Product Description
Here Animal tells you how to survive when you're outflanked and outgunned. Rather than clashing head-on with every problem that comes along, you need to learn to apply hit-and-run tactics, utilize the environment and use your enemies' weaknesses against them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Readable, common-sensical, on-topic
The book gives brief mention of fighting, focused mostly on things you might do while being pursued.As the title says, it is focused on avoiding a fight and getting away from one before or after it starts.This is going to be more useful to most readers than trying to teach martial arts or knife fighting in a book.

Most of the advice in the book is common sense if you think about it--But I at least, didn't think about most of it before.Things like why you should almost never make a right-angle turn while being chased, how and where to park your car, and things you may want to actually practice ahead of time.

The book isn't a new one (1993) and I'm sure cell phones have an effect on some of the things discussed.I'd like to see a book with that in mind.

The writing style isn't exactly formal.The author definitely wants to explain what a tough guy he is.The book reads like a conversation, though it actually does have footnotes (mostly a further comment on an idea rather than a citation).

Excellent
Let's face it, unless you are a law-enforcement professional there are very few legitimate reasons to get into a fight. Rule number one for survival is 'don't get hit'. The best way to do that is not being there. Before things get ugly, leave. On occasion, however, you can't just strap on those Nikes, make like brave Sir Robin, and beat a hasty retreat. The bad guys have a habit of getting in the way.

MacYoung shows you how to survive when you're outnumbered or outgunned. Real life isn't like a kung fu movie. Rather than wading in with fists and feet flying, you need to learn to apply hit-and-run tactics, use the environment to your advantage, and use your attacker's weaknesses against them.

This book is chock full of street survival lessons from a guy who knows. Marc MacYoung is a bad man (and I mean that in the best sort of way). He's been there, done that, broken a lot of people, and picked-up a lot of scars along the way. His writing style is engaging, entertaining, and sarcastically witty. The knowledge he imparts is realistic, practical, and very important.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Animal's Finest
In my opinion, this is the finest of Animal's books.Animal has always written in order that the reader does not get his butt kicked.The first couple of chapters are nothing more than a condensed version of his other books.But the later chapters are what makes this book work.

Animal does a great job in giving you tips in leaving a scene in a hurry, especially if you are running away from a gang.Some require prior actions, liking feeding neighborhood dogs, but most do not.He also discusses how you can counterattack your pursuers.

Lastly, Animal talks about how to stay away from those seeking you out. First he tells you how to hide away from the police and organized crime.Then he tells you how to avoid the local yokals.

All in all, a fine book.

It's common sense
Testosterone aside it is nothing but common sense.If another human being is interested in mudering, raping, stabbing, or beating you up then it goes without saying that you should run away.Of course every man out there that is proud of his ability to "fight" people and will argue this point.In the real world running away is almost always want you want to do if you can.If you need a book to tell you how to run away from a murderer then you probably are not too bright in the first place.And therefore I doubt your "book" knowledge will save you from the murderer.It's entertaining to read to a certain point.Just depends on what kind of mentality you have and how scared of bullies you are.Those things will be what determines whether you should buy this book or not.

A fun read
I really enjoy reading MacYoung's books. They are the no-holds-barred version of martial literature. As someone who has trained for years, but only had the unfortunate test once, I'm not sure that all of Marc's advice is useful for those outside the "Life". However, I will probably refer to this book for a few new outdoor training ideas. His section on jumping fences and other low objects is full of good ideas.

One recurring theme rings very true: "The only thing one man can do against a gang is get killed." I've met too many martial artists who think they can take on an army. ... Read more

Product Description
Would you admit to getting your ass kicked with a hairbrush? Animal would, because as a seasoned veteran of streetfighting, he knows it can happen. Learn to pick up damn near anything and use it to survive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Fun Ride
This is not an academic book. It's not perfectly organized, and it's not encyclopedic.

That said, it's a fun, fast read.

My feeling is that a book is useful if you get one useful idea from it.

On that score, this book does very well.

There's a nice balance in attitude in this book; it points out that fighting hurts, and particularly if you lose.

It also suggests that sometimes you have to fight.

That's a useful balance.

