SAS Urban Survival Handbook [Paperback]

John Wiseman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2008

A necessary and effective manual of urban survival techniques—a companion to the SAS Survival Handbook (over a million copies sold).

John "Lofty" Wiseman is the author of the bestselling SAS Survival Handbook, the definitive guide to survival in the wild from Britain's Special Air Service. Now he has compiled a complete guide to survival in the urban jungle. Every year in America there are thousands of fatal accidents in the home—more than on the roads, and many more than in the great outdoors. Fire, electricity, water, gas, sharp knives, poisons, chemicals—these valuable tools can quickly become dangerous weapons when not treated with proper respect and understanding. Add to these the risks of travel, terrorism, muggings, rape, tsunamis, and earthquakes. We are constantly reminded that the world is a dangerous place. Wiseman shows readers how to think realistically and practically about these perils in order to avoid them, whether they are at home, on the street, in school, or in transit. From self-defense techniques to home security systems to coping with natural disasters, this book will teach readers to recognize risks, make quick decisions, and live confidently in the modern urban world. 100 color illustrations

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

With the clarity, common sense, and directness you would expect from the SAS’s former Chief Survival Instructor, Lofty Wiseman shares the skills he’s perfected over a long career. The SAS Urban Survival Handbook shows you strategies and techniques for: combating the problems and stresses of urban life for you and your family; making and keeping your home safe; avoiding accidents and injury from tools, chemicals, and poisonous plants; insuring home security; dealing with travel dangers; combating threats from letter bombs, hijack, and kidnap; and coping with natural disasters. It also includes self–defense techniques to counter attacks of all kinds, first–aid procedures, skills for saving a life, and much more. John “Lofty” Wiseman served for 26 years with Britain’s Special Air Service as their Chief Survival Instructor. He remains the foremost authority on SAS training techniques for civilians. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John "Lofty" Wiseman served for twenty-six years with Britain's SAS as their Chief Survival Instructor. He is the foremost authority on SAS training techniques for civilians.

Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (April 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602392161
• ISBN-13: 978-1602392168
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Safety & First Aid

More About the Author

John 'Lofty' Wiseman served for 26 years with the Special Air Service and was their Chief Survival Instructor. He remains the foremost authority on SAS training techniques for civilians.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

140 of 145 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Thorough coverage of everyday hazards, but who needs it!, January 29, 2001

By 

Clint Simpson (MCAS MIRAMAR, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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

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.

55 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a survival manual!, March 25, 2008

By 

K. Dye (Phoenix AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SAS Urban Survival Handbook (Paperback)

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.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware not what you think, March 13, 2009

By 

B. Berry (AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SAS Urban Survival Handbook (Paperback)

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.