The topic of violence is far greater than anyone can cover in a single book. The following is a list of authors whose texts we highly recommend for further study. The authors are arranged alphabetically.
Massad Ayoob is director of the Lethal Force Institute, an organization that trains 800 to 1,200 personnel per year in the judicious use of deadly force, armed and unarmed combat, threat management for police, and advanced officer survival in four countries. A retired police lieutenant, firearm, weapon, and unarmed combat expert, his books, articles, and classes teach law enforcement professionals and civilians realistic, street-worthy self-defense techniques. He appears selectively as a court-accepted expert witness in the areas of dynamics of violent encounters, weapons, self-defense, police training, and survival /threat management tactics and principles.
• Ayoob, Massad. Gun-Proof Your Children. Concord NH: Police Bookshelf, 1986.
When Kane was eight years old, he spent the night at his friend Craig’s house for a sleepover birthday party. One of the boys discovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver hidden in a dresser drawer, pulled it out to show the rest of the kids, and began passing it around. Remembering what his father had taught him about safety, Kane checked the cylinder, discovered that the gun was loaded, and removed the ammunition before handing it to one of the other kids to play with, undoubtedly saving someone’s life, quite possibly his own. If you own firearms and have children or have relatives who have children who may visit you, this book is a must read. Even if you hate firearms, it is good to know a bit about gun safety. This book is fairly short, yet well written, with practical advice that can keep your children safe.
• Ayoob, Massad. In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection . Concord NH: Police Bookshelf, 1980.
This book was required reading for a defensive handgun course that Kane took over 20 years ago and still remains relevant today. Among other things, it answers the all important question, “when can I pull the trigger and stay out of jail.” This book is well written, easy to read, and offers truly sound advice. It covers several important subjects such as common sense about carrying guns, guns in your store, guns in your car, guns in your home, guns on the street, how to choose a defensive firearm, basic gun fighting techniques, what caliber bullet is appropriate for self-defense, and gun safety. The aftermath of violence section is also outstanding. The only drawback is that some technologies have changed a bit since its original release. For example, the Glock handgun, the .40 S&W caliber bullet, and pre-fragmented self-defense ammunition all did not exist at that time. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the information remains relevant and useful today.
• Ayoob, Massad. Stressfire, Vol. 1: Gunfighting for Police: Advanced Tactics and Techniques. New York, NY: Bantam Books (Police Bookshelf), 1983. This is a serious a book on gun fighting, something you will hopefully never have to do, but should you carry a weapon for self-defense, you must be able to understand and anticipate. Having debriefed hundreds of gunfight survivors, the author describes the tactics, techniques, and, most importantly, mindset, that can give you the best odds of survival. It covers important aspects such as stances, sighting, muzzle control, trigger control, and ammunition management in a well written, easy to read and understand, manner.
• Ayoob, Massad. The Truth About Self-Protection. New York, NY: Bantam Books (Police Bookshelf), 1983. Although some of the material is a bit dated, we still consider this one of the finest tomes on the subject matter ever written. It discusses what to do before, during, and after a violent encounter—morally, legally, and ethically identifying the appropriate to use countervailing force. It covers everything from walking down the street, to driving your vehicle, to securing your home. All manner of makeshift weapons as well as open hand defensive scenarios are discussed. It also provides a holistic set of criteria and considerations to help civilians decide whether to carry a firearm for self-defense.
Loren Christensen began his martial arts training in 1965, earning eleven black belts over the years, eight in karate, two in jujitsu, and one in arnis. He is a retired police officer with 29 years of experience in military and civilian law enforcement, where he specialized in street gangs, defensive tactics, and dignitary protection. A prolific author, he has written more than thirty books and hundreds of articles on the martial arts, self-defense, law enforcement, nutrition, prostitution, gangs, and post-traumatic stress disorder. He has also produced several DVDs.
• Christensen, Loren and Dr. Alexis Artwohl. Deadly Force Encounters: What Cops Need To Know To Mentally And Physically Prepare For And Survive A Gunfight. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1997.
While written for law enforcement officers, this important book can be very meaningful for civilians as well. It focuses not on tactics, but rather on the mental aspects of combat, especially the aftermath of violent encounters. The goal is to teach readers how to survive physically, mentally, and legally. It analyzes the nature of violence, provides a thorough explanation of fear and its effects on a person in combat, and portrays dozens of real-life survival stories to drive the important points home in a meaningful way. The insight on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is particularly valuable for anyone who observes or participates in a violent incident.