As to useful information, there's a wealth of anecdotal information that helps ordinary folks appreciate the texture of fighting in places that ordinary folks like me are never, never going to go, except on a bet. Belay that. I won't be going to the biker bar or the Dew Drop Inn (a cowboy bar full of lay dentists; tooth removal for free) even on a bet.

As to the technical information, Animal talks about the use of sticks in marial arts, and also in the Society for Creative Anacronism, a group that does simulated medieval tournaments using rattan sticks as swords and maces and axes and so on.

As a side note, the reason that SCA stickfighters are so good is twofold, and the rule applies to most competitive martial arts; they practice basics a LOT (hitting a rubber tire hung from a tree to develop hip movement and power in the shots), and then they fight (spar) with non-compliant opponents who are trying hard to hit them back.

This book won't make you a stick fighter, or any other kind of fighter. It is useful partly because it points out that you have to practice to make the use of sticks or any other improvised weapons effective.

Anyway, you'll enjoy this book. It's fun, it's fast, and you'll pick up interesting cultural observations that you don't get in sociology class. And you'll pick up some thoughts about fighting that may be useful to you (don't try to block flying chairs; duck).

And the guy you're in a friendly fistfight with may agree that you're winning, and instead of shaking your hand and buying you a beer, decide that pulling a knife is a better idea.

Which brings us back to a central thought of the book; real fighting hurts. It's not predictable.

So avoid it.

Great Introduction to Improvised Weapons for Self-Defense
You have to hand it to Marc "Animal" MacYoung, he has some of the most creative titles in the self-defense genre."Pool Cues, Beer Bottles, & Baseball Bats: Animal's Guide to Improvised Weapons for Self-Defense and Survival" is definitely a creative title.

Once the creative title catches your attention, MacYoung hits you with his first sentences, "You know, I don't write these books so people can go out and kick somebody's...In fact, I write them so people don't go out and get their ... kicked."This was one of the earlier books MacYoung wrote, and you can see that he is not far from the street in his writing.There is a considerable difference between some of his more recent works and his earlier ones.Some of his language is much rougher in his earlier works, so if you are offended by this, you may want to stick to his later books.However, one thing that you find in all of his books is practical advice on keeping yourself safe and various aspects regarding fighting and self-defense.He has put out a lot of good information.You might not agree with everything he says, but I guarantee you if you read his works he will give you things to think about and will assist you with the topics he writes about.

This book is shorter than some of his others, but within the 136 pages are some very practical guidelines for using improvised weapons for self-defense.He starts out with a chapter on the seriousness of weapons.He then briefly explains keys to look for and patterns.

He then explains some different types of improvised weapons and things they share in common.The next chapters cover specific types of weapons, the first being a chapter on long weapons such as quarter-staff, polearm, and spear.MacYoung describes grips, stances and how to use long weapons, including shovels.

MacYoung then covers swords and bludgeons in the next chapter, covering a brief history, grips, blocking, swinging, physics and effects of the weapon.Basic blocks, guards and stances are also shown.

The focus of the next chapter is on strike enhancers.He covers a variety of enhancers such as brass knuckles and saps to keys and other improvised implements that enhance one's striking power.He finishes with short chapters on flexible weapons and diversions.

As I stated earlier, this book is only 136 pages long.So it was not meant to be a complete treatise on improvised weapons.Rather, it is an introductory text and a quick and dirty guide on using improvised weapons to protect yourself and survive violent encounters.

I read the first several books MacYoung wrote before meeting him.I remember reading and going, yep, I've seen that.I also applied some of the things I read in his book and they helped me during various fights and physical encounters.Later MacYoung and I met and became friends.I've learned a lot from his books, and even more from him in person.I recommend his works to anyone who wants to further their knowledge in self-defense and survival.You don't have to agree with him on everything, heck he will tell you he doesn't know everything and you shouldn't blindly agree with him or anyone.But I do guarantee he will open your eyes regarding various topics and give you something to think about.And I also guarantee that he will provide you with information to help you stay safe and survive.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series, and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer

Fun reading;not much use for civilian self-defense.
I was looking for a book about some basic self-defense using improvised weapons. Long ago I saw a book about bo staff fighting that talked about using umbrellas, canes and the like for self-defense, and was hoping this would be of the same order.

