title: The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter
author:  Daniel J. Patinkin 
description: <b>A provocative, sometimes maddening, occasionally riveting examination of the lives of six ordinary Americans who share the experience of having shot someone</b>. . . The roughly 43 victims of gun violence every day [in the United States] were killed by the kind of people profiled by Patinkin. . . . Each story is self-contained but also illuminates the broader issues surrounding gun violence. <i>Washington Post</i><br><br> <b>"Patinkin writes about these lives with bracing empathy, and he clearly engaged the trust of his subjects, whose perspective on their crimes is filled with horror and regret</b>. . . [He] has told us six stories that no one else would. He acknowledges that he is in no way trying to overlook the central tragedy of the victims and their families, but he tries his best to force readers to realize that these shootings arent just random events, but a result of real troubles within the shooters and the society that produces, and generally ignores, them." <i>Chicago Tribune</i><br><br> A moving exploration of gun violence . . . With a distressing and challenging set of narratives, Patinkin gives a rare account of the perpetrator's perspective.<i>oxygen.com</i>, 5 True-Crime Books We Cant Wait to Read This Spring<br><br> "We need stronger conversations around gun violence, and <i>The Trigger</i> is an interesting place to start.</i><i>giggles.com</i> and <i>att.net</i>, "11 True Crime Books That'll Give You Goosebumps and Keep You Up All Night"<br><br> "An extraordinary read from first page to last, <i>The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter</i> will prove to be a welcome, thoughtful and thought-provoking contribution to the present national dialogue over the role of guns in our contemporary American society. . . . Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Social Issues collections, and deserving of as wide a readership as possible,"<i>Midwest Book Review</i><br><br> Timely . . . His narratives, each complex in its own thorny way, humanize shooters for those who, like Patinkin before he embarked on this project, have had no previous exposure to them as people.<strong><i>Publishers Weekly</i></strong><br><br> This is a great look at guns, the people that have had to shoot someone, and how it has affected their lives. This is a wonderful book . . . and one that I recommend everyone to read.."<i>jbronderbookreviews<i><br><br> Patinkin illuminates hard truths about American society that are not evident in commonly cited statistics or partisan talking points. The narratives challenge the reader to critically examine his or her own beliefs, and to either reaffirm them or abandon them. This is a powerful and unique contribution to the dialogue about gun violence in the United States.Andrew Yang, author of <i>The War on Normal People</i> and 2020 US presidential candidate<br><br> "Patinkin dives behind the headlines to reveal the fine details of the lives of his subjects. He humanizes them through his meticulous investigative process and offers a compelling and gripping work that explores gut-wrenching social issues. Anyone seeking to understand gun violence in America needs to read this intense, intimate book." Tony D'Souza, author of <i>Mule</i><br><br> <i>The Trigger</i> is a raw and unflinching look at America's gun violence epidemic. Patinkin weaves us through the complicated and emotional backstories that propel people into shootings. This is a sobering and important book. Jooyoung Lee, gun violence expert and author of <i>Blowin' Up</i><br><br>
zlib_text: Big Shot
  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS
  CARLY PHILLIPS
  ERIKA WILDE
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Cover
  Title Page
  Copyright Page
  Chapter One
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Three
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Six
  Chapter Seven
  Chapter Eight
  Chapter Nine
  Chapter Ten
  Chapter Eleven
  Chapter Twelve
  Chapter Thirteen
  Chapter Fourteen
  Chapter Fifteen
  Chapter Sixteen
  
  Thank You
  About the Authors
  
  Chapter One
  WES SINCLAIR TOSSED his cell phone onto his desk, dropped
  his head into his hands, and pressed the base of his palms
  against his eyes in a futile attempt to stem the sudden
  throbbing in his temples. “I can’t believe she fucking did it
  again,” he muttered irritably to himself.
  “Who did what again?”
  The amused voice of Connor Prescott, one of his business
  partners, only spiked Wes’s displeasure. So much for being
  alone and being able to vent his frustration. Instead, he lowered
  his hands and glared at his good friend, who was also directly
  related to the person Wes was currently annoyed with.
  He watched as