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Columbine: A True Crime Story
Ten years after Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed twelve classmates and a teacher, Columbine remains the world's most iconic school shooting. Columbine: A True Crime Story, a Victim, the Killers and the Nation's Search for Answers is the first book of investigative journalism to tell the complete story of that day, the far-reaching consequences, and the common denominators among school shooters across the country. Jeff Kass was one of the first reporters on scene and has continued to cover the story as a staff writer for Denver's Rocky Mountain News. With a foreword by Douglas Brinkley and cover illustration by Ralph Steadman.
322 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 1, 2015
Like Cullen's more popular book on the same subject, Kass' books excels on some levels and fails on others.
In the positive column:
-Kass provides many more examples of the killers' personal diaries, writings, and other relevant documents. There is nothing like hearing from the killers in their own words.
-Kass focuses more on the killers and their motivations. I felt as if I had a clearer picture of who Dylan Klebold was...though Harris remained more elusive...perhaps because his family has been so tight-lipped since the shooting.
-Kass spends more time on the killers' families and the scrutiny they faced after the fact, and it's quite an interesting discussion. How much blame should the parents assume? At the very least, shouldn't they have known something was not right? Kass also spends a little more time on exposing all the warning signs that were either missed and/or discounted.
-Kass discusses how the lack of transparency on the part of investigators and the parents of the killers has impeded the process of analyzing what went wrong. He seems to think, and I would agree, that it is impossible to truly understand what happened at Columbine if everyone self-edits...in part because they are concerned about the backlash...primarily being sued or found culpable both legally and morally speaking.
For example, I understand that Dylan and Eric's parents are also victims and want to get on with their lives, but I think it is their responsibility (whether fair or not) to be as upfront and as honest as possible, if only so we can try to understand how this happened. Of course, this is tough for many reasons, especially when many hold the parents accountable on some level...which is sad.
It sounds as if their lawyers advised them to keep quiet. That is also another interesting aspect of this case that gets more attention in this book--the number of lawsuits and settlements and the role that these legal proceedings played in the aftermath. It seems as if everyone was looking to blame and then even sue everyone else whether for financial gain or simply to win access to information.
In the negative column:
-Kass spends quite a bit of time giving us Susan Klebold's family tree...most of which seems to be irrelevant and boring filler.
-Kass occasionally inserts his own bias into the discussion, presenting it almost as fact rather than his opinion.
-Eric Harris, arguably the one who played a more assertive role in both the planning and execution of the shooting, seemed to fade into the background...again, maybe because the Harris' have been less open and willing to talk. It also appears, unlike Dylan, who was liked by many, Harris was more of a loner who people didn't generally warm up to.
-While competently written, this book could have used a more thorough editor. It wasn't horrible, but it could have been better.
Conclusion:
Honestly, after reading the two accounts, I can't say one is "better" than the other. They are both worthy in their own right. If, like me, you are interested in the killers and their motivations, I think Kass' book definitely provides more detail and is even more honest. On the other hand, Cullen's book does a better job of exploring the after-effects on the community as a whole. It's also more "reader friendly."
One key important difference between the two accounts the role bullying and or rejection from peers played. Cullen seems to say it was minimal and more a myth that these boys were retaliating for bad deeds done to them. Yet after reading Dylan and Eric's own words, I think Cullen may be undervaluing/underestimating the significance of these social pressures.
Personally, if you are really curious about Columbine, I would recommend reading both. There is some overlap obviously, but (surprisingly) I think each book covers the tragedy in different yet complimentary ways. I definitely feel as if I have a fuller picture after reading this book than I did after simply reading Cullen's book.
In the positive column:
-Kass provides many more examples of the killers' personal diaries, writings, and other relevant documents. There is nothing like hearing from the killers in their own words.
-Kass focuses more on the killers and their motivations. I felt as if I had a clearer picture of who Dylan Klebold was...though Harris remained more elusive...perhaps because his family has been so tight-lipped since the shooting.
-Kass spends more time on the killers' families and the scrutiny they faced after the fact, and it's quite an interesting discussion. How much blame should the parents assume? At the very least, shouldn't they have known something was not right? Kass also spends a little more time on exposing all the warning signs that were either missed and/or discounted.
-Kass discusses how the lack of transparency on the part of investigators and the parents of the killers has impeded the process of analyzing what went wrong. He seems to think, and I would agree, that it is impossible to truly understand what happened at Columbine if everyone self-edits...in part because they are concerned about the backlash...primarily being sued or found culpable both legally and morally speaking.
For example, I understand that Dylan and Eric's parents are also victims and want to get on with their lives, but I think it is their responsibility (whether fair or not) to be as upfront and as honest as possible, if only so we can try to understand how this happened. Of course, this is tough for many reasons, especially when many hold the parents accountable on some level...which is sad.
It sounds as if their lawyers advised them to keep quiet. That is also another interesting aspect of this case that gets more attention in this book--the number of lawsuits and settlements and the role that these legal proceedings played in the aftermath. It seems as if everyone was looking to blame and then even sue everyone else whether for financial gain or simply to win access to information.
In the negative column:
-Kass spends quite a bit of time giving us Susan Klebold's family tree...most of which seems to be irrelevant and boring filler.
-Kass occasionally inserts his own bias into the discussion, presenting it almost as fact rather than his opinion.
-Eric Harris, arguably the one who played a more assertive role in both the planning and execution of the shooting, seemed to fade into the background...again, maybe because the Harris' have been less open and willing to talk. It also appears, unlike Dylan, who was liked by many, Harris was more of a loner who people didn't generally warm up to.
-While competently written, this book could have used a more thorough editor. It wasn't horrible, but it could have been better.
Conclusion:
Honestly, after reading the two accounts, I can't say one is "better" than the other. They are both worthy in their own right. If, like me, you are interested in the killers and their motivations, I think Kass' book definitely provides more detail and is even more honest. On the other hand, Cullen's book does a better job of exploring the after-effects on the community as a whole. It's also more "reader friendly."
