According to the Boston Globe, “Vann’s look at Kazmierczak is unflinching and careful.”The Chicago Tribune comments that certain portions which “reflect Vann's sensitive reporting and deliberately understated storytelling style are superb.”
In an interview with Bullet Counter Points, David Vann answers questions about why he chose to turn his original Esquire article into a book on the NIU shooter.
BCS: Going back to your original article in Esquire, why did you decide to learn more about Steven Kazmierczak and the horrific mass shooting at NIU?
DV: I wanted to write an article about how armed suburban youth are. I inherited my father’s guns after he killed himself with a gun, when I was 13, and I led a double life in which I was a straight-A student by day, then wandering our neighborhood at night with his .300 magnum rifle (a rifle for hunting bears), shooting out streetlights and sighting in on the neighbors through their windows. I think it’s frightening how many kids and teens have access to guns in America, so I wanted to write about that. But my editor at Esquire suggested I look at Steve’s story, since he was an A student and everyone seemed very surprised by his shooting.
DV: I wanted to write an article about how armed suburban youth are. I inherited my father’s guns after he killed himself with a gun, when I was 13, and I led a double life in which I was a straight-A student by day, then wandering our neighborhood at night with his .300 magnum rifle (a rifle for hunting bears), shooting out streetlights and sighting in on the neighbors through their windows. I think it’s frightening how many kids and teens have access to guns in America, so I wanted to write about that. But my editor at Esquire suggested I look at Steve’s story, since he was an A student and everyone seemed very surprised by his shooting.
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| Diana Matar |
NS: You're coming to speak Nov. 8 at the Barnes and Noble in DeKalb. Can you tell me a little about what that event will entail?
DV: I tried to come speak at NIU and NIU didn't want me. So I'm going to the Barnes and Noble instead. I'm not looking forward to it, and I don't really want to do it. But I feel that I owe it to the community because for three years [NIU Police] Chief Donald Grady wouldn't release the report and the info and when he did releases the report it had lots of omissions and errors. It's not a good report; it doesn't tell you anything about the shooting. In fact, the federal report about the shooting just used my account, so my account is the only account of what happened. I feel that I owe it to the community to be there to answer questions...because I've seen everything; I've seen the whole file. And no one else has. So this is the one chance people have to ask questions.
Some other upcoming events for LAST DAY ON EARTH include:
Wed Nov 9, 2011
6:00pm-7:30pm
Chicago, IL: 57th Street Books
Thu Nov 10, 2011
7:30pm-8:30pm
Denver, CO: Tattered Cover Book Store
Sun Nov 13, 2011
3:00pm-4:00pm
Belmont, CA: Belmont Public Library
Mon Nov 14, 2011
7:00pm-8:00pm
Santa Rosa, CA: Santa Rosa High School
Tue Nov 15, 2011
5:00pm-6:00pm
San Francisco, CA: University of San Francisco Library
Wed Nov 16, 2011
8:00pm-9:00pm
Stanford, CA: Stanford University
Thu Nov 17, 2011
6:00pm-7:00pm
Santa Cruz, CA: UC-Santa Cruz
