Opposing Viewpoints Digests - Gun Control (Opposing Viewpoints Digests)

Presents opposing arguments on gun control, including gun availability and its influence on society, the constitutionality of gun control, effective measures in reducing gun violence, and the effects of a gun ban on society.

Grade 9 Up-Balanced coverage of a controversial subject. Four sections, each with at least two essays, address gun availability, the constitutionality of gun control, effective measures to reduce gun violence, and banning guns. The selected articles represent both sides of the issues. They are well written and the occasional use of editorial cartoons throughout helps emphasize the variety of viewpoints. Appendixes list facts about gun control, crime, deaths, laws, and public opinion as well as excerpts from primary-source materials. Excellent for reports, discussion, or debate.
Tracey Ansley, Cary Academy, NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Like the other books in the Opposing Viewpoints Digest series, this does an outstanding job of presenting a wide range of ideas and impassioned arguments. After a brief introduction on the history of guns in America, O'Neill tackles multiple arguments that address variations of the following questions: How do gun availability and a potential gun ban affect society? Is gun control constitutional? What measures would effectively reduce gun violence? Given two to four separate essays per question, readers have much to digest and plenty of hotly expressed views to help them form their own opinions. Some of the photographs and all of the editorial cartoons add richly to the essays, which are particularly effective when sharing often staggering statistics and eye-opening comparisons between the U.S. and other countries. The impressive index reinforces O'Neill's thorough research, and there are more than 100 sources listed in the bibliography. Roger Leslie
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