Spitzer, Robert J. Politics of Gun Control. New York, NY: Routledge, 2015.

In this book, the author covers the latest developments in gun policy in America. Incorporated in the analysis are some of the notable shooting incidents including the Colorado theatre shooting, Sandy Hook and the shooting of Trayvon Martin. The book examines how these shooting prompted a wave of gun control at all levels of government and examined those that succeeded and those that failed. Moreover, the book reveals the controversial nature of all those legislations. In particular, he examines the politics surrounding gun control during Obama's time in the helm. This book is a credible scholarly source, vital to the research because it provides up to date coverage and data regarding shootings, gun deaths, stand-your-ground laws, mental health initiatives surrounding shootings, social media, and magazine regulation. Spitzer is a recognized authority on gun policy and gun control throughout America because he occupies a special position on this debate because he is a member of the Brady Center and the NRA.

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Kopel, David. The Truth About Gun Control. New York, NY: Encounter Books, 2013.

Here, Kopel examines some of the deeply entangled issues relating to gun control including the role of the government. He examines why the right to bear arms has always been central to the American identity, something that has led to little success in policies towards gun control. For example, he explains that the attempt by the British to confiscate guns sparked the American Revolution. The Americans also learned from Hitler and Stalin that gun registration opens up the way for gun confiscation and later genocide. This is a credible source and one of the things that emerge from it is that gun control has nothing to do with right vs. left or rural vs. urban, it has to do with protecting the constitution and preventing both small scale and large scale tyranny. This source shed light on why gun control is not likely to win over the masses any time soon.

Doherty, Brian. Gun Control on Trial: Inside the Supreme Court Battle Over the Second Amendment. Washington, DC: Cato Institute, 2008.

In this book, the author examines how the 2008 Supreme Court ruling ended the gun control push in America. At the heart of the plaintiff's case was the right to protect their families and themselves from violent neighborhoods. In this Columbia v. Heller ruling, Doherty explains that at the heart of the trial was whether citizens have a constitutional right to own and bear arms, a right that was affirmed by the court. The book emphasizes that the decision did not settle all the controversy surrounding the gun control debate but it spoke volume is regards to the right to possess a weapon under the Second Amendment for purposes of personal self- defense. This is a scholarly and credible source that will provide an important legal insight into America's most impassioned debate.

Lott, John R. More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, Third Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013.

In this third edition, Lott expounds on an allegation that he made in 1998 that more guns translate to less crime. The book outlines that despite all the attacks by the advocates of gun control, nobody has managed to refute the simple conclusion that more guns lead to reduced crime. The book challenges some of the most common perceptions of guns, violence, and crime using rigorous and comprehensive analysis of data on crime statistics and the laws on the right to own and carry arms. Moreover, the book includes case studies on the relationship between the ban on guns and crime in Washington D.C and Chicago. Despite being one of the most provocative books, this book brings vita analysis to the study because it is up to date with contemporary realities and policies and has a long chronology of the relationship between guns and violent crime in America.

DeGrazia, David and Lester H Hunt. Debating Gun Control: How Much Regulation Do We Need? Oxford, MA: Oxford University Press, 2016.

This book seeks to answer only one question: to what extent should state and federal government regulate gun ownership in the interest of public safety. From an ethical perspective, the authors explore what would be the morally defensible gun policy in the country. This is an important and fresh perspective in the debate because it introduces what can be seen as the yardstick into the debate by introducing the concept of public safety. Both authors have a command in this area because they work in the discipline of academic philosophy, an essential value in prizing rigorous reasoning and respect for opposing views. It is on this basis that the book reveals that the right to bear arms is as much a right as the one to free speech and banning the right to arms would be tantamount to banning the use of the internet or a cell phone. Published in 2016, this scholarly source has up to date data and information regarding the topic.

Bruce, John M and Clyde Wilcox. The Changing Politics of Gun Control. Lanham, ML: Rowman & Littlefield, 1998.

Published in 1998, this book examines the political discourse about the Second Amendment and gun control in their formative stages. The book examines the role of the NRA as well as pressure groups on both sides of the political spectrum. The book captures the debate at a time of constantly shifting political alignments involving the courts, Congress, individual states and the president. This book is of great importance to scholars in sociology, government, law, and political science because it captures the debate on gun control v. gun rights before the turn of the century when political alignments were rapidly and constantly shifting. This is a credible source with carefully weighted arguments from both sides of the argument, vital for observing the debate from both sides.

Beck, Glenn. Control: Exposing the Truth About Guns. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 2013.

Just like Lott above, this book explains that guns are essential to liberty and self-defense. However, the author acknowledges that tragedy is a powerful force and can sometimes even consider that the Second Amendment is outdated. However, he advises that outright bans or even more strict restrictions cannot solve the problem at all. Moreover, the book takes a look at the constitutional right to bear arms, outlining that the founding fathers saw the immense necessity to bear arms to the point that they outlined that the right "shall not be infringed." This scholarly work is vital in revealing that the second amendment is not yet outdated as advocates of gun control would have everyone else believe.