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The Texas Tower Sniper: The Terrifying True Story of Charles Whitman
Charles Whitman Jr was born and raised with his two younger brothers in a nice neighbourhood in the suburbs of Lake Worth, Florida. From the outside, the Whitman’s appeared to be living the American dream but within the household, lay a much darker reality. Charles Whitman Sr made sure his family wanted for nothing and in return, he demanded perfection. Lethargy or failure were unacceptable and resulted in violence.
Growing up under the brutal rule of Charles Sr took its toll on Charles Jr. He could not live up to the impossible expectations set by his father nor could he accept his failures. Charles Jr struggled to control his inner thoughts and temper, and his life started to unravel.
He needed to put an end to his trajectory. He wasn’t going to slide into mediocrity. He wouldn’t go silently into suicide and oblivion. The world needed to know his name and what he was truly capable of, for the rest of time.
The Texas Tower Sniper is a chilling account of one of the largest campus shootings in American history. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the reader into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.
CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read any further
Growing up under the brutal rule of Charles Sr took its toll on Charles Jr. He could not live up to the impossible expectations set by his father nor could he accept his failures. Charles Jr struggled to control his inner thoughts and temper, and his life started to unravel.
He needed to put an end to his trajectory. He wasn’t going to slide into mediocrity. He wouldn’t go silently into suicide and oblivion. The world needed to know his name and what he was truly capable of, for the rest of time.
The Texas Tower Sniper is a chilling account of one of the largest campus shootings in American history. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the reader into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.
CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read any further
166 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2020
394 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Green
32 books482 followersRyan Green is a true crime author in his late thirties. He lives in Herefordshire, England with his wife, three children, and two dogs. Outside of writing and spending time with his family, Ryan enjoys walking, reading and windsurfing.
Ryan is fascinated with History, Psychology and True Crime. In 2015, he finally started researching and writing his own work and at the end of the year, he released his first book on Britain's most notorious serial killer, Harold Shipman.
He has since written several books on lesser-known subjects, and taken the unique approach of writing from the killer's perspective. He narrates some of the most chilling scenes you'll encounter in the True Crime genre.
"Ryan Green is an incredible storyteller...he doesn’t just tell the story, he allows you to be part of it." ~Blackbird
Ryan is fascinated with History, Psychology and True Crime. In 2015, he finally started researching and writing his own work and at the end of the year, he released his first book on Britain's most notorious serial killer, Harold Shipman.
He has since written several books on lesser-known subjects, and taken the unique approach of writing from the killer's perspective. He narrates some of the most chilling scenes you'll encounter in the True Crime genre.
"Ryan Green is an incredible storyteller...he doesn’t just tell the story, he allows you to be part of it." ~Blackbird
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 1, 2022
Started reading this book a few weeks ago before the recent mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Really tough to read, and especially with current events, but the author does a good job laying out what happened in 1966 and gives some interesting perspectives into some of the "why" behind it all. It also really hit home on how very differently tragedies and crimes like these unfold now with social media and 24/7 news coverage versus the days before the internet.
January 29, 2021
Ryan Green is a true crime author who resides in England.
The sniper was Charles Whitman Jr, known as "Charlie."
Charlie who had a genius IQ, grew up with his parents &
2 younger bros in Florida. Charles Sr. expected perfection
and punished his wife or sons w/ verbal or physical abuse,
when they were not perfect. Sr. lived vicariously through
his sons? Inebriated Charlie, close to age 18, was punched
in the jaw & kicked in the ribs by Sr. And was pushed by
dad's boot in the pool by father who expected him to drown,
but Charlie didn't. (15% mark). Later, as an adult, Charlie
rescued his domestic violence victim Mom from Charles Sr.
Father taught Charlie to hunt. He joined the Marines & they
considered him a sniper due to his accuracy with a gun.
The Marines originally chose him for officer's training, but
discharged Charlie from duty. He had mixed college success
in mechanical engineering, then changed his major. He
attended University of Texas, at Austin (UTA). A psych MD
at the clinic prescribed uppers & another downers (which
made Charlie too detached.) One psychiatrist called Charlie
in clinical notes "A massive youth, oozing hostility." (44%
mark).