One key important difference between the two accounts the role bullying and or rejection from peers played. Cullen seems to say it was minimal and more a myth that these boys were retaliating for bad deeds done to them. Yet after reading Dylan and Eric's own words, I think Cullen may be undervaluing/underestimating the significance of these social pressures.
Personally, if you are really curious about Columbine, I would recommend reading both. There is some overlap obviously, but (surprisingly) I think each book covers the tragedy in different yet complimentary ways. I definitely feel as if I have a fuller picture after reading this book than I did after simply reading Cullen's book.
February 2, 2012
Cullen's look at Columbine is much more resonant and poignant. Kass' approach feels sensationalized and biased. He injects himself so much within the text that I frequently felt as though he were patting himself on the back for all he accomplished in digging up dirt on the families of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. He only mentions one of the victims' families in detail - that of Isaiah Shoeles - which appear to be as out for their 15 minutes of fame as they are for memorializing their son.
It's ok for what it is, but if I were to recommend a book on Columbine, it wouldn't be this one.
It's ok for what it is, but if I were to recommend a book on Columbine, it wouldn't be this one.
April 7, 2009
Probably the best book on the Columbine Tragedy I've read to date...and also one recommended by one of the Columbine fathers as being the closest to the truth of what happened.
I really only have small problems with it; it occasionally falls into the error of "cherry-picking" quotes from the journals and writing of the shooters, ignoring all the quotes that tend to disprove the points the author is trying to make. The author also claims Eric Harris' journal is the 'most truthful' of his writings, because it 'was intended to be private'. I'm not sure how he figures that, since Harris is on video tape saying he wants/intends to send his journal to the press on the day of the shootings.
But overall, a great book if you want to begin to understand what happened at Columbine.
I really only have small problems with it; it occasionally falls into the error of "cherry-picking" quotes from the journals and writing of the shooters, ignoring all the quotes that tend to disprove the points the author is trying to make. The author also claims Eric Harris' journal is the 'most truthful' of his writings, because it 'was intended to be private'. I'm not sure how he figures that, since Harris is on video tape saying he wants/intends to send his journal to the press on the day of the shootings.
But overall, a great book if you want to begin to understand what happened at Columbine.
May 29, 2009
This book was the most poorly edited tome I have ever laid eyes on. The book was poorly written, poorly organized and lacked a cohesive narrative.
August 3, 2015
I kind of read this book by accident. I thought this was the one I wanted when I should have gotten David Cullen's Columbine. Oh well. I will read that one later after I've let this one settle in for a while.
When I taught at a college in Colorado, I had to spend 4 hours in intensive active shooter training. Columbine, 10+ years earlier, is the reason. And just when I think it is maybe being overly cautious, a co-worker's daughter is shot in the Aurora theater shooting. She lived. So while I can't claim any personal connection, I find myself like a lot of people drawn to answers as to why these shootings occur. You won't find any answers to that here and even Kass argues those answers may not exist. He takes a journalistic approach, fact after fact, to the police documents, documents that were only released 3 to 5 years after the shooting. I learned a good bit I didn't know about the shooters, their families, and the police response. However, Kass fills this book with so much non-essential information, pages and pages of facts from his research that have nothing to do with the case itself, it is hard to wade through all of it to what is relevant. Instead of summarizing information, Kass spends numerous pages filled with disjointed quotes from people or documents. I can appreciate what the author is trying to do and the angle he wants to present the information, but he does it poorly through bad writing and editing.
When I taught at a college in Colorado, I had to spend 4 hours in intensive active shooter training. Columbine, 10+ years earlier, is the reason. And just when I think it is maybe being overly cautious, a co-worker's daughter is shot in the Aurora theater shooting. She lived. So while I can't claim any personal connection, I find myself like a lot of people drawn to answers as to why these shootings occur. You won't find any answers to that here and even Kass argues those answers may not exist. He takes a journalistic approach, fact after fact, to the police documents, documents that were only released 3 to 5 years after the shooting. I learned a good bit I didn't know about the shooters, their families, and the police response. However, Kass fills this book with so much non-essential information, pages and pages of facts from his research that have nothing to do with the case itself, it is hard to wade through all of it to what is relevant. Instead of summarizing information, Kass spends numerous pages filled with disjointed quotes from people or documents. I can appreciate what the author is trying to do and the angle he wants to present the information, but he does it poorly through bad writing and editing.
December 29, 2012
This book (to me) is what it means to be a writer in that it made me understand the two killers, their motive and their background a lot more. Kass's book was an uncomfortable read that stuck with me. It is a gritty and real account of a tragedy that explores the human nature aspect of why these events happen. It also shows the frustration of journalism in getting the run around because of a cover up and negligence by the police who had the ability to do something before people were murdered and shot for no reason.
I also, like how Kass doesn't over-criminalize the killers because of their illnesses like the other book by Dave Cullen (although an easier more entertaining read) did. This is the first book I've read that almost gets it right. I have so much respect for this guy not losing focus and having the attention span to figure it out. People like him, could prevent this from happening in the future with the knowledge they now know by actually researching and having a real sense of compassion to stop it. Couldn't say enough good things about this book. Not entertaining but certainly truthful!
If you want to know more about the victims, I'd suggest reading Alan Pendergast's coverage in Westward.
I also, like how Kass doesn't over-criminalize the killers because of their illnesses like the other book by Dave Cullen (although an easier more entertaining read) did. This is the first book I've read that almost gets it right. I have so much respect for this guy not losing focus and having the attention span to figure it out. People like him, could prevent this from happening in the future with the knowledge they now know by actually researching and having a real sense of compassion to stop it. Couldn't say enough good things about this book. Not entertaining but certainly truthful!
