This book was reccommended to me some time ago by our very own ExSoldier762. It's not strictly CCW related so feel free to move the thread, but it does have information on guns in it.
If you want the short version of the review here it is: get this book.
This is a very good read for someone (like me) who ever felt helpless to survive in an urban or suburban setting in a crisis.
Now be forewarned that the author is as serious as cancer about all of this. He's about surviving no matter how much it costs or how legal or illegal it is. He has a lot of great ideas but there are some problems with his suggestions. For one most of them assume you have a house and a yard. Not having your own separate building or a little bit of space is a huge hindrance for implementing a lot of these suggestions. For another, the author sometimes points to solutions which are cost prohibitive, even if they are ideal solutions. In his defense he always, always, discusses the alternatives if you can't go with the ideal solution.
The book is very thorough. He takes just about everything into account with lots and lots of gritty, nasty real world experience. The book may actually frighten very sensitive people. A friend of mine borrowed it briefly but gave it back after the first two chapters and told me he though the guy was nuts for writing such things. You want to plan for SHTF? Well this is your book. The author pulls all this information from real life, contemporary SHTF scenarios that last longer and happen closer and far more often than you might think.
The main benefit of this book is the methodology behind it. Thinking like a survivalist is something that you can take with you and use no matter how much gear you don't have or whatever the circumstances are. Honestly, if you implement 10% of what this book tells you to do, you're probably going to survive anything that'll ever happen to you unless there's a war where you live.
Chapter 1 is Philosophy and it's invaluable.
Chapter 2 is about Combat in Built Up Areas. This is a real eye opener if you're a civilian. Ever wonder why the Army does some of the things it does?
Chapter 3 is quite timely in that it's the government's view on survivalists. Look at what is happening to old ladies in NO right now.
Chapter 4 is Water. This is the chapter I have used the most. I unfortunately don't really have a place to put a sand filter but I do want to get a 55 gallon water drum at some point. All of the author's other suggestions I've used in some way or fashion. For instance I've started to keep extra bleach on hand and I go buy a 5 gallon bucket with a snap on lid from Home Depot every so often.
Chapter 5: Sources of Energy could be very valuable or not depending on where you live but it's very thorough. Here's a hint: Peat Moss.
Chapter 6: Food is just great. If you're stockpiling MREs you're doing it wrong.
Chapter 7 is Food Preparation. Very informative if you weren't raised on a farm (Which I was not).
Chapter 8 is Emergency Shelters. Very clever ideas here.
Chapter 9 is Caching and Storage. Think PVC.
Chapter 10 is Trading. Honestly, I had no idea of the kinds of black markets that emerge in places where the SHTF.
Chapter 11 is Guns. I'll come out and say it, the author has good tastes in guns and most of the advise is sensible, but he's got to be kidding me that I need to go out and get an incredibly expensive custom rifle right now. One thing that does stand out here is he talks at length about how guns are important to the urban survivor and not so much the rural survivor, and combine this with Chapter 2 and you honestly have the best idea you're going to get about how to be a resistance fighter in a city siege that you're going to get without actually doing it.
Chapter 12 is a very informative section on nursing.
I've read the book 3 times and am reading it again. I wish I could do everything the author suggests because if you did you really would be prepared for almost anything.
If you want the short version of the review here it is: get this book.
This is a very good read for someone (like me) who ever felt helpless to survive in an urban or suburban setting in a crisis.
Now be forewarned that the author is as serious as cancer about all of this. He's about surviving no matter how much it costs or how legal or illegal it is. He has a lot of great ideas but there are some problems with his suggestions. For one most of them assume you have a house and a yard. Not having your own separate building or a little bit of space is a huge hindrance for implementing a lot of these suggestions. For another, the author sometimes points to solutions which are cost prohibitive, even if they are ideal solutions. In his defense he always, always, discusses the alternatives if you can't go with the ideal solution.
The book is very thorough. He takes just about everything into account with lots and lots of gritty, nasty real world experience. The book may actually frighten very sensitive people. A friend of mine borrowed it briefly but gave it back after the first two chapters and told me he though the guy was nuts for writing such things. You want to plan for SHTF? Well this is your book. The author pulls all this information from real life, contemporary SHTF scenarios that last longer and happen closer and far more often than you might think.
The main benefit of this book is the methodology behind it. Thinking like a survivalist is something that you can take with you and use no matter how much gear you don't have or whatever the circumstances are. Honestly, if you implement 10% of what this book tells you to do, you're probably going to survive anything that'll ever happen to you unless there's a war where you live.
Chapter 1 is Philosophy and it's invaluable.
Chapter 2 is about Combat in Built Up Areas. This is a real eye opener if you're a civilian. Ever wonder why the Army does some of the things it does?
Chapter 3 is quite timely in that it's the government's view on survivalists. Look at what is happening to old ladies in NO right now.
Chapter 4 is Water. This is the chapter I have used the most. I unfortunately don't really have a place to put a sand filter but I do want to get a 55 gallon water drum at some point. All of the author's other suggestions I've used in some way or fashion. For instance I've started to keep extra bleach on hand and I go buy a 5 gallon bucket with a snap on lid from Home Depot every so often.
Chapter 5: Sources of Energy could be very valuable or not depending on where you live but it's very thorough. Here's a hint: Peat Moss.
Chapter 6: Food is just great. If you're stockpiling MREs you're doing it wrong.
Chapter 7 is Food Preparation. Very informative if you weren't raised on a farm (Which I was not).
Chapter 8 is Emergency Shelters. Very clever ideas here.
Chapter 9 is Caching and Storage. Think PVC.
Chapter 10 is Trading. Honestly, I had no idea of the kinds of black markets that emerge in places where the SHTF.
Chapter 11 is Guns. I'll come out and say it, the author has good tastes in guns and most of the advise is sensible, but he's got to be kidding me that I need to go out and get an incredibly expensive custom rifle right now. One thing that does stand out here is he talks at length about how guns are important to the urban survivor and not so much the rural survivor, and combine this with Chapter 2 and you honestly have the best idea you're going to get about how to be a resistance fighter in a city siege that you're going to get without actually doing it.
Chapter 12 is a very informative section on nursing.
I've read the book 3 times and am reading it again. I wish I could do everything the author suggests because if you did you really would be prepared for almost anything.