Charlie married/ loved his wife. But he began to physically
abuse her. Charlie hated his father & hated the stress of
perfection, but he learned to strive for this. He knew he
had low self-esteem.
He felt pressure build & he killed his mother, then his wife.
He left notes. Then he took over UTA Tower. The elevator
went to the 27th floor & then 3 flights of stairs to the ob-
servation deck. He had several guns & much ammo & began
to randomly shoot people on the ground. Charlie killed 17
people & wounded 32. 3 brave police used the maintenance
tunnel then elevator to reach the sniper. They were joined
by 2 others. Charlie was killed & the siege was over.
Green said a + outcome of this horrible event was many
police depts. across the country formed SWAT teams.
Charlie's autopsy revealed a walnut-sized brain tumor
(90% mark) pressed against the amygdala of his brain
(which relates to the 'fight or flight' response). Charles
Sr. concluded Charlie was deranged so the father had no
influence on his son's actions. Charlie in his youth took
several blows to the head by Sr. He'd also been in motor-
cycle & jeep accidents. Also, studies I've read indicate a
domestic violence victim in childhood is more likely to
develop mental illness as an adult.
The sniper was Charles Whitman Jr, known as "Charlie."
Charlie who had a genius IQ, grew up with his parents &
2 younger bros in Florida. Charles Sr. expected perfection
and punished his wife or sons w/ verbal or physical abuse,
when they were not perfect. Sr. lived vicariously through
his sons? Inebriated Charlie, close to age 18, was punched
in the jaw & kicked in the ribs by Sr. And was pushed by
dad's boot in the pool by father who expected him to drown,
but Charlie didn't. (15% mark). Later, as an adult, Charlie
rescued his domestic violence victim Mom from Charles Sr.
Father taught Charlie to hunt. He joined the Marines & they
considered him a sniper due to his accuracy with a gun.
The Marines originally chose him for officer's training, but
discharged Charlie from duty. He had mixed college success
in mechanical engineering, then changed his major. He
attended University of Texas, at Austin (UTA). A psych MD
at the clinic prescribed uppers & another downers (which
made Charlie too detached.) One psychiatrist called Charlie
in clinical notes "A massive youth, oozing hostility." (44%
mark).
Charlie married/ loved his wife. But he began to physically
abuse her. Charlie hated his father & hated the stress of
perfection, but he learned to strive for this. He knew he
had low self-esteem.
He felt pressure build & he killed his mother, then his wife.
He left notes. Then he took over UTA Tower. The elevator
went to the 27th floor & then 3 flights of stairs to the ob-
servation deck. He had several guns & much ammo & began
to randomly shoot people on the ground. Charlie killed 17
people & wounded 32. 3 brave police used the maintenance
tunnel then elevator to reach the sniper. They were joined
by 2 others. Charlie was killed & the siege was over.
Green said a + outcome of this horrible event was many
police depts. across the country formed SWAT teams.
Charlie's autopsy revealed a walnut-sized brain tumor
(90% mark) pressed against the amygdala of his brain
(which relates to the 'fight or flight' response). Charles
Sr. concluded Charlie was deranged so the father had no
influence on his son's actions. Charlie in his youth took
several blows to the head by Sr. He'd also been in motor-
cycle & jeep accidents. Also, studies I've read indicate a
domestic violence victim in childhood is more likely to
develop mental illness as an adult.
May 21, 2020
As usual, Ryan takes into the killer's head and reveals the private thoughts of victims before they are killed. Of course, this is impossible yet I forgive Green it. Why? Well, he is so good at it. Also, he has an economy of delivery that is engaging and efficient. The 4 1/2 audiobook is about 129 pages in print. Honestly, many true crime works I read feel padded out as if the publisher demanded, "At leat 250 pages and less than 400!" Green gives us the essentials that are or could be related to Whitman's mass murder, tha the victims and heroes including why they were on scene at that time.
