Jon Krakauer's 'Missoula,' about alleged campus rape, draws critical praise
Jon Krakauer鈥檚 new book 鈥淢issoula,鈥� which focuses on alleged rapes that occurred at the University of Montana, is receiving critical praise.
鈥淢issoula,鈥� which came out on April 21, was not supposed to be published for some time, according to the but Krakauer decided to release it after Rolling Stone published and then retracted a story about alleged sexual assault at the University of Virginia.聽
Amazon named 鈥淢issoula鈥� as one of the best books to be released this month. 鈥淚t is a story that we've heard versions of at other colleges,鈥� Amazon editorial director Sara Nelson said. 鈥淸I]t's about the epidemic.鈥�
Meanwhile, editor Marilyn Dahl called 鈥淢issoula鈥� 鈥渢he right book at the right time.鈥澛�
鈥淸It鈥檚] an indictment of one American town emblematic of many,鈥� Dahl wrote. 鈥淎 passionate, maddening jeremiad.鈥澛�
critic Claudia Puig gave the book three-and-a-half stars out of four.
鈥淢eticulously reported, fascinating and deeply disturbing,鈥� Puig wrote. 鈥淏y probing the specific, Krakauer illuminates upsetting generalities鈥�. Krakauer 鈥� artfully keeps the book from becoming a compendium of troubling facts. At times, the legal wrangling may seem technical, or even esoteric, but no more than a complicated episode of聽鈥楲aw & Order.鈥� One of the most intriguing parts of the book is Krakauer's exploration of how student athletes are cosseted and privileged, insulated from repercussions when they commit crimes鈥�. Krakauer's precise language serves only to further bolster his book's stark premise.鈥澛�
Meanwhile, writer William McKeen called the book 鈥渆xcellent.... [Krakauer]聽gathers relevant research and debunks scores of misconceptions about rape.鈥� writer Janet Maslin wrote although the book 鈥渨ould have benefited from more of Mr. Krakauer鈥檚 thoughts and presence,鈥� nonetheless, 鈥淢issoula鈥� is 鈥渁s crowded and painful as it is eye-opening.鈥�
