Monthly Book Review: June

Monthly Read
Once a month I will review and recommend a book. I know in this digital world that paper books are a little out dated. Most hard copy books are now in digital form, often in PDF. I would recommend a good well rounded hard copy library in your home. Some of the best books are old and out of print. There are certain publishers and authors I really like. This will be books I like and really only my opinion. If you’d like to recommend a book for me to review e-mail me and we can make it happen. The subjects will be varied but will have to do with the theme of this website, LDS Gunsite. Guns, preparedness, LDS History, security, self-defense, and patriotism are just a few examples. I have a big library of mostly reference books so I will draw heavily from that.

May’s Monthly Read is:
“Principles of Personal Defense, Revised Edition” By Jeff Cooper
Publishers summary.
Jeff Cooper is perhaps the nation’s foremost authority on defensive weapon craft. He is renowned not only for his practical instruction on firearms marksmanship, mechanics and safety but also for his groundbreaking ideas on proper defensive mental conditioning. This new edition of Cooper’s classic Principles of Personal Defense with a fitting tribute by firearms expert Louis Awerbuck and all new drawings by renowned illustrator Paul Kirchner presents his timeless theory of individual defensive behavior clearly, concisely and practically. All free people who aspire to stay that way should read, study and share the wisdom found within these pages. Considered by many to be one of the greatest books on combat mindset and proper defensive mental conditioning ever written, it deserves a place of honor in every library.
Jeff Cooper is one of the true pioneers of weapon craft in the United States. His numerous accomplishments include founder of Gunsite Ranch, editor at large of Guns & Ammo magazine, winner of the Outstanding American Handgunner award in 1995, Rangemaster Emeritus of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association and long-time member of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association.
Review:
Cooper gives us 7 basic principles that can easily be adopted and used by everyone. They are the same today as they would have been in 1979, when he conceived the book. I think they are even more applicable today than any time in history.
This is really a book about having the mindset of personal protection and what is required of this mindset. Crime is everywhere in the world. There are 2 kinds of people: those that have been victims of crime and those that haven’t been victims of crime. Certainly, crime comes in many sizes, shapes and flavors. But his basic principles are that if we pay attention to our surroundings, have some counterattack plan, then we can be victorious in an attack on us.
Cooper writes that “It is true that a victim who fights back may suffer for it, but one who does not almost certainly will suffer for it. And, suffer or not, the one who fights back retains his dignity and his self-respect.” If you are attacked, the criminal is not expecting you to fight back. He’s not expecting you to have a plan. He is expecting you to do what he wants. He more often than not doesn’t have a plan if you counter attack. If he takes you somewhere else, usually he plans on killing you and leaving your body somewhere.
The right of self-defense does exist. It always has and always will. I do not want to down law enforcement, but they are not where crimes happen when they happen. They respond and report. Everyone has the right to protect themselves with any means necessary, whether it’s a firearm, sling shot, barstool or screwdriver.
Here are the principles Cooper believes everyone should possess:
1) Alertness
2) Decisiveness
3) Aggressiveness
4) Speed
5) Coolness
6) Ruthlessness
7) Surprise
This is a great little, quick book that is timeless. Cooper is very knowledgeable about self-defense. The principles he talks about have25 years ago and we can see that they need to be used now as much as any other time in history. It is something that everyone should be interested in. It doesn’t matter if you are a gun guy/gal, knife person or a parent. If you have the desire to put yourself in a better mind-space about self-defense, you should check out this book and anything that Jeff Cooper has written.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn