Unfortunately I found the book "Real World Survival" a waste of time. I thought the author could have said what he wanted to in half the time and it's a pretty short book to begin with. Most of his suggestions are extremely basic and obvious. I believe there are much better books out there, specifically Jerry Vancook's "Real World Self Defense", Sanford Strong's "Strong on Survial" and any of Mark MacYoung's books.
An excellent primer for those who anticipate, and more importantly, those who have not anticipated, the necessity for real survival skills in today's environment. The author presents useful information in a pragmatic manner, which highlights realistic challenges which most of us have encountered, but may have not noticed. Refreshingly, this is not a typical "gun" book which dictates what, when, how, or why you must defend yourself. The author does not present hypothesis or conjecture, but practical information which is taken from first-hand experience. Having been exposed to the "hype" of self-defense sophistry, I was delighted to discover that Mr. Rauch presents practical information in his book which does not rely upon the "special effects" of the latest technological advancements in the self-defense industry. His writings demonstrate how practical skills, combined with the knowledge of how your attacker thinks, provide the ultimate tools of survival. If you are concerned with ensuring your ability to identify, avoid, and survive life-threatening situations in any environment, then this book should be read by you and your loved ones.
