Posted: 1/7/2006 10:59:52 AM EDT
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www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316330116/qid=1136663848/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5294860-9605637?n=507846&s=books&v=glance I bought this book the other day and it is the most interesting book I've ever read. I read it in two nights and wasn't able to put it down. Buy this book. |
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Probably the second most important (to me) book I have read to date. I have learned lots of things from books, but Dave Grossman's stuff is outstanding. If you have not read On Combat, you really should. It does an excellent job of tying in lots of the stuff in On Killing to our personal lives. |
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That book explained to me what was wrong with a lot of people. The claim that 50% of men will not kill another man no matter how dire the circumstances are sounds about right. It's the difference between people who run from gun fire like they can out run a bullet and the people who think "As soon as I shoot that guy(s) he will stop shooting at me" and take cover and look for targets. |
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While I liked Grossmans book, and he does make a number of good points, his lack of academic rigor is disturbing; he makes a lot of statements not supported by anything other than his opinion. A better book in my opinion is "Into the Kill Zone : A Cop's Eye View of Deadly Force " by David Klinger. In depth interviews with police officers provide a more realistic picture of shooting another person and the aftermath. |
Probably the idea that violence is everywhere and it is shaping our children. I agree with him to a degree, but he's pretty far out on that issue. |
I disagreed with his use of the "x many serviceman shot" study. Buddy of mine sent me some stuff showing that the study that only 25% give or take of guys in WW2 combat fired. That was BS. Which, of course, effects the conclusions of Grossman's studies about increase in violence. However, I think the book still has a lot to give on the psychological aspects of violence and killing, and what it does to people. If you go looking for those parts, it's well worth the read. Also, I've heard On Combat is fantastic. I'm told he goes right down to what combat stress physically does to you. Heart rate, tunnel vision, slow time, etc. One quote I read about it is where he talks to a cop who kept recalling that somebody was throwing beer cans marked "FEDERAL" on them at him during a shoot out. He couldn't figure out what he had been seeing, but that was the only way he could describe it. Turned out he was seeing his ejected brass go by his shoulder. Also why soldiers seem to recall things in slow motion, and such. He goes into why that happens, physically and psychologically. |
Correct. On Combat is probably THE book every cop and gun owner who cares anything about self-defense should read. An entire chapter is devoted specifically to audio exclusion during stress or combat. Damn good information. |