One Second After by: John Matherson

This was a very apropos book.  Although NOT a pandemic, it is about an EMP.  However you the outcome and the scenario is very real.  The inability to get supplies, medications, and the very essentials to sustain life.  The threat of an EMP is very real and is not a science fiction movie.  Although a computer would be useless during a time of an EMP, it is imperative to be prepared.

It is important to have a classic car that would sustain an EMP.  Gasoline would be easy since all other cars would be fried and you could fill up as you go, but the problem is someone or a group would try to take it from you.  You would need an arsenal and plenty of ammo.  In the book John has an old Edsel (manufactured by Ford).  The book takes place in Black Mountain NC, a place I love and have looked at property to buy in the mountains.

John has a diabetic daughter who relies on insulin.  The book quickly devolves and the citizens of Black Mountain unite to form a militia to protect the resources of Black Mountain.

Death, destruction, and mayhem.  People may laugh at me but I plan to prepare for an EMP.  Better safe than sorry.  The fact is the US relies too much on technology.  GPS, Electricity, etc.  You need to be prepared.

Matherson has other books;  One Year After, The Final Day and 48 Hours.  I plan to read them all.

Series: A John Matherson Novel (Book 1)

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (March 17, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0765317583

ISBN-13: 978-0765317582

12 Years A Slave By: Solomon Northup

Amazing book.  I cannot wait to watch the movie.  Sadly but necessarily, it reminds me of the abhorrent practice of slavery.  At first the book is a little slow but soon you are neck deep in the story and wishing Solomon escapes or is saved.

This is not the first time I read about the trade freedmen being sold back to the South.  Its funny to listen to those who align with the NORTH because they are from the north and they seem to think that the entire north was against slavery.  The dirty truth is that the Civil War was not fought to end slavery.  Anyone doing cursory research will agree with that statement.  The "North" was not without sin.  They did plenty including selling free black people into slavery or back to slavery if they escaped bondage.

Although the book is promoted as a true story, there has been some historians that have questions certain facts.  Although I have not read those reports, and even if 90% of this book is true, it is appalling.  Hell, even if 1% of it were true, it would be appalling.

The books is about Solomon Northup, a freeborn African-American that was born in NY but kidnapped by conmen and sold into slavery.  Northup leaves his wife and daughters and they have no idea where he went.  Northup had to hide his ability to read and write because he would have been killed.  Blacks were not allowed to learn any skills that could allow them to understand laws and such.

I read the book prior to watching the movie as is my modos operandi, so I was not aware of the story prior to reading.

Read it, then re-read it.  Great book

Hardcover: 202 pages
Publisher: Engage Books (January 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1927970164
ISBN-13: 978-1927970164

The Outsider By: Stephen King

Another great book by Stephen King.  I started watching the series with Justin Bateman. I watched the first 3 episodes, waited for my wife to catch up and then my wife moved forward without me :-(.

The book starts off with a brutal murder of a young child.  The description is extremely disturbing.  In the book the boy is mauled and also sodomized with a branch.  The town coach, Terry Maitland is the main suspect.  However the case soon unravels.  Ralph Anderson, the investigator of the crime and himself being the parent of a murdered child, arrests Maitland in front of the entire town and a game he is coaching.  The investigation takes a turn when Terry Maitland is 70 miles away at the time of the murder.  

As with a lot of Stephen King novels there is a lot of product placement within the book.  Sometimes it was a bit too much.   I will admit that I was tempted to cheat and watch the show in order to find out what was going on.  It is a suspense book all the way until the end.  I did find it a bit disturbing as King kept circling back and mentioning what had happened to the Frankie Peterson.  I felt as if King wanted to remind me again and again about the crime.  As soon as I started thinking about the plot, someone mentioned the gruesome act.


** SPOILER **
The crazy part is that I remember as a child when my parents told me about "el viejo de saco".   Little did I know that he would be the subject of a Stephen King novel.


Hardcover: 576 pages
Publisher: Scribner; First Editiion edition (May 22, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1501180983
ISBN-13: 978-1501180989

The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats By: Richard A. Clarke and Robert K. Knake

Great book about cyber security.  I am in the business and can see the author(s) are well versed on that industry.  The authors however, make their political biases known to the reader.  Although I DO read political books and expect the political biases, I hate when authors, actors, musicians, etc try to use a platform to spew their political views when the content is not political.  It is not overwhelming to the point that it is not readable, but it is palpable.

