Amazon.com Customer Reviews
Be prepared! - Review written on December 26, 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5
8 customers found this review helpful.
Are you ready for a major crisis?
Most people are not. They have no more than a few days supply of food and no idea what to do in the event of a real long term emergency. After all, you can just run down to the local grocery and get whatever you want, 24 hours a day, right?
Hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards and other natural disasters happen everywhere in the world and they are relatively easy to prepare for, though most people expect "The Government" to take care of them when the inevitable happens. Those who lived through Katrina, the LA riots, etc. know better -- when you dial 911 and there's no answer, you'll have to take care of your family yourself. If you go to the supermarket to stock up...the shelves will be bare and lines of scared people 20 deep at the cash register buying anything in a can and exchanging stories of rioting will snap you into a new reality. I personally experienced this after the LA riots -- it really happened and it WILL happen again.
When disaster strikes, you won't be able to get gasoline, food, clothing or any of the necessities of life -- the store owners will be home protecting their families. Their store may be looted by angry mobs roaming the streets. Believe me, you'll want to avoid all that unpleasantness by preparing now.
It's impossible to prepare for absolutely everything unless you live a self sufficient life off the grid, but this book covers most everything you need to know as an ordinary "civilian". Food, water, shelter, clothing, security, power, etc. -- it's all in here. I especially liked the food section, which does a good job reviewing different types of long term food storage and listing resources for supplies. A year's supply of food is something everyone should have around and this takes a little planning and management that the book does an excellent job of laying out for you. It doesn't have to cost a fortune, either, if you can spare $5-10 per week, in a couple of years, you'll have your year's supply of food in your closet.
I liked the author's philosophy; you're better off having the things you'll need than a pile of gold coins. Being prepared with canned foods, shovels, a garden, a way to make water and power -- these are far more valuable than a few gold discs (though it would probably be good to have a little gold, too). At the height of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, an ounce of gold bought two cans of tuna. Today, it's a lot cheaper to buy two cans of tuna than an ounce of gold, and that's the point of this book.
If you don't think this can happen here in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world -- think again -- it can happen anywhere! This book is a very good overview of everything you will need to survive a major crisis. Even if you don't buy this book, you owe it to yourself to be prepared.
Interesting book, but unconvincing and poorly written - Review written on September 26, 2007
Rating: 2 out of 5
15 customers found this review helpful, 6 did not.
I hate to be too critical of this book, because I did enjoy reading it and I think it is well worth the money, but I hope Spigarelli reads the customer reviews and hires a good editor before turning out his second edition. There are many, many careless errors in the book that make me believe that some of the instructions may be just as careless. For instance, "approximate" and "proximate" are not interchangeable. The information regarding food storage, particularly the sources of information (e.g., researchers at BYU) reveal the Mormon origins of much of the information. The medical information seems to me (as a layman) to be just plain absurd. For instance, he recommends storing 200 Phenergan tablets (that's a lot of nausea), but only 100 tablets of "acetamine" (??), a couple vials of Pitocin (I suppose we'll be inducing labor at home) and 50 Valium tablets (including two vials of the stuff for injection). I could imagine going to my doctor and asking for a prescription for all those little goodies. My guess is that he'd prescribe something else for me (i.e., a good anti-psychotic). Of course, there's also a recommended arsenal of various types of guns and thousands of rounds of ammo (probably for guarding all the prescription drugs...). Nope, maybe I should be giving it two stars instead.
Disorganized and unrealistic - Review written on September 01, 2007
Rating: 3 out of 5
20 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
I bought this book on the strenght of other reviews, and that was a mistake. It is disorganized and unrealistic.
Realistically speaking, we should all aim to prepare for a Katrina-type disaster: one that affects a wide region, with the severe effects of total lack of services lasting 2-4 weeks. This book wants me to prepare a year's worth of stored food. To fulfill this plan, I'd have to move to a farm so I could grow food, raise animals, and have enough room to store the amount he reccomends. It sure isn't going to work in my one-bedroom aparment.
The overall organization of the book is awful - no planning involved in the order of chapters. The first 2/3 of the book are food storage and preparation. If you really want to learn how to grow crops, raise animals, grind your own flour, make your own leather, can/pickle/smoke/preserve your own food - you're better off buying books on those specific subjects. This one goes over them in enough detail (and bad writing) to be boring, but not enough to actually teach you how. Even more ridiculous, he details so many preparations that require electricity. If we have roads and electricity and whatnto, probably I'm not living off my stored foods anyway - and how many of us can set up our own solar power grid sufficient to run the freezer, household appliances, water heater, well pump, whatever?
