How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It

Tactics, Techniques and Technologies for Uncertain Things

By: James Wesley Rawles

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

James Wesley Rawles, founder of survivalblog.com, shares with you everything you need to know to be ready for the worst. The book includes information on proper food storage and sanitation, gardening and livestock basics, investment strategies to protect your assets, medical advice, communication techniques, home security, and how to get "outta Dodge" when, in the parlance of the movement, "the shit hits the fan".

©2009 James Wesley Rawles (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Unsurprising

A couple of reviewers have griped that it is too pessimistic (did they miss the entire "The End Of The World As We Know It" part of the title?), or too conservative (seems that the "how to Survive The..." part of the title was overly complex for them). If you are not concerned that the world we now enjoy may be developing major disruptions (Japanese atomic power plant, anyone?), or failing in ways both big (budget deficit, housing market, faux unemployment numbers) and small (shrinking sizes of product at the grocery store, without shrinking prices), then you will not find this book to make sense for you. If on the other hand, you do have these concerns, you will find much in this book to consider. It is not an encyclopedic reference, cookbook style, of everything you need to do to survive all manner of disaster. What it is, indeed, is a survey of the sorts of issues you may want to consider, and measures you may want to look into so that you and your family might successfully respond to them. And then move on from there.

Details details details

This Audio book is good, but I now want the reading version as there is so much detail that I want to reread it and have it for further study. The constant URLs were a bit annoying to have to listen to as well. Altogether this is a very well done account of proper planning, details and equipment for a TEOTWAWKI or SHTF scenario. A reader may not be able to do everything in this book to be ready but knowing this stuff will be more helpful than not even if you cant afford the cost $$$ of all the purchases needed to be this prepared. I read the Patriots as my first SHTF book and fell in love with it. This is a nice companion piece and (obviously) a how to!

Good Information

Based on the previous reviews I thought most of what is in this book would just be be common sense, but there are many, many subjects Rawles covers that I never considered. This is a very good book to have, the subject matter covered and advise provided by the author could be invaluable if things take a turn for the worst. Case-in-point, look at what is happening with the spiraling cost of food and clothing. It's worth a look if for nothing more than to get an idea of what could happen in our future.

Dick Hill does a fantastic job of reading - one of the most talented readers I have ever heard.

Buy the paper version

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I am glad this was a bonus book. If you think about the content of the book, it would only make sense to have the printed version... Other then that, there is a wealth of information in here for those that are survival minded. I liked one of his other books, Patriot, much better.

Would you be willing to try another book from James Wesley Rawles? Why or why not?

don't base your opinion on Rawles' books on this one alone! He is a great story teller.

Did Dick Hill do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

not a lot of characters in this book

What character would you cut from How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It?

NA

Solid info but becomes a grocery list at times

The book leads strong with some tips about how to being prepping in general and the philosophy behind that way of life.

However some of the chapters are more of just an appendix of sorts that are better suited for a physical book I think.

Also the author recommends things near the end of the book that, if followed, basically means your whole life is dedicated to prepping. (Owning a large community home that you and other preppers keep well stocked year-round, while practicing basic prepper skills around the clock, and somehow having employment capabilities though he recommends in living somewhere VERY remote.)

Near the end prepping felt more like a rich man (or woman's) hobby. I think the book could have used a "shoe-string budget prepping" guide to do the best you can with what you have as a young professional.

Basically the only individuals that could follow this to the letter are those that have an endless stream of sizeable income, and large amounts of free time.

All that being said though, this book really got me interested in prepping in general as a kind of life philosophy. I get it now.

Good for the Reference Shelf, but not for Audio

This is a great book with lots of good information. However, it is better suited to a library of reference material, rather than an audio book. In other words, it is a little too "dry" to listen to in audio form.

For Millionaires only. Impractical for most.

So there is no doubt that the gentleman who wrote this book is knowledgeable. He definitely knows his stuff. However, his proposal, even if you were to implement only 20% is not affordable, nor practical for about 97% of the population in North America. I guess that's the point though. In the world this guy creates in this book and his fictional novels, that's who survives at the end of the day - a small fraction of the continent.

For the rest of us, there are nuggets in this book that may be useful to you. I bought it on sale so it was worth a listen. As long as you keep in mind that the vast majority of the book is prepping overkill and that the likelihood of the end of the world is minuscule, it's not a complete waste of time.

If however, you are into living 100km away from the closest urban centre, like the idea of living in a bunker with few windows, hoarding years of food, owning about 15 different guns and thousands of rounds and just being an all round weirdo/recluse and you've got about $500,000 in the bank just waiting for you to burn through it on the off chance the end of the world happens - hey, this book is for you.

For the rest of us, practice good common sense and you'll probably "survive" almost anything the world throws at you. Heck, my great grandparents and grandparents survived the great depression and the scourge of fascism and imperialism and they came out of it just fine. Just saying.

good reading

good reading for the price could have got better narrator to read it though but worthwhile

Tedious

it takes FOREVER to start. eventually he gives decent information but you have to wade through CHAPTERS of arrogant and condescending pissing matches between the author and any reader and or critic that picks up the book.

Important content, but a dry listen

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The nature of the topic is a very real possibility, it is important to occasionally think about this stuff and have a plan. I have prviously and when a hurricane hit me, I had a plan and was prepared.

Has How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It turned you off from other books in this genre?

The content could be presented a lot more intelligently, it is very dry, not too much new infoirmation, just a straight presentation. Why not some thought provoking choices and ultimatums? Some hypothetical possibilties?

What didn’t you like about Dick Hill’s performance?

Kind of monotone, he didn't capturew my attention very well, I found myself fading off and thinking about other things too often.