Author: Thom Hartmann

Publishers:Berrett-Koehler

ISBN: 978-1-5230-85996-6


Thom Hartmann, author ofThe Hidden History of Guns and the Second Amendment, has penned nearly thirty books that have been translated into many languages across the world on a variety of topics. (2019, p.177) He loves to uncover information in his research that has previously not been disclosed. His varied work landscape and love of all things historical has tempered his published work. Regarding the topic of this book Thom admits that he was given his first gun at the tender age of five. (p.179) It was a cap gun. At eight he was having fun with his BB gun. As he grew up he shot more diverse guns and enjoyed it. To this day he loves to shoot skeet and targets oftentimes with his brothers. Thom and his wife live in their empty river front nest along with their two dogs and three cats in Portland Oregon. 

Thom reverts between the various passages in the Bible and what is occurring at any given point in history over the course of this book. In Chapter One he introduces that context of how guns have played a role in civil rights and genocide. For instance, he states “America is facing an epidemic-public health officials use the word-of gun-related suicides, accidents, and even homicides and police killings. That epidemic has grown worse in the past decade, largely because the number of guns in America has increased—in large part because of the racial fears of white men who bought guns in record numbers for eight years.” (2019, p.7) As evidence for this quote he uses a study conducted by Zimring and Hawkins that was published in Science Magazine. (p.8) 

Chapter four touches on Columbus and Jamestown. There are offered up for discussion written texts from Columbus about the prices he could get for enslaving some young girls from Hispaniola. “A hundred castellanoes are easily obtained for a woman as for a farm, …” (2019, p,20) These were the Taino Indians to which Columbus also called cannibals. Columbus and his men kept these slaves in line by cutting off their body parts for disobedience of any kind or even shooting the dead in their tracks. Hartmann ties these brutal slaying into Hitler in WWII and other war-torn stories around the globe. 

Chapter six introduces the possibility of who (Madison, Jefferson, Monroe…) was responsible for drafting the Second Amendment and what actually went into interpreting it as it is today. Chapter eight attempts to draw connections between slavery and our Second Amendment. “When the Bill of Rights was ratified, the Second Amendment institutionalized guns, as well as the militias…” (2019, p.35)  Apparently, there was also much discussion about the possibility of how to deal with standing armies and how they might contribute to mutiny if left to their own devices. 

The book marches up through today and how Black Lives Matter has redirected the gun discussion. “In the 150 years since the Civil War, black Americans have been repeatedly disarmed by white authorities or killed when they attempt to exercise their Second Amendment rights.” (2019, p.78)

If you want a thoughtful look at history and guns this is the perfect book for you. I enjoyed it an believe you will too!