excellent-generally reality does not sell-1 platoon to many rambo type films (example).particularly in self defense-survival etc. feel good fantasy sells.
this is one of few practical books on these subjects I was born in South-Bronx and grew up On East Harlem-Yorkville border.in Armoury gang at 15 later served as Medic in Viet Nam.Then as a bouncer on Resturant Row-Hell's Kitchen.Now law enforcement on "Rock" the world's biggest jail.also part time free lance writer.
Most books make it sound far too easy(sells)This is exception.check it out, best Jimmy Mack

This is a fun read, full of knowledge and hardcore facts like; Dispose of a dead body, things to eat, and how to catch and drink water and rats. I was disapointed in the lack of self defense other than a review of a martial arts program. Still a good book with great captions and art work.

This book is loaded with common sense, not your everyday occurance! The knowledge and actions offered could be life saving if an event occured and society broke down.
I recommend this book for your library, read it, put it on the shelf, but keep the lessons close. Remember we are only 72 hours from chaos at any time.

This guy just rambles on and on about all sorts of crapola that he thinks is important. There really isn't much to this book at all. It's a quick read and it can be used in survival situations: To start a fire or to wipe your ____. Seriously, don't waste your money on this.

With the dollar being devalued, banks closing and oil prices rising I fear the inevitable. This book is quite helpful in helping myself and my family get organized with very helpful ideas.

I am glad to have read this one. I feel much more prepared but realize there's more to do. I enjoyed the narratives and writing style, as well.

This book should be required reading in all High Schools across America.
It would solve most of the challenges Americans have with their family and living conditions.
One of the best 'be ready" books I have read in the past 35 years.
Dallas Texas

Cute lil cartoon illustrations made it feel more like it was aimed at school children than adults. If the SHTF this isn't the book that I would want to prepare with or use as a reference after the fact.

the book has a lot of good points, not in the manner i would have written it but you cannot argue their is a lot of great information in it that could really help your family in a time of distress

I had high expectations for this book and perhaps that's why I am a little disappointed. I thought it lacked organization and editing and perhaps was a little heavy on the funky side.

* Replace some of the cartoons with more specific sketches

* Rate measures as to their effectiveness and difficulty

* Serve as a foundation

There were a lot of nuggets and reminders. One was that a .22LR is a lightweight rifle suitable for most small game and certainly effective in stopping another human that wants to cause harm if properly used. Ammunition is cheap and lightweight. It is all useless without practice.

The section on hygiene was great.

More guidance on threat assessment would be helpful as what's needed depends on the prospective challenges, goals and characteristics of the area. What are the worst case scenarios, would you need to leave the place where you normally live or live in-place without outside support and stuff like utilities. Are the natives friendly? What's the prevailing weather? What are the reader's goals - personal survival, family survival, help neighbors and family.

Perhaps the real answer is a bundle of smaller books including a pocket guide to handling medical problems and a survival guide to pack with the gear.

Fun reading but time invested is not adequately rewarded.

Mr. Lundin has shared his considerable knowledge on a number of important issues relating to staying alive and well when "All Hell breaks loose."
the importance of redundant systems for water and fire are mentioned. the disposal of dead bodies is mentioned; a topic that we all hope we never have to do, but in such situations as Katrina, we could be called to do that to prevent the spread of disease and the possibilities of further deaths.
He also treats the subject of self defense seriously, though it gets somewhat shorter shrift than some other subjects. Looting by human predators is an issue that we will likely have to face in disasters and many survival/preparation books ignore that possibility.
It is important to have means of defense and an adequate supply of ammunition. In the LA riots the first thing the authorities did was prohibit sales of ammunition since firearms already had a waiting period.
(Which means you should have the basics, depending on your area of .22 rifle, shotgun, and defense caliber pistol with adequate ammunition already in your possession.) For obvious reasons, ammuntion capacity and quickness of reloading, your pistols should be semi=automatic as should the .22 rifle. Lundin doesn't deal with the defense in depth, perhaps because that may not be his biggest expertise, since he interviews defense experts rather than mining his own expertise. This is not a problem as no can know everything, the positive is that he gets it on defense.
Improvised foods such as rats and dogs are mentioned, abhorrent yes, but it's amazing how serious hunger will open your mind on some subjects.
Good book, very helpful, I've read several of this genre since the government began to push this issue and this is one of the best.

Having read Cody's "98.6" book, I was eagerly looking forward to this book. I'll say up front that this book's writing style isn't as good as 98.6 but it's a great value that I recommend.

Cody's strength is his experience and blunt comments that really try to get the message through. The book is vast in its coverage (450 pages) so you really get a great value for your dollar. I really like how the book covers non-obvious topics and gives you historical examples/studies where people learned the hard way to help reinforce the point.

