# One Second After



## CourtSwagger

Currently reading "One Second After" and it is scaring the crap out of me. This book is not a book of survival against Zombies or roving marauders (though, I have no doubt that they are coming). The first 2 thirds of the book (all I've read so far) details the battle between man and himself. The book portrays the difficult decisions that we are going to be faced with, should a situation of this nature ever come to pass. Primarily, the problems lie in feeding the populace, reestablishing some semblance of law, and in saving us from ourselves. I will tell you that this book is terrifying me.


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## Ripon

As preppers there are few here that wouldn't recognize an EMP event immediately, yet One Second After
portrays well how common people will respond. Few will think its anything more than a power outage until
they realize there is no cell phone, no vehicle, and when the city water tanks run dry - look out. 

Most don't believe its feasible. I know the book has many errors as does any fiction. In such an event
there will be more operating vehicles, power will be restored in a lot less time (then in the book - I don't
want to give it away for you but they go a long time without power / contact). Some think this story line
and the government report that gave the author the idea are scare tactics and not reality? That is 
debatable. I personally think if I were a Chinese General and told to conquer America - that's how I'd
do it - make it look like North Korea and Iran did it. Wait a year for 90% of America to die off then use
the remaining 10% to restore the farming to feed 250 million Chinese people.


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## CourtSwagger

To me, the point of the book is not in the method of crisis delivery. I know that many debate EMP being feasible, but I think that whether or not an EMP can cause destruction is a pointless argument. Again, for me, the point of the book is the decisions that have to be made following a cataclysmic event that destroys our society as we know it. That is, after all, why we are on this and other prepping boards. We are preparing for disaster that will destroy the networks that we all depend on. I think that the author does a fantastic job of portraying how life might proceed, and the challenges that we will have to face following any long term shtf event.


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## ekim

CourtSwagger said:


> Currently reading "One Second After" and it is scaring the crap out of me. This book is not a book of survival against Zombies or roving marauders (though, I have no doubt that they are coming). The first 2 thirds of the book (all I've read so far) details the battle between man and himself. The book portrays the difficult decisions that we are going to be faced with, should a situation of this nature ever come to pass. Primarily, the problems lie in feeding the populace, reestablishing some semblance of law, and in saving us from ourselves. I will tell you that this book is terrifying me.


As it should, because that is as close to what could happen as anything, IMO. Actual zombies is "science fiction" per se. But people going bonkers/zombie like total loss of common sense is probably closer to the truth.


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## Lucky Jim

CourtSwagger said:


> ...the point of the book is the decisions that have to be made following a cataclysmic event that destroys our society as we know it..


The 1970's 'Survivors' TV series is a classic in that respect, I've never seen a show or film anywhere near as good. An accidental release of germs from a research lab kills off nearly everybody on earth and groups of survivors get together to try to survive as best they can.
In this clip Abby recovers from the fever and goes looking round her village to see if anybody else has survived-


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## Piratesailor

Let me make a suggestion. After you read "one second after", a great book, read "a time to betray" by Reza Khalili. No spoilers... So I won't tell you any more but just know that it's NOT fiction but a biography.


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## AquaHull

Piratesailor said:


> Let me make a suggestion. After you read "one second after", a great book, read "a time to betray" by Reza Khalili. No spoilers... So I won't tell you any more but just know that it's NOT fiction but a biography.


Link to view or buy?


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## Piratesailor

AquaHull said:


> Link to view or buy?


Google it. It's on amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.


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## TankerJack

One second after was the book that got my wife on board with prepping


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## AquaHull

Piratesailor said:


> Google it. It's on amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.


I don't do google, and the EU is after pirates asail


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## wesley762

AquaHull said:


> I don't do google, and the EU is after pirates asail


Call your local book store and see if they can order it in for you.


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## Seneca

A couple of other good reads in the same genre are 77 days and lights out... online at Amazon books. One second after was a good read and as with almost all apocalyptic books they seem to have just the right mix of people. I don't think it would be quite as simple if the real event were to occur...


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## Piratesailor

AquaHull said:


> I don't do google, and the EU is after pirates asail


I guess you don't do amazon either...

Bing it.. Or use the Chinese engine.

A Time to Betray: A Gripping True Spy Story of Betrayal, Fear, and Courage: Reza Kahlili: 9781439189689: Amazon.com: Books


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## alterego

Reading the nes on line, (I.E. Fox news, Drudge Report, Info Wars, Prison Planet) scares the shit out of me.

When I want to feel better I look at NPR news.


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## Seneca

I have been reading Zombie fiction...it's addicting...lol
Might add that an E reader is really the way to go when it comes to getting the most selections. A lot of books I bought recently are available only online...particularly newer authors...good stuff!


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## vulf

"One Second After" should be mandatory in Highschool, very well written Book by an acclaimed Author, truly shows the consequence of not being prepared and the HUGEEEEE advantage of being.


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## vulf

Your country baffles me, in Canada Animal farm, 1984, Lord of the flies, there all standard in Highschool English class, I actually can' think of a band book in school.


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## dwight55

I decided I didn't want to spend 30 bucks for "One second after", . . . drove to my public library and picked it up, . . . read it, . . . took it back.

I like that price.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## 8675309

oswegoscott said:


> How about they put these BACK in school libraries
> 
> Too Much Sex
> 
> 11. Jaws, Peter Benchley, 1974


jaws has too much sex? I don't remember any sex...


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## 8675309

CourtSwagger said:


> Currently reading "One Second After" and it is scaring the crap out of me.


So I go to the web site. They have a video on you tube posted on the site so I click it. onesecondafter.com - Home


> This video is private.


huh?


