a flurry of interacting with a thousand people all the time.
October 27, 2019
My heart goes out to those who went through this challenge. We lost a son by gunfire and the loss remains. Politics (as noted several times in this well written book) are stronger and often misleading to those who do not know how devastating an injury (death) occurs with rapid bursts of automatic guns. The few people I know that own AK's are enthralled with the destroying of the rapie firing. I was raised with guns in the house - used for hunting and protection and taught to respect and care for the guns. Agree with buying and possessing guns needs to be better supervised. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Parker for sharing Allison's and your lives.
July 4, 2020
Wow.....emotionally draining, heartbreaking but also hopeful! Andy, Barbara, Drew and Chris have the strength and courage of lions and I’m sure that Alison proud of them! Please read this book and take a stand for gun safety! It’s not gun control it’s common sense gun ownership! I learned a lot from this book and many of my ideas have been confirmed. Spread the word.....whatever it takes! Tears in my eyes😢
September 24, 2019
Heart wrenching!
November 23, 2019
I will never forget witnessing the continual replays of the live coverage of Alison Parker & Adam Ward being murdered in cold blood while conducting an interview in the Smith Mountain Lake area. I was just as stunned & in disbelief as everyone else that something like this would occur. As the details unfolded hour by hour, the tragedy became even further disheartening as everyone learned who was behind the murders & his connection to both Alison and Adam.
I expected the book to detail a good deal more about Alison as she grew up and her life experiences through college and her career into journalism. While it does touch on her life, it doesn't go into great detail.
I can understand not wanting to focus on Vester Lee Flanagan II and agree he has no place in this book; however, there are omitted details that unfolded in the television news & papers which made what he did to end their lives that much more heinous and simply unforgivable; proving just how evil and demented he truly was.
Alison had a wonderful on air presence and it was very apparent she loved her job and had a successful career and life ahead of her. While I don't agree that the news station was at fault where Flanagan was concerned (with having fired him), I do believe better safeguards need to be put into place when reporters are out in the field working solely in a group of two; being left exposed and vulnerable.
I expected the book to detail a good deal more about Alison as she grew up and her life experiences through college and her career into journalism. While it does touch on her life, it doesn't go into great detail.
I can understand not wanting to focus on Vester Lee Flanagan II and agree he has no place in this book; however, there are omitted details that unfolded in the television news & papers which made what he did to end their lives that much more heinous and simply unforgivable; proving just how evil and demented he truly was.
Alison had a wonderful on air presence and it was very apparent she loved her job and had a successful career and life ahead of her. While I don't agree that the news station was at fault where Flanagan was concerned (with having fired him), I do believe better safeguards need to be put into place when reporters are out in the field working solely in a group of two; being left exposed and vulnerable.
February 17, 2020
I am still in the throes of listening to this book--audiobook--and am sharing beginning thoughts.
I appreciate and condone Parker's perspective and work regarding stricter gun laws and rue that he has been misinterpreted and maligned.
I am unable to fathom how devasting it must feel to have one's child pass away--let alone be killed by another person and discover a recording of the murders was placed on the internet by the killer for the world to see.
I have two daughters--and the mere thought of anything happening to either of them is chillingly incomprehensible. I love my daughters immensely--I had never experienced truer love before they were born--and as Andy Parker feels about Alison, I feel both of my daughters are wonderful, brilliant, inquisitive geniuses and kind-hearted human beings.
I am a tad more than two hours into the audiobook and feel I want to hear more about what his wife, Barbara feels, thinks, believes. I understand this is from his perspective, however, it is almost as if Alison was the love of his life and Barbara a mere conduit to that true love.
Hopefully more insight into his actions and experiences advocating for gun safety and regulation will keep my interest as it is currently waning.
I appreciate and condone Parker's perspective and work regarding stricter gun laws and rue that he has been misinterpreted and maligned.
I am unable to fathom how devasting it must feel to have one's child pass away--let alone be killed by another person and discover a recording of the murders was placed on the internet by the killer for the world to see.
I have two daughters--and the mere thought of anything happening to either of them is chillingly incomprehensible. I love my daughters immensely--I had never experienced truer love before they were born--and as Andy Parker feels about Alison, I feel both of my daughters are wonderful, brilliant, inquisitive geniuses and kind-hearted human beings.
I am a tad more than two hours into the audiobook and feel I want to hear more about what his wife, Barbara feels, thinks, believes. I understand this is from his perspective, however, it is almost as if Alison was the love of his life and Barbara a mere conduit to that true love.
Hopefully more insight into his actions and experiences advocating for gun safety and regulation will keep my interest as it is currently waning.
August 15, 2020
So someone owns a car. Parker is going to use the power of the government to take that car. And this is not robbery, this is "safety". And taking somebody else's possession is going to be done with the threat of governmental employees wearing guns. How ironic!
February 11, 2024
This is a very important book. I think everyone should take the time to read this.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews