"A magisterial work of narrative history and original reportage . . . [Written] in calm, precise language that allows the authors’ exhaustive research to shine through . . . You can feel the tension building one cold, catastrophic fact at a time. . . American Gun lays out the unvarnished truth." — New York Times book review

"[A] superb history . . . [American Gun] is a meticulously researched and impressively informed book . . . A riveting exploration of the cost of the nation’s fascination with an iconic weapon." — Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"Riveting . . . Indispensable . . . Brilliant . . . A particularly powerful new book . . . [American Gun] is packed with characters and plot turns." ―Charles Kaiser, The Guardian

"A captivating tale of unintended consequences . . . The authors put a human face on a politically charged story. The result is a fascinating genealogy of a weapon that has become the flash point of the contemporary gun control debate." — Publisher’s Weekly

"American Gun is an unforgettable story of American ingenuity and mayhem, built with hard-core reporting and gripping prose. This is social history at its finest." ―Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life

"A revealing biography and a thorough autopsy of a historical figure that resides in millions of American homes: the AR-15 rifle." ―Hank Klibanoff, Pulitzer Prize–winning co-author of The Race Beat

"This book should be of vital interest to both gun-rights advocates and those who would ban the AR-15 " ―Paul M. Barrett, author of Glock: The Rise of America's Gun

"[McWhirter and Elinson] have done a masterful and damning job tracing the birth and development, and rampant misuse, of the AR-15, and there are heartbreaking stories elegantly told of the destruction this weapon has wrought on families and towns across the nation . . . Poignant." ―Air Mail