• Christensen, Loren. Far Beyond Defensive Tactics: Advanced Concepts, Techniques, Drills, and Tricks for Cops on the Street. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1998.
While it is primarily aimed at police officers, martial artists and those interested in practical self-defense can really benefit from these materials as well. The author’s experience, sense of humor, and real-life adventures make it a quick, interesting read. Readers learn how to stay safe patrolling (or simply walking) the streets, protect their weapon, deal with multiple attackers, handle stronger, larger opponents, and otherwise deal with deadly threats. It is especially good for folks who do not have a martial arts background. It is a bit more strategic than tactical yet hits just the right blend. There is an introduction to the “right demeanor” (which is reminiscent of Verbal Judo by George Thompson), a large section on control techniques, principles and concepts, and important insights into the nature of fighting. The various scenarios in the training section are truly excellent. The chapter on how to create a witness is really outstanding and particularly useful.
• Christensen, Loren. Gangbangers: Understanding the Deadly Minds of America’s Street Gangs. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1999. Gangs are not only ubiquitous but also growing, becoming more pervasive and deadlier despite society’s best efforts to stamp them out. The author interviews current and former gang members, law enforcement officers, school officials, lawyers, social workers, and other experts to provide chilling insight into the minds of those who join street gangs. A quick and easy read, this provocative book provides terrific insight into gang culture and etiquette. Respect, reputation, and revenge are integral to gang life. For example, the so-called “commandments of the ‘hood” include thou shalt handle thy business, get girls, get respect, get thy money on, carry a gat (gun), and be down for thy homeboy right or wrong, and thou shalt not snitch. This book is a fascinating and worthwhile read.
• Grossman, Dave and Loren Christensen. On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and Peace. Belleville, IL: PPCT Research Publications, 2004.
If you are a soldier, a police officer, a martial artist, the holder of a concealed weapons permit, or just live in a bad neighborhood, you really ought to read this book. Christensen has engaged in deadly conflict, been forced to kill, and learned to survive the experience yet continue to conduct himself as a decent human being. Grossman has studied all aspects of the subject in depth and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the psychology and physiology of combat. Not only do the authors know what they are talking about, but also they are introspective enough to understand a larger picture of what they have endured and are clearly articulate this hard won wisdom. Their thought provoking, insightful work definitively examines every aspect of the psychology and physiology of deadly conflict. Along with Grossman’s book On Killing, this text is required reading at West Point, the U.S. War College, and the FBI Academy, among other units and academies (for example, USMC).
The book begins by describing what happens to a person anatomically during a battle then covers the perceptual distortions that take place in combat. The second half of the book covers why people put themselves in harms way and what happens to them after the smoke clears. It talks about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, survivor’s guilt, and a host of related subjects. The research is great. The various vignettes and quotes are quite interesting. Even if you are never involved in a deadly encounter, the book really helps you understand and have a new appreciation for those who are.
• Christensen, Loren. Surviving Workplace Violence: What to Do Before a Violent Incident, What to Do When the Violence Explodes. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 2005.
The author does a great job of making readers aware of the threat and presents solid strategies for keeping us safe. It is pretty short, a mere 105 pages, yet extremely valuable nevertheless. Its pithiness positions it as an excellent reference manual that just about anyone can read and understand in a few short hours. The vignettes in this book are startling and very informative. For example, it describes a situation where a 70-year-old salesman attacked and killed his former boss with a mason’s hammer several months after she fired him for spitting on another employee. This clearly points out that just about anyone can be a potential hazard.
Christensen describes warning signs (employee behaviors) that may indicate a higher likelihood of threat. The book covers essential survival strategies for the employer (for example, company policies/committees), as well as for the employee. The latter include awareness, stages of alertness, hiding places, escape routes, incident response, combat breathing, mental imagery, and fighting back. He offers specific techniques that can be used against common weapons (for example, knife, handgun, or rifle) as well as descriptions of how to use everyday implements (for example, stapler, pen, or coffee cup) to help you fight back should you be forced to do so.
Consterdine is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on personal security and unarmed combat. He has written numerous books and produced many DVDs on the subject, giving seminars on security awareness and defensive tactics throughout the world. An 8th dan black belt in karate, he has over forty continuous years of martial arts training behind him. Along with Geoff Thompson, Consterdine is joint Chief Instructor of The British Combat Association, Europe’s leading association for the promotion of self-defense and practical combat.
• Consterdine, Peter. Fit to Fight: The Manual of Intense Training for Combat.
Chichester, UK: Summersdale Publishers, 1998.
This book prepares you mentally and physically for a violent confrontation. It covers human physiology, biology, aerobic and anaerobic training, strength training, stress work, aggression drills, hill work, and motivation. The proper use of equipment, partner, and solo drills are described as well. The author offers practical, street-worthy advice to get you into shape for combat.
• Consterdine, Peter. Streetwise: A Complete Manual of Security and Self Defense.
Chichester, UK: Summersdale Publishers, 1998.
A no-nonsense book about personal safety, the author addresses principles of personal security, the threat pyramid, security on the street, fear and adrenal responses, personal threat analysis, legal aspects of self-defense, ranges, tools, handling multiple attackers, situational awareness, psychology of conflict, conflict resolution, and a whole lot more. Home, mobile and office security are covered as well. It is holistic, well written, and imminently practical.
• Consterdine, Peter. Travelsafe: A Travel Security Guide for the Tourist and Business Traveler. Leeds, UK: Protection Publications, 2001.
One of the few books of its kind specifically written for travelers, this is an outstanding reference. It covers everything from risk analysis to travel and health, surviving hotel fires, hotspots of the world, hostage survival and anti-kidnap procedures, crisis planning and evacuation, and a whole lot more. Personal, hotel, airport, expatriate, and road travel security are described in a clear and concise manner. A wonderful resource!
Gavin DeBecker is acknowledged by many as the world’s greatest expert on the prediction and prevention of violence and the management of fear. He wrote an international bestselling book on the subject, The Gift of Fear. His consulting firm advises media figures, public figures, police departments, transnational corporations, government agencies, universities, and at-risk individuals on the assessment and management of situations that might escalate to violence.
• DeBecker, Gavin. The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence. New York, NY: Dell Publishing, 1998 Several years ago Kane’s friend Carol tried to break up with her boyfriend. He couldn’t handle the rejection, threatened to kill her, and tried a couple of times, yet the Temporary Restraining Order was ineffective. After the first couple of weeks, the police were not much help either. Kane remembers trying to fall asleep on her couch while holding a shotgun, wondering why she hadn’t seen this train wreck coming a whole lot sooner. Long story short, ex-boyfriend is in jail; she’s fine. She did not go on another date for more than two years afterward, however, until Kane bought her this book. It is illuminating and empowering—the best, most holistic treatise on the subject available. It seems like every time there is a tragedy in the news where someone goes on a rampage, some reporter interviews the shocked neighbors who thought the guy or gal was perfectly normal until one day they snapped. Gavin DeBecker puts this nonsense to rest. There is always an indication ahead of time if you are trained to see it. This book is a step-by-step guide on how to identify these cues and avoid danger. The same thing works on a national scale too. When the President or Homeland Security asks us to be vigilant, what the heck does that mean? DeBecker sums it up quite well, “Before the courageous FBI raid, before the arrest, long before the news conference, there is a regular American citizen who sees something that seems suspicious, listens to intuition, and has the character to risk being wrong or seeming foolish when making the call to authorities.” This is an outstanding book. Though it was written a bit more for women than men, it is invaluable for everyone. Buy it. Read it. Keep yourself safe!
Growing up on gang-infested streets not only gave Marc MacYoung his street name “Animal,” but also extensive firsthand experience about what does and does not work for self-defense. Over the years, he has held a number of dangerous occupations including director of a correctional institute, bodyguard, and bouncer. He was first shot at when he was 15 years old and has since survived multiple attempts on his life, including professional contracts. He has studied a variety of martial arts since childhood, teaching experience-based self-defense to police, military, civilians, and martial artists around the world. His has written dozens of books and produced many DVDs covering all aspects of this field.
• MacYoung, Marc. A Professional’s Guide to Ending Violence Quickly. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1993.
This is the definitive book about how to handle a violent situation without resorting to extreme force. The author does an excellent job of explaining the different kinds of social violence you might have to deal with and how to handle it effectively. Kane has successfully applied many of MacYoung’s techniques to escort drunken football fans out of a stadium without being hurt, sued, fired, or otherwise getting into trouble!
For those with reasonably advanced martial arts training, you may be better off following whatever system you study while keeping MacYoung’s ideas in mind so that they can’t be pulled on you. If you are not a black belt or don’t care to be, what he writes about is extremely effective with a bit of practice. More than just the techniques, however, his insight into violence, escalato, and mind games is well worth the price of admission. The writing style is cynical, in your face, and very entertaining. The language is, however, a bit crude at times.
• MacYoung, Marc. Cheap Shots, Ambushes, and Other Lessons: A Down And Dirty Book On Streetfighting & Survival. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1989.
