SAS Urban Survival Handbook Reviews

• Thorough coverage of everyday hazards, but who needs it!

  
  By A2NZYZEU1X95NJ on 2001-01-30
  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 The chapter on the law is mostly for England and is ten years out of date.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.
  
  

• Not a survival manual!

  
  By AU2TYRVCEPQJX on 2008-03-26
  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.
  
  

• It is what it says it is...

  
  By A2TE0JH0VZYY90 on 2008-10-06
  This book's title conveys its topic; it is a book with detailed guidance on minimizing your risks in the urban environment on a day-to-day basis.
  
  Wiseman writes clearly and compellingly as he takes you from one scenario to another, explaining the types of problems you may encounter and the actions that will get you out of trouble. I began reading his book on a Sunday afternoon and I found myself stopping every few pages to tell my wife about some new bit of information I had not known about my own environment. For example, if your television catches on fire, throw a wet blanket over it because there is a good chance that the picture tube will explode! Perhaps everyone else already knows this, but I didn't: raw potatoes are poisonous and can be fatal.
  
  The middle portion of the book has dozens of pictures of common houseplants that are lethal. The book is illustrated throughout and it is designed to work well as a reference in the event of a problem (i.e., call out boxes with critical information and consistent use of color with WARNINGS in red and entire pages with dashed borders with the systematic instructions).
  
  The only `down side' to this book is that it is written for a British audience and a slight US bias does pop up occasionally and references to laws on gun ownership, self-defense, etc., are based on British law; otherwise, a great book and a handy reference source.
  
  

• SAS Urban Survival Short term.....

  
  By AD564RAXKN8CL on 2008-05-27
  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!
  
  

• Beware not what you think

  
  By ANXE9YQ2JN5VH on 2009-03-13
  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.
  
  
• Not as much fun as the "SAS survival guide"
  By A22NU8QSH747ZT on 2008-12-12
  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.
  
  
  
  
• Not a worst case book
  By A3IIBE4D1VECWC on 2008-04-30
  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!"
  
  
  
• This book was NOT what I thought it would be!
  By A2KUOQLRGGHCQX on 2010-07-14
  I had very high hopes for this book, and sad to say it didn't fulfill any of them. After wading through the tiring--and completely discredited--global warming discussion, he proceeds to discuss various kinds of everyday threats to our lives. I was unaware that, because I wear contacts, it is dangerous for me to view a computer monitor for more than an hour at a time (p. 311). I also was stunned to see that my posture in my work chair was poor, and page 311-312 tells me how to correct that. HUH?!?!? I wanted to read about urban survival skills, not mamby pamby stuff like work posture or monitor screens.
  This is the first book I have EVER returned to Amazon, but I am going to return it. It is a total waste of money. And I had such high hopes for the book. Please, carefully look at the reviews before plunking down your money. I wanted to like this book, but it was impossible to do so.
  
  
• the best survival book available for an urban environment
  By A2XP7YB7KGML9M on 2008-03-28
  There is a lot of overlap with the John Lofty Wiseman's other survival manual, but that's because you need to know a lot of the same things in a crisis situation whether you're in an urban or wilderness situation. This survival book adds a bunch of things that the other book doesn't have--how to deal with terrorist acts like a hijacking, natural disasters like a tsunami, dangerous dogs, and all kinds of other stuff. This is the kind of reference that you might look through just for fun to learn a few things, but it's all an essential home reference that you'll be damn glad you have close at hand if all hell breaks loose or even if there's just one of those minor, everyday disasters.
  
  
• Great Book
  By A3HFN1DG8G1FJP on 2004-10-04
  This is a fantastic book on survival in urban environments. Check out his other book on wilderness survival too.
  
  

• SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation
• The SAS Self-Defense Handbook: A Complete Guide to Unarmed Combat Techniques
• SAS Survival Guide 2E (Collins Gem): For any climate, for any situation
• The SAS Guide to Tracking, New and Revised
• How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times