If you want to know more about the victims, I'd suggest reading Alan Pendergast's coverage in Westward.
September 29, 2009
I wasn't as impressed with this book as I was with the other Columbine book recently published.
The author seems to suppose things without concrete proof. I understand it's hard to prove thing with the killers dead, but then, don't "suppose" you know what they were thinking either.
The layout was kind of jumpy and all over the place, although that may have been the author's intention. There were also a few grammatical errors (that were NOT in the intentionally left in area).
The author seems to suppose things without concrete proof. I understand it's hard to prove thing with the killers dead, but then, don't "suppose" you know what they were thinking either.
The layout was kind of jumpy and all over the place, although that may have been the author's intention. There were also a few grammatical errors (that were NOT in the intentionally left in area).
July 5, 2018
Badly written (example: "One of Dylan's favorite presents to Devon was $10."), some of the same excerpts included multiple times, padded with irrelevant information about extended family, and plenty of instances of Kass trying and failing to get the information he wants because he has made himself rather unpopular to many people associated with this tragedy and its aftermath.
March 30, 2025
This was SO much more well-informed and better written than Columbine by Dave Cullen in my opinion (though I will be going back to give that one a re-read in the very near future). I’m honestly leaning on a 4.5 rating for this simply due to some repetition and unnecessary content, but otherwise this was pretty great.
March 8, 2011
Fairly decent---did little to uncover any new information on the tragedy; the author spent most of his time complaining about how no one would "talk to him/" Not the Jefferson County Sheriff's Dept., not the families of the shooters, not the families of the victims (with the exception, of course, of the media-hound & racial trump-card throwing Michael Shoels, father of victim Isaiah.) No one would talk to this guy---a reporter for the "Rocky Mountain Times."
He's all about burial of information, deceit, and doing some open flirting with the idea of "cover-up." The tidbits he did manage to discover about the sad little lives lived out by the shooters just prior to the event were worthwhile and provided some insight into the tragedy; I was disappointed that more time wasn't devoted to delving into the meaning of these activities--maybe consulting with psychologists/sociologists/anthropologists--- instead of railing against government bureaucracies, whose sole purpose for existence seems to be hiding documents. I was interested especially in the journal pages and essays produced by the two shooters--surface examination reveals them for what they are and were (violent drawings and rantings prduced by deeply angry individuals), but little light was shed on the deeper meanings or messages contained in those scribblings. It was as if Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" had been paraded in front of a group of art students, while the instructor says, "See? Here's the 'Mona Lisa.' Yup. That's it all right."
At the books' close, I wasn't certain if the "True Crime" in the title of the book represented the actual tragedy, or the mess made by the authorities of doing the requiste "damage control" after the fact.
Book's weaknesses: Undertone of complaining, lack of significant insight or revelation of the tragedy/crime
Book's Strenghts: Spot-on reporting skills clearly demonstrated documented events leading up to the shooting; inclusion of drawings and essays to give some testimony about how the shooters were thinking; in-depth reporting the reactions of the shooter's families---a piece left out of MANY schol shooting narratives.
He's all about burial of information, deceit, and doing some open flirting with the idea of "cover-up." The tidbits he did manage to discover about the sad little lives lived out by the shooters just prior to the event were worthwhile and provided some insight into the tragedy; I was disappointed that more time wasn't devoted to delving into the meaning of these activities--maybe consulting with psychologists/sociologists/anthropologists--- instead of railing against government bureaucracies, whose sole purpose for existence seems to be hiding documents. I was interested especially in the journal pages and essays produced by the two shooters--surface examination reveals them for what they are and were (violent drawings and rantings prduced by deeply angry individuals), but little light was shed on the deeper meanings or messages contained in those scribblings. It was as if Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" had been paraded in front of a group of art students, while the instructor says, "See? Here's the 'Mona Lisa.' Yup. That's it all right."
At the books' close, I wasn't certain if the "True Crime" in the title of the book represented the actual tragedy, or the mess made by the authorities of doing the requiste "damage control" after the fact.
Book's weaknesses: Undertone of complaining, lack of significant insight or revelation of the tragedy/crime
Book's Strenghts: Spot-on reporting skills clearly demonstrated documented events leading up to the shooting; inclusion of drawings and essays to give some testimony about how the shooters were thinking; in-depth reporting the reactions of the shooter's families---a piece left out of MANY schol shooting narratives.
April 11, 2014
Columbine by Jeff Kass is a news novel that incorporates all aspects of the tragic school shooting that occured at Columbine High School on April 20th, 1999. It includes all the information from the entire investigation starting with a a detailed description of how Eric and Dylan, the killers, showed up to school that day and murdered 12 of their classmates and 1 teacher. It also incorporates so many people invloved with the tragedy like Eric and Dylan's families, friends, other classmates, and families of the victims. Along with evidence, it has an analysis of both murderers throughout the book.
What i liked about this book was how detailed and personal it was. Although some of it is disturbing, it's very emotional and I got to see many different perspectives of how people are affected by a school shooting. I also liked how much information the author included because it provides the reader with many point of views.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was sometimes there was too much extra information that didn't really seem necessary to include. But that only happened a few times so there was not much else that i disliked about this book.
This book was definitely difficult to comprehend soley because of the fact that it is true. It's intriguing to go deeper into a tragedy such as this in order to understand why it might have happened and this book is definitely not a typical read.
What i liked about this book was how detailed and personal it was. Although some of it is disturbing, it's very emotional and I got to see many different perspectives of how people are affected by a school shooting. I also liked how much information the author included because it provides the reader with many point of views.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was sometimes there was too much extra information that didn't really seem necessary to include. But that only happened a few times so there was not much else that i disliked about this book.
This book was definitely difficult to comprehend soley because of the fact that it is true. It's intriguing to go deeper into a tragedy such as this in order to understand why it might have happened and this book is definitely not a typical read.
