Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #291945 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

Gunfights only last seconds...
but their effects last a lifetime. I have read Ayoob's column for many years and I would be hard-pressed to pick the best. The ones listed in this book are all well-written, but that's not saying much, as most of his work is well-written and "page turning."

The actual gunfight is only a small part of each tale. What the author focuses on is the aftermath - how the GOOD GUY was treated by the system: the police, the courts, the press, etc. And this is what makes his column so important; that in many instances when you legally defend yourself, you are still suspect.

I recommend reading this book for examples of how to handle yourself after the unthinkable happens. Also, read it to see how brave some ordinary citizens can be, as well as the men and women in blue.

Excellent book
I agree with all others here. It is very hard to put this book down. Ayoob writes dramatically, occasionally a bit too dramatically for my taste, but these were real incidents and real people. The book is fascinating and disturbing at the same time. It drives home the point that gunfights are not what they are portrayed to be on TV. Ayoob manages to put you "right there" in these life and death events. There is much to be learned from reading this book, not the least of which is the incredible risk our law enforcement officers take every day. I believe this is a must-read for anyone who owns a defensive gun, not because it teaches tactics, more that it plainly reveals the seriousness of considering the use of lethal force.

The Reality of Self Defense
As you can probably tell, with another of his books recommended here at Defend University, I am a big fan of Massad Ayoob.  This is not one of his excellent "how to" books, but a collection of his detailed analysis of actual gunfights.  The lessons learned are dramatic.  See how tactics, different weapons, and different mindsets affect actual deadly encounters.  Included is the FBI shootout in Miami as well as riveting accounts like the cabby battling it out with an armed robber in his own cab or the rookie cop who fought for his life with a crazed suspect on PCP. If you carry, or are thinking about carrying a firearm, this is a book you should own.