It is amusing and a great read. "Animal" talks like a Marvel Comics character like The Thing or Wolverine, and you can practically hear the Bronx voice as you read. But this material is intended for muscle men who work out regularly in a martial arts gym, who want fighting skills more real-world-based than formal martial arts. For someone who doesn't intend to fight for a living, or who would never enter a biker bar full of violent crackheads, the book has little practical use. Sorry, Animal, I ain't Batman. I'm more like Flounder from "Animal House," and this book won't help me.

Outstanding and comprehensive
A comprehensive look at improvised weapons you might encounter on the street such as beer bottles, pool cues, baseball bats, brass knuckles, fighting rings, saps, chains, shovels, bricks, and the like. Even hairbrushes and orange juice, two of the more unusual things the author has actually been assaulted with, are covered along with solid principles of how to spot, utilize, and defend yourself from these potentially deadly objects. Importantly, the book also delves into awareness, covering in depth some of the subtle and not-so-subtle cues that people tend to give when preparing to attack as well as patterns of trouble, diversions, distractions, and other things to look out for.

The author is the real deal. Growing up on gang-infested streets not only gave MacYoung his street name "Animal," but also extensive firsthand experience about what does and does not work for self-defense. Over the years, he has held a number of dangerous occupations including director of a correctional institute, bodyguard, and bouncer. He was first shot at when he was 15 years old and has since survived multiple attempts on his life, including professional contracts. He has studied a variety of martial arts since childhood, teaching experience-based self-defense to police, military, civilians, and martial artists around the world. Clearly a guy worth listening to.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction; co-author of The Way of Kata and The Way to Black Belt

Realistic and practical advice
This is a good book on using improvised weapons for self defense.On the positive side, MacYoung appears to have a wide range of experience and speaks with an air of authenticity. Buried deep in his stories and use of slang, you will find a person who has combined some formal training with street smarts and the school of hard knocks to create a very realistic view of the world and how to survive in difficult situations.For most people, those situations will never have the opportunity to present themselves because they will avoid the venue.For those who choose to frequent biker bars, rowdy night clubs and pool halls, this book will have more value.

Realistic and practical advice that can have applications in any environment.Exploring the self defense potential of common items is a great exercise and can keep you from getting locked into the mindset that if you are not "armed" then you are defenseless.It's a message that needs a wider audience, unfortunately due to the tone of his writing; this book will not appeal to that larger group.

... Read more

Product Description
Brave Sassy is back with another thrilling adventure!

In this episode the entire city's firefighting stations are put on a massive alert. A gigantic forest fire is burning out of control just outside the city. Working in teams, each station works hard to help put out the forest fire until one of the crews becomes trapped when the wind shifts. They are surrounded by flames!

As soon as Sassy learns of this, she breaks away from the Fire Marshall and goes to rescue those brave, trapped firemen. She runs straight into the burning forest! There is no one as brave as our Sassy! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Mississippi Business Journal, published by Dolan Media Company on April 26, 2010. The length of the article is 1072 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Feeling the squeeze: Catfish farmers fighting the recession more than most.(Q&A: Roger Barlow, President, The Catfish Institute, Jackson)(Interview)
Author: Nash Nunnery
Publication: Mississippi Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 26, 2010
Publisher: Dolan Media Company
Volume: 32Issue: 17Page: 30(1)