Read
April 2, 2009Columbine, A True Crime Story is the definitive book on the mass shooting that took place at Columbine High School on April 19, 1999 in Littleton, CO
Jeff Kass was one of the first reporters on the scene. However when the media circus packed up their tents and moved on to the next town, Jeff Kass continued to dig. He wanted to find out not only the what, where, and how; but the why?
In researching this book Jeff Kass dug through Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris’s personal journals and daytimers. He traveled to the birthplace and talked to the families of their parents. He talked with their friends and enemies. This extensive research has lead to a very thorough portrait of who Erik and Dylan were.
There is another book recently released on this same subject, but my issue with this book is its lack of references. In Columbine by Dave Cullen he states that Eric Harris “got more tail than the football players”. However in Eric’s own diary days before the tragedy he complains about how girls will not give him the time of day.
Jeff Kass presents a thorough well researched, well written book on the subject. Does he give us all the answers? No, because in a senseless tragedy, there are no perfect explanations. But perhaps we can start a dialogue and learn to look for warning signs.
Jeff Kass was one of the first reporters on the scene. However when the media circus packed up their tents and moved on to the next town, Jeff Kass continued to dig. He wanted to find out not only the what, where, and how; but the why?
In researching this book Jeff Kass dug through Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris’s personal journals and daytimers. He traveled to the birthplace and talked to the families of their parents. He talked with their friends and enemies. This extensive research has lead to a very thorough portrait of who Erik and Dylan were.
There is another book recently released on this same subject, but my issue with this book is its lack of references. In Columbine by Dave Cullen he states that Eric Harris “got more tail than the football players”. However in Eric’s own diary days before the tragedy he complains about how girls will not give him the time of day.
Jeff Kass presents a thorough well researched, well written book on the subject. Does he give us all the answers? No, because in a senseless tragedy, there are no perfect explanations. But perhaps we can start a dialogue and learn to look for warning signs.
March 23, 2014
While I think this is a better over all book than Dave Cullen's Columbine, there were parts that just seemed like they were filler. He goes into details of minor people and it's just unnecessary. He doesn't talk nearly enough about the victims, however, it felt much more than what Cullen did.
I think people like Cullen's book better simply because Cullen chooses to make people believe we have an excellent portrait of the killers. We can even label them. Kass doesn't take that tact, which doesn't make people feel good. When you can label someone as a psychopath and someone else as a depressive, it makes people believe you can identify someone by traits, that we'll be able to prevent people from doing similar things as long as we observe them carefully and treat them accordingly.
Kass doesn't give readers false hope that these two kids were anything more than average kids who did something inexplicable. I think that's a better way to go about it than to pretend to break down their personalities after death and say "We know who they were."
Because we don't.
We never will. Even with the basement tapes and journals, we don't know if those were fabricated by the killers to project something or if it was truly who and what they were. To say we have the answers when it's clear that we do not, is wrong.
I am glad to be finished with this book and to be moving on from Columbine.
I think people like Cullen's book better simply because Cullen chooses to make people believe we have an excellent portrait of the killers. We can even label them. Kass doesn't take that tact, which doesn't make people feel good. When you can label someone as a psychopath and someone else as a depressive, it makes people believe you can identify someone by traits, that we'll be able to prevent people from doing similar things as long as we observe them carefully and treat them accordingly.
Kass doesn't give readers false hope that these two kids were anything more than average kids who did something inexplicable. I think that's a better way to go about it than to pretend to break down their personalities after death and say "We know who they were."
Because we don't.
We never will. Even with the basement tapes and journals, we don't know if those were fabricated by the killers to project something or if it was truly who and what they were. To say we have the answers when it's clear that we do not, is wrong.
I am glad to be finished with this book and to be moving on from Columbine.
April 18, 2009
Although this book does not officially come out until April it is available on amazon.com for pre-order. It is the first book written by a journalist to fully explore the Columbine High School shootings and tell the definitive stories of Columbine shooters Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Kass, who is a reporter for the Rocky Mountain News and has covered the Columbine story since day one, has spent the past ten years working on this book. Kass' investigative journalism takes the reader on a journey of the making of two school shooters. It tells the story of their families and also features exclusive never-before published information and court and police documents that illuminate how mishandled and misread all the warning signs progressed on their journey to mass murder. Kass also tells the story of Michael Sholes, father of slain Columbine student Isiah Sholes, and his journey from father to victims advocate. And most importantly, the book connects the dots between Klebold and Harris and other school shooters. It is an impeccable work of investigative journalism and a must read for any parent, teen, teacher, law enforcement officer, or just anyone who likes a good true crime read.
December 13, 2009
This is the second book I read on Columbine and it was impossible to not compare it to the more recent book on the incident. This book was less well-crafted, and details seemed more lurid - the cover alone is nightmare-producing. However, it does fill in some gaps in the story as the reporter does a thorough job. Like the other book, it is haunting and disturbing. I thought I wanted to gain an understanding of why Columbine happened and while I probably did, I'm not all that happy that these facts will live inside my head from now on.
June 3, 2020
What I liked:
-a lot of evidence from the diary entries
-a lot of interviews etc that aren't easy to find elsewhere
What I didn't like:
-there was some strange political commentary in some parts that just didn't make sense to me and rubbed me the wrong way in a book that is supposed to be very factual
-it seems to me that Kass has a strange grudge against the Klebolds and it shows in the book, there are a lot of subjective statements in there, while a good portion of the book actually is some quite objective work
-a lot of evidence from the diary entries
-a lot of interviews etc that aren't easy to find elsewhere
What I didn't like:
-there was some strange political commentary in some parts that just didn't make sense to me and rubbed me the wrong way in a book that is supposed to be very factual
-it seems to me that Kass has a strange grudge against the Klebolds and it shows in the book, there are a lot of subjective statements in there, while a good portion of the book actually is some quite objective work
November 15, 2017
This book started off very strong, with exceptionally well-researched facts about the day of and the days leading up to the shooting. After that, though, I think it failed to hold together -- almost as if the author couldn't decide which pieces of factual research were crucial, so he included EVERYTHING, relevant or not.
