Defend Yourself 101

Inside the Criminal Mind: Revised and Updated Edition author: Stanton Samenow rating: asin: 140004619X binding: Hardcover list price: $25.00 USD amazon price: $16.50 USD

Have you ever asked: “How could a person do such a thing to another person?” “Why doesn’t he seem to care for others at all?”

Is there something about the permissive society of Dr. Spock that disturbs you? Do you wish to see the courts put real teeth into the way the law is written?

There is a really great cartoon in which Frank turns drunkenly to the bartender and says, “My therapist believes in Reality Therapy so now he’s blaming me for everything I do!”

How To Hide Anything author: Michael Connor rating: asin: 0873642899 binding: Paperback list price: $16.00 USD amazon price: $12.00 USD

From his time served with the British Army in Northern Ireland, Mike Connor refined his ability to find caches of arms and explosives. This skill has now been reversed for us to help us to be able to hide things if we need to.

With little effort and expense, you can hide cash, firearms and ammo and even family members from the menacing eyes of burglars, terrorists or home invaders.

Surviving Armed Assaults: A Martial Artists Guide to Weapons, Street Violence, and Countervailing Force author: Lawrence A. Kane rating: asin: 1594390711 binding: Paperback list price: $24.95 USD amazon price: $16.47 USD

At over 300 (large format) pages, this tour de force is destined to rise to the top of everyone’s list of: what to buy for a martial artist.

Strong on Defense author: Sanford Strong rating: asin: 0671535110 binding: Paperback list price: $14.00 USD amazon price: $14.00

Definition: trite:

* banal: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse; “commonplace," "hackneyed."

This book is NOT trite! but so common as to have become trite is the current wisdom that in a self defence situation, “your mind is your best weapon.”

This implies that gadgets, martial arts, self defence classes and ignoring the reality of violence will not work to save you from the violence you are facing. This book brings a tone of realism to the trite.

Peyton writes about Real Crimes, Real Criminals:

RMCAT classes are reality based and to accomplish that we have interviewed convicts, killers and criminal assailants of most every kind. This video is a collection of some of those very interviews. In talking to violent, convicted felons we learn how they select their victims and very importantly why they will pass on a given individual as a potential victim if they spot certain behaviors in them.

Scientific Self-Defense author: W. E. Fairbairn rating: asin: 1581605293 binding: Paperback

Defendu, written by Fairbairn for the police forces of the Far East, was the base for this revision expanded for civilians.

But I must take exception to this: much of the content is useful only to police who must restrain and arrest a person.  Seldom will ordinary folks have to do this although the knowledge in this book would come in very handy if we did.

Douglas Fairbanks, actor and sportsman, wrote in the preface, 1931:

“After a long experience of methods of attack and defence, I am convinced that no methods that I have seen put into book form meet the requirements of the average man and present-day conditions.”

The Gift of Fear author: Gavin De Becker asin: 0440226198 binding: Mass Market Paperback list price: $7.99 USD amazon price: $7.99 USD

"True fear is a gift.
Unwarranted fear is a curse.
Learn how to tell the difference."


Not a how to book but still the absolute best buy in the self defense market place - you will not go wrong taking a good look at his analysis and advice which will help you to predict violent behavior.

This book is full of true, emotionally charged stories of violence upon innocent victims. These stories are analysed so we may understand the why’s and how’s of violence that we may prepare ourselves better to escape it when it visits us.

Surviving A Street Knife Fight: Realistic Defensive Techniques rating: asin: B000056HU1 binding: VHS Tape list price: $19.95 USD amazon price: $19.95

Amazon Video Description
Real knife fights are characterized by lightning-fast ambushes, vicious gang attacks and multiple stab wounds. Here are hundreds of effective techniques and tips that will keep you alive if you ever must face a crackhead, barroom brawler or any other dirty fighter who’s aiming to shank you.

Put 'Em Down, Take 'Em Out!: Knife Fighting Techniques From Folsom Prison author: Don Pentecost rating: asin: 0873644840 binding: Paperback list price: $14.00 USD amazon price: $14.00

This shocking little book, (54 of the toughest pages you can find), was an eye opener in the late eighties when it came out. Designed to teach the truth about knife attacks and defenses, it is just as relevant now as it was back in the day as martial arts systems keep their focus upon what can be done in the dojo rather than what should be done on the street.