Written by: Greg Ellifritz I will admit right up front that I am not the most mechanically inclined guy. I don’t really enjoy fixing things or working on “projects.” With that said, I have accumulated some knowledge about fixing guns after attending a whole bunch of armorer certification courses. That doesn’t make me a […]
- Home
- Book Reviews (Page 2)
Book Reviews
Strategies and Standards for Defensive Handgun Training
Written by: Greg Ellifritz A couple days ago I finished Karl Rehn and John Daub’s new book Strategies and Standards for Defensive Handgun Training. I really enjoyed it and found it to contain a whole bunch of valuable information. The authors’ book description follows: “What percentage of carry permit holders attend training […]
In the Name of Self Defense
Anyone who has studied the science of self protection for a long time will recognize the name Marc “The Animal” MacYoung. I first started reading MacYoung’s books when I was in high school. Back in the late 1980s, he was one of the few authors who wrote about real life street combat and the psychology […]
The Best of What I Read Last Year
Written by: Greg Ellifritz Compared to the average American, I read a massive number of books. I try to read between ten and 15 books a month. I accomplish this because I don’t have TV in my house and I carry a book everywhere I go in case I have a few spare moments […]
Eyes Pried Open
This is a guest post from my friend and long time Federal Law Enforcement officer, John Hearne. John is a gifted instructor and skilled tactician. In this post, he reviews a book written by a guy who quit the FBI after a couple years of service. Things seem to keep getting progressively worse. These are […]
Survive a Shooting
All of my readers who are interested in active killer response tactics will love this book. The author sent me a pre-production draft looking for feedback before publishing it. I read the book, gave Alain a few comments, and was honored when he asked my to write a “blurb” for the front […]
Locusts on the Horizon
Written by: Greg Ellifritz I was contacted several months ago by a group of writers who wanted to use my handgun stopping power data in a new book they were writing. After some discussion with one of the writers, I allowed them to use my data. The book was published last month and […]
How to Be Your Own Bodyguard
Written by: Greg Ellifritz A couple months ago, I taught a class down in North Carolina for Nick Hughes’ Krav Maga Lake Norman school. While there, Nick gave me a pre-release copy of his recently updated book How To Be Your Own Bodyguard. I recently finished reading it and I have to say that […]
Prepper Guns
I just finished reading Prepper Guns: Firearms, Ammo, Tools, and Techniques You Will Need to Survive the Coming Collapse. I genuinely enjoyed the book. I had honestly thought I had already read all the worthwhile firearms books on the market. I was wrong. I missed Prepper Guns. It’s a significant contribution to the world […]
Prepping for Life
Written by Greg Ellifritz With the recent hurricanes hitting the Caribbean and the southern part of the USA, lots of folks have preparedness on their minds. Lots more folks have no idea where to even begin with regard to the topic of being more prepared for natural disasters or other calamities. I just finished […]
Straight Talk on Armed Defense
Written by Greg Ellifritz I just finished reading Straight Talk on Armed Defense, edited by Massad Ayoob. It’s a great book and I recommend that all of you pick up a copy. The book is a compilation of self defense advice from 12 different authors, all authorities in their respective fields of study. […]
Gunsmithing the AR-15
Written by: Greg Ellifritz I just finished reading Patrick Sweeney’s excellent book about gunsmithing the AR-15 rifle. If you own an AR-15, you owe it to yourself to pick up this book to learn how to diagnose any problems you might have and make your rifle perform better. I have attended three different AR-15/M-16 Armorer’s […]
Holloway’s Raiders
Written by: Greg Ellifritz On Tom Givens’ recommendation, I recently read the book Holloway’s Raiders by Capt.E.R. Walt. It was a great book and described a special unit of the Dallas police department designed to stop armed robberies of small convenience and liquor stores. The publisher’s book description is as follows: “More than […]
The Little Black Book of Violence
Written by Greg Ellifritz It may come as a shock to you, but it’s a fact. Men and women are different. If you are married or in a relationship with a member of the opposite sex, you know this. Men think about things in a different way, process information differently, and are exposed […]
Warnings Unheeded
In 1994, Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state was the location of two horrendous tragedies. One was the crash of a B52 bomber during an air show practice session. The second was when an active killer targeted the base’s hospital, killing five people and wounding 22 more. Andy Brown, an Air Force Security Police […]
Surviving a Mass Killer Rampage
I recently read a book about active killers that many of you will enjoy. Surviving a Mass Killer Rampage by Chris Bird was just released and is one of the better books available on the topic. Unlike many books, Chris looks at the problem through the eyes of both police officers and everyday […]
The Law of Self Defense- 3rd Edition
I recently finished reading the updated third edition of Andrew Branca’s book The Law of Self Defense. This is a book that belongs on the shelf of any of you who are interested in defensive firearms use and self protection. Buy it. Read it. In 2014, I reviewed the second edition of […]
Calling the Shots
I recently read Jenna Meek’s new book Calling the Shots-Self Protection and Firearm Choices That Work For You and really enjoyed it. The book serves an important role in your shooting library and will help you explain the basics of firearms use and carry issues to the folks in your life who aren’t “gun […]
“A Vulgar Display of Power”
Written by: Greg Ellifritz I’ve been studying the active shooter phenomenon for a long time. The one active shooter event that has occurred closest to where I live isn’t commonly discussed in the literature on the topic. The event to which I refer is the 2004 shooting at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in […]
“Forging the Hero”
John Mosby sent me a pre-release copy of his latest book Forging the Hero to review. He asked me to write a blurb for his website. This is what I wrote: “Mosby starts his book with a chapter called: “Shit Just Ain’t Right.” It’s a feeling that many of us share, but few are […]