Armed and Female

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Quigley, formerly an anti-gun lobbyist, explains in this disturbing, controversial book why she has undergone a complete change of mind. Her rationale: law enforcement officials cannot protect citizens from crime, hence a woman's best defense against sexual and other physical assault is a gun. Relating her own and others' experiences as victims of crime, the Los Angeles-based author argues that Mace and karate are ineffective protection, discusses the ethics of using weapons, how children can be kept safe from guns owned in the home, which gun to buy and the gun laws of each state. Her interviews here with rapists and victims reinforce her argument--and may convince additional numbers of women to acquire weapons. Major ad/promo; author tour. (May)

Library Journal

Quigley, once a staff member of the National Committee for Handgun Control, the first anti-gun political action committee, made a radical change to advocate the arming of American women, which she sees as the last frontier for women to cross on the road to equality. Although she doesn't cite the origin of her statistic, she claims that 12 million women--or one out of eight--own guns. Herself a graduate of many practical-shooting schools throughout the country, Quigley thoroughly covers such aspects of gun ownership as the pros and cons of lethal force, choosing the proper weapon, and becoming proficient in its use through training. Other aspects peripheral to her topic, covering politics, ethics, and gun-control laws, are adequate but not uniformly strong. Recommended for public library collections where interest warrants.-- Christy Zlatos, Auburn Univ. Libs., Ala.