Book Review: When Disaster Strikes – Author Matthew Stein

I had received a copy of this book awhile ago. I immediately began digging into its contents, though I wanted to give it time to absorb a bit as there is much here to learn read, and consume. In this age, where we share the same date as the end of the world cycle (2012), it seems appropriate to add a few survival books on the shelf next to those less helpful “Walking Dead” reads. Afterall, the world doesn’t need to end to still have a legitimate need to use the techniques mentioned.

For one, it collects alot of the stuff you would have to collect from Internet pages or manuals in order to deal with different situations. That’s right….maybe its aiding in child birth, cleaning your water, or even stepping out for a camping survival trip. All the data is relative which makes this a must have for the 2012 box (or other).

What is an immediate bonus is that the book is up to date published at the tail end of 2011. For a publishing company, this is a good thing as these kind of books tend to take a few months to print and get to market. What is also rewarding is that it presents material from news sources as introductions into the appropriate chapters. Yes real news, that is mentioned from real news sources. Many being within the last year (yikes!!)

So when you start to delve into the earthquake preparation section, you are greeted with a recent event that “for those folks” was very pertinent. Nowadays, there is little in the way of ultimate safe areas to live. We tune into this aspect daily with CNN or Fox news that broadcasts living changing events all across the world. Maybe you don’t live near Japan, but when those tornado outbreaks hit in the Midwest and destroyed everything, then it really didn’t make much difference did it?

Getting back to the book, author Matthew Stein is one savvy researcher. His methods are not home grown but a collective of everything they teach from first aid classes to military mission tactics. You can learn about self defense, bites, stings, wounds, carrying the injured the proper way to dealing with bugs, epidemics and heatstroke. It’s really too much content to list in one review, but for the record…I didn’t see much in the way of material that wasn’t covered. It does tend to state that some sections should be investigated further, but for the persons in need you may have ALL you can carry (and need) right here in this edition.

One of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I flipped thru chapter after chapter is you don’t have to be in need to have a need for this book. Hunters can see in detail how to catch an animal and properly prep it for food storage. Gardeners can learn a few things about planting seeds and taking care of you homegrown items (foot that is).How bout a solar storm, radiation or bomb shelter…..where you gonna turn when these things of fiction become reality?

This edition is published by the fine folk at Chelsea Green. A mere $25 can save your lives and your families. In the very least if you don’t want to read it at the moment, you should pick up a copy and tuck it in your “breakaway” back for when tough times come knocking.

I was recently doing a search on the Internet for survival tactics. After printing out a few 100 pages (alot which had spammy ads stuck between), I realized that a book like this is the better way to go. It’s been bound with care and cared for in authorship. It’s not a stretch to say that “When Disaster Strikes” is my #1 recommendation for book purchases in 2012. BTW, if you haven’t checked, you may want to get going on this as March is almost here.

Book Review: When Disaster Strikes – Author Matthew Stein