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Average Customer Rating:

Ruined with establishment claptrap

Customer Rating:

The author soils this work with his establishment line, much as Lofty Wiseman ruined his own work on urban survival skills in the same manner. As the UK is a nanny state gone mad, this is no great shock, yet I still am enraged at ridiculous notions about relying on the state to look after you when personal security is the moral imperative of the individual. Therefore, daft laws that disarm peaceful citizens and require ludicrous levels of restraint in fending off brutal attackers are made to be broken, spat on and sent to hell. I take issue in this book with numeous government propaganda statements, such as: "We are lucky in Britain to possess a police force that is well disciplined and fair". There are many people who would beg to differ, as the long list of bogus convictions and petty harassment from the police will verify. "Treat the police with respect and do exactly as they say". Yeah, sure. With some jumped up pig in my face telling me that doing 80 mph on the motorway is reprehensible when in Germany it's considered a snailspace, I'm not inclined to CONFORM, as the pro establishment author recommends we do. If I murder someone, yes, that's absolutely evil morally, but 80 mph as being wrong has no absolute moral basis. It's merely an opinion that I and the rest of the nation were never consulted upon, yet we must bow down and obey upon pain of harassment and fines. Apart from my hatred for the author's pro establishment tone (but what else could one expect from an SAS endorsed book), the book is otherwise good enough to merit recommendation on the basis of the hand-to-hand material covered. If he could just have the guts to level with people and let them know that only hardcore responses count in dealing with hardcore attackers who won't play by Queensbury rules and will use that gun or knife without hesitation. In other words, every private citizen is morally obliged to be armed, nanny state dicta notwithstanding, as is permissible in numerous other developed nations where violent crime is lower for the very reason that the people are armed. The moral imperative here overrides any law.

a worthwhile read

Customer Rating:

Firstly Barry Davies is a great author with many years experience both in the regiment and out. This book assumes the reader has no experience of self-defence techniques and is just your 'average joe'. It gives a good insight into the mind of a would-be attacker and gives you plenty of tips on how to avoid being a potential target. Personally i find this book is mainly aimed at women, which doesnt mean its not worth reading if you are are not, its just the way i interpret it. There is plenty of instruction on the body's vital points and weak areas as well as showing you how to use day-to-day items as weapons. If you want to learn self defence then you are best to look up a martial arts club in your area. However this book is still a good read and i would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an insight into self protection techniques