May 28, 2017
I felt this was very poorly written.
October 7, 2018
****NOVEL THOUGHTS****
How could 2 kids from loving homes, nice school, caring family, go so wrong? And how did no one see the bubbling anger and contempt boiling just under the surface of these two teenagers? And how did so much of the obvious get by the authorities and why didn't grown-ups in their lives see any red flags? Hindsight may be 20/20 but, could this enormous tragedy that has spun off many copycats have been prevented? How did this get by the parents? Brooks Brown states "Eric and Dylan are responsible for creating this tragedy but Columbine is responsible for creating Eric and Dylan."
This novel is mind-numbingly researched which makes the book drag a lot but also helps to create the snowballing of events, the psychological profiles of the two psychopath killers and picking up the pieces in the aftermath. This story pieces together the effects of bullying, violent video games on young minds, isolation of being the new kid, and the anger that is culled by all these events in their lives and how they blend and reinforce their hate together as friends.
These boys felt disillusioned in school not because of their lack of intelligence because they were both very bright and quite articulate. Dylan particularly was deep and almost poetic in the thoughts he puts into words in his journals. Eric showed creativity in his thoughts but was so violent in some of his English papers, it still makes me scratch my head as I try to understand why the teacher who called him out on it, didn't see it as a red flag and bring it to someone else's attention. It should have been escalated as just "weird thinking" especially when this wasn't the first time he wrote "unconventional themes and violent themes." They were disillusioned because of the lack of social standing within the school ranks. They were bullied, made fun of for their looks, their clothing and their social awkwardness. Bullying has always been a part of schools. After this event occurred, more awareness training to prevent bullying was done in the schools. But given today's unprecedented derision and division in the USA, it wouldn't surprise me that there will be more of this behavior in schools to negate the strides made since Columbine.
Technology was in its infancy at the time of Columbine but today, the anonymity of social media has increased the taunting, bullying and mockery on a larger scale. There have been suicides of school aged kids at rates never seen before. If you have kids who are already a bit unhinged as Dylan and Eric were, seeds are being sown for another horrific event and we have been seeing it over and over again since 1999 at unbelievable rates.
The book opens up as the gunman weave their way through the school cafeteria leaving their bombs and then making their way into the library which is where the massacre occurs. We can see the attack through the eyes and words of the survivors, and it is chilling. It is clear that the attack has been well planned and this is scary. But then, we find out that it took 4 hours before help came to the library. What took so long? Another ball dropped!
So how do we prevent this? Is it gun control? Is it more police presence in school? Is it preventable at all? Will we always have this in society? Is this unique to the USA? The events at Columbine was a huge wake up call and became an unfortunate learning experience for the country’s law enforcement agencies. Schools changed how they trained teachers, children have had to learn more than just fire-drills but active shooter drills (sick!) . But what about parents? It seems like these parents were unwilling or unable to see their kids as anything but normal. The parents of these killers refused to believe their kids did the vandalism. They didn’t question their child’s obsession with Nazis. They didn’t track their childrens’ obsession with the video game DOOM. There was a question about a pipe bomb but the author supposed that after it was found, the father took it out to blow up in an isolated place but didn’t ask his kid, “what the hell??” So many clues were missed, overlook, dismissed by everyone. Klebold and Harris gave the appearance of typical but they were anything but. I questioned at some point while reading, “would they always have become psychopaths?” Hare on page 180 says yes. They were built that way and all of the events, people and circumstances only helped speed up their depravity!
I was also dismayed at the suggestion of a cover up by the Jefferson County Sheriff Office. How true is that?
I was able to learn a lot about this devastating event and its impact on so many levels. There are so many questions that aren’t answered. And though the book was well researched, I can’t say it was well written. It is clear he is a newspaper man and not a novelist in the truest sense.
How could 2 kids from loving homes, nice school, caring family, go so wrong? And how did no one see the bubbling anger and contempt boiling just under the surface of these two teenagers? And how did so much of the obvious get by the authorities and why didn't grown-ups in their lives see any red flags? Hindsight may be 20/20 but, could this enormous tragedy that has spun off many copycats have been prevented? How did this get by the parents? Brooks Brown states "Eric and Dylan are responsible for creating this tragedy but Columbine is responsible for creating Eric and Dylan."
This novel is mind-numbingly researched which makes the book drag a lot but also helps to create the snowballing of events, the psychological profiles of the two psychopath killers and picking up the pieces in the aftermath. This story pieces together the effects of bullying, violent video games on young minds, isolation of being the new kid, and the anger that is culled by all these events in their lives and how they blend and reinforce their hate together as friends.
These boys felt disillusioned in school not because of their lack of intelligence because they were both very bright and quite articulate. Dylan particularly was deep and almost poetic in the thoughts he puts into words in his journals. Eric showed creativity in his thoughts but was so violent in some of his English papers, it still makes me scratch my head as I try to understand why the teacher who called him out on it, didn't see it as a red flag and bring it to someone else's attention. It should have been escalated as just "weird thinking" especially when this wasn't the first time he wrote "unconventional themes and violent themes." They were disillusioned because of the lack of social standing within the school ranks. They were bullied, made fun of for their looks, their clothing and their social awkwardness. Bullying has always been a part of schools. After this event occurred, more awareness training to prevent bullying was done in the schools. But given today's unprecedented derision and division in the USA, it wouldn't surprise me that there will be more of this behavior in schools to negate the strides made since Columbine.
Technology was in its infancy at the time of Columbine but today, the anonymity of social media has increased the taunting, bullying and mockery on a larger scale. There have been suicides of school aged kids at rates never seen before. If you have kids who are already a bit unhinged as Dylan and Eric were, seeds are being sown for another horrific event and we have been seeing it over and over again since 1999 at unbelievable rates.
The book opens up as the gunman weave their way through the school cafeteria leaving their bombs and then making their way into the library which is where the massacre occurs. We can see the attack through the eyes and words of the survivors, and it is chilling. It is clear that the attack has been well planned and this is scary. But then, we find out that it took 4 hours before help came to the library. What took so long? Another ball dropped!
So how do we prevent this? Is it gun control? Is it more police presence in school? Is it preventable at all? Will we always have this in society? Is this unique to the USA? The events at Columbine was a huge wake up call and became an unfortunate learning experience for the country’s law enforcement agencies. Schools changed how they trained teachers, children have had to learn more than just fire-drills but active shooter drills (sick!) . But what about parents? It seems like these parents were unwilling or unable to see their kids as anything but normal. The parents of these killers refused to believe their kids did the vandalism. They didn’t question their child’s obsession with Nazis. They didn’t track their childrens’ obsession with the video game DOOM. There was a question about a pipe bomb but the author supposed that after it was found, the father took it out to blow up in an isolated place but didn’t ask his kid, “what the hell??” So many clues were missed, overlook, dismissed by everyone. Klebold and Harris gave the appearance of typical but they were anything but. I questioned at some point while reading, “would they always have become psychopaths?” Hare on page 180 says yes. They were built that way and all of the events, people and circumstances only helped speed up their depravity!
I was also dismayed at the suggestion of a cover up by the Jefferson County Sheriff Office. How true is that?
I was able to learn a lot about this devastating event and its impact on so many levels. There are so many questions that aren’t answered. And though the book was well researched, I can’t say it was well written. It is clear he is a newspaper man and not a novelist in the truest sense.
February 16, 2018
Columbine is still a heated case, approaching 20 years after the fact. Information is kept secret in fear of copycats, despite an exponential increase in school shootings and other mass murders in the United States. Sue Klebold, Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold's mother, has come out with a book and given Ted Talks in an effort to understand criminally violent youth and promote mental health awareness. Christian prosecution myths pepper the news around Columbine and add to its lack of clarity.
In spite of all the confusion, secrecy, and conflicting reports, Jeff Kaas' Columbine: A True Crime Story is refreshing in its straightforwardness. He refuses to take a political side in the reporting, instead choosing to stick to hard and fast facts. Where there is confusion, or two sides to the story, he presents both with a respectable detachment. There is zero personal injection of the author's feelings in this book-no political, moral, religious, sensational, or familial agenda that plagues so many other Columbine reports. This is as neutral and factual as a reader could ever hope to attain, and for that, I deeply respect Kaas as a reporter and author.
Columbine: A True Crime Story is far from exhaustive or encyclopedic, and for good reason. If Kaas were to include every single detail from the 11k+ page-long report from Jefferson County, for example, the book would be muddled down with excess and become boring. Instead, Kaas used his sharp discernment and included all the details necessary-which is plenty, especially if you're not well-read on this particular case. Kaas leaves out filler-does it really matter if Eric Harris dated one or two more girls than the one he mentioned in C:ATCS? No, because ultimately, Harris went on his rampage with Klebold as a virgin, and adding that detail wouldn't offer any more insight as to why, and so Kaas left it out (just as one example).
The writing style is far from dry, despite being heavy on the facts. Sure this was an event filled with media circus-style behavior and high drama, high intrigue. But Kaas weaves emotion into this topic in a way that is not only engaging and entertaining, it can be crushing in how hard-hitting the emotion comes across. In the first chapter, which goes over the events of the day of the shooting from the perspective of the victims in a play-by-play style, I was so affected by the unflinching, yet sensitive, portrayals of the victims final moments that I was moved to tears (the final moments of slain teacher Dave Sanders has always deeply affected me).
And that's another thing that's so great about Kaas' writing. He handles a gory, violent, tragic case with utmost sensitivity-something that can be sadly lacking in a lot of journalistic efforts when covering violent crime. There's no glorification of the killers as rebellious avengers, there's no insult to religious good girls Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall, no hidden dig that the victims were deserving or that the killers were somehow heroes or martyrs. It deeply saddens me that American news reporting can often include those things. But I'm grateful and appreciative to Kaas that his fact-based approached to journalism, coupled with good, old-fashioned empathy, resulted in an amazingly well-done book on a topic that is still, unfortunately, shrouded in questions.
In spite of all the confusion, secrecy, and conflicting reports, Jeff Kaas' Columbine: A True Crime Story is refreshing in its straightforwardness. He refuses to take a political side in the reporting, instead choosing to stick to hard and fast facts. Where there is confusion, or two sides to the story, he presents both with a respectable detachment. There is zero personal injection of the author's feelings in this book-no political, moral, religious, sensational, or familial agenda that plagues so many other Columbine reports. This is as neutral and factual as a reader could ever hope to attain, and for that, I deeply respect Kaas as a reporter and author.
Columbine: A True Crime Story is far from exhaustive or encyclopedic, and for good reason. If Kaas were to include every single detail from the 11k+ page-long report from Jefferson County, for example, the book would be muddled down with excess and become boring. Instead, Kaas used his sharp discernment and included all the details necessary-which is plenty, especially if you're not well-read on this particular case. Kaas leaves out filler-does it really matter if Eric Harris dated one or two more girls than the one he mentioned in C:ATCS? No, because ultimately, Harris went on his rampage with Klebold as a virgin, and adding that detail wouldn't offer any more insight as to why, and so Kaas left it out (just as one example).