April 28, 2020
This was pretty shocking. I'd watched a couple of documentaries before but none that delved into the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Nor did they spend much time on Charles' life and upbringing. This was an eye opener. Horrible events that could most probably have been avoided at so many points in his life. Well written as usual and engrossing.
June 23, 2021
This is a wonderful account of Charles Whitman's life and subsequent murder of many from the Texas University tower. Gary Lavergne does a great job of staying neutral and presenting facts through extensive research.
March 31, 2021
routine
rather pedestrian. a routine description of his life and hs "big moment". dry, superficial - this is pure evil approach
rather pedestrian. a routine description of his life and hs "big moment". dry, superficial - this is pure evil approach
June 17, 2022
Another gruesome mass murder, this one from 1966, and another well-told story by Ryan Green.
Following is my review, and there are some gruesomely sickening facts:
On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman stabbed and killed his wife, his mother, then proceeded to the University of Texas to injure 31 people and kill 14, one of whom passed away fairly recently (decades later).
I found the deaths gruesome:
And the death of Whitman turned my stomach – but what you will read here is a description of muscle contractions in a dead body:
I barely remember this event when it happened, so it was a fascinating story to read about. It turns out that Whitman was a little off, deranged, and that is why he did what he did.
🏮Kindle Unlimited version.
Following is my review, and there are some gruesomely sickening facts:
On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman stabbed and killed his wife, his mother, then proceeded to the University of Texas to injure 31 people and kill 14, one of whom passed away fairly recently (decades later).
I found the deaths gruesome:
The impact was so violent that it knocked the diamond clean out of the engagement ring that she still wore and drove it into the meat of her finger until gold was pressed to bone.
And the death of Whitman turned my stomach – but what you will read here is a description of muscle contractions in a dead body:
Houston stared in horror as the sniper’s arms continued to move despite the shot unloaded in his skull. It was impossible, but the gun continued to rise towards them. There should have been no strength left in his body, but somehow, impossibly, the gun was moving. What kind of man was this, that could take a shotgun blast to the face and still keep moving? What kind of monster would still try to kill and kill again even when he was bleeding to death from a dozen holes?
I barely remember this event when it happened, so it was a fascinating story to read about. It turns out that Whitman was a little off, deranged, and that is why he did what he did.
🏮Kindle Unlimited version.
November 21, 2022
Charles Whitman, Jr. was an altar boy and boy scout who appeared to those around him to be the perfect example of the all American boy. What was hidden under the radar was a brutal father who almost beat the boy to death after the teen came home drunk. Charles, Sr. was a monster who also had the habit of smacking his wife around for not obeying his orders.
Junior escaped by joining the Marines at eighteen and excelled as a rifleman. The brilliant young man enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin to study engineering and met his future wife Kathy there. The anger within boiled as he had become like his father by physically abusing his wife.
On August 1, 1966, Whitman made his way to the tower at the campus of the University of Texas carrying a trunk filled with assorted weapons. The military had given him the training to be deadly accurate. His constant barrage of bullets would kill seventeen and wound another thirty-two.
After being killed on the deck of the tower, an autopsy revealed a walnut sized tumor on his brain. The location of the mass controls emotions and Chuck's were certainly abnormal.
He was given a Catholic burial alongside his mother. Ironically, another Marine trained shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, was denied the same rite by the Holy Roman Church. Green has written another fine book.
Junior escaped by joining the Marines at eighteen and excelled as a rifleman. The brilliant young man enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin to study engineering and met his future wife Kathy there. The anger within boiled as he had become like his father by physically abusing his wife.
On August 1, 1966, Whitman made his way to the tower at the campus of the University of Texas carrying a trunk filled with assorted weapons. The military had given him the training to be deadly accurate. His constant barrage of bullets would kill seventeen and wound another thirty-two.
After being killed on the deck of the tower, an autopsy revealed a walnut sized tumor on his brain. The location of the mass controls emotions and Chuck's were certainly abnormal.
He was given a Catholic burial alongside his mother. Ironically, another Marine trained shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, was denied the same rite by the Holy Roman Church. Green has written another fine book.
