One Second After

[Benn Gleck]

I read the book and found it to be depressing, not as depressing as The Road but I guess the reality of an EMP would be pretty depressing wouldn't it?

Like said above I didn't care for the way he mentioned "survivalists" but if the book gets people to prep thats a good thing.

After I read One Second After I did a little research and found that there is quite a difference in opinion on just how bad an EMP would be. Most opinion is that an EMP would disable some things but no where as bad as the book.

[kihnspiracy]

I read the book recently and found it to be a little depressing. Eating ones pets was a bummer. I guess the biggest thing I got from it, was that lots of food stored would be a huge asset.

[brokedownbiker]

I read the book and found it to be depressing, not as depressing as The Road but I guess the reality of an EMP would be pretty depressing wouldn't it?

Like said above I didn't care for the way he mentioned "survivalists" but if the book gets people to prep thats a good thing.

After I read One Second After I did a little research and found that there is quite a difference in opinion on just how bad an EMP would be. Most opinion is that an EMP would disable some things but no where as bad as the book.

It is a subject of some debate; I just read an article that said that testing had shown that most cars wouldn't be affected like most people think, that the effects would be more limited than is currently thought. I dunno, I'll just keep planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

[Javin]

After I read One Second After I did a little research and found that there is quite a difference in opinion on just how bad an EMP would be. Most opinion is that an EMP would disable some things but no where as bad as the book.

I agree in that I don't think the electrical shut-downs would be nearly as significant. There are plenty of old radios, and spare parts that stations would be back up and running within hours, electronics without completed circuits (ie. those not plugged in, or without batteries connected) wouldn't be effected at all from my understanding, and a lot of electronics just aren't complex enough to worry about being fried.

That said, look at Katrina. It doesn't take any time at all for us monkeys to go nuts. Even if it was a minor inconvenience, that inconvenience on a national scale would be all it would take for massive riots, murders, rapes, etc. to just all at once suddenly trigger. A lot of filth out there is just LOOKING for an excuse. It would quickly overwhelm the police force, and who's to say where it would go from there with an unarmed society? Even if it WAS squelched after trillions of dollars in damage was done, what kind of state would the economy be in? Even a "small" problem can quickly become a depression unlike anything we've ever seen with the way the economy is, and the asinine decisions that are being made to "fix" it. Things can get extreme in a QUICK way when our "friends" decide to come "help" us in the meantime.

[All Talk]

One Second After was a far better read than Patriots. It had an actual plot and enjoyed the services, apparently, of an editor.

It did NOT, however, provide endless detailed lists of weapon specs and who owned how many rounds of what ammo (and which firearms that are never again metnioned were rechambered to match that ammo).

I know many readers have lauded this laundry-list format, but a forum like this one seems like a better place to research weapon needs.

I hope JW,R 's new "novel" is better written. I admire his efforts in evangelizing preparedness, especailly his website, but Patriots was almost unreadable. One Second After streched some plausibility envelopes, but it is a book I can imagine a common citizen reading and being motivated towards prepping. I don't think many common (i.e. as yet unenlightened) readers will make it through Patriots.

[HDM]

spolier alertThis book hit close to home for me. My wife has Type-1 diabetes and when the main character, John, lost his daughter to the disease I had to put the book down for about ten minutes. I have shelves full of diabetic supplies and a back-up refrigeration system but if TSHTF, she will only live for 3 or 4 months. Unless I start raising sheep and learn how to extract insulin...

I'm not too long into getting prepared. My son is diabetic and I have not even thought of that. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[Hit or Miss]

I read this book a year ago, what struck me was the timing of the EMP. Can you imagine with the excessive heat in some parts of the country (40+ days over 100 where I live), and the drought most of the mid and southwest have had this year, how devesting an EMP could have been this summer? The "die off" of both people and animals would have been incrediable.

[1Admin]

Great point Hit or Miss.

It's nothing to have a couple weeks of 105 to 110 temps here.

We try to make sure we work outside a fair amount during this weather and we always run in the afternoon. Running in 110 degree temps is a real challenge. A big part of this is to make sure we stay somewhat acclimatized.

[Klayton]

Hmmm I always pictured an EMP attack to be more effective in the winter... I mean, most healthy humans can survive 100+ (yes it will wipe out the elderly, but thats not really military strategic is it). But the cold, oh man, the cold wipes out everybody...

[MustangGal]

Can you imagine an EMP during a disaster like Katrina? It would would have been a death sentence for almost everyone in that area.