This is a real no-nonsense book on the reality of street fighting from a guy who’s been there, done that, and lived to tell the tale. It’s rude, crude, and very eye opening. Important subjects such as the difference between fighting and combat, set-ups blows, anger, bullies, berserkers, sucker punches, low blows, dirty tricks, and weapons are all covered in detail. The stories and personal insights are entertaining and enlightening as well.
• MacYoung, Marc. Fists, Wits, and a Wicked Right: Surviving On the Wild Side of the Street. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1991.
More or less an extension of Cheap Shots…, this book is more tactical than strategic. If you are not a trained martial artist, the various techniques, targets, and combat insight can truly enhance your ability to survive a street fight. Once again, the language is by no means politically correct, but still highly entertaining.
• MacYoung, Marc. Floor Fighting: Stompings, Maimings, and Other Things to Avoid When A Fight Goes To The Ground. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1993.
It is imperative to understand and appreciate the differences between a wrestling match and a real-life struggle for survival on the ground. This book is a no-holds barred look at the reality of ground fighting. We hope that we’ve already managed to convince you that despite what many grapplers think, the ground is a really bad place to be in a fight. This book gives you practical advice to help you avoid going there. It also teaches you how not to get hurt when/if you do. Topics covered include breakfall techniques, offensive and defensive ranges, what happens when you hit the floor, counters, floor-fighting positions, triangle defense, defending against stomps, and striking from the floor, and keeping the other guy down.
• MacYoung, Marc. Knives, Knife Fighting, And Related Hassles: How To Survive A Real Knife Fight. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1990.
You already know by now that there is no such thing as a knife “fight”; it is really more of a knife ambush, an assassination attempt. Unless you are fortunate enough to run into a dominance display rather than a wholehearted attack, are extraordinarily lucky, or are very highly trained, you will never see it coming should someone attempt to stab you with a knife. That’s why you need to develop superb situational awareness. This means that you need a comprehensive understanding of where, how, and why street thugs conceal their knives to pull off an effective assassination, all topics covered in this excellent book. The information is illuminating and very possibly life saving as well. You’ll learn a bit about how to use a blade offensively too.
• MacYoung, Marc. Pool Cues, Beer Bottles, & Baseball Bats: Animal’s Guide to Improvised Weapons for Self-Defense and Survival. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1990.
A comprehensive look at improvised weapons you might encounter on the street such as beer bottles, pool cues, baseball bats, brass knuckles, fighting rings, saps, chains, shovels, bricks, and the like. Even hairbrushes and orange juice, two of the more unusual things the author has actually been assaulted with, are covered along with solid principles of how to spot, utilize, and defend yourself from these potentially deadly objects. Importantly, the book also delves into awareness, covering in depth some of the subtle and not-so-subtle cues that people tend to give when preparing to attack as well as patterns of trouble, diversions, distractions, and other things to look out for.
• MacYoung, Marc. Street E & E: Evading, Escaping, and Other Ways to Save Your Ass When Things Get Ugly. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1993.
Let’s face it, unless you are a law-enforcement professional there are very few legitimate reasons to get into a fight. Rule number one for survival, as we’ve already stated, is “don’t get hit.” The best way to do that is not being there. Before things get ugly, leave. On occasion, however, you can’t just strap on those Nikes, make like brave Sir Robin, and beat a hasty retreat. The bad guys have a nasty habit of getting in the way.
MacYoung shows you how to survive when you’re outnumbered or outgunned. Real life isn’t like a kung fu movie. Rather than wading in with fists and feet flying, you need to learn to apply hit-and-run tactics, use the environment to your advantage, and use your attacker’s weaknesses against them. This book is chocked full of street survival lessons from a guy who knows. His writing style is engaging, entertaining, and sarcastically witty. The knowledge he imparts is realistic, practical, and very important.
• MacYoung, Marc. Taking It to the Street: Making Your Martial Art Street Effective. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1999.
Real fights have no rules. They tend to be short, fast, and brutal. While the average criminal does not hit nearly as hard as the average martial artist does, they frequently hit harder, faster, and more aggressively than the average martial artist, boxer, or sports fighter has ever felt. Consequently, it is important to understand how to bridge the gap between the structured safety of drills in the dojo and the mayhem of a full-on, back-alley brawl. Contents include the realities of street violence, centerlines, blocking, dealing with kicks, footwork, and dirty tricks, among other important elements. The author not only teaches practitioners how to identify and resolve gaps in their training to make it more effective for real-life encounters, but also provides important tips on what to do after you have survived an attack, dealing with witnesses, legal issues, revenge seekers, and one’s own mental welfare in the aftermath.
