Becoming Shooters

"Groundbreaking." ―Rachel Louise Snyder, bestselling author of No Visible Bruises An examination of the phenomenon of mass shootings in America and an urgent call to implement evidence-based strategies to stop these tragedies Winner of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award Using data from the writers’ groundbreaking research on mass shooters, including first-person accounts from the perpetrators themselves, The Violence Project charts new pathways to prevention and innovative ways to stop the social contagion of violence. Frustrated by reactionary policy conversations that never seemed to convert into meaningful action, special investigator and psychologist Jill Peterson and sociologist James Densley built The Violence Project, the first comprehensive database of mass shooters. Their goal was to establish the root causes of mass shootings and figure out how to stop them by examining hundreds of data points in the life histories of more than 170 mass shooters—from their childhood and adolescence to their mental health and motives. They’ve also interviewed the living perpetrators of mass shootings and people who knew them, shooting survivors, victims’ families, first responders, and leading experts to gain a comprehensive firsthand understanding of the real stories behind them, rather than the sensationalized media narratives that too often prevail. For the first time, instead of offering thoughts and prayers for the victims of these crimes, Peterson and Densley share their data-driven solutions for exactly what we must do, at the individual level, in our communities, and as a country, to put an end to these tragedies that have defined our modern era.

Ten years after the school massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, school shootings are a new and alarming epidemic. While sociologists have attributed the trigger of violence to peer pressure, such as bullying and social isolation, prominent psychologist Peter Langman, argues here that psychological causes are responsible. Drawing on 20 years of clinical experience, Langman offers surprising reasons for why some teens become violent. Langman divides shooters into three categories, and he discusses the role of personality, trauma, and psychosis among school shooters. From examining the material evidence of notorious school shooters at Columbine and Virginia Tech to addressing the mental states of the violent youths he treats, Langman shows how to identify early signs of homicide-prone youth and what preventive measures educators, parents and communities can take to protect themselves from the tragedy.

Becoming Shooters, is specifically written for new gun owners. It breaks down the most important aspect of gun ownership--gun safety--into the simplest, yet most complete guide to the subject currently in print, including a detailed and comprehensive approach to firearms safety with children in the home.The book also explains in layman's terms how the human brain learns, why this matters, and how to leverage this knowledge to your advantage as a new gun owner who is seeking knowledge. It explains the unique (and critical) factors related to gun training that make it unlike any other subject you have ever learned.Salomon also lays out a wealth of insight into the landscape of the industry that will benefit every new gun owner, or person newly interested in expanding his or her existing knowledge and skill. This includes considerations for training, the pros and cons of different training structures, what to look for (and avoid) in an instructor, things to consider when defining and prioritizing goals, a sample curriculum for developing self-defense skills, a discussion on tactics and more.

School shootings scare everyone, even those not immediately affected. They make national and international news. They make parents afraid to send their children off to school. But they also lead to generalizations about those who perpetrate them. Most assumptions about the perpetrators are wrong and many of the warning signs are missed until it’s too late. Here, Peter Langman takes a look at 48 national and international cases of school shootings in order to dispel the myths, explore the motives, and expose the realities of preventing school shootings from happening in the future, including identifying at risk individuals and helping them to seek help before it’s too late.

Building Shooters is not just another book about firearms training; it applies the principles of cutting-edge brain science directly to the challenges facing today's law enforcement officers, police trainers, military and others who require clinical tactical skills in environments that demand expert level decision-making.

Match Mentality isn’t just about shooting—it’s about the preparation and the complicated feelings, emotions, and physiological changes that will occur during a competition. Technical training and talent go a long way in shooting sports, but mental fortitude, visualization, and a competitive mindset are the key factors that will enable you to carry through and actually win. The simple fact is that practical shooting matches are more than a test of your technical shooting ability. They assess the professionalism of your preparation. Ben Stoeger, the United States Practical Shooting Association National Champion and International Practical Shooting Confederation World Champion, demonstrates how to develop a stage plan, memorize it, execute it, and, on a deeper level, how to deal with pressure. Honing these skills—the mental game of shooting—is what Match Mentality is all about.

From William Muldoon to Brock Lesnar, this history covers those who have divided themselves as tough guys on the professional wrestling circuit and legitimate confrontations. From catch wrestling master Billy Robinson to the Japanese professional wrestler who gave birth to the global phenomenon that is modern mixed martial arts (MMA), this investigation travels from the shadowy carnival tent and the dingy training hall to the bright lights of the squared circle and the Las Vegas glitz of the octagon. Billy Riley's legendary Wigan Snake Pit and the rigorous UWF Dojo in Tokyo are explored, revealing the secret history of both professional wrestling and the rising sport of MMA. Squared circle icons Strangler Lewis and Lou Thesz and Olympic heroes Danny Hodge and Kurt Angle are also featured.

A surprising journey from tech support to professional marksman in front of the cameras. Chris Cheng won the title of “Top Shot,” a $100,000 cash prize, and a professional marksman contract with the show sponsor, Bass Pro Shops. How did a tech support guy who didn’t shoot a lot of guns beat out seventeen other competitors—including seasoned military veterans, law enforcement officers, and pro marksmen—in History Channel’s Top Shot season 4? An excellent guide for beginning shooters, Cheng focuses on the basics and ammunition of pistols, rifles, and shotguns, marksmanship fundamentals, and buying a firearm. Other chapters include: Dry Fire Practice Firearm Accessories Safely Storing Your Firearm Cleaning and Maintaining Your Guns And much more! Additionally, Cheng covers his approach to staying calm under pressure, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership. These traits contributed to his coming out on top and staying above the fray. With a foreword written by Top Shot season 3 champion Dustin Ellermann and an afterword written by the original Top Shot champion Iain Harrison, Shoot to Win is sure to please shooters of all stripes, but especially fans of History Channel’s program Top Shot. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

This is a picture book featuring the enormously successful anti-bullying poem 'To This Day'. In February 2013 a video of Shane Koyczan reading the poem was put up on YouTube and almost immediately the video went viral. Within two days it had received 1.4 million hits. Shane introduces the book with a letter in which he talks about why he wrote the poem and about the impact that bullying has on people. The book concludes with information about the 'To This Day' Project and what young people, schools and families are doing to combat bullying. It ends with the message that young people can bring about change if they stand up for themselves, support each other and speak out against bullying in all its forms.