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April 16
This book was written by the journalism students who were part of the VATech Massacre. They were literally trapped in theire classroom for hours while events unfolded around them. Using Internet connections, cell phones, IM, and any other device they could they both reported the news as it happened and participated in it -- a unique experience for any reporter, but astounding for these young people. This recounting takes you to the moment like few books I've ever read.
No doubt they will be criticized for writing this book. They themselves debated whether it should ever be published or just archived in the university library. In the end, they obviously decided it should be shared with the world.
The first section of the book tells the story of the shootings from the point of view of those who survived withing Norris Hall. It is gripping and horrifying. Part II details how the journalism students reported events as they unfolded as they crouched away from windows to avoid possibly flying bullets.
Teachers speak of a "teachable moment" -- that time when something unplanned just happens that provides the tacher with a perfect unplanned lesson plan that is better than anything that he could have planned. Last April the students and professor who wrote this account got just that -- in spades.
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