May 30, 2020
Ryan Green has written another insightful true crime book, this time about the Texas Tower Sniper, Charles Whitman. Whitman is probably the first mass shooter of his type and many others have emulated him.
Having visited the Tower on the University of Texas campus many times, hearing the methodical, calculated way that Whitman planned to kill so many from this beautiful vantage point was especially poignant.
Mr. Green does an excellent job in weaving together facts with enough speculation to make it easier for the listener/reader to get a feel for the crime. He manages to make the perpetrator more human by adding in personal touches. Most true crime books tend to be fairly clinical in their tales and I like the fact that Mr. Green adds his own spin on his true crime books. Also, he does not romanticize the perpetrator in any way, even when the reader can see the humanity in their twisted psyche.
The narrator, Steve White, does an excellent job, with perfect pacing and careful pronunciation throughout the book. HIs performance adds a lot to an already excellent book.
Having visited the Tower on the University of Texas campus many times, hearing the methodical, calculated way that Whitman planned to kill so many from this beautiful vantage point was especially poignant.
Mr. Green does an excellent job in weaving together facts with enough speculation to make it easier for the listener/reader to get a feel for the crime. He manages to make the perpetrator more human by adding in personal touches. Most true crime books tend to be fairly clinical in their tales and I like the fact that Mr. Green adds his own spin on his true crime books. Also, he does not romanticize the perpetrator in any way, even when the reader can see the humanity in their twisted psyche.
The narrator, Steve White, does an excellent job, with perfect pacing and careful pronunciation throughout the book. HIs performance adds a lot to an already excellent book.
March 25, 2020
Mild mannered boy next door becomes monster next door.
This book was absorbing and compelling right from the start.
At first, I felt a lot of empathy and compassion for Charles Whitman. He lived through a horrific childhood, and had to witness the daily abuse of his mother by his father.
In spite of this, he seemed to be such a nice guy, and with a high intelligence quotient score. Apart from his father, who could never be pleased, he seemed to be loved or liked by quite a few people.
He was continually searching for something that would give him a sense of order and also equilibrium. He was such a diligent worker, that he was skilled at most things that he set his mind to.
Reading about his unravelling and his final violent acts was heartbreaking and horrifying.
The author shows deep insight into the mind of this troubled young man and what makes him tick.
I found this book fascinating.
This book was absorbing and compelling right from the start.
At first, I felt a lot of empathy and compassion for Charles Whitman. He lived through a horrific childhood, and had to witness the daily abuse of his mother by his father.
In spite of this, he seemed to be such a nice guy, and with a high intelligence quotient score. Apart from his father, who could never be pleased, he seemed to be loved or liked by quite a few people.
He was continually searching for something that would give him a sense of order and also equilibrium. He was such a diligent worker, that he was skilled at most things that he set his mind to.
Reading about his unravelling and his final violent acts was heartbreaking and horrifying.
The author shows deep insight into the mind of this troubled young man and what makes him tick.
I found this book fascinating.
May 25, 2022
I finished this on the eve on the latest elementary school shooting in America. Whitman was the first modern school shooter, more than 50 years ago—“an inveterate liar” who, when discovered, took out his feelings of shame on his mother, his wife, and his fellow students. He shot for two hours, and was prepared to shoot for days. He also was able to shoot way beyond the barricades the police set up in estimate of his firepower for public safety. No one in America should be able to lay down that kind of weaponry against their fellow Americans—especially students, going to class.
True crime is supposed to be, in part, a lesson for the future. What can we do better? How can we keep assaults and murders from happening again? We’ve learned nothing when it comes to public mass shootings, especially school shootings. This one could substitute for Virginia Tech—manifestos, barricades, malignant narcissism, someone who should not possess firearms. And so on.
I’m so tired.
True crime is supposed to be, in part, a lesson for the future. What can we do better? How can we keep assaults and murders from happening again? We’ve learned nothing when it comes to public mass shootings, especially school shootings. This one could substitute for Virginia Tech—manifestos, barricades, malignant narcissism, someone who should not possess firearms. And so on.
