On the first of each month, I am planning on having a book review covering books that could be needed for survival during and after a nuclear event, as well as fiction books about surviving a nuclear event.
This month, the book that I read was The Survivalist by Jerry Ahern. Overall, I give this book 7 out of 10 for entertainment, and a 6 out of 10 for information and ideas.
The main character, John Rourke, is a little unbelievable. He is an expert in weapons, and different kinds of survival (which is believable), but the things he does are not very believable. Toward the beginning of the book, there is a gun fight that is several pages long; Rourke never gets hurt, and every shot he takes hits its mark no matter how many dives, flips, spins, or whatever he does.
John Rourke's wife, Sarah, is more down to earth and believable. She doesn't believe his end of the world predictions, and is often frustrated by his preps (which I'm sure most of us can relate to). Ahern also writes Sarah as the sterotypical "weak" woman, who at one point cries into her young son's shoulder, letting him comfort her instead of her comforting him.
Overall, I like the book. It says 80% of the American population doesn't survive a large scale nuclear event, which is probably close to the truth. There are a few things in the book that are good advice. The book does have good story line, but overall is way too Bondish for my tastes.
I think every prepper should read this book, because it will make you think about a lot of things that could happen or that you will need that you may not have thought about.
July 30, 2009
July 18, 2009
Literature after a Nuclear Event
I've talked before about entertainment, and books were one of the options mentioned. But books can be so much more than entertainment. I remember reading To Kill A Mockingbird when I was in grade 10. It was a powerful book, and had I read it when I was Scout's age, it would have had an even deeper impact on my life. I didn't read Lord of the Flies until after I graduated college, but had I read it in junior high, I would have been deeply impacted.
My point is, if you are a reader, like my family and I are, then that is something you can contribute to a post nuclear event world. Okay, so the chances of every copy of Huck Finn in the US being destroyed except yours in unlikely. But what if your copy is the only copy to have survived within 50 miles? You may not want to lend the book out, but if you stocked piled paper and pencils or pens, you could copy the book and it could be used in a small classroom. Schools and libraries will be at the bottom of the governments list of things to do (which is understandable), but after a few months, kids will need to have the routine of school back in their lives. Once everyday isn't a struggle to survive, a lot of adults will appreciate being able to relax for an hour and read a good book.
You shouldn't collect just any books for this. Collect the classics that people can enjoy reading (the Greek classics are not relaxing when you've spent most of the day farming, sowing, hunting, etc). Also try collecting some good mysteries, science fiction (although you may want to stay away from "end of the world" plots), and maybe some romance and westerns. You may want to have a collection a children's books for different ages (reading to a child does wonders to calm them down).
I also collect different military manuels. Books about training, survival, and defence could also be very important. One of the things I plan on doing is collecting science books that explain how to make wind and water turbines, solar panels, and other things that may need to be made after an Event.
You may want to buy math, history, and general science books to keep in case you need to home school your children, or the locals form a small school for their kids. It is important that kids keep learning; it will make their life seem more normal and they won't be as far behind once the schools are running again.
Even if you choose not to interact with people outside your family circle, having your junior high and high school age kids copy the books you've put in your collection can be a good learning exercise. Have them copy so many pages each day, then once they've copied the whole book, have them give an oral book report. If you have a chalk board or painted a wall with chalk paint, you can have your kids practice math problems.
My point is, if you are a reader, like my family and I are, then that is something you can contribute to a post nuclear event world. Okay, so the chances of every copy of Huck Finn in the US being destroyed except yours in unlikely. But what if your copy is the only copy to have survived within 50 miles? You may not want to lend the book out, but if you stocked piled paper and pencils or pens, you could copy the book and it could be used in a small classroom. Schools and libraries will be at the bottom of the governments list of things to do (which is understandable), but after a few months, kids will need to have the routine of school back in their lives. Once everyday isn't a struggle to survive, a lot of adults will appreciate being able to relax for an hour and read a good book.
You shouldn't collect just any books for this. Collect the classics that people can enjoy reading (the Greek classics are not relaxing when you've spent most of the day farming, sowing, hunting, etc). Also try collecting some good mysteries, science fiction (although you may want to stay away from "end of the world" plots), and maybe some romance and westerns. You may want to have a collection a children's books for different ages (reading to a child does wonders to calm them down).
I also collect different military manuels. Books about training, survival, and defence could also be very important. One of the things I plan on doing is collecting science books that explain how to make wind and water turbines, solar panels, and other things that may need to be made after an Event.
You may want to buy math, history, and general science books to keep in case you need to home school your children, or the locals form a small school for their kids. It is important that kids keep learning; it will make their life seem more normal and they won't be as far behind once the schools are running again.
Even if you choose not to interact with people outside your family circle, having your junior high and high school age kids copy the books you've put in your collection can be a good learning exercise. Have them copy so many pages each day, then once they've copied the whole book, have them give an oral book report. If you have a chalk board or painted a wall with chalk paint, you can have your kids practice math problems.
July 3, 2009
Making ends meet after a nuclear event
Stockpiling water, food, weapons, and ammo are all great things to help you survive the first few months or even the first year, but what about later? Depending on what kind of shape our country, or what's left of it, is in, and where you live, it might be a long time before any real aid comes along. What if it's two years before any aid gets to you and your family?
Did you choose to store seeds in your supplies? Great! Do you have enough seed, space, and knowledge to grow enough food to sustain your family and animals? This is my first year putting out a garden, and I chose to do it without machines. I did not spade a very big area, and only planted a little corn, tomatoes, and carrots. All of my plants are doing all right, but it made me realize how much work would be required to raise most of the food my family eats. And then there are the dogs, cats, chickens, and ducks.
And what about other skills? My current job brings in the money I need to pay my bills and buy supplies, but it won't help me in times of disasters. I will need a lot of skills to survive. To this end, I have bought several military, medical, and veternarian books. If I study these books every day, I will eventually have the skills and knowledge needed to protect and care for my family. I think this is something everyone should consider doing.
Another thing I've begun putting into practice is physical exercise, eating right, and getting enough sleep. I know, I know, I sound like your mother. But if you are in military shape, get proper nutrition and sleep, you will be much better prepared to handle emergencies of any kind. Plus, you'll live a longer, healthier life. I once read a study that side for every hour of moderate cardio, you will add 2 healthy hours to your life. To me, the trade off is worth it.
Did you choose to store seeds in your supplies? Great! Do you have enough seed, space, and knowledge to grow enough food to sustain your family and animals? This is my first year putting out a garden, and I chose to do it without machines. I did not spade a very big area, and only planted a little corn, tomatoes, and carrots. All of my plants are doing all right, but it made me realize how much work would be required to raise most of the food my family eats. And then there are the dogs, cats, chickens, and ducks.
And what about other skills? My current job brings in the money I need to pay my bills and buy supplies, but it won't help me in times of disasters. I will need a lot of skills to survive. To this end, I have bought several military, medical, and veternarian books. If I study these books every day, I will eventually have the skills and knowledge needed to protect and care for my family. I think this is something everyone should consider doing.
Another thing I've begun putting into practice is physical exercise, eating right, and getting enough sleep. I know, I know, I sound like your mother. But if you are in military shape, get proper nutrition and sleep, you will be much better prepared to handle emergencies of any kind. Plus, you'll live a longer, healthier life. I once read a study that side for every hour of moderate cardio, you will add 2 healthy hours to your life. To me, the trade off is worth it.
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