"A chilling, insightful look at school shootings." - Booklist"A chilling, insightful look at school shootings." - Booklist Ceremonial Violence analyzes thirteen school ?rampage? shootings?including the Columbine High School massacre?and explains, for the first time, why teenagers commit these tragic atrocities. With his grasp of the elements of abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, sociology, and neurology that contribute to the homicidal mindset, Fast offers us a means of understanding and coming to terms with these shootings, and provides examples of what we should look for as early signs to prevent further tragedies.

Product Description: Ceremonial Violence analyzes the Columbine high school shooting and four other cases and explains for the first time why teenagers commit school rampage shootings. These cases include: Brenda Spencer, 16, who after shooting at elementary school children for no apparent reason explained to a reporter: "I hate Mondays...read more

Product Description: In the last decade, school shootings have decimated communities and terrified parents, teachers, and children in even the most “family friendly” American towns and suburbs. These tragedies appear to be the spontaneous acts of disconnected teens, but this important book argues that the roots of violence are deeply entwined in the communities themselves...read more

The first study to examine violence in small towns and suburbs uses interviews with more than two hundred people to challenge the 'loner theory' and illuminate the role of parents, communities, and schools in missing the warning signs.