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## AquaHull

oswegoscott said:


> That shark got ****ed in the end. I dunno--it was mis-categorized--big deal. Point was about gov censorship


Brody's wife did the scientist IIRC


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## Pir8fan

The real scary thing about the book is that the bands of thugs will run right up I-77 from Charlotte, past my town. We have far too many access points to defend, unlike Black Mountain, NC in the story.


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## Pir8fan

Seneca said:


> A couple of other good reads in the same genre are 77 days and lights out... online at Amazon books. One second after was a good read and as with almost all apocalyptic books they seem to have just the right mix of people. I don't think it would be quite as simple if the real event were to occur...


The mountain community of Black Mountain, the setting for the book, is a real town and there are a lot of very self-sufficient, resourceful people living there. As portrayed in the book, their problems would come from Charlotte and the other big cities of the Piedmont and from the liberal weenies in Asheville.


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## Seneca

The thing one second after does very well is that it takes a very real possibility and uses it to move people out of their comfort zone and consider the possibility of surviving a modern and different type of nuclear war...in a way it's also subtle wake up call to the grid flock, and those who have yet to realize just how thin the veneer of civilization really is and how easily it can vanish...


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## CourtSwagger

As suggested in this thread, I am now reading 77 days in September. Great so far.


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## snork

No question OSA is very thought provoking. I actually spent time thinking about using my swimming pool for bathing, whether I would need to shower outside, or whether I could just rig up a solar-heated camp shower in my normal shower. I have a "grinder" in my yard that all sewage goes through before it enters the city sewer. It runs on electricity. I began wondering what would happen if the city's sewage pumping stations stopped working. Would the sewage from that line back up in my house? The city utility workers assure me that would not happen, but it got me thinking and now I am prepared to run a (temporary??) pvc line from my grinder tank down the slope in my yard to dump sewage waste into a pit I can dig. I can re-dig more pits and slide the pvc pipe over when needed, and that way I can still use sink and toilets inside, and just flush with pool water if needed.

The biggest realization is that fire would be a major problem if there was no way to use firetrucks and fire hydrants.


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## Montana Rancher

If you are on city sewer you should be prepared to disconnect from it in any kind of SHTF scenario. Once the processing plants stop working the Waste will back up and unless you are higher than all the houses in your town it will probably back flow. Buy a 4" PVC plug and know where to dig, if you have a crawl space, even better.
If you can rig your grey water (sinks) to flow into a covered hole that would probably work, I would advise not running black water (sewage) as it will be smelly, unsanitary and rude to your neighbors, dig a outhouse.


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## Seneca

A septic tank system is what we have, which is probably the best post SHTF system to have. Keep it maintained and emptied every so often or you'll be GTG. City Sewer systems are a great feature of grid living. The problem is they are part of the grid...


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## 8675309

CourtSwagger said:


> As suggested in this thread, I am now reading 77 days in September. Great so far.


same here. I hadn't thought about all the possible issues, only the one that affect me but dam...it would be a mess.


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## CourtSwagger

Tonight, i watched the new Red Dawn. For me, the original was what inspired me to prep, starting at a young age. Granted, my early focus was on firearms. As I have gotten older, and hopefully wiser, my preps have become more diverse. Still love the original, but regardless of what the critics say, I enjoyed the new version as well.


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## D"artagnan

the 
GRAY 90s
is also a good read lots of plannig ideas 
D'


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## grinder37

Late post,but thanks CourtSwagger for bringing this book to my attention.Never heard of it till I seen this thread a month ago,and I have to say "what a great read!",just finished it last night and wow,what an eye opener it is.From the moment I picked it up,I couldn't lay it down and I don't even read novels,haha.But to anyone who hasn't read this book,I highly suggest it.

And not that i'm afraid an emp is gonna hit tonight,but it did open my eyes to alot of real stuff that can happen,real bad and real quick in any kind of SHTF scenario.So much so,tonight I ordered the books "when theres no doctor" and "when theres no dentist" along with alot of additions to my first aid supplies that I either didn't think of before or assumed you just couldn't buy,like amoxicillan,lidocaine and home suture kits.Ebay loved me tonight....my wallet....eh,no so much.But thanks again for turning me on to a great read.Great story and covered alot of bases i've never given thought too in my preps.


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## vandelescrow

Just found this thread. I read this book a few years ago and it is what got me started to prep.

I do want to comment on this post


alterego said:


> When I want to feel better I look at NPR news.


While being active duty air force I worked in places that got me in places to be "in the know". At that time news agencies were very biased, only cover a story from one angle in order to push their agenda. NPR was the most accurate to what was really going on and told both sides of the story. That was several years ago, the big networks are even more biased, refuse to mention anything that does not follow what they want us to think, but I'm still able to see through their B.S. Because I'm no longer "in the know" I don't know if NPR is the same as it was as far as accuracy but if your able to get it, the BBC does not seem to have the bias that U.S. news agencies have.

While traveling across the country I stopped by black mountain just to see if it looked like what I imagined from the book. It was at night and I could not stay long but from what I saw, it was not as described, not the small town feel, more exits off the interstate then just the one (if I remember right, it was about 2 years ago) and several fast food restaurants, not just the barbecue place.


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## Kpharr

Just finished the book, and I highly recommend. Since I am a newbie, it showed me how little I am prepared.


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## CourtSwagger

To continue the reading list, I will also recommend "77 days in September" and I just finished "Patriots." 77 Days is not as detail oriented, but still a good read. Patriots has a TON of details, and covers areas of preparedness that I never considered. Gets a bit long winded at times, but I enjoyed it.


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## www.BigBugOutTrucks.com

I too::clapping::::clapping:: enjoyed this Book. I listened to it on Audible while at work. I highly recommend it on audible!


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