Article Type: Interview

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
A bolt of lightning rent the air with such a thunderous roar that it shook the very earth itself. Every living thing cowered in the face of such devastating power ' Thus begins the extraordinary story of two brothers, Mibli ( two' the second born) and Tatu ( three'). Two cubs hadn't survived the trials of early life harassed by hyenas, dodging angry bull elephants, stalked by leopards. Their mother, Masa, brought them up alone. The Pride follows their adventure and calamities: how they almost starved as naive hunters, had to dodge resident prides and hid from local people; how eventually they learned to stalk and hunt successfully for themselves. The lions follow the great herds across the plains and intercept wildebeests, gazelles and zebra as they cross crocodile-infected rivers. They survive the onslaught of a hundred buffalo that could trample and gore and fight with archrival Kikuto and her clan of cackling hyenas. Finally, they oust resident lions and take over a pride of their own. Based on real life observations of wild lions and other game in East Africa, South Africa and Botswana, The Pride is an eventful and heart-warming story of the real lion kings.A great story, this is as educational as it is entertaining. Michael Bright is a senior producer with the BBC's world-renowned Natural History Unit, based in Bristol. He is the author of over 75 books on wildlife, conservatin and the environment and has been the recipient of many international film, television and radio awards, including the prestigious Prix Italia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Weekly Reader Seal of Approval
Springboards into science series.Teaches 4-8 yr olds a Bettas' cycle of development and growth.Photos are vibrant, full-color and close-up.Text is straight-forward and easy-to-read. Male bettas fight to the death to protect their territory and build bubble nests to protect their young.They are beautiful and an excellent low maintenance family pet. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses how various animals and plants use special tools or techniques to protect themselves, such as the turtle's hard shell, the stinging nettles' hairs, and the pufferfish's ability to expand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice book about how animals adapt and fight back
Fighting back is a beautifully illustrated book about how animals survive the dangers of the wild through various adaptations from mimicry to venom.

My biggest issue with the book involves how the print sections are set up. They seem needlessly confusing due to in my opinion an awkward looking layout and little symbols that are inserted for interest (which instead are confusing).

The back of the book includes a short dictionary and index which is helpful if your child wants to study a certain type of "fighting back." ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by Thomson Gale on November 29, 2006. The length of the article is 642 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: E-board grants: Fighting crime or serving pork?(Legislature)(Funding under consideration would go to districts served by board members)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: November 29, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: f1

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Science News for Kids, published by Science Service, Inc. on April 22, 2009. The length of the article is 626 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Fighting fat with fat.(white and brown fat cells properties)
Author: Stephen Ornes
Publication: Science News for Kids (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 22, 2009
Publisher: Science Service, Inc.
Page: NA

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description

Flip the pages and watch your Pokémon evolve!

Collect all 8 EVOLVERS:

• Grass
• Bug
• Psychic
• Rock
• Ghost
• Fire
• Fighting
• Water

Customer Reviews (1)

Macho Pokémon^_^
I just love this book!!
Fighting Pokemon are so cuuuuuuuuute!!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Sassy the Amazing Fire Fighting Rescue Dog - Episode 3 ... Read more

Product Description
A guide to keeping Siamese fighting fish, describing the physical characteristics and different varieties that exist, breeding strategies, care and feeding, aquarium maintenance, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Mostly for breeders and advanced fanciers, yet has lovely photos of unusual bettas anyone can enjoy
This book has actually very scant information about casual betta pet ownership, focusing rather on discussions valuable for the breeder/hobbyist. In spite of this caveat, this is a great little betta book - if for nothing more than the fabulous and unusual betta pictures! WOW!

The book opens with a trip down betta history - the careful breeding, the fiercely wagered fighting matches, etc. This is followed with a bit of "care and feeding"...which obviously does not hold the author's attention for long, since we quickly move on to a great series of "koi" - variegated gold and black - betta photos.

The breeder will learn lots of tips from the award-winning betta breeder's insights. Following and documenting the "butterfly trait" is one such topic - brilliantly captured in dozens of full color shots.

The rare "albino trait story" is told, from the perspective of the author's re-discovery and subsequent loss of the strain. Anyone who knows about the betta albino situation will appreciate the author's first-hand account.

Advanced topics like judging and showing bettas are also nicely presented. What do the judges look for? How are points awarded? How are show fish presented? At this time, I have not found this information presented in any other betta care book.

The near-obligatory betta breeding and fry rearing hints are here, withplenty of photographs for every step along the way. Non-breeders (ie - typical pet betta parents) will enjoy seeing the mating process so clearly documented.

Don't pick this book up for disease and treatment tips - barely half a page is devoted to disease. I *do* appreciate their emphasis on prevention (ie - clean water, proper temperatures and a good diet) and observation being the best treatment for betta illness.

