This is really starting to tick me off

I recently picked up 2 more books for my collection. Hoping to glean at least one pearl of knowledge from them, I was more than disappointed. The first book is Lofty Wiseman's "Urban Survival Handbook". It was so much less about actual urban survival and more about day to day living in an urban enviroment. That is fine for someone who has never lived in an urban setting, but I just don't see someone who has lived/survived in an urban enviroment needing this book, they live it everyday. Also much is based on UK/EU law which doesn't help the US reader.
The second book is the worst piece of crap I have ever picked up. Dave Black's "What to do When the Sh*t hits the fan". Throughout the book he touts the govt. line of "march yourself off to the relocation camps", "the govt. is here to help" and a lot of out dated debunked anti-gun rhetoric. The book has 1 or 2 microscopic pearls but it isn't enough to offset the crap he spews in the book. He also loves saying that you need to do "X" but nevers explains what "X" is or how to do it. In his list of contents for the various survival kits, not once does he mention a knife. His idea of self defense is martial arts, never mind that it takes time and dedication to become proficient. In the chapter covering civil unrest he talks about getting your butt to the embassy but nothing about civil unrest here in the US. Perhaps he is in denial. The one thing that makes me suspect as to his qualifications is his bio. where he gives 2/3 of a sentence to his military career and in that 2/3s he states that he was intel (spook) and Special Forces. How many SF/intel guys do any of you know?

Thanks for the reviews. Nothing like wasting money.

I love to read and I have an extensive library. About ten years ago I started moving away from the scenario books and started using the internet news for more day to day information. Some of the best scenario books out there are some of the fiction books who pack a lot of information into them. Many of these writers have a good imagination and well thought out plans.


The books I started picking up are way more topical. Books on edibles in the NW, medical plants, homesteading and construction books, how to make books, building bows, mushroom books with good photographs, books on curing and preserving, trapping, gun repair, gun schematics, alternative housing, alternative energy so forth and so on.

I am in the process (and it is a process) of writing 2 books. One is a fiction, post apocalyptic the other is a comprehensive pre and post event urban survival guide. The fiction is easier than the survival guide. Thr guide just keeps getting larger and larger with all the different scenarios that can affect a survivor in the urban enviroment.

Sarky, There seem to be a finite number of universally accepted disasters in disaster recovery. You might focus on those or a subset of those. Response starts to become repetitive after you've prepared for most.

Biological Threat
Chemical Threat
Dam Failure
Earthquake
Explosion
Extreme Heat
Fire
Flood
Hazardous Material Threat
Hurricane
Influenza Pandemic
Landslide/Debris Flow
Nuclear Threat (Nuclear Attack)
Nuclear Power Plant Emergency
Radiation Threat (Dirty Bomb)
Terrorism
Thunderstorms
Tornado
Tsunami
Volcano
Wildfires
Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

I do hope someone very soon starts tackling the topic of Urban Survival in a realistic way. Urban as in NYC, Chicago or LA, not Raleigh, NC. (with all due respect to the Wolfpack)
I feel that if one can make it in the first 3, one can make it in any other city/town. The author needs to have lived and worked in a city most of his/her life to really understand the unique aspects of everyday life.
For example, it's not helpful to suggest keeping chicken coops or rabbit hatches in a high rise building--that's just not viable and people aren't gonna do it. They'll dismiss it as crazy stuff. (What worked in London during WW2 (Ragnar) isn't necessarily going to work here.)

The only thing I have to go by that's relevant to me, is whatever I compiled on my own by doing research and "boots on the pavement /Central Park" here in Manhattan. And I've got ways to go. So any help from those with more experience would be invaluable.

Why not have a go at writing one yourself Bee? You live in NYC and as a native, you've probably got as much idea of the dangers, benefits and pitfalls than most of us.
I reckon the main reason for such few Urban Survival type books is they're not sexy enough, and by their very nature need to be pretty specific. Wilderness Survival on the otherhand, is looked upon through rose tinted spectacles and the world and his wife think they know enough to write a book.

Yeah, let's face it, writings are pretty much on a theoretical basis. Not many writers have experienced Armageddon. So you could certainly put one together that covers your piece of the city.

Where I would be really lacking is in the self defense/firearms chapter.
Flying under the radar is just not enough to make it for an extended amount of time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BENESSE

Where I would be really lacking is in the self defense/firearms chapter.
Flying under the radar is just not enough to make it for an extended amount of time.

---

I really think that you should look into this B.... Why couldn't you learn this stuff that you are saying that you are lacking knowledge on and save it for your last chapter to write? Martial Arts training surely must abound in NYC, as well as some reputable Firearms instructors. You could even possibly use these as "Technical Advisors" in your book. Just some thoughts anyways, you have my vote of confidence!

B - just a thought - if you decide to undertake a project like this - which might be kind of cool - you could approach several (many?) self defense experts, dojos, firearms instructors and let them know of the project. Some may be willing to donate instruction for your research in exchange for an honest review in a published book/journal.

