A review of Ragnar’s urban survival book

Website design By BotEap.comRagnar Benson’s Urban Survival can be described as a book packed with a lot of content, but almost as many flaws.

Website design By BotEap.comabout the writer

Website design By BotEap.comRagnar Benson (assumed pseudonym) is a prolific writer devoted to nonfiction survival topics. He is the creator of a staggering 37 books (this number may be low) that address topics such as retreats, hunting, cheating, false identity, explosives, firearms, improvised firearms, urban survival, and do-it-yourself medicine. “.

Website design By BotEap.comMr. Benson has been able to keep his specific whereabouts and his original name out of the public eye.

Website design By BotEap.comshort comings

Website design By BotEap.comFirst of all, the guide is poorly written. I am virtually in favor of writing in a conversational tone, but the writer does. There are multiple expressions that get used to the level of inactivity like “I’ve been there with that team”.

Website design By BotEap.comThere is no introduction that clarifies the context in which the book was intended, it was similar to entering the middle of a dialogue. You eventually understand what the author is talking about, but are left wondering what exactly started the conversation to begin with. This is quite a significant factor considering that the guide was written as if hostilities on US soil were inescapable.

Website design By BotEap.comThe lack of an introduction also leaves readers wondering who this man Ragnar is and how he came to possess his knowledge. From the descriptions of his other titles, I get the impression that his story is spread across many of his publications rather than being in each and every book as part of an introduction.

Website design By BotEap.comThe book is written about Urban Survival and was probably created for an urban audience concerned with survival. However, the author gives advice with a dismissive tone towards “City Slickers”. In the first section, he states that many people who refer to wilderness survival are really referring to “…recreational activities often practiced by elite yuppies in sport utility vehicles.” minus the elite piece. Not a big deal, but annoying. After these statements, I was left thinking that the author had no honest concern for the potential audience, but rather that he was filling his own account.

Website design By BotEap.comRagnar Benson offers misinformation, for example that silencers are illegal, casting any other information in a questionable light. If he has read Silencers: Truth, Lies, and Zombies, I covered how silencers are not illegal.

Website design By BotEap.comRagnar Benson brings historical evidence of things that have and have not succeeded. Having said that, the details are provided by “been there done by that team” which is never identified or quoted.

Website design By BotEap.comThe good

Website design By BotEap.comRagnar Benson conveys a fair amount of information and makes many useful points throughout Ragnar’s Urban Survival. Some of these ideas are the need or value of: secrecy as a setup, silencers, food storage, live stock options, caching, water.

Website design By BotEap.comThe most notable topics covered in Ragnar’s Urban Survival are the rule of three, the thermodynamics of the rule of survival, and keeping finances in order.

Website design By BotEap.comThe rule of three in a nutshell is that for every great need (ie food, water, shelter, safety) you must have “three separate and distinct methods of supply”. As a side note, the author states that the Rule of Three originates with the Nez Perce Indians who rigorously adhered to this way of life and were extremely successful because of it.

Website design By BotEap.comThe rule of survival thermodynamics advises that an individual “should never put more energy into a survival activity than they take out.” It’s a pretty clear point, but I’ve never heard it expressed in such simple terms.

Website design By BotEap.comKeeping your “financial house” in order is a no-brainer in my opinion, but I’m always amazed at how many people’s fiscal lives are a total mess, regardless of financial or socioeconomic status.

Website design By BotEap.comBenson’s section on Nursing and Medical Care is one of the most beneficial chapters in the book. The details provided are specific enough to be immediately useful without further exploration.

Website design By BotEap.comfinal thoughts

Website design By BotEap.comI was left with a partly positive and partly negative reaction to Ragnar Benson’s Urban Survival and whether or not I could recommend it to people. There is certainly a wide range of beneficial knowledge, but the weak writing, unpleasant tone, and faulty information make it difficult for me to say that it is worth studying. Ultimately, I would recommend the book simply for the number of answers presented and the number of subject areas included. However, I strongly recommend that people review the entire contents of the book before trying it out.