Rather, just get this book to excite yourself about the possibilities of great color variations from responsible and knowledgeable breeding. The author had been one of the top breeders in his field and helped make the betta collecting hobby as exciting as it is today.

Mixed feelings
The book did not offer any information in the way of betta care, which makes it a poor resource for the general fish owner.However, it is a valuable resource for people wishing to breed Bettas as it contains extensive information on this topic.Personally, I enjoyed reading the historical background surrounding Betta breeding and evolution. This is truly a remarkable species of fish, and the author brought this out nicely. In addition, the photographs were better than any I have seen and the text was well composed.

However, like some other readers, I had a big problem with the information presented on Betta fighting.I know that the text is dated, written for a different era of betta owners (in the 1980s maybe?).Regardless, it was disturbing that such a practice would be discussed with such overt enthusiasm.

Basic information about bettas with nice pictures
This book offers basic information to starting hobbyists about the physiology, care, maintenance and breeding of the Betta splendens species, as well as the rearing of fry.The chapter on show standards and betta competitions has very nice pictures, including the albino strain that was successfully bred in Japan by Tanaka in 1994.

Not Very Informative
For anyone looking to find a detailed resource on the care of betta splendens, this book is not for you. A great deal of space in this book is devoted to the history of the fish, how they fight with other males (there are even explicit pictures of this process, which I was certainly not interested in seeing), and how to breed them. The sections covering their care are woefully lacking - the page on diseases merely lists the ailments and then offers a recommendation for another book in which to find more information. The tone of this book also stunned me - it is apparent that the author thinks of these fish as a source of income rather than as pets. Mention is made of fish that are not "exciting or saleable," and how sub-standard hatchlings should be culled or disposed of. I was quite offended by this - even the most dully-colored betta could find a happy home somewhere! The only reason I'm giving this book one star at all is because there are a lot of beautiful photos inside. It looks more like a picture book than anything else, actually. Very disappointing.

Pretty Good
I thought this book was pretty good. It showed you a lot of good pictures of the betta fish and it was very helpful in the history of betta fish, but some of the stuff that i was looking for in it, wasn't there, it just had a lot of pictures, and the history of bettas, it took up like 7 pages on the history where as they only did 3 sentences on how to take care of them!! if you are just looking for cool and good pictures of betta fish then you should buy this book, but if you are looking for information on betta fish then maybe you should look for a differnt boook, it was a great book, just not what i was looking for. I love betta fish and i think they are the cooles fish ever! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Cats
Great book for any cat lover

author of "Hobo Finds A Home" ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
The bombardier beetle blasts boiling hot toxic chemicals out its backside, and the polar bear can take out prey three times its size with one swipe of its paw! But neither the beetle nor the polar bear comes in at number one in this countdown. Find out who does, and how human pugilists compare to the planet's most extreme aggressors. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces the physical characteristics, life cycle, and fierce behavior of the Siamese fighting fish, also identifying differences between those in the wild and those bred for sale in pet shops. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very poor reprint
The original edition of this book (printed by Pet Library) was fine for its time (30 years ago!) but to reissue it now with a very few new photos (which still don't show the latest developments in Bettas) whilst slamming the original editon is a very unprofessional approach. By their own admision TFH says that the original author was not consulted on this reprint so the edition obviously suffers from a lack of the author's current extreme expertise on the subject. The "new" photos are usually of very poor quality specimens yet glorified with extreme captions which should be considered insulting to the quality fish that are on the market. The old All About Bettas by Walt Maurus (also a TFH publication) or the current Barron's Bettas, A Complete Pet Owner's Guide are far superior books which impart much more information to the Betta enthusiast. Having kept Bettas for 42 years I cannot recommend this book even for the photos. I grew up and have grown old with TFH books and I am very disappointed with this apparent trend to wrap old information in a new cover or size with any expectation of remaining the finest publisher of pet care books on the planet!

A Complete Authoritative Guide Siamese Fighting fish
This is a great book for anyone wanting to learn the genetics behind the different colors and fin shapes of the Siamese Fighting fish( Betta ). This book will really help you to understand the hows and whys of breedingbettas. ... Read more