The writing style is far from dry, despite being heavy on the facts. Sure this was an event filled with media circus-style behavior and high drama, high intrigue. But Kaas weaves emotion into this topic in a way that is not only engaging and entertaining, it can be crushing in how hard-hitting the emotion comes across. In the first chapter, which goes over the events of the day of the shooting from the perspective of the victims in a play-by-play style, I was so affected by the unflinching, yet sensitive, portrayals of the victims final moments that I was moved to tears (the final moments of slain teacher Dave Sanders has always deeply affected me).
And that's another thing that's so great about Kaas' writing. He handles a gory, violent, tragic case with utmost sensitivity-something that can be sadly lacking in a lot of journalistic efforts when covering violent crime. There's no glorification of the killers as rebellious avengers, there's no insult to religious good girls Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall, no hidden dig that the victims were deserving or that the killers were somehow heroes or martyrs. It deeply saddens me that American news reporting can often include those things. But I'm grateful and appreciative to Kaas that his fact-based approached to journalism, coupled with good, old-fashioned empathy, resulted in an amazingly well-done book on a topic that is still, unfortunately, shrouded in questions.
November 18, 2018
Not a bad collection of information on Columbine...but yet another example of why I don't think journalists have handled Columbine well at all.
Firstly, I have no idea why - but Kass gives a nauseating amount of background information on the Columbine geographic region, as well as biographical information on the Klebolds going back three (four?) generations. Do I care? Does anyone? This really felt like a journalist's attempt to create filler with some public records he found.
Further, his explanation of Sue Klebold's appearance in her college psychiatrist's book seemed not only irrelevant, but an unethical dig for information. Really, Kass? You called her on the phone about that?
I found it funny how Kass claimed at the beginning that this book is true crime in the style of In Cold Blood, because this book is an assortment of facts at best. An insult to that classic for sure. Very little interpretation, very little brought to the table (except all of the unnecessary backstory I already mentioned).
Additionally, this book has some glaring editing mistakes that I don't know how you could miss.
Another disappointing book on Columbine, but doesn't suffer from inaccuracy of information and misinterpretation the way that Dave Cullen's book does. It might work for someone less familiar with the incident, but it doesn't work for me.
Firstly, I have no idea why - but Kass gives a nauseating amount of background information on the Columbine geographic region, as well as biographical information on the Klebolds going back three (four?) generations. Do I care? Does anyone? This really felt like a journalist's attempt to create filler with some public records he found.
Further, his explanation of Sue Klebold's appearance in her college psychiatrist's book seemed not only irrelevant, but an unethical dig for information. Really, Kass? You called her on the phone about that?
I found it funny how Kass claimed at the beginning that this book is true crime in the style of In Cold Blood, because this book is an assortment of facts at best. An insult to that classic for sure. Very little interpretation, very little brought to the table (except all of the unnecessary backstory I already mentioned).
Additionally, this book has some glaring editing mistakes that I don't know how you could miss.
Another disappointing book on Columbine, but doesn't suffer from inaccuracy of information and misinterpretation the way that Dave Cullen's book does. It might work for someone less familiar with the incident, but it doesn't work for me.
July 11, 2020
Jeff Kass' "Columbine" is divided into two parts: the first section includes widely known information about Columbine- though Kass does at times provide really specific details that aren't in other Columbine books- and part two which analyzes the shooters motivations and what, if anything, the Klebolds and Harrisses knew about their sons' plans.
I found part two, specifically chapters twelve to fifteen, the most interesting because it's in these chapters that Kass provides theories and analysis that goes against widely held beliefs about the shooters' mindset and perceptions of the shooters' parents (Kass is far less lenient towards Dylan and the Klebolds). In all honesty, I think i'd benefit from re-reading these chapters so that I could better digest the information. I also liked how Kass broadened the scope of his analysis in later chapters to look at the phenomenon of school shootings and how he included a case study of a thwarted school shooting to show how many of these shootings could be prevented if the warning signs are caught early and there's early intervention. I also liked the formatting of the book; I liked the Columbine photograph insert and the drawings, which comes directly from the Klebold and Harris documents, that are scattered throughout the book. Overall "Columbine" is a good read, minus all the editing errors.
I found part two, specifically chapters twelve to fifteen, the most interesting because it's in these chapters that Kass provides theories and analysis that goes against widely held beliefs about the shooters' mindset and perceptions of the shooters' parents (Kass is far less lenient towards Dylan and the Klebolds). In all honesty, I think i'd benefit from re-reading these chapters so that I could better digest the information. I also liked how Kass broadened the scope of his analysis in later chapters to look at the phenomenon of school shootings and how he included a case study of a thwarted school shooting to show how many of these shootings could be prevented if the warning signs are caught early and there's early intervention. I also liked the formatting of the book; I liked the Columbine photograph insert and the drawings, which comes directly from the Klebold and Harris documents, that are scattered throughout the book. Overall "Columbine" is a good read, minus all the editing errors.
September 8, 2019
I've been a resident of the Denver area for over 44 years, living in the part of the city where Columbine high school is located. Like everyone who remembers that morning, I can vividly recall the horror I felt as I read the newspaper accounts of the tragedy. I am a great admirer of Dave Cullen's book on the same topic, and bearing the same title as Kass' book.
Kass comes at his recounting with a wider lens than Cullen - discussing at length the decisions of law enforcement to share or not to share the results of the many investigations. Probably the two books are good companion reads for one another - unfortunately for Mr. Kass, I often felt that he was too strident in his pursuit to uncover the tiniest of details. I can sympathize with Sue Klebold, the mother of one of the young gunmen, who hung up on Kass during their one and only phone call.
Kass comes at his recounting with a wider lens than Cullen - discussing at length the decisions of law enforcement to share or not to share the results of the many investigations. Probably the two books are good companion reads for one another - unfortunately for Mr. Kass, I often felt that he was too strident in his pursuit to uncover the tiniest of details. I can sympathize with Sue Klebold, the mother of one of the young gunmen, who hung up on Kass during their one and only phone call.