I’m so tired.
June 14, 2020
August 1 1966
At a time when the tallest structures in Austin, TX were the many moon towers about the city, the capital building and the UT Tower. This tragedy shocked not just Austin and Texas, but the entire country. I recall it being a very hot day, my step-father and I were performing lawn service, at house, near 15th and Nueces. Not unlike recalling where you were when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Nov. 1963, you never forget. The book reads like a fictional account, there are no attributions, but it is a good read. Hard to put down once you begin reading. I don’t think anybody can surmise and summarize what was going through the mind of Charles Whitman.
At a time when the tallest structures in Austin, TX were the many moon towers about the city, the capital building and the UT Tower. This tragedy shocked not just Austin and Texas, but the entire country. I recall it being a very hot day, my step-father and I were performing lawn service, at house, near 15th and Nueces. Not unlike recalling where you were when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Nov. 1963, you never forget. The book reads like a fictional account, there are no attributions, but it is a good read. Hard to put down once you begin reading. I don’t think anybody can surmise and summarize what was going through the mind of Charles Whitman.
July 19, 2022
This book is very descriptive. It also made me feel like I was right there.
I love how there is a beginning, middle, and end. And they are clearly divided, (even though there are no parts). It was easy to tie the middle to the beginning, but in this book, I believe that's a good thing. I'm really glad the end included so many facts about mental health because I feel it will make the readers step back and consider that for a moment. Just because you suffer from mental health issues (like myself), it doesn't make you a killer. Just because you have a bad childhood (like myself), it doesn't make you a killer. So many things were explained in the ending (and talked about throughout) that I personally related to.
Good job at keeping me hooked, too!
I love how there is a beginning, middle, and end. And they are clearly divided, (even though there are no parts). It was easy to tie the middle to the beginning, but in this book, I believe that's a good thing. I'm really glad the end included so many facts about mental health because I feel it will make the readers step back and consider that for a moment. Just because you suffer from mental health issues (like myself), it doesn't make you a killer. Just because you have a bad childhood (like myself), it doesn't make you a killer. So many things were explained in the ending (and talked about throughout) that I personally related to.
Good job at keeping me hooked, too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2022
The Texas Tower Sniper: The Terrifying True Story of Charles Whitman was a great true crime read by Ryan Green. Charles Whitman Jr was born and raised in Lake Worth, Florida. It seemed on the outside that they were living the American dream, but inside the house was much different. His father gave the family everything they wanted but also demanded perfection in return. The violence of his upbringing took its toll on Charles Jr. He struggled to control his inner thoughts and temper. This is the chilling account of one of the largest campus shootings in American History. I enjoyed reading this true crime story and can't wait to read more by the author.
August 22, 2024
This book follows the life of Charles Whitman from his childhood through the mass murder. He had a terrible abusive childhood. His adult life didn't get much better. The book is short and an easy read. I'm not too sure I like the author's style of writing. The first half of the book is interesting but dry. It pretty much takes you through rough times.
I was going to give this book a "2", but the last half of the book was better than the first half. I was disappointed there weren't any photos from that fateful day. I was again disappointed that there was no final mention of the victim's and what happened to those that lived. Only a couple of people were mentioned at the end.
I was going to give this book a "2", but the last half of the book was better than the first half. I was disappointed there weren't any photos from that fateful day. I was again disappointed that there was no final mention of the victim's and what happened to those that lived. Only a couple of people were mentioned at the end.
September 26, 2024
History that’s worth learning about…
I read this book in order to understand more about the shooting and the shooter.
I’m a bit disappointed in how the author filled in the story with information that would be impossible to know. He wrote a lot about what the shooter and the victims (those that died) were thinking during the shooting. How could he possibly know what Charlie’s mother was thinking when he got to the house to kill her. I understand that Charlie wrote a lot about what happened to him but he didn’t write about any of it during the shooting and neither did the victims that died.
It’s a book worth reading to get information on what happened so I would still recommend the book.
