A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy (Sue Klebold)

Why I have this book: My sister-in-law recommended it after she read it. It's written by the mother of one of the Columbine shooters.

This book isn't easy to read (especially in one particular part where the author receives more information about how exactly the attack went down, and she carefully shares that information in her book.) Sue Klebold is careful in what she writes and does her best to be respectful of the victims of this attack. As a reader, I could feel her very conflicted emotions toward her son and overwhelming remorse for what he did. A good portion of the book (most of the last half) is devoted to what she has learned about depression and violence due to "brain health" issues.

As a mother, my heart hurts for her. I'm still absorbing and sorting through the emotions of everything she wrote. It's honestly heart-wrenching, but I'm glad I read it. I think there are important messages in this book, and it made me look at myself as a parent and friend. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

My heart goes out to all the people who were affected by this horrible tragedy. My own son was a preemie baby at the time the Columbine attack happened. I remember watching it on a hospital television while I was there to care for him before he was released from the NICU. Reading this book has opened my eyes to how much suffering happens in the years (and lifetime) after for those who are  close to the situation. My heart just aches.

The book contains enough information about the attack that it's hard to read in spots, although it's not sensationalized or gratuitous. There are some swear words, if I'm remembering correctly, and lots of information about depression and suicide.