Maybe in a year or so, if no one had stepped up to the plate, I might give it serious thought. By then, I would have crossed some requirements off my list to make me comfortable with having something to offer.
I know I can't become an expert in everything but I truly feel that I need to have some substantial personal experience in everything I'd write about.

Thank you for your encouragement, though.
I couldn't possibly have a better group of experts to bounce stuff off of.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BENESSE

Maybe in a year or so, if no one had stepped up to the plate, I might give it serious thought. By then, I would have crossed some requirements off my list to make me comfortable with having something to offer.
I know I can't become an expert in everything but I truly feel that I need to have some substantial personal experience in everything I'd write about.

Thank you for your encouragement, though.
I couldn't possibly have a better group of experts to bounce stuff off of.

---

Well I think you are selling yourself short. You know your capabilities and your Shortcomings. As a Long Time Resident of the "Big Apple" you know stuff that I am clueless about in the Big City. I've been in Big Cities, But really nothing of the size of NYC, Chicago, L.A. Etc... I would think that myself (as a person who as a general rule avoids cities that size) could find many things in your knowledge/experience to learn from. You are in an environment that is as alien to me, as Mars would be. If I went to NYC I would need you as a guide as much as I would need Klak or Sourdough if I went to Alaska. Don't sell yourself short. Me... I fall somewhere between you and them in relation to wilderness/urban survival.... probably "Rural" would be a better term. I think you are as capable as anyone, just a couple of gaps to fill is all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BENESSE

Where I would be really lacking is in the self defense/firearms chapter.
Flying under the radar is just not enough to make it for an extended amount of time.

---

How important would firearms be for urban survival? Your going to draw lots of attention, your not going to have enough ammo to get through a crowd and it isnt probably needed to get food. I'll step back and let the "city folk" tell my why I'm wrong but it doesnt seem to me that you are really lacking when it comes to firearms for NYC.

Sarky, Why not make more than one volume. As the scenarios expand you can add more volumes. Keep people coming back for more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Camp10

How important would firearms be for urban survival? Your going to draw lots of attention, your not going to have enough ammo to get through a crowd and it isnt probably needed to get food. I'll step back and let the "city folk" tell my why I'm wrong but it doesnt seem to me that you are really lacking when it comes to firearms for NYC.

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Since I prepare for a potentially survivable absolute worst case scenario (where I would be staying put) here's my general thought process:
TS has HTF.
No electricity, no running water.
Many dead, many managed to get out.
Some left. Of those, few prepared, most not.
A month has gone by. LE not present. Outside help, not arriving.
Criminal element roaming the streets, breaking in, stealing, menacing.
We are barricaded and disguised in our high rise apartment building with another two months worth of food and 2 weeks worth of water.
We have not made our presence known and we keep an extremely low profile. But we know that pretty soon we'll have to venture out to one of the rivers to haul water back. We also know that it's a matter of time before we get discovered. So we need to be able to protect ourselves in any way we can. Firearms, knives, tasers, mace, frying pan, bearspray, MA, etc, nothing will be overlooked. Is this enough against an overwhelming force? Probably not, but it's a start.
There are all sorts of nuances to this scenario that I won't bore you with, but at least you know why I think firearms are an integral part of self defense in the city.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BENESSE

Since I prepare for a potentially survivable absolute worst case scenario (where I would be staying put) here's my general thought process:
TS has HTF.
No electricity, no running water.
Many dead, many managed to get out.
Some left. Of those, few prepared, most not.
A month has gone by. LE not present. Outside help, not arriving.
Criminal element roaming the streets, breaking in, stealing, menacing.
We are barricaded and disguised in our high rise apartment building with another two months worth of food and 2 weeks worth of water.
We have not made our presence known and we keep an extremely low profile. But we know that pretty soon we'll have to venture out to one of the rivers to haul water back. We also know that it's a matter of time before we get discovered. So we need to be able to protect ourselves in any way we can. Firearms, knives, tasers, mace, frying pan, bearspray, MA, etc, nothing will be overlooked. Is this enough against an overwhelming force? Probably not, but it's a start.
There are all sorts of nuances to this scenario that I won't bore you with, but at least you know why I think firearms are an integral part of self defense in the city.

---

I got it.. As home defense, I would suggest a shotgun. Actually, for any close range protection for 2 or 4 legged animals they are the best. They will shoot if they are a little dirty, you dont have to be the best marksman to hit your target and there will be little doubt if your shot was on target with the damage they can do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Winnie

Why not have a go at writing one yourself Bee? You live in NYC and as a native, you've probably got as much idea of the dangers, benefits and pitfalls than most of us.
I reckon the main reason for such few Urban Survival type books is they're not sexy enough, and by their very nature need to be pretty specific. Wilderness Survival on the otherhand, is looked upon through rose tinted spectacles and the world and his wife think they know enough to write a book.

---

Miss Winnie, I grew up in NYC and the surrounding burrows and my book, at least what I have written so far is ugly. No PC here. Although I found that I do have to put the disclaimers in for legal purposes. I am working on a practical realistic survival book including recipes for things not normally on the menu.

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