I read this book in order to understand more about the shooting and the shooter.
I’m a bit disappointed in how the author filled in the story with information that would be impossible to know. He wrote a lot about what the shooter and the victims (those that died) were thinking during the shooting. How could he possibly know what Charlie’s mother was thinking when he got to the house to kill her. I understand that Charlie wrote a lot about what happened to him but he didn’t write about any of it during the shooting and neither did the victims that died.
It’s a book worth reading to get information on what happened so I would still recommend the book.
May 6, 2020
Kim did an excellent Job of Covering this in a Review, One interesting part of the book for Me near the end, His Father Authorized the autopsy - The Result was Charles Whitman had a Brain Tumor. which may or May Not have led to Many of Charles Actions - Being a Student of Physiology in Many of My School Class Studies I found This an interesting Read, Another Book in this Vain is a Title: Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science Author by John Fleischman Another Very Interesting Read. I have this Title in My eBook Collection from Amazon.
July 1, 2020
Gripping tale of a well-known mass shooting
This story was a headline grabber when I was about 12, and continues to reverberate 50+ years later. While a bit slow in the early chapters, Green’s detailed description and back stories of the victims brings the whole scene to life, and his reflections on how more recent mass shootings relate to this one is interesting. All through the book Harry Chapin’s song “Sniper” kept running through my mind, even though it is somewhat fictionalized compared to this true account.
This story was a headline grabber when I was about 12, and continues to reverberate 50+ years later. While a bit slow in the early chapters, Green’s detailed description and back stories of the victims brings the whole scene to life, and his reflections on how more recent mass shootings relate to this one is interesting. All through the book Harry Chapin’s song “Sniper” kept running through my mind, even though it is somewhat fictionalized compared to this true account.
December 18, 2021
This is a somewhat fictionalized account of the history and actions of Charles Whitman, who opened fire on random individuals from the tower on the University of Texas campus in 1966. Really, there can only be speculation as to what exactly went through Whitman's mind as he developed from a young man in an abusive household to a killer in a sniper's perch atop the tower, but the author gives plausible accounts of just what Whitman's mindset was. I perhaps have a different take on the psyche of Whitman and others like him. Still, I found the accounting interesting.
April 14, 2023
A very interesting story. I was young when this happened and not living in the states and my dad was stationed in Germany at the time. We did however hear about it in the news and from my dads sister.
She lived in Austin on Canyon Circle Drive, which overlooks the Rio Grande River and has a view to downtown Austin. When the news broke on the radio, she went out on her patio with a pair of high powered binoculars. Her husband's office was right in the area being shot at. With the binoculars she could see the shooter in the tower.
She lived in Austin on Canyon Circle Drive, which overlooks the Rio Grande River and has a view to downtown Austin. When the news broke on the radio, she went out on her patio with a pair of high powered binoculars. Her husband's office was right in the area being shot at. With the binoculars she could see the shooter in the tower.
March 25, 2020
Heart-wrenching, shocking and twisted! So well-written, that I felt like I was in the shadowed edges of every scene watching, firsthand, as the horror and depravity unfolded, but was unable to do anything to stop it from happening.
Green's pen can write no wrong!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Green's pen can write no wrong!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
August 18, 2020
I've discovered that I really do not enjoy non-fiction that is written as if it's fiction. I don't like authors filling in the blanks with imaginary details. I don't find it makes the stories more compelling. In fact, I find it very distracting. This book was well written, which is reflected in other reviews, but the style just wasn't my cup of tea. Those who feel they need true crime stories to feel more like fiction to keep them engaged will really enjoy this.
August 7, 2021
Thanks to the author for a free Audible code in return for an honest review of 'The Ryan Green True Crime Collection, Volume 5' of which this is the first book in the volume.
I actually hadn't heard of this crime so I can't comment on the reliability of the information provided, however I found the narration compelling and the information interesting. The story was told in a chronological fashion with an attempt at insight into Whitman's motivations, based on his writings while in a hypographia mania and recorded mental health issues. His history of abuse and fears of becoming like his father are vividly written and his attempts to get help are reminiscent of many people who seek psychological support only to be misunderstood or not helped. Many people in that situation complete suicide, very few murder others beforehand.