And then the final 1/3 glosses over preparations for a 2-4 week disaster when it should be focusing on them. If we have a Katrina-type problem, I need to be able to take care of myself until services are reasonably restored enough to either live reasonably, or get out of the area. And if the disaster affects the whole country and there is nowhere to go.... Aside from buying your own farm/ranch in the wilds, living off solar power, etc, you're out of luck.
So, long story short, if you're like me - if you want to be prepared for an act of terrorism, a flood, a fire, a hurricane or tornado, that sort of thing, buy the books below instead.
Organize for Disaster: Prepare Your Family and Your Home for Any Natural Or Unnatural Disaster
PREPAREDNESS NOW!: An Emergency Survival Guide for Civilians and Their Families
Dangerous Book - Review written on July 02, 2007
Rating: 1 out of 5
17 customers found this review helpful, 20 did not.
In reading the section on Individual Storage Foods, I read a section that was actually shocking. It is bad enough that most food storage plans are centered around grains and beans (and toxic soybean especially!), but the one section that I read... and one of the first that I stumbled on in scanning the book stated that "Contrary to popular opinion that a high intake of sugar causes diabetes, hypoglycemia, cardiovascular diseases, etc., the predominance of scientific evidence provides no proven cause and effect relationship. In fact, considerable evidence indicates that diets high in carbohydrates, whether from starches or sugars, result in improved glucose tolerance for diabetics... "!
That statement is completely unreal. It is not only false, but is exactly 180-degrees opposite of the truth. The overabundance of carbohydrates - especially sugars and starches - has led this country to now be officially declared as having a diabetes epidemic! And diabetics are universally put on low carb to ultra low carb diets! Just as one source, go to Dr. Mercola's web site (mercola.com) and run a search on sugar (also while you are at it, run searches on "grains" and "soybeans".. prepare to be shocked).
The best survival food ever was good old-fashioned pemmican. Not the Yuppie type, but the real McCoy with ground up jerky mixed with beef fat. Explorers not only survived on it, but thrived on it for months at a time.
The author may have some other really good pieces of information in there, but that "error" was simply too serious for me to give the book any further thought. I returned it otherwise unread.... fortunately I had just borrowed it and didn't have to go through the hassle of returning a purchased book!
The One Book to Buy--Be Ready to Work Hard - Review written on February 17, 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5
51 customers found this review helpful.
This is quite an extraordinary book. I read a lot, mostly non-fiction, and I give this author credit for doing an absolutely tremendous job of research, of book construction, and of presentation.
THe bulk of the book is about food and water--stockpiling, production, and preservation are the three largest chapters--but the rest of it is completely useful as well.
The resources section is lengthy, explicit, diverse, and totally helpful.
I put the book down with a comment to my wife that survival is very hard work, and preparing for survival is almost as hard. This book does everything possible to help you get started. It is chock full of gems, for example, plan on 26 rolls of toilet paper per person per year. I had no idea!
I also admire the author for being blunt about not favoring "retreat homes." His common sense view is that you have two choices: move now, or prepare your existing home for survival. His thinking, that it may be impossible to GET to your retreat home (or, I would add, once you get there, take it back from the armed strangers that have broken in and will kill you on sight) makes perfect sense.
This is not the only book you want. I admire the two spotlighted reviews very much, and have kept my own review short because of the excellence of the other reviews. Let there be no doubt: this book is worth every penny, and every minute of your time.
I recommend a four-part approach to preparedness: a below-ground safe room and iodine pills, train the kids to go deep and sit for three days in case of a nuclear event; a 3-4 week supply of water, food, and essentials that assumes NO ELECTRICITY; a one-year rudimentary supply kit; and a neighbohood association to study and prepare for survival as a group.
Very thorough, not well proofread - Review written on October 15, 2006
Rating: 4 out of 5
25 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
This book is very thorough, and although it seems a bit alarmist, it's apparent that the information he covers could really become necessary in terms of a major disaster. My primary criticism is the in the editing. The author continually uses the word "loose" when he means "lose," for example, and it's an error that's found throughout the book. It makes me cringe when I see it, but when you get past things like that the information is valuable and it's well presented.
Whether you're an all-out build-a-bomb-shelter in your backyard type, or just someone who wants to be prepared for a weeklong power outage in the winter, this book has you covered.