• MacYoung, Marc. Violence, Blunders, and Fractured Jaws: Advanced Awareness Techniques and Street Etiquette. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1992. This book truly helps readers refine and strengthen their situational awareness for survival on the street. It can help you instantly and easily identify the fighters, hustlers, workers, spectators and troublemakers using the same tricks that bouncers, law enforcement officers, prison guards, drug dealers, bikers, and street people utilize so effectively. It goes in-depth into subjects like family group operating systems, personal operating systems, utilizing and refining your personal radar, turf, territory, personal space, rural versus urban reactions, gambling, tacking, scarring, piercing, tattoos, etiquette, eye contact, and other issues that are commonly known only to a very small segment of society. Reading this book is a very eye-opening, mind-expanding experience.
Sergeant Miller has studied martial arts since 1981. He has received college varsities in judo and fencing and holds mokuroku (teaching certificate) in Sosuishitsu-ryu jujutsu. He is a corrections officer and tactical team leader who teaches and designs courses in defensive tactics, close quarters combat and Use of Force policy and application for law enforcement and corrections officers. A veteran of hundreds of violent confrontations he lectures on realism and training for martial artists and writers. Both Wilder and Kane have trained with him and know first-hand that Miller truly knows what he is talking about.
• Miller, Rory A. Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training and Real World Violence. Wolfeboro, NH: YMAA Publication Center, 2008. Violence is the soul of chaos. Martial arts are clean and structured, even simple in a way, yet somehow one arose from the other. Maybe it is the human need for structure that somehow converted a bloody, smelly, terrifying experience of combat into the beauty and structure of kata. Experienced martial artist and veteran correction officer Sergeant Rory Miller distills what he has learned from jailhouse brawls, tactical operations and ambushes to explore the differences between martial arts and the subject martial arts were designed to deal with—violence. This book is a refreshingly frank, honest, and in-depth assessment of the subject. Readers will learn how to think critically about violence, how to evaluate sources of knowledge, and how to identify strategies and select tactics to deal with it effectively. One of the most important aspects of the book is Miller’s insights on how to make self-defense work. He examines how to look at defense in a broader context as well as how to overcome some of your own subconscious resistance to meeting violence with violence. It’s truly outstanding stuff!
Peyton Quinn is considered by many the “dean” of barroom brawling. He began his training in formal martial arts systems in 1964, eventually achieving black belts in karate, judo, and aikido. While he continues to respect and explore Asian martial arts systems, his real-world experience has shown him that for most people, training in martial arts alone is not enough for real fighting. He has written numerous books and created several DVDs on the subject.
• Quinn, Peyton. Bouncer’s Guide to Barroom Brawling: Dealing with the Sucker Puncher, Streetfighter, and Ambusher. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1990.
Quinn’s writing style is very similar to Marc MacYoung’s, right down to the expletives. Similarly, his no-nonsense advice is hard hitting and right on point. This excellent book begins by pointing out that avoiding violence is an essential technique in and of itself, just as valuable as knowing how to throw a good punch or deliver a strong kick. The fundamental elements of avoidance tactics section is important information. There are also solid sections on the realities of fighting that, as experienced warriors understand, is nothing like what you see in the movies. It is ugly stuff best avoided. Even when you triumph, there are legal (and medical) ramifications that can come back to haunt you. The author’s “stay out of prison plan” is excellent. Advanced practitioners should appreciate this information but won’t get a lot out of the rest of the book. The principles of defensive and offensive techniques are fairly basic, but well written and comprehensive. He covers striking, grappling, and movement in good detail. Chapter 7, which covers how to select an appropriate martial art for your own personal safety, is an outstanding overview for beginners that can help you find one.
• Quinn, Peyton. Real Fighting: Adrenaline Stress Conditioning through Scenario-Based Training. Boulder, CO: Paladin Enterprises, Inc., 1996.
In a violent encounter, your heart rate can jump from 60 or 70 beats per minute (BPM) to well over 200 BMP in less than half a second. While this adrenal dump gives you a survival edge by making you more resilient during combat, it severely degrades your motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sense of timing making complicated techniques very challenging, if not impossible, to perform. This stress can even cause you to experience tunnel vision, suffer temporary memory loss, become hyper-vigilant, lose rational thought, or even lose the ability to consciously move or react. If your training does not account for adrenaline, it will be of dubious value on the street. That’s what this excellent book is all about. Contents include the fear factor, combat mindset, muscular memory, strategy, training methods, scenario based training, and using weapons.