It would have benefitted from more psychological discussion of the effects of childhood abuse on Whitman's psyche and possibly evidence regarding the truth of Whitman Sr.'s statements after Whitman Jr.'s murder spree and rampage.
I actually hadn't heard of this crime so I can't comment on the reliability of the information provided, however I found the narration compelling and the information interesting. The story was told in a chronological fashion with an attempt at insight into Whitman's motivations, based on his writings while in a hypographia mania and recorded mental health issues. His history of abuse and fears of becoming like his father are vividly written and his attempts to get help are reminiscent of many people who seek psychological support only to be misunderstood or not helped. Many people in that situation complete suicide, very few murder others beforehand.
It would have benefitted from more psychological discussion of the effects of childhood abuse on Whitman's psyche and possibly evidence regarding the truth of Whitman Sr.'s statements after Whitman Jr.'s murder spree and rampage.
May 11, 2022
Reading about Charlie is heartbreaking in many ways. He was abused by his father. What's more heartbreaking is the information we receive about him asking for help!! Seeking it, actively! Yet, he received no help. He was having nightmares about getting on top of the Tower and gunning people down. Yet, no one helped. Ultimately he did get on top of the Tower, and he did gun people down. Having killed 16 (at the time, in 2001 another had died, becoming 17) and injuring twice that many.
June 24, 2020
Reads like fiction.
Travelling in the mind of a made killer, from childhood to death is possible. There is a sense of urgency, much like the decisions made by a man intent on the perfection of killing. It has another side which I fully recognize. The shooter is not the villian, but the man who raised and best him repeatedly. Very good book.
Travelling in the mind of a made killer, from childhood to death is possible. There is a sense of urgency, much like the decisions made by a man intent on the perfection of killing. It has another side which I fully recognize. The shooter is not the villian, but the man who raised and best him repeatedly. Very good book.
April 22, 2022
Not a bad book, plenty of background, particularly regarding the thoughts and feelings of Charles Whitman at various stages of his life. Not sure how accurate they could be in the absence of a detailed diary or personal interview etc. not sure if possible speculation is the best way to deal with this topic as a true story.
May 16, 2022
Well written
Interesting account of the actual first "school shooting" that so many people don't even know about. It set the stage for those to come later. This was at a university and the targets were anybody, not just students. But it showed those with angry, violent tendencies a method of bring wanted attention upon themselves.
Interesting account of the actual first "school shooting" that so many people don't even know about. It set the stage for those to come later. This was at a university and the targets were anybody, not just students. But it showed those with angry, violent tendencies a method of bring wanted attention upon themselves.
October 22, 2023
INTERESTING... I WAS 14 WHEN IT HAPPENED...
I was a child and growing up in Austin, Texas when this event occurred. I recall bits and pieces (remember, I was only 14) of this gruesome story. Glad that I ran across this book so I could read "All About It." Recommended ! ! These types of TRUE CRIME STORIES are not for the 'faint at heart !' RECOMMENDED READING ! ! !
I was a child and growing up in Austin, Texas when this event occurred. I recall bits and pieces (remember, I was only 14) of this gruesome story. Glad that I ran across this book so I could read "All About It." Recommended ! ! These types of TRUE CRIME STORIES are not for the 'faint at heart !' RECOMMENDED READING ! ! !
July 2, 2020
It was an enjoyable but I hate "true" stories when in the disclaimer the author that some scenes are fictionalized. That does not not make a true story in my eyes. I knew of the crime but never knew the story behind it. I would recommend this book to anyone that does not know the entire story.
April 1, 2022
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I'd never heard of Charles Whitman before, so I came into this audiobook completely blind to the topic. It was a fascinating read and Ryan Green did a superb job at putting the facts into the book.
I'd never heard of Charles Whitman before, so I came into this audiobook completely blind to the topic. It was a fascinating read and Ryan Green did a superb job at putting the facts into the book.
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