Thunder in the Mountains: A Portrait of American Gun Culture - Hardcover

Collins, Craig K.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1493003852 ISBN 13: 9781493003853

Publisher: Lyons Press, 2014

Synopsis

In this beautifully written and powerful memoir, author Craig K. Collins ushers readers down a remarkable path – one that wends from the American frontier to present-day suburbia. Along the way, he explores the meaning of a history – of his family’s and his country’s – that is infused with the culture of the gun. Stops include an Indian massacre at Bad Axe, the siege of Vicksburg, the slaughter of buffalo in Montana, and the discovery of gold in a remote Nevada canyon. The story begins on a hunting trip Collins took with his father and brothers in the early ‘70s, when he was accidentally shot with a high-powered deer rifle at the age of 13 near the top of an isolated peak in Northeastern Nevada. He tells a personal story of a childhood in Idaho and Nevada, where hunting is a way of life and guns are revered – often with fatal and unintended results. He recalls friends – past and present – whose lives have been forever shattered or altered by the explosive force of a bullet.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

A gripping story that invites readers to consider the issue of gun violence from a completely new and deeply personal perspective.
 
My dad stood and squinted at the jeep trail. We had a garden-variety Dodge pickup, not a four-wheel-drive. He was surely thinking there was no way a two-wheel-drive, low-clearance truck could make it up such a rugged trail. And he was right. He pulled out the map again, looked at the big peak to the north, back at the map, and then at the ridge to the west. He knelt down next to me. My brother knelt, too.

In a low, calm voice he said, "I'm going to leave now. You both have everything you need--matches, flashlights, coats, water, food, compass, and a map. I don't know how long it's going to take, but I'll definitely be back. Do not leave this spot, no matter what. I'll be back. Remember: If you leave this spot, no matter what the reason, I might never find you. Also, it might get dark before I can return. So, Kirk, go gather some firewood now while it's still light, so you don't have to do it in the dark. Keep Craig warm, and make sure he drinks plenty of water--that'll help ward off the possibility of shock. The pain's going to get worse before it gets better. Just be tough. I'll be back."

My dad stood, turned toward the aspen grove, started jogging, and disappeared into the trees and down the slope. A breeze blew, the trees whispered, and the pain came.
 
--From Thunder in the Mountains

About the Author:

Craig K. Collins was born in Pocatello, Idaho, in 1960, and was raised in small towns throughout the Great Basin--Carson City, Nevada; Winnemucca, Nevada; and Bishop, California. He attended college in San Diego, where he has lived since, and holds a BA in English and an MBA from San Diego State University. After a stint as a journalist, he served as a senior executive for Fortune 500 companies. Later, he founded a series of venture-backed technology start-ups. He has won a number of professional awards for writing, marketing, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Thunder in the Mountains is his first book.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1493003852
• ISBN 13: 9781493003853
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272