August 30, 2020
This book gives a much more factual and unbiased account of Columbine than Dave Cullen's book, especially when it comes to the portrayal of Eric and Dylan. However, I can understand why Cullen's is more popular-- he made the story much more emotional, suspenseful, and narratively satisfying. Unfortunately, he achieved this by distorting the truth and making wild assumptions when it suited him. So while Kass might have a less exciting and more informational tone, I would certainly recommend this book much more highly to anyone who actually wants to understand the Columbine shooting. The only part that annoyed me was when he talked about the Klebolds. I'm not saying he can't criticize them at all, but he pretty clearly has a vendetta against them because they didn't like him snooping around.
October 1, 2025
I don’t know. I’ve heard people say this book is superior to the other, more famous book about Columbine. I think they were both equally meh. Honestly the best thing you can do, if you’re interested in reading about it, is go to the internet. This book didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t already know. It was poorly written and the editing was horrifying. Or the copy I had was missing every other comma. Unless I was reading it wrong, I’m pretty sure the author referred to Columbine as a town at least once.
The author was apparently one of the first reporters on the scene, but he barely even mentioned that. Why not put a little bit more about that? You were literally there, what was your first hand account of what was going on?
There was a lot of unnecessary back story and some repetition too.
The author was apparently one of the first reporters on the scene, but he barely even mentioned that. Why not put a little bit more about that? You were literally there, what was your first hand account of what was going on?
There was a lot of unnecessary back story and some repetition too.
March 16, 2017
Columbine: A True Crime Story by Jeff Kass is a chilling novel about the Columbine Massacre occurring April 20,1999. This book not only goes into detail about the injuries and murders that took place on that day, but also the background of the killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris and their parents backgrounds as well.
The specific dislikes with this book is that in the beginning, the book went into brutal graphic detail about the shooting and injuries that were obtained from the events that happened at Columbine. In the beginning line/ hook of the novel it reads, “On the day of Columbine seventeen-year-old Dylan Bennet Klebold is wearing a Black T-shirt with “Wrath” printed in red letters across the chest. The red matches the blood that will later grugle out of his head to form a jagged halo when he lies dead on the floor of the high school library”. The graphicness continues through the next couple chapters depicting every shot taken and every dead body on the ground.
This novel would be incredibly good as a movie because in the beginning chapters it goes over the killings pretty graphically, which is pretty typical in a hollywood movie. Eventually the books goes into the background of the killers and what motivated them to the breaking point of shooting up Columbine which would make for interesting character plot developments. Eventually leading to the parents backgrounds and what essentially went wrong with their children, leading them to not know what happened to cause their children to commit such a heinous crime.
This book is a very educational read not only informing individuals about the warning signs of mental illness and potential triggers but going into depth about the killers and their family members mental health backgrounds.
The specific dislikes with this book is that in the beginning, the book went into brutal graphic detail about the shooting and injuries that were obtained from the events that happened at Columbine. In the beginning line/ hook of the novel it reads, “On the day of Columbine seventeen-year-old Dylan Bennet Klebold is wearing a Black T-shirt with “Wrath” printed in red letters across the chest. The red matches the blood that will later grugle out of his head to form a jagged halo when he lies dead on the floor of the high school library”. The graphicness continues through the next couple chapters depicting every shot taken and every dead body on the ground.
This novel would be incredibly good as a movie because in the beginning chapters it goes over the killings pretty graphically, which is pretty typical in a hollywood movie. Eventually the books goes into the background of the killers and what motivated them to the breaking point of shooting up Columbine which would make for interesting character plot developments. Eventually leading to the parents backgrounds and what essentially went wrong with their children, leading them to not know what happened to cause their children to commit such a heinous crime.
This book is a very educational read not only informing individuals about the warning signs of mental illness and potential triggers but going into depth about the killers and their family members mental health backgrounds.
June 9, 2023
This was a very thorough walk-through of Columbine, step by step. I got a lot more details out of this one than from Sue Klebold's book, or Brooks Brown's. Of course, the author takes a position about what happened, what didn't happen, and what should have happened, and while I didn't entirely agree with his conclusions, I also don't think he was far off the mark. Some parts were odd to me, such as blaming "southern culture" for school shootings, and also pushing aggressively against the parents of the shooters when it's clear (now) that they really had no idea. Overall, however, I like his underlying message of transparency. He pushed to find out all the details, and he put in the effort to release them in the work. Well worth the read.
August 14, 2022
At this point I have read practically every book discussing Columbine, Kass’ is by far the best in my opinion. Unlike others that may be strayed by personal bias, I feel as though Kass provides a factual discussion with his unique connection to the case demonstrated through knowledge I have never before encountered. I finished the book in one day and can’t wait to read it again. Whilst this book does focus more on the killers as opposed to the 13, something that can put me off Columbine literature, Kass focuses his work in a tasteful way that seeks to inform as opposed to glorify Eric and Dylan’s actions.
July 24, 2018
we all know the tragic occurrences that happened on 20th April 1999 in Littleton Colorado when two teenagers stormed their school and started shooting. This book I find has more details on Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold behaviour before that horrible day which comes from police reports, parents and friends. It Also tells you what happened after they were both arrested for breaking to a van and stealing and when they went into diversion and professional opinions on what may of made them commit this crime. Excellent book if you are interested in columbine but also very sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2021
This is the definitive book on Columbine. I would highly recommend reading this book first or second to Brooks' Brown's account. It is extremely detailed and well researched, sometimes to a questionably ethical degree. I wish I read this book before Sue Klebold's one due to the inconsistencies between them. There are some parts that are a bit of a slog to read, and I found myself finding it difficult to keep up with the number of police officers/attorneys/etc. mentioned. Excellent journalism, thank you Mr. Kass!
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