The Conversation on Guns, edited by James Densley

America usually discusses guns emotionally, after another mass shooting. The non-profit site The Conversation gathered essays from academics deep in the fields of criminal justice, public health, sociology and psychology to attempt a dispassionate understanding. It’s a bold attempt in a fractured debate, and most of the essays are short, lively and layperson-friendly. (Think TED Talk.) Legal historian Saul Cornell explains how the authors of the Second Amendment actually regulated guns. Dr Pierre M. Atlas unpicks the extensive gun restrictions of the Old West, explaining that the wild frontier was a marketing concept for Colt and Winchester. And there are surprising dissections of the racist police shootings story, suggesting the issue is more complicated than the headlines. The darkest chapters are on mental health – of shooters and survivors, with those exposed to gun violence less likely to trust or succeed. It’s a valuable resource for the choir, but these are partisan times. Reaching those who would never read it is key.