Emergency by Neil Strauss

[Scythe13]

This book is an all encompassing true story of one man's struggle for complete independance from the government.

He started off looking for a second passport, then realised he would have to survive long enough to get to that place, so it chronicles his story about learning the skills, from gun handling, krav maga, to flying a plane, reading foot prints, skinning animals, making cache's, opening 'off shore' bank accounts, and much more.

It's not a how to book, like the SAS survival guide. But it is a fantastic read that will give you other ideas about your current survivalist preps and skills.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is boarderline. It will bring you over to the side of the line that provides personal safety and the alike.

Also, a good gift book to give to any of your friends that you hope to get interested in survivalism.

It is American based, but still well worth reading. Many of the lessons learned are good for the UK as well.

Mainly, it is inspiration, and the book that brought me over to Survivalism.

[Terry]

I liked it and recommend it to people.

The book that really got me into prepping was "The Day of the Triffids" by John Wyndham

Ter

[Scythe13]

That's cool Terry.

I'm going to see if I can review Emergency and a few other books for the library meet in March

[Carnebwen]

Im not so sure of the relevance of the several years he spends getting a different (Non US) passport would have to us (But I can see the use from his point of view) But yes, I agree this was a good book. I was dissapointed I wasnt able to find similar courses that he took in the UK with ease, but we dont seem to have the same level of interest or the perceived "need" to do the sort of things he achieves in his book.

I liked how he sort of spiraled from a few bits and pieces to getting very deep into the survivalist mindset and prepping. I cant recall how long the time period was over the book (several years?) But he certainly seemed to up his chances of survavial massively in terms of his new found skills and his networking with like minded people.

[Scythe13]

(18 January 2012, 22:19)Carnebwen Wrote: I cant recall how long the time period was over the book (several years?)

I believe it was something like 7 or 8 years. The book makes it feel like weeks, but it is just under a decade. The passport thing appeals to me, because it would be good to be able to just hop ship and get out. But as one of Strauss' friends says "Who wants to live in a world without New York?" As it is for me, "Who wants to live in a world without England?"

---

To find those courses you generally have to pop over to the US. Or you can do it Scythe13 Styleee.

e.g. Winter camping trip, in the dark, blindfolded, late night drop off, to a place we didn't know, for 2 nights and 2 days, then we had to find our bearings and walk back, without a map, just a compass and approximate direction to walk (North).

There is the Wilderness Gathering that many of us are going to.

Also, I'm prepping for a course in America on urban escape and evasion.

[Carnebwen]

Is that the one where he starts in the boot of a car with handcuffs on and had to make his way across the city for a day or so?

(he also tried dressing as a woman unsuccessfully)

[Scythe13]

(19 January 2012, 00:36)Carnebwen Wrote: Is that the one where he starts in the boot of a car with handcuffs on and had to make his way across the city for a day or so?

(he also tried dressing as a woman unsuccessfully)

That's the one. I'm planning it around Autumn when the weather isn't too hot or cold. There are some courses in the UK, but they are not usually organised online. You have to go into certain shops (Q-Tec in London, for example), or know certain people, to find those courses.

Online will bring up loads of US sites and courses.