Cody's weaknesses are that he comes across as more condescending than in 98.6 and often seems to repeat himself far too much. I sometimes think that Cody believes we are all scared little creatures psychologically incapable of surviving without his 80 page "yes-you-can" lecture. I don't mind some encouragement here, but it should definitely be scaled back as it isn't one of his strengths and shouldn't require so much text. And as for the repetitiveness, for example, by to 20th time you read about how worthless our government is, you feel like saying "I get it, Cody, preaching to the choir." There are indeed too many political, personal, and off-topic concepts in this book. Stick the meat of what the title advertises. Cut off the fat from this book and you'd probably arrive at about 300 pages of solid and wonderful content.

Enjoyed the coverage about water, food, sanitation, body temperature, etc. Well done and informative. The self defensive chapter was hugely disappointing. It seemed more suited for daily urban survival at the local bar and not for catastrophe survival. I agree with Cody that food and water are often greatly overlooked by the Gold/Guns crowd, but to have hardly any advice about firearms seems bizarre. I am not recommending to have guns out of fear but out of reality. Imagine if someone with a gun comes for your supplies or loved ones and the only thing you know how to do is close combat fighting. Guess who will control the situation? And know that guns were confiscated illegally by law enforcement during Hurricane Katrina from law abiding people.

Yes, there are times where it seems Cody may not have listened to his editors or earlier reviewers based on my comments above and a lack of 'polish' on the text. And yes, the cutesy drawings are out of place. However, despite my minor complaints, for a very low price you get such a wide range of very useful information. At minimum the book will make you think in more depth about the subject at large. Most likely though you will learn a amazing amount of survival information. Either way Cody may have helped saved your life someday.

When All Hell Breaks Loose

"If you are going through Hell, keep going."--Winston Churchill

Once upon a summer day, a Grasshopper hopped and danced and sung to his heart's content. An Ant passed, dragging a huge sack of powdered milk, beef jerky, and salt.
"Why not come and sing karaoke and do a Jell-O(tm) shot with me," chirped the grasshopper, "Instead of breaking your back, working all day?"
"I am preparing for hard times ahead," said the Ant, "and I recommend you do the same."
"Why worry about winter?" said the Grasshopper. "There's plenty of food right now."
But the ant continued his hard toil. When winter came, the shivering grasshopper had no food and found himself slowly dying of hunger. So, he kicked down the Ant's door only to find out that the Ant had completed a comprehensive martial art training regimen that focused on close-quarters combat and self-defense, and that food was not the only thing the Ant had packed away. Only then did the Grasshopper realize that...

It is best to be prepared for the days of necessity. Haven't you ever stayed awake late at night running through "what if" scenarios? Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornados, zombies, asteroid strikes -- you didn't build that bomb shelter in the backyard just for the kids to use as a playhouse. Well, grab your gasmask and a copy of When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes by Cody Lundin.

He is not another paranoid survivalist huddled in a cave spouting Bible verses and lovingly stroking his guns. Cody Lundin and his Aboriginal Living Skills School have been featured in dozens of national and international media sources, including Dateline NBC, CBS News, USA Today, The Donny and Marie Show, and CBC Radio One in Canada, as well as on the cover of Backpacker magazine. When not teaching for his own school, he is an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and a faculty member at the Ecosa Institute. His expertise in practical self-reliance skills comes from a lifetime of personal experience, including designing his own off the grid, passive solar earth home.

This book is not going to teach you how to wrestle an alligator, or try to convince you that all you have to do is gaze into your backyard to find endless amounts of wild edible plants, or that wild game is there for the taking. Hunting and trapping are true arts and require practice, the right equipment, and the proper environment to be successful. What this book will do is provide the knowledge to help you survive the standard survival scenario, which lasts about seventy-two hours, in the most practical, affordable, simple and realistic way possible.

The book is divided into two parts. Part one deals with the psychological aspect of surviving. According to the author "surviving a life-threatening scenario is largely psychological on the part of the survivor(s). Get this fact into your head now that living through a survival scenario is 90 percent psychology, and 10 percent methodology and gear." He covers how to define your survival priorities with his "Pyramid of Needs" and great checklists for preparing you physically, mentally and emotionally, as well as spirituality and the equipment you are going to need. This section will give you the common-sense foundation upon which to base your survival plan.

The second part of this basic survival guide contains the information to keep your physical body alive. Specific chapters on emergency sanitation, water, food, first aid, communication, and more are presented in the most practical detail as possible. Entire books have been devoted to each of the above subjects. So, don't expect this book to cover every possible aspect of these skills, but appreciate the excellent overview..

