Looking for a Few Good Moms: How One Mother Rallied a Million Others Against the Gun Lobby

Four years ago she electrified a nation by galvanizing the largest protest march in U.S. history. Now the leader of the Million Mom March for Sensible Gun Laws is set to do it again...

Donna Dees-Thomases was a one-day-a-week publicist and a carpooling suburban mom when news of a deadly shooting at a day care center changed her life. This senseless act of violence inspired her to lead 750,000 mothers (and sympathizers) to Washington, D.C., and 250,000 other marchers around the country in a protest against weak gun laws and preventable deaths.

This is the story of a million moms who organized over coffee in small towns, made T-shirts, posted fliers, and maxed out their credit cards. But it's the story of gun victims, too: the stagehand who was fatally shot by a man who was clearly deranged but still had access to guns; the sniper on the Empire State Building; the six-year-old who loaded, concealed, and shot a weapon at school. The book is full of information that will empower any mother to better the world for her children — whether it means improving school lunches or working for better traffic lights.

The assault weapons ban expires in September 2004 — allowing the sale of Uzis and AK-47s — so gun control will once again be front-page news around Mother's Day. Once again, a million moms will march on Washington, and attendance by both media and participants will be remarkable. Looking for a Few Good Moms will be there, too — leading the national debate.

"This book is a life lesson in how the indignation of one person can give voice to a movement. Donna Dees-Thomases' decision to take on the gun lobby evolved from a simple notion — sometimes a mother's got to do what a mother's got to do. She reminds us that with determination, tenacity, and 'a few good moms,' anything is possible." Meredith Vieira, moderator of ABC's The View

"As engaging and straight-ahead as the woman herself, Donna Dees-Thomases' Looking for a Few Good Moms is an inspiring depiction of our power to change America for the better. This is a must-read for anyone who wonders why we lose so many of us to guns, and how to stem this tragic tide of violence." Richard North Patterson, best-selling author of Balance of Power

In 1999, following reports of a gunman's attack on a Jewish community center, a suburban New Jersey mother with no experience as an activist decided to take on the gun lobby. Her efforts would culminate in the Million Mom March on Washington on Mother's Day, 2000. In this text, Dees-Thomases recounts her experiences working with the thousands of mothers across the country who united to demand stricter gun control laws.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Donna Dees-Thomases was a one-day-a-week publicist and a carpooling suburban mom when news of a deadly shooting at a day care center changed her life. This senseless act of violence inspired her to lead 750,000 mothers (and sympathizers) to Washington, D.C., and 250,000 other marchers around the country in a protest against weak gun laws and preventable deaths. This is the story of a million moms who organized over coffee in small towns, made T-shirts, posted fliers, and maxed out their credit cards. But it's the story of gun victims, too: the stagehand who was fatally shot by a man who was clearly deranged but still had access to guns; the sniper on the Empire State Building; the six-year-old who loaded, concealed, and shot a weapon at school. The book is full of information that will empower any mother to better the world for her children-whether it means improving school lunches or working for better traffic lights. The assault weapons ban expires in September 2004--allowing the sale of Uzis and AK-47s--so gun control will once again be front-page news around Mother's Day. Once again, a million moms will march on Washington and attendance by both media and participants will be remarkable. "Looking for a Few Good Moms will be there, too--leading the national debate.