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AMERICAN GUN
The True Story of the AR-15
“[A] magisterial work of narrative history and original reportage."
—The New York Times Book Review
“A riveting exploration of the cost of the nation’s fascination with an iconic weapon.”
— Kirkus starred review
“[R]iveting history....This book is not to be missed." —Esquire
“An indispensable read.”—THe Guardian
American Gun Blog


Feb 5, 2024
KpCW, public radio in Utah, interviews McWhirter about American Gun
Thanks to Doug Wells and Roger Goldman, hosts of KPCW's "Mountain Money" in Utah, for interviewing McWhirter about American Gun: The True...

Jan 4, 2024
McWhirter talks about American Gun and the AR-15 on "America Trends" Podcast
Larry Rifkin, host of the long-running "America Trends" podcast, spoke at length with Cameron McWhirter, co-author of American Gun: The...


Dec 17, 2023
The faulty M16 rifle in Vietnam and Mattel's toy gun
As the US ramped up its involvement in the Vietnam War, the Pentagon ordered tens of thousands of military versions of AR-15s, renamed...


Dec 4, 2023
OTD 1961: Defense Dept. Spy Agency approves purchase of AR-15s for testing in Vietnam
On Dec. 4, 1961, the Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency approved the purchase of a thousand AR-15 rifles from Colt to...


Nov 20, 2023
McWhirter on Word Balloon podcast to talk about American Gun
Thanks to John Siuntres, host of the comics and culture podcast "Word Balloon," for having Cameron McWhirter on the show to talk about...


Nov 10, 2023
Vietnamese propaganda photo shows M16 (military AR-15)
This photograph from 1972 shows a woman Vietnamese Communist fighter carrying a U.S.-made M16, the military select-fire version of the...


Oct 29, 2023
The Guardian calls American Gun "An indispensable read"
The Guardian calls American Gun “an indispensable read.” Author and journalist Charles Kaiser writes: "Written by two fine Wall Street...


Oct 15, 2023
American Gun discussed on C-Span's BookTV
Historian/author Paul Barrett sat down with McWhirter and Elinson for C-Span's BookTV to talk about American Gun: The History of the...


Oct 5, 2023
Apple News podcast talks with McWhirter and Elinson about American Gun
On the "Apple News In Conversation" podcast, host Shumita Basu sat down in a New York studio to talk with Cameron McWhirter and Zusha...


Sep 25, 2023
New York Times Book Review calls American Gun "a magisterial work"
Mike Spies, a senior staff writer at the Trace reviewed American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15 for the NYTBR. He declared the book "a...


Sep 20, 2023
Thanks to the National Writers Series
Thanks to the hundreds of people who listened to McWhirter and Elinson's first public discussion about American Gun at the City Opera...


Jul 20, 2023
AR-15s: small ammunition, big impact
The bullet casing on the left is for a .223-caliber round fired from an AR-15 in South Georgia a few years ago. The casing on the right...


Jun 18, 2023
M16 jams during the VIetnam war enter literature
A major part of the saga of the AR-15 is the story of how the military version of the rifle, the M16, performed in Vietnam. After early...
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