Perhaps the greatest survival skill of all is being able to keep calm in the face of chaos. This is accomplished by being sensibly prepared and not scared. It may sound romantic to live off the fat of the land. You may have a great yearning to live wild and free. I sometimes get the urge to grow a beard, live in a cave, and become a combination of Grizzly Adams and Daniel Boone, and then I realize that many indigenous peoples died young and died hard. No one plans to find himself in a survival situation. That's part of what makes those situations so terrifying when they happen. This book can be a useful for keeping you and your family alive, or you can pray and wait for FEMA...

Are you an Ant, or a Grasshopper? [...] Hurry, before the world ends: get"Hobo Finds A Home", a children's book about a cat that didn't wait to inherit the earth. Grab your popcorn and get ready for "Hobo: The Motion Picture", coming in 3D and Dolby surround sound.

I purchased this book to read something different. It lives up to the billing. It is a reference book, a how to book and a no excuse book. Many of the topics, some readers will be familiar with. Then there are the things you know nothing about. Cody explains things to the point a fifth grader will understand.

Cody Lundin has hit the nail on the head with this book. His presentation style is entertaining, humorous, attention getting, and blunt. The first few chapters deal with the mental preparation for survival, which are very important since your mind is your primary survival tool. The rest of the book "teaches you to fish," providing alot of survival information, suggesting handy materials, tools and equipment to have available, and inspiring the reader to assess his/her environment and acquire survival skills and equipment that are appropriate. Do not expect a "shopping list" of fancy gadgets to purchase for an all encompassing survival kit. DO expect to learn how to prepare yourself, and your family, for survival either at home (urban, suburban, or rural) and/or on the move. This book repeats much of the information from Lundin's earlier book "98.6 degrees..." If you have read that one, you should still read this book. If you read this one, 98.6 degrees could be a tad redundant, but still worth the effort. This book is about keeping you and your family alive, safe and healthy... it is NOT about stocking up on guns and ammunition and booby-trapping all approaches to your homestead/compound.

The first half of the book is wasted fluff on "How to get your attitude straight"

The second half is mildly interesting, mostly the parts about the author getting sick from eating rotten food.

Heard about this guy and his work on Coast to Coast Am and thought I'd check it out. What a great book. Received the book and while reading it on a job 3 others checked it out and ordered. What else can I say but if you have any concerns about what to do if disaster strikes, this is the book that will help inform and keep your head together.

I like Cody's casual writing style, however, I was anticipating a book with more meat and potatoes instead of the philosophy of survival which a vast majority of this book is actually about.

Mr.Cody Lundin, using a very unique and interesting writing style, has provided a book that is highly instructive and holds one's attention.
This book is self proving as to why one should be in possession of a copy. I'm glad that I purchased this book and I am even happier that Mr. Cody Lundin saw fit to share his knowledge on this subject.
It is an item meriting close study.

This book has the stuff I need to know. Be prepared, it's a good motto

I own more than12 survival books ,but this one is far and away THE top one. If you consider yourself a survivor you must read this book! In addition to the knowledge, this is one book I could not put down because of Cody's wit and humor. Learn a lot and have fun also.I am eagerly waiting for his next book! Carl T

This book is the most valuable tool a family can purchase to help them prepare for the inevitable power outage, natural or man made emergency. Unlike other books that just tell what to have on hand (ie:purchase), this book applies techniques in real world examples and explains why one needs these skills. I've purchased 4 copies so far as gifts for family and friends to give them the advantage of preparation planning. Are you an ant or a grasshopper?

This book is focuses on urban survival. I would recommend this for any person initially looking into the subject matter, but not to anyone that is primed already. Although well written, you will have to further your knowledge on certain topics with supplemental reading. I feel like I got a huge start with this book with a lot of direction on where I need to study further.

Written in an easy to read format, Lundin does a good job at grabbing you and keeping your attention throught the book. There are lots of silly figres with helpful tips, drawings and blocked out page sections further detailing subject matter.

The first 60 pages are dedicated to the psychological effects of a disaster and trying to mentally prep for survival. He then lays out a nice piority pyramid and starts getting into the meat of the matter, including transportation, lighting, first aid, communications, cooking, shelter, food, clothing, water, and sanitation.

Topics I feel I dont need to research further after reading this book include body temp regulation (he has another book more dedicated to this) and clothing, nutrition, water storage and sanitation, solar cooking, a preparadness "bug-out" kit, general hygiene and sanitation, lighting, and communications.

