What can you possibly say about this topic that hasn’t already been said? Gun violence in America has been discussed endlessly, yet somehow Stephen King manages to hit the right notes. In this short essay, first published in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, he cuts straight to the heart of the issue.

Even though „Guns“ is more than ten years old, it still feels painfully up to date. The shootings haven’t stopped, the debates haven’t moved forward, and the political trenches are deeper than ever. In fact, figures like Charlie Kirk († 10.09.2025) have since become louder voices in American culture, pushing the idea that any discussion of regulation is automatically an attack on freedom itself. This kind of rhetoric only fuels polarization and makes the rational, middle-ground approach that King argues for even harder to realize. The normalization of mass shootings (events that sometimes disappear from the headlines within days) shows just how urgent King’s arguments remain.

What makes this essay so compelling is the balance King strikes between passion and reason. He writes with palpable anger and grief, but never loses composure. His perspective is also refreshing: King himself is a gun owner. He is not speaking from an abstract, anti-gun stance, but from the position of someone who understands both the culture of firearms and the responsibility that must come with them. This nuance gives his words more weight than many other voices in the debate.

The publisher’s blurb sums it up well:

„In a pulls-no-punches essay intended to provoke rational discussion, Stephen King sets down his thoughts about gun violence in America. Anger and grief in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School are palpable in this urgent piece of writing, but no less remarkable are King’s keen thoughtfulness and composure as he explores the contours of the gun-control issue and constructs his argument for what can and should be done.“

Blurb

In around 45 minutes of reading, King offers an honest, thoughtful opinion, one that advocates for responsibility, not prohibition. He shows that it is possible to value gun ownership while still demanding change to protect lives.

A powerful essay, short but essential. Recommended to anyone who wants to hear a reasonable, humane perspective on one of America’s most painful ongoing issues.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️