My ear tracked the sound … the slow roll of rubber on blue metal, the stealthy crunching undergrowth sound of something prowling.

At the age of seventeen, Gail Bell was shot in the back. Coming home from evening class later than usual one night, she took a short cut through the dark streets of a new estate, unaware she was being watched. When a car began following her, she felt a jolt of fear. Then the car stopped and out of the eerie silence came a cracking sound as a bullet struck her from behind. The car sped away and the shooter was never found.

Being shot is a life-altering experience that cries out for explanation, but for Gail there were bigger mysteries than the identity of the gunman. In this book, she questions the place of guns in our world, and explores the intricate, surprising ways our minds deal with traumatic shock.

Gail Bell, author of the critically acclaimed and prize-winning The Poison Principle, uses the story of her shooting as the basis of this astonishing memoir, taking us into a world where lives can be changed forever by a single gunshot.

Praise for Being Shot by Gail Bell

‘A public service as well as a work of art. [Its] prose has an exquisite precision.’ The Age

‘If The Poison Principle’s greatest gift was its willingness to provide a widely digestible understanding of science, then Being Shot will surely deliver one of the most honest and compassionate discussions of grieving to be printed in Australia.’ The Courier-Mail

‘Far from gloomy or academic, this is a riveting and uplifting read, a book that is gracefully and stylishly written.’ The Canberra Times

‘… a searing, personally resonant examination of Australia’s relationship with guns, with a similar gut-impact to Michael Moore’s documentary film on the US experience, Bowling for Columbine.’ Bookseller + Publisher

‘Bell writes superbly. Spare, precise, yet evocative.’ The Weekend Australian

‘… an impressive encore from an author who won the NSW Premier’s Literary Award … extraordinary and engrossing.’ The Sydney Morning Herald

‘… a visceral, compelling, and fascinating book.’ The Sunday Telegraph

‘… Bell’s fine writing skills have turned an unusual topic into an interesting, lively and absorbing piece of storytelling that never flags for a minute and will appeal to a large audience.’ Australian Women’s Weekly