Customer Reviews

The SAS Urban Survival Handbook: How to Protect Yourself from Domestic Accidents, Muggings, Burglary and Attack (SAS Survival (HarperCollins))

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

After reading about this book, I looked high and low for it. "Written by a former SAS man after his experience in the military did little to prepare him for the dangers in civilian life." I expected a manual on self-defense, and their legal issues. (Something Nicolas Cage's character from "Con Air" could have used) After finally getting a copy, the book has little to do with what the catalog implied. The title byline reads "how to protect yourself from domestic accident, mugging, burglary and attack." Three of the four were in the same chapter! What we did get covers the dangers from stress, pollution, even lead paint to driving and safe sex to self defense and terrorism.

The book's good points are it covers amazing scope of subject matter. It doesn't linger on any one topic too long; it simply states the dangers involved with whatever hazard in a few paragraphs, then on to the next item. The book is organized very well and of course, being written like a military manual, the flow is very logical. The color sections on poisonous plants and dangerous animals are very informative. The section on self-defense is a great primer on the basics of fighting.

Unfortunately, that information will never be read. The data on household and city dangers is so vast one must wade thru the "don't do that's" we learned as a kid to find the rare bit of new and useful information. The chapter on the law is mostly for England and is ten years out of date. Especially on firearms in which the author, being former military, surprised me by having an anti-gun attitude.

The chapter on terrorism is thorough but nearly useless to people in the US. Anti-terrorism counter-measures are briefly mentioned and only for the wealthy (bullet proof vests?) who do not need this book as they have bodyguards.

As a military man myself (USMC), I can sympathize with his views on household dangers. In the military, people are briefed on how to safely handle dangerous machines and chemicals, often with mandatory wearing of safety gear (gloves, goggles, etc.) when using the chemicals. In civilian life, the only times warning labels and safety precautions are ever mentioned is in a lawsuit because of product misuse! In the military, you also know how to fight whom, while in civilian life you never know who will attack you but you can go to jail for hurting an attacker in self-defense.

However, I think the author had greatly overdone the coverage of every possible danger to ones health and safety, often to the point of paranoia. I cannot recommend this book to American readers. I gave it three stars because the information that is useful is *very* useful, but it only is only a small part of a big book. Besides, I am sure that all the good knowledge is in either the *SAS Survival Handbook (vol. 1)* or *Collins Gem SAS Self-Defence* especially the latter. It should contain everything the great self-defense section has with a little more detail.

P.s. I found it a amazing that this book, after a year of my searching never received a single review and now TWO people review it on the same day (I just knew I should have done this yesterday! :). I do not fault my follow reviewer, as being English; he or she may have found it more relevant. My review is more for American customers.

I am a fan of "lofty's" other book, and as an avid survivalist I must at least let others who are like me know, that this book is more suited to the elderly.

It does not deal with any SAS style survival methods, and is very bland in any defense situations.

The actual basis of the book is urban survival which it does not deal with on any level other than making sure your windows are locked and your electric blanket is turned off at night to not start a fire.

Dissapointed is a kind word for what I was when actually sitting and reading this book.

Do not buy if survival in a urban setting is what you want to learn.

Beware this book is not a survival guide. If you are looking for surviving in an urban environment after a disaster don't waste your money.

This book is filled with simple material such as Vit-C is good for a cold, don't leave toys on the ground or you could trip over them and don't run with tools because you could get hurt if you fall. If this is what your looking for the book does a great job with good illistrations and explains everything in detail. If you are looking for surviving in an urban environment after a disaster look elsewhere.

This was disappointing for me because I expected more. Urban survival is long term in crisis not just 3 days in some instances; consider New Orleans after Katrina. I have the SAS Survival Manual to use as I will need it to vacate the city shortly there after. I would like the book to have more about securing food, water, shelter out of what you are left with in your neighborhood when there is a disaster. Like dangers to look out for, safety, security, avoiding pillagers and mobs, what and where to stockpile 6 months worth of food etc. I think this is Survival/crisis lite!

This is NOT a Survival handbook. If you buy this looking for info on city survival and tactics, you will be completely disappointed. The SAS wilderness "Survival" book is excellent. This is not.

Maybe I was expecting too much after reading the "SAS survival guide".

There is a lot of usefull information in this book, but don't expect to find as many clever tricks or knowledge as in the original.

Wow. This book is definitely comprehensive. Wiseman's book on Wilderness Survival is great for people to survive in the wilderness on nothing. This book is written for people in Britain that have never seen civilization. I guess I was looking for a type of survival book to cover how to survive in an urban setting in a major disaster. This book covers everything from "don't eat moth balls" to "don't plant willow trees too close to your house or you might weaken your foundation". Most of the stuff is ridiculous common sense.

The one area I was interested in was Self-Defense. Unfortunately this was just a lot of British Law stuff.

Overall the book is pretty comprehensive but more or less ridiculous. You have to be insane to read it cover to cover. And if you're not, you will be by the time you finish it.

First off I loved SAS Survival Handbook. Now about SAS Urban Survival Handbook, Do not buy it. I may be wrong if your primary concern when the "SHTF" is lead paint poisoning(pg.149). A large hurricane is heading your way and for what ever reason you have to stay, how concerned are you about the dangers of contact sports(pg.339)? When your neighborhood loses power and will have none for a week or more, if your primary concern is renting power equipment (pg.138) then I am wrong. Look, this is not a survival handbook. It is a Everything is normal choose a safe play ground(pg.324) hand book. I can go on and on but this is the point, This book will find its way in my camp fire to keep my family and I warm before it finds it way in my bug out bag. If I could return this I would. With this I still say the SAS Survival Handbook is always in my "EDC" bag.

This was such a let down. I can't understand why anyone would give this book five stars. This really has nothing to do with survival. I read the description and table of contents before buying, which lead me to believe that this book would offer practical advice for living in the city when things get dangerous. It does not. This is only a book for a person without common sense advising how to live within a normal day without killing or maiming yourself with your own stupidity. The best information was the section on first aid. However, if you ever took a babysitting course or did any sort of boy scouts or girl scouts, you already know more than what is in this book.

Urban life is unique in many ways. Life can be easy one day and tough the next. Urban life presents unique problems: stress, pollution, robberies, and so on. Life in the urban environment can also be pleasurable by being socially involved, and enjoying a well-paid job.

The book Urban Survival is about how to survive day-by-day in the urban world. Unlike other survival books, Urban Survival is not so much about the "worst" case, but rather common mistakes that can be made and how to prevent such mistakes from happening. Most of the facts are common sense, but they can be easily overlooked in the urban world. The book ranges from common do-it-yourself accidents to the more extreme such as robberies and terrorism and natural disasters. The book makes a good effort to keep your home secure from hazards from both inside and outside. The book isn't about how to make your home a fortified fortress capable of stopping a massive invasion and arming yourself with the latest weaponry (as a matter of fact, the book is against using a gun for defensive reasons since it's very well possible that the weapon can be used against you or hurt someone you don't intend to hurt). No, this book is about how to enjoy your life in the urban world while keeping in mind about safely and playing it safe. Basically, it's better to be safe than sorry.

I recommend this book to anyone living in the urban world. I think there are a lot of great tips in this book and some of them well make you say, "Well duh!"