Customer Reviews

Bodyguard : A Guide to VIP Protection

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you have modest experience in the military or law enforcement, do not buy this book. If you are looking for a work that addresses the intricacies of security tactics and training, this is not the book for you. If you have absolutely no experience with tactics and weapons this may be useful to you. The author does offer a comprehensive look at the bodyguard profession, but it is so broad and all encompassing that is covers nothing in detail and is of little use to the experienced soldier/law enforcement professional. What is the old axiom? If you try and defend everything, you defend nothing? The author spends a great deal of space and effort describing the flaws in many so-called bodyguards such as over drinking, extra-marital affairs, and conflicts of personal interests. Ironically, I found his personal vignettes about the cast of unprofessional, immature, brain dead fellow bodyguards he has worked with most entertaining; although this had nothing to do with the reason I purchased this book. The bottom line is, if you have been a soldier or police officer for more than a day, this book offers you little. If you are a librarian or an insurance salesman you might find it informative. In the end, you'll have to read this work and form your own opinion.

This book is an eye opener for those who are in the world of executive protection. For the beginner it puts you on the right path, included with the things to do and not to do. Congrats to the author.

A fellow specialist

Scott, EPS,CPS

Working in the field of high level diplomatic security I can state this is clearly the best book on vip protection to date, this thought of mine is shared by colleagues and instructors around this is the book to start and to end with, what you need to know is in this book, the rest you will only get out of experience

First of all I'd like to say that the 1 star rating is the overall rating of the book and its author, I had to give it some rating to submit this review. I've decided to rate the book and the author individually for reasons explained below.

THE BOOK:
I rate the book's contents and layout to 3 stars. The book seems to cover pretty much every aspect of the BGs' work, although when things get interesting the author stops. Some aspects of bodyguarding are explained in a very detailed way and som others in a very shallow way. I felt that the book really didn't explain much of the BG's techniques or tricks in depth but more about how a BG should be and behave. The book gives the reader good tips on BG schools and how to find the best BG education. Not so great for me that don't want to be a BG, only read about their techniques, but probably a good source of information for BG wannabes.

THE AUTHOR:
If I could rate the author I would rate him no more than 1 star.
When reading many of the things in the book, espacially the author's notes and his "personal views" on some topics, I got really mad.
Mr Lonsdale may have the knowledge and experience exceeding that of hundreds or maybe thousands of BGs all over the world but I've never come across an author with so many "twisted" personal oppinions.
For example reffering to the principle's wife as a "Barbie", obviously disturbed and maybe jealous of his rich customers' "spoiled" wifes. I wouldn't hire Mr Lonsdale just for saying such a thing about my wife.
Also in none of the author's notes I can read about the author's own mistakes, he obviously has never made a mistake. I would've respected the author much more if he would've explained his own mistakes instead of the mistakes of others reffering to them as "stupid" BGs.
This passage really takes the price.
Quote from the book:

"One particularly annoying individual is the no-class lecher who cannot stop himself ogling the principal's date. This can prove very disconcerting in the confines of a club, espacially if the principal is an older gentleman accompanied by a young model or actress. If the club management cannot take care of this problem, then it is sometimes appropriate for the BGs to indulge in a little subtle intimidation. Most self professed playboys and "latin lovers" are not figthers and will become equally uncomfortable with too much attention from the BGs.
However, the best solution is to simply tip the club's bouncer to just toss the jerk's skinny butt out of the club, for whatever reason."

And this man has a gun permit?!!
Reading the whole book I didn't detect any humoristic feeling that could explain the tone of such a writing. Authors like Marc "Animal" MacYoung and James LaFond can get away with these things.
Mr Lonsdale doesn't succeed with his humoristic tone, although I doubt he is actually trying to be funny. This is just one more macho writer that takes himself to seriously.

This book is interesting reading but it seems the authour places more details in the chapters that he is personaley interested in such as weapons training and not going into any particular datils of more routine opperations such a protection tecnuiques, which if well followed such if not illiminate but sereverly reduce the need of a drawn weapon.... not a bad book to get a flavour of but severely lacks details. on the other end of the spectrum what can one expect out of a publication but the writing style was interesting but i would prefer ainstead spliting the books into 3 or more books with a higher detail and cover price

Material may be dated but it is a good primer for close protection work. The author has many other useful titles and his experience shows through with this title.

Bodyguard was obviously written by someone who has been there. This is the best nuts and bolts book on VIP protection that i have ever read. All the photos and diagrams show how it is in the real world. No BG should be without this one

One of the best books on VIP protection.

The best I've come across. Full of information and technques. Simply super!

Probably the best book on VIP protection - lots of detail and insider information.