About book American Gun: A History Of The U.S. In Ten Firearms (2013)
This was a very light and easy read. I wasn't initially excited to read it because it was a family recommendation but I enjoyed it from page one. There is a lot of history and not too much technical gun jargon. It was enough to understand what was unique about the guns and then had fascinating stories of how the guns shaped periods of American history. I'd recommend for someone wanting something fun (Kyle's personality comes out) combined with a lot of trivia about firearms and America. “American Gun” tells the history of the United States through the stories of ten classic firearms from individually crafted Kentucky Long Rifles to modern automatic M16s. In between it talks about the Spencer Repeaters, the Colt .45 Peacemaker, the Winchester 1873 Rifle, the Sharps .50 Buffalo Rifle, the 1893 Mauser and 1903 Springfield, the M1911 Government model .45 automatic, The Thompson Submachine gun, the M1 Garand Rifle, the M14 and the .38 Special. Author Chris Kyle did an excellent job of tying the guns into larger historical themes. The Sharps Rifle cleared the plains of buffalo and with them the Indians who relied on them. The Thompson, which was designed to clear trenches in World War I, became the favorite tool of bootleggers and G-men before becoming a staple during World War II. The .38 Special was the standard police weapon until criminals forced an escalation in weapons technology. This book reveals information about ballistics, such as that a .38 special has a diameter of .357. Kyle, a former U. S. Navy Seal, had a real affection for guns, particularly his favorite the M1911, that shows in the enthusiasm with which he wrote about them. A pacifist would probably prefer to learn history some other way but, for a gun aficionado, “American Gun” is a great read.
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i really enjoyed Chris Kyle's books. A true American hero who just enjoyed sharing his passions.
—aries_010
a very interesting read on the american history and impact of various guns
—edog