Topics I do feel I need to read more on are specific food storage, fire starting, more detailed first aid, shelter building, alternate energy sources, indoor shelter temp control, homestead and food storage defense, edible wild foods, trapping, skinning, tanning, meat curing and storing etc... In Lundins defense a lot of these topics are more for wilderness survival, and this was not really the focus of this book.

The recent past is full of terrible things that have tested our nation and found us lacking. No one wants to live like an indian anymore but you might have to when and if all hell comes for you.

This book might keep you alive.

I've read all sorts of books. Books on health, dieting, theology, quantum physics, financial success. I'm telling you; this is one of the most interesting reads I've come across.

Chock full of wonderful ideas and thoughts. This book is not for dummies. It's smart and provocative and takes on a perspective of survival that I never considered. Very funny and very interesting. A must have.

THIS WILL BE VERY SHORT AS I HAVE TO LEAVE. I FOUND THIS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. EASY TO READ, INFORMATIVE, FUNNY, SIMPLE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Unlike so many other survival manuals attempting to prepare us for Ragnorak (Armageddon), Mr. Lundin avoids the scary hype and simply provides us with honest, clear perspective aided with genuinely valuable information, all of which is valid, reliable and credible.

It's a real-deal guide about how to create the necessary: planning, preparation, practice, psychology and personal responsibility for realistically surviving serious crises.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2Q8ZLFI1N9OPO Ive known Cody for a long time. This book is not only a manual on how to survive an urban catastrophe its timely message for us to examine or spiritual connection to the earth and the reason where on the planet. Heres a great video with Cody catching,cooking and eating a rat. Its hard to imagine having to do such a thing but just imagine that this is already taking place in many countries where water,famine,war are at the doorstep.

If you get any preparedness book, get this one. Cody Lundin, a wilderness survival expert, gives us urbanites a solid course in what you really need to survive a disaster, step by step. Where many books (and TV shows) promote a fearful attitude, I found this book calming, because he explained so clearly what you might face in the days after a disaster and how to handle each as they came.

He uses short bites of information and lists along with extended explanations so this book can be actually be used in an emergency without having to wade through pages of data to find what you need, but you get a thorough knowledge of the reasoning behind what you'll be doing.

I've read quite a few of these books and this is the best one I've found by far.

Firstly, a large part of this book is devoted to the "off the grid solar/wind self sufficent way of life". There is also a sizable portion which is simply review from Lundin's previous work 98.6. Those two issues aside, the book does provide a blunt no-nonsense approach to some serious emergency preparedness topics. Lundin covers long term food storage quite well, including the shelf life and storage methods of various foods. I thought the cartoons were a little thick in this book and didn't much care for some of the goofy photos included. That said the book is usefull and contains quite a bit of straight forward information. It is also quite humorous and makes the reader "think" as you read.

Featured on the George Norrie "Coast to Coast" radio program, this "no nonsense" guide to survive in the event of natural or man-made disasters should be in everyone's library. It is not for the squeamish as it frankly discusses how to dispose of dead human and other bodies, eat such "delacies" as rats, dogs and cats, scrounge food, water and other supplies in the ruins of devistation and how to cope with terrorist attacks. Guns and plenty of ammo are clearly recommended for personal/family survival as well as practical steps for home/neighborhood fortification/defense. The "PC" rabble will find it offensive, but who cares about them as long as you anbd your loved ones can survive?

Interesting read, not at all gloom and doom as the title would suggest. Lundin makes you think about your life and the systems you depend upon in a way never realized from the comfort of your favorite couch and TV program. I feel like McGyver! Cool information, very insightful read. Good for the person who is seeking self improvement and expansion.

This book is great. It places a lot of emphasis on the survival mentality. A lot of people skip this step and go for the gadgets or hard core survival/anti terrorism type books. For the value, your money is better spent on this book because of its contents, not it's coverage. Cody Lundin shows exactly how a lay-person must think to survive anything from catastrophic events to a collapse of the stock market. Provides insight on self reliance and many tips along the way. I would recommend this book to everyone except Chuck Norris. He doesn't need it. :0)

Got this book as a gift and loved it. You will need to know this stuff.

Living in southern California, we are being bombarded by environmentalists, government agencies, and even the Governor to BE PREPARED! Few really are. Most don't know how, or where to start, so are frozen in place, like a deer in the headlamps of an on-coming car.

Cody Lundin has lived it, and lives it every day, so is the pioneer to lead the way. This book takes the reader by the hand, and shows him, step-by-step, how to face what is inevitably going to happen... and how to get through it.

The hard and difficult questions we all think about, but never ask, are answered here. It is written with a boldness and with bottom-line common sense.

I read it, my husband read it, and I read it again. We're ready.