Authors cover many of the concerns I and others have to deal with. They have different views and proposed solutions than mine. I tend to not want government involved, however the authors seem to be pro-Big Government.  This is strange to see in InfoSec since you have a majority of people in this group are usually libertarian leaning weather that is left-leaning or rigs-leaning libertarian.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Penguin Press (July 16, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 052556196X
ISBN-13: 978-0525561965

Animal Farm By: George Orwell

Sadly, this is something that has been seen over and over again, all over the world. The Socialist will use a villain de jour to unite the people around a common goal. However in order for Socialism or Communism to work, it REQUIRES a dictator.  Without one, people would quickly see that "Socialism is for the people NOT the Socialist" and would revolt.

I wish children were taught this in school. The left has strategically taken over the education system. This gives them access to young minds where they can brainwash the youth. Rather than teaching students how to survive in an unfair world, they teach them how to become victims.

Intersectonism type behavior is alive and well in this book before it was a thing. Even when you agree with them, their goals and platform is based on whatever the leftists say they are. It is truly "progressive". It never stops its always "progressing".  This book is a lesson on how propaganda works and how foolish people are to follow it. 

Sadly, George Orwell's writing has been used as a plan instead of a warning.  This is a short book, but  you will understand why socialism and communism is a farce.  

Hardcover: 144 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (November 20, 1990)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0151072558

ISBN-13: 978-0151072552

50 Things They Don't Want You to Know By: Jerome Hudson

Wow.  This book blows the lid off the twisted, one-sided lies told by the "Mainstream Media".  Hudson takes you through 50 fallacies spread by the Mainstream Media and the Left in general. Hudson, a black male, is critical about many things specifically around the black community however he does not limit himself to the African-American plight.  He goes head on.  You can tell of his Thomas Sowell influences.  Sowell is one of my favorite authors, ever.

Hudson covers, abortion, affirmative action, gun violence and mass shootings, substance abuse, sex trade and human trafficking, immigration, deporter in chief, jobs, corporate tax breaks, welfare, climate change, Socialism, tech companies, and of so much more.

This book is well written and literally, I could not put it down once I started reading it.  I wish everyone would read this book.  Although you can tell he is a conservative, you still can learn a lot.  I often ask my liberal friends about the hypocrisy.  For the most part, they know it but they won't call it out because the perception is that they would then like Trump.  If all parties held their own accountable, we would be in a better place.  However we let our side screw up and we even defend them because we have lost the dignity to disagree with someone without losing our minds.


Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Broadside Books (September 17, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062932527
ISBN-13: 978-0062932525

The Dirt Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee; Vince Neil; Motley Crue; Mick Mars; Nikki Sixx; Neil Strauss (contributor) (Author)

What an amazing book. It is truly a miracle that Motley Crue is still alive. The level of debauchery is unequalled. The drugs, sex, alcohol and all around self destruction was strangely addictive, no pun intended.

One after the other, each band member describes their insanity of growing up. One by one the tail of the self destructive activity is described in detail throughout the book.

Mick Mars is a deep individual. His view on death is extremely interesting. He says that when people die and see a tunnel and a light at the end, it's actually the birth canal and the light is the lights in the hospital room. He says that when the person does not continue through the tunnel, it represents a still birth. I think I could get along well with Mick.

Vince's daughter's death was so difficult to read.  It literally brought tears to my eyes.  I could see how this life would be a spiral AFTER her death, but does not account for what he did theretofore.

I am going to watch the Netflix movie now. I refused to watch it until I read this book.  Now I am ready.  If you are a fan you MUST read this book.

In 2015, I bought my wife tickets to Motley Crue.  They were amazing seats.  I had a clear view of Nikki Sixx, although this picture does not do it justice.  Always loved Motley Crue, and I always knew they were crazy, but did not know a lot of the stories.

Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: It Books; Anniversary, Reprint edition (November 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780062012333
ISBN-13: 978-0062012333
ASIN: 0062012339