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Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America Hardcover – September 19, 2011

by Adam Winkler (Author)

111 customer reviews

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A provocative history that reveals how guns―not abortion, race, or religion―are at the heart of America's cultural divide.

Gunfight promises to be a seminal work in its examination of America's four-centuries-long political battle over gun control and the right to bear arms. In the tradition of Gideon's Trumpet, Adam Winkler uses the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which invalidated a law banning handguns in the nation's capital, as a springboard for a groundbreaking historical narrative. From the Founding Fathers and the Second Amendment to the origins of the Klan, ironically as a gun control organization, the debate over guns has always generated controversy. Whether examining the Black Panthers' role in provoking the modern gun rights movement or Ronald Reagan's efforts to curtail gun ownership, Winkler brilliantly weaves together the dramatic stories of gun rights advocates and gun control lobbyists, providing often unexpected insights into the venomous debate that now cleaves our nation. 20 black-and-white illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America, Adam Winkler tells the remarkable story of the rag-tag group of libertarian lawyers who challenged nearly a century of lower-court precedent to bring a clear-cut Second Amendment case to the Supreme Court. This is an engaging and provocative legal drama about the six-year courtroom journey of District of Columbia v Heller and a fascinating survey of the misunderstood history of guns and gun control in America.”
- Wall Street Journal

“A succinct and fascinating introduction to the legal and historical issues at the heart of the gun debate.”
- Eric Arnesen, professor of history at George Washington University and fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Chicago Tribune

About the Author

Adam Winkler is a professor at UCLA School of Law, where he specializes in American constitutional law. His scholarship has been cited by the Supreme Court of the United States and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New Republic, Atlantic, Slate, and Scotusblog.

Product details

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition edition (September 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393077411
ISBN-13: 978-0393077414
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 111 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #660,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #775 in Legal History (Books)
- #878 in General Constitutional Law
- #1529 in Civil Rights & Liberties (Books)

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October 30, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is an important read for all Americans. It is not an easy read. The author jumps back and forth between supporting anecdotes and more factual reporting. Both sides of the gun control argument are well represented and seem unbiased

9 people found this helpful

Comment

So I would say if you want to learn something it is a good book and you will become informed about the issues ...

June 17, 2018

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This was a hard read for me because it is so factual but I did finish and I did learn about what has evolved through the years in gun control. So I would say if you want to learn something it is a good book and you will become informed about the issues at hand and how we as a nation have played a role and how the NRA has changed..

2 people found this helpful

Comment

Both sides of the fight should read this

May 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

I am a life member of the NRA and a gun rights supporter. But I have found that this book took a reasoned approach and I learned a lot. I still believe pretty much as I have, but I understand why I have changed over the years. The author says it early on. Gun rights supporters now reject ANY new gun control laws, because so many laws have been proposed and/or passed that do little or nothing to curb crime or violence and have the intent of just making it harder for gun owners, and "some" gun control advocates really want to be rid of guns altogether.
I comes down to to point that most gun rights people don't trust the government to not continually chip away at gun ownership, even when there is no basis that legal gun ownership is the problem.
I'm 63 years old. What this book has made me want to do is sit down with people (not lawmakers) that have opposing views and discuss our differences.

28 people found this helpful

Comment

Good, balanced discussion of a divisive topic

March 1, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Mr. Winkler provides both a historical perspective and a balanced discussion on one of our country’s most divisive topics. His central discussion on the 2nd Ammendment an firearms was delivered with the story of the SCOTUS decision DC vs Heller as the main thread. It was an easy read peppered with historical references and storytelling.

One person found this helpful

Comment

I learned more about the Second Amendment - that was my goal

April 30, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

After recent events in this country, I wanted to learn more about the Second Amendment, gun rights, and gun control. I'm not a gun owner myself, but I don't identify as anti-guns. I firmly believe the Second Amendment grants individuals the right keep and bear arms, but with limitations (much like those discussed later in the book). Since this is a review, I'm going to state that I found this book informative about the history of gun rights and gun control in the U.S. as it pertains to the ever evolving social, political, ideological, and racial landscape. In my opinion, Winkler treats all parties discussed with fairness and brutal honesty when needed. I enjoy reading history and informative literature, so I recommend this book for likeminded individuals, and leave other readers to come to their own conclusions.

5 people found this helpful

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Rich Lagomarsino

Written by an attorney

February 25, 2019

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Good book. Haven't finished it yet.

Comment

November 4, 2018

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Item was as described and arrived in a timely manner

Comment

A non-fiction page turner!

April 10, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The "story" of America's relationship with gun rights and gun control, Supreme Court proceeding and history, and cultural history all contribute twists and turns to this remarkably balanced report. My husband and I are on different sides of the gun divide, and reading this book together gave us a way of understanding and discussing the real issues that underlie the propoganda put forth by the extremists on both sides.

2 people found this helpful

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