How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times
by James Wesley Rawles
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Book Summary Information
Author: James Wesley RawlesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-30
ISBN: 0452295831
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Plume
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780452295834
- Condition: New
- Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Book Reviews of How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times
Book Review: Be Prepared
Summary: 4 Stars
We live in an extraordinary time: the world is more inter-connected than ever before which creates amazing possibilities and also the potential for unexpected downsides. Most people just assume life will continue to organize itself around their desires, but every once in a while that assumption is rudely challenged. Just think of the hundreds of thousands of people who suddenly found themselves stranded when a previously obscure volcano in a tiny North Atlantic island began to belch ash thousands of feet into the air... Just imagine how uncomfortable life can get when the power goes down, or when a wildfire means you have to leave home and hearth, or when a flood comes rushing through the door.
Most people just think, "well, I'll deal with that if it happens" or "the authorities will take care of the situation." Hmmm... Katrina, anyone? For those of us who think that being prepared is a prudent step, akin to having the right auto insurance and life insurance policies, eating well and exercising regularly, a bit more is required than just hoping for the best or refusing to think about the worst. Rawles is writing for those out on the extreme edge of preparedness philosophy but that shouldn't deter the more casual reader. While no check-list approach is ever going to prepare you for a real emergency, this book is a great starting-point.
It's main weakness, however, is that it doesn't really address the midway case so well and the author is over-confident about his own strategy. In the event of a total meltdown, a breakdown of society and a decline into the abyss, it's doubtful whether a nice rural retreat would last too long. Well-armed drug gangs, not to mention militia and other sizable groups, would soon locate and acquire any attractive assets. Nothing shy of a small army could keep such types away for very long, and personally I would want a better strategy than fighting to my last round. Getting somewhere difficult to reach (for example, the high Sierras or the Rocky Mountains) might work better, though the drawback is that you really have to practice a lot on a regular basis for that kind of thing and most people simply don't have the physical characteristics - nor the mental willingness - to cope with more than a weekend camping trip, if that. And if there were clouds of nuclear radiation or poison gas or biological agents floating around, it wouldn't matter much where you were: death would find you regardless of your preparation. Even in an NBC suit you wouldn't last too long, and it would be a sweaty and uncomfortable interlude.
My advice to readers of this book is to make use of the lists and use it to think about your own level of preparedness. Could you get everything necessary for a week out-of-doors, plus your family, into your vehicle in less than 20 minutes? If so, could you actually get anywhere? California, for example, doesn't even have an official disaster plan because the authorities recognize that with so many people and cars the roads would become log-jammed within minutes. So if you wanted to get out, chances are you'd need to walk out - and the vast majority of Americans are too heavy to get very far. Stay at home instead? Most urban and suburban houses are indefensible, so those armed marauders aren't going to have much difficulty breaking in and taking what they want, even if you're standing inside with a shotgun or three. So plan for reasonable contingencies: a fire, an earthquake, a major power outage or national emergency. How much food would you need? How much water? How would you contact, and reach, your family during work hours? Do you have a formal plan in place and does everyone have a copy (because people forget things when there's a panic in the air)? Does everyone have long-range walki-talkis (because the first thing to fail under load will be the cellular phone networks) and are they constantly charged? Things like this are obvious only when you've done the drills again and again and identified the flaws, the gaps, and the false assumptions. But who does this kind of forward planning? Answer: pretty much no one. Yet, as has been well put, Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance. Without it, no book in the world is going to help you.
If you really want to be prepared for your average mini-disaster, make it part of your life. Get out into the wilderness once a month for at least an overnight trip, and preferably a multi-day trip at least once a year. Get out in all seasons, because that disaster isn't necessarily going to happen on a balmy day when the weather is just perfect. Learn what clothing is necessary, learn how to walk long distances with a heavy pack - in short, make your training and learning an enjoyable part of your normal life. Be healthy, fit, prepared, and have a blast finding out what would work and what would not. Think about where you'd go with your family if the worst came to the worst. Prepare ahead. Have fun doing it. And resist the temptation to get paranoid, regardless of the ultimately bleak message Rawles conveys.
More How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times reviews:
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Summary of How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times
The definitive guide on how to prepare for any crisis--from global financial collapse to a pandemicIt would only take one unthinkable event to disrupt our way of life. If there is a terrorist attack, a global pandemic, or sharp currency devaluation--you may be forced to fend for yourself in ways you've never imagined. Where would you get water? How would you communicate with relatives who live in other states? What would you use for fuel?
Survivalist expert James Wesley, Rawles, author of Patriots and editor of SurvivalBlog.com, shares the essential tools and skills you will need for you family to survive, including:
Water: Filtration, transport, storage, and treatment options.
Food Storage: How much to store, pack-it-yourself methods, storage space and rotation, countering vermin.
Fuel and Home Power: Home heating fuels, fuel storage safety, backup generators.
Garden, Orchard Trees, and Small Livestock: Gardening basics, non-hybrid seeds, greenhouses; choosing the right livestock.
Medical Supplies and Training: Building a first aid kit, minor surgery, chronic health issues.
Communications: Following international news, staying in touch with loved ones.
Home Security: Your panic room, self-defense training and tools.
When to Get Outta Dodge: Vehicle selection, kit packing lists, routes and planning.
Investing and Barter: Tangibles investing, building your barter stockpile. And much more.
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It is a must-have for every well-prepared family.
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