Disaster Preparedness Books - Review written on October 05, 2006
Rating: 4 out of 5
1059 customers found this review helpful, 6 did not.
If you're like I was, you're looking through the various disaster preparedness books wondering which one is best. I have worked my way through 7 of the most popular books and offer a shared review of all of them here. I hope this comparison helps you make a decision.
Book 1: Crisis Preparedness by Jack A. Spigarelli
Like many of the disaster preparedness books, this one begins by answering the question, "Why bother being prepared?" It also outlines a framework for being prepared that includes accumulating supplies, getting mentally and physically prepared, and having your finances in order. One thing I particularly liked was the emphasis on the importance of knowledge. It wasn't just about what items you need, but also what skills and knowledge you should develop. But this book is mostly about food preparation for a major disaster, with emphasis on having a year's food storage, milling your own grain, growing sprouts, home canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, etc. There are detailed tables showing the calories of various foods including their protein, fat, and carbs. The final third of the book offers advice on other topics, including weapons, hand tools, clothing, energy, medical, sanitation, transportation, communications, and home preparation. The book concludes with a list of recommended books and a brief listing of companies that sell disaster preparation items. Overall, this is a very good preparedness book. I probably should have given it 5 stars, but I thought it went a bit overboard on the food plan. That said, it is the most comprehensive of the preparedness books.
Book 2: Preparedness Now! By Aton Edwards
This is another thorough disaster preparedness book, one that focuses more on emergency situations (fire, chemical attack, etc.). It is organized into brief chapters (some only a few pages) on a variety of important topics, including: water, food, shelter, sanitation, communication, transportation, and protection. It is also filled with many packing lists detailing what you should get in preparation. It introduces the e-kit (a very lightweight kit to keep with you) and grab-n-go bag with more extensive items. Final chapters of the book discuss various possible disasters, including earthquakes, tsunami, infectious diseases, chemical and bio warfare, crime, fire, and extreme weather. Some of the commentary is a bit questionable, but the technical content is good. Note the deficiency with this book is that it does not offer any detail on food storage.
Book 3: Disaster Preparedness for Dummies
First of all, this isn't a book. It's a DVD video. I wasn't paying attention when I bought it, and was a bit surprised when it arrived. I generally like the Dummies series. They are well researched and serve as a good summary. This DVD offers a lengthy video discussing many disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, etc.), briefly outlining how you might prepare for them. It also has an overview of how you should react in case of a terrorist attack (nuclear, chemical, and biological). But the advice is all very general, and is more like what you'd expect to hear from your local weather station. For example, the video repeatedly advises you to "stay calm" and "evaucate in an orderly fashion." The videos are high quality, but don't expect detailed outdoor survival tips or food storage suggestions. Everything presented is relevant and useful, but it feels more like a FEMA public service announcement.
Book 4: Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton
This book is broken into six main sections. The first section offers decent but very incomplete summaries on preparing for short-term emergencies. The second section discusses how to store and purify water. The third part talks about the logistics of setting up a food-storage program, and has some suggestions on how to store food. The fourth section details what types of foods you should store. The fifth section has blank inventory planning pages. And finally the last section has some recipes. About half of the 285 page book is either blank planning pages or simple recipes. The first half of the book is pretty good stuff, but I found this book to be incomplete. It does however offer some good advice on food storage.
Book 5: Organize for Disaster by Judith Kolberg
This book goes an entirely different direction than the other preparedness books. Emphasis is on understanding the federal resources (i.e. FEMA, Red Cross, etc.) available, creating a personal intelligence network, organizing essential documents, maintaining insurance coverage, listing a home inventory, preparing your house for disaster, basic first aid, and having a good family communication plan. There is also a good list of necessary items to have on hand that would suit many common disaster. I recommend this book for its common-sense look at disaster preparedness. However, it is not the only book you would need, because it doesn't detail food storage, water purification, heating, etc.. That said, it covers some topics that the other books overlook.
Book 6: Making the Best of Basics, Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens
This book is almost completely about in-home food storage and preparation. There is little discussion outside that (except for basic water issues). Many chapters discuss food in significant detail, to include things like grains, recipes, preparing sourdough breads/biscuits, dairy products, honey, sprouting, drying of fruits/vegetables. At the end of this book is a huge compendium of preparedness resources, telling where things can be purchased in every US state.
