“A Refreshing Bob Ross-Like Calmness That’s Much Needed”

One of the downstream consequence of my Gun Curious book proposal being rejected by 30+ liberal cultural gatekeeping publishers in New York is that it is also being ignored by liberal cultural gatekeeping newspapers, magazines, and other review outlets.

That void has been more than filled by the many everyday people who have benefitted from the book. Like a friend of Sandy’s who texted her:

“Good morning! So David’s book came this morning and, standing in the kitchen, I started reading the acknowledgments and then the preface, then just got on the couch and started inhaling it! David’s writing style is so easy to read.”

Someone who attended one of my book talks wrote to me after the event:

“I don’t know if you realize the impact of your work on this controversial topic but I have to say this . . . You helped me open up the conversation with friends and relatives to realize we can coexist without animosity.”

An acquaintance on social media messaged me:

“Was finally able to get my hands on Gun Curious through Amazon. I have to say its one of the best dialogues on American gun culture that has ever been printed. . . . As a veteran, firearms owner and loss survivor of my brother, I appreciate and commend you for the conversations that you’ve started through this work.”

These kinds of comments are the dreams I had for Gun Curious coming true. If you have some thoughts on the book you’d like to share, please send them my way ([email protected]) or consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Positive reviews have been trickling in, largely from gun-friendly media. My favorite one-liner so far comes from Ranjit Singh’s review on Bearing Arms:

In a national environment in which political discourse is passionate, heated, and often angry, Yamane brings a refreshing Bob Ross-like calmness that’s much needed.

Karl Rehn wrote a lengthy commentary on the book and his views of the development of gun culture on his Notes from KR site. More on that review in a later post.

Kat Ainsworth Stevens wrote one of the earliest reviews of Gun Curious for Shooting News Weekly back in June. While I work up a post about that, enjoy this great picture of her beautiful dog baby and my book baby.