Customer Reviews

The Combative Perspective: The Thinking Man's Guide to Self-Defense

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

 

 

Having been a small arms and tactics instructor for a number of years now and always a student to the martial arts, I highly recommend this book. It is truly a landmark book that is written with a hard hitting yet effective and efficient style that anyone can read and learn from. But more importantly than just learn from, but live by.

The more a student of personal protection learns and developes the more they realize that it is not the gun or the knife, etc but the mind that is the final weapon. Mindset is the most important element in a fight. Mr. Suarez explains this in terms that are most enlightening. I have personally lent my copy of this book to a number of soldiers who are deploying to Iraq, street cops, students of martial arts, and everyday house wives. All simply say, that this book is an important part of their development by letting them see their strength and weaknesses. They all agree that by reading this book they have have a deeper understanding of what it takes to not only survive but to win. That is an important difference.

This is one of the only books I own that I read on a regular basis to ensure I am "getting my mind right".

This is a very tiny book printed with huge letters inside. Basically, it can easily be summarized as a long magazine article. The basic point the author makes is that you need to be mentally prepared to face a confrontation and not hesitate or act weak because criminals will abuse you otherwise.

These topics are largely covered in Gabe Suarez's book The Tactical Pistol, together with other more useful topics, so you are better off getting that book instead.

Gabe Suarez, the author of this book is a renowed shooting and tactics instructor. In his former career as a SWAT team member, he has participated in numerous fights and several shooting incidents (I believe the exact number is four shootings).

This book is similar to Principles of personal defence by Jeff Cooper. In this book, Suarez handles the mental aspects of fighting, based on his personal experiences and those of his trainees. Rather than instructing how to use weapons the most efficient way, he tries to explain how the mind works in a life-threatening situation. Instead of tactics, you'll learn how the fear and stress change your performance, and how to prepare for a potentially lethal encounter.

Suarez advocates aggressive response to a threat, and man's right to defend himself even with lethal force, if necessary. The instruction he gives in the book fall into the same category, and his attitude is that unless you want to do things the way he instructs, it's the same as hiding your head into sand hoping the adversary does not attack you. As in other books by Suarez, his way is the only way to conduct business. I'm not arguing the facts, and he definitely has more combat experience than I do, but I dislike the way he forces his opinions to the readers. On the other hand, if man has proved his views correct in multiple gunfights, that may have a reinforcing effect on your outlook.

The things discussed in the book are not new, as almost every book devoted to self defense shooting has at least a chapter on mental issues. However, this book gives the most complete treatment of the subject I have read. It's sad that Suarez has such one-sided approach to the subject. However, with it's flaws, this book is definitely recommended reading to anyone who is interested in self defence.

This book is not about how to use a firearm in self-defense. This book is about surviving a deadly encounter. The focus on on the most critical part of self defense - Mental Preparation. This is one of the best and could save your "bacon". If you just want to learn how to shoot look elsewhere. This my favorite of the Suarez books as it really offers helpful insight to provide the right frame of mind to survive. Be aware - the author pulls no punches and is not "PC".

To be clear this book would have been rated five stars if it weren't for the fact that most of the people who would buy this book will have already taken most of its wisdom to heart on their own.

For beginners taking personal security in their own hands this book is an excellent read, as it discusses very real subjects such as use of violence, commitment, and other "metaphysical" combative material. It also includes a startlingly clear description of the often poorly described "OODA Loop", a concept which serves newcomers well to understand quickly and clearly. Another nice feature is accounts of where "attitude" lead to stunning victory against the odds, and a lack-there-of (cowardice and stupidity) lead to shameful and unnecessary defeat.

However, most books such as this are usually read as self study or by "officianados" of combatives, self protection, etc. who have been at it for some time - and not by beginners - beginners usually don't seem to interested in "metaphysical" or insubstantial stuff like this, preferring instead hard physical techniques and skills which are quantifiable (only understandable).

The point is that the people who are most likely to read such a book (individuals more experienced in the subject matter) will already know and appreciate the material presented herein, so the book only makes for an entertaining read.

This book would, however, make an excellent gift for an individual setting out to harden themselves against violence, as it is an excellent "motivational" primer to self protection and use of force.

I read Cooper's Principles of Personal Defense and Gabe Suarez's thoughts add to what the Col laid out on the mental aspect of the fight-mindset.

"Winning a fight...actually has very little to do with what you are armed with and a great deal to do with what you are thinking at the time."

A short and easy to read book similar to Cooper's Principles of Personal Defense. The main focus is on eliminating uncertainty and "getting your mind right" in a self-defense situation. Suarez covers items normally touched on in similar books; OODA loop, awareness levels, liability, etc...but in his unique and direct way.

Gabe Suarez doesn't hold back and has the experience to back it. The book isn't about techniques but the mindset to win a gun fight and then deal with the aftermath.

Other books like "On Combat" and "On Killing" deal with some of the psychological aspects of the human reaction to a gun fight in much greater depth but Gabe's experience adds authenticity to the subject.

This tiny book is aimed at both the professional and the layman and it is valuable because it outlines the importance of mental attitude in a life or death confrontation. The author wants you to WIN that confrontation at all cost and he shows how the right mental attitude can increase the chances. Like most other things in life, you can give yourself an edge, even in deadly confrontations. Suarez tells you how.

Like the glock "book" he sells at his website for $25, this isn't really a "book"--it's a glorified article for those who will buy into his tacticoolness.

(I think it's important to note that his glock 18 mags went up in price to $50 the day after they were used in the AZ shooting--available tons of places online for $25 to $35--his store says, "buy them now before politicians ban them!"...anyone who uses tragedy to profit is a lowlife with no class).