Book 7: No Such Thing as Doomsday, by Philip L. Hoag, revised in 2001
This book offers well-researched insights into disaster preparedness. Topics include water, food, heating/cooking, light, power, communications, medical, sanitation, and security. Those subjects are well done. However, much of the book reads like a bit of doomsday prediction, with many pages devoted to scaring the heck out of the reader... focusing on missile attacks, chemical dangers, nuclear war, radiation, decontamination, communist threat, etc. For me personally, I would have like to see more pages devoted to likely threats (e.g. hurricanes, floods, earthquake, blackout, fire, etc.). Also note that Amazon may not carry the latest version (updated in 2001), so you may want to buy directly from the author.
Overall, if you can only purchase three books, I would recommend Book 5, Book 6, and either Book 1, 2 or 7. With those three, you should have a balanced look at common sense organizing, food storage, and emergency items to have on hand. If you can buy only one book, I recommend Book 1.
I've created a useful disaster preparedness list for your automobile on my Amazon author blog (just click on my name above the review). Also, you'll find a link to purchase a fully assembled auto kit.
Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Process of Elimination" - an intense thriller in which a martial artist, a greedy corporate attorney, and a conspiracy theorist try to stop a world-class sniper out to shape the next Presidential election.
Please be kind enough to indicate if reviews are helpful.
The best? - Review written on September 06, 2006
Rating: 3 out of 5
11 customers found this review helpful, 10 did not.
I picked up this book after having read it some time ago. Reason is I chanced to read these reviews, and I'm stunned. Best book on the subject, perhaps. However, I've yet to read one book, on the subject, worth the price. Please, do yourself a favor and use the price of this book as partial payment for a Red Cross course. Very much of the content is common sense, and more important, time is valuable - don't waste it on this.
Not an emergency survival manual - Review written on November 25, 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5
87 customers found this review helpful, 4 did not.
This book will not help you survive an emergency that you have not prepared for, but it will help you prepare so that you avoid emergencies in the first place.
Just as the title says, this is a preparation handbook. It will help you prepare the place you live so that you can make it through tough times in relative safety and comfort.
No, it will not help you learn to forage for nutritious weeds, track NWO soldiers to their base in the forest, or how to most efficiently loot the bodies of the dead. On the other hand, it will help you decide what food to store and how much, how to keep your electricity running, how to keep a working water supply, and includes a very brief section on guns.
I've read a lot of self-sufficiency books and this is one of the most well rounded that I have encountered. If you are already a survival nut, this won't cover any new ground, but if you have people in your life you are just beginning to show some interest in self-sufficiency, there is probably no better introduction.
Serious Preparation Advice for the Serious-minded - Review written on November 19, 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5
40 customers found this review helpful.
This book gets four stars, because although it is a very well researched and practical book, it is probably, as some other reviews have observed, strong on food preparation, needs and preservation (very important) but a little light in other areas.
I do think, however, this is an excellent book and for anyone who is keen to inform themselves and prepare for crisis management beyond the 72-hour disaster scenario and wants to be prepared for "long emergency" scenarios, I think this book is indispensable.
It is a very serious book and has some indepth and quite complex information. It is by no means something written for the armchair survivalist.
It is not what I'd call light reading, either, nor should it be.
If you have a serious interest in crisis preparedness, this is an excellent book to have.
Good food storage / supply guide, lacking in emergency survival - Review written on October 09, 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5
36 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
This book is an excellent resource for developing a plan to deal with the aftermath of a disaster, whether natural or man made.
The author walks the reader through determining the amount and types of food they should store, providing many insights into saving money by avoiding "miracle" survival foods.
However, this book falls short of preparing the reader to survive either a chemical, biological or nuclear attack, the chapters that pertain to these topics are very light and the author recommends purchasing his other book to learn how to survive these disasters.
This book is excellent for the individual that wants to prepare a food and water supply and is also good for readers on a limited budget, the author identifies several ways to save money by preparing the food for storage yourself.
This book also has an excllent check list for an emergency escape kit, also known as a 72 hour kit, and general survival tools.
The book has a short list of suppliers in the back, many of which can be found by using google or yahoo. The author also directs readers to his website for more up to date information, unfortunately the website only contains an advertisement for one of his other books.
All in all if you are looking for really good information on how to store a food and water supply, whether it be a 1 week or 5 years this book will give you information enough to get started.
If you are looking for tips on surviving the immediate disaster though purchase another book in addition to this one.