First published 2008
A brutal attack on a crowded city street. A soldier haunted by the horrors of war. A family torn apart by unspeakable tragedy. In "Violence," Randall Collins unravels the complex web of social, psychological, and situational factors that drive people to commit acts of violence. From the adrenaline-fueled chaos of street fights to the calculated brutality of armed conflict, this uncompromising novel plunges readers into the heart of humanity's darkest impulses. As the characters grapple with the consequences of their actions, Collins lays bare the emotional toll of violence and the fragility of the human condition.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, crime, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, gritty
Setting: United States
584 pages · Kindle Edition · Princeton University Press
Content warnings: graphic-violence, violence