Book Review: When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Lundin

Originally posted 2017-03-28 20:51:47.

I gotta admit, when I first saw and heard of Cody Lundin I was a little skeptical.  I mean, who is this guy?  A white dude with long braids, dancing around in the woods barefoot?  I am glad, however, that my initial reaction to him was not my last, as I have come to deeply appreciate the knowledge and information that he has provided the world.   After buying When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes he became a bit of a personal hero!

If you’re not familiar with mr. Lundin, he is a primitive skills, bush craft and outdoor survival instructor, and founder of the Aboriginal living skills school LLC.  He’s most prominently been featured on Discovery Channel’s Dual Survival, along with many interviews on nationally syndicated radio and television.    He truly walks the walk (barefoot) in what he teaches, and I find listening to his interviews to really bring out the honest and good hearted nature that he has.

When All Hell Breaks Looks:  Stuff you Need to Survive  is actually his second book, a sequel of sorts to the 2003 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive.  I do not own 98.6 Degrees, but I plan on getting it to do a review on later down the road.  However, I absolutely love When All Hell Breaks Loose.  It’s written in a very easy to understand style, with plenty of catchy illustrations and humor to keep you both informed and entertained.

The book is split into two main sections, ‘head candy’ (about mental prowess and it’s importance in a survival scenario)  and ‘hand candy’  which includes practical information on some gear and techniques that can save your ass in an emergency.  What I really like about this book is that it really is focused on surviving in an urban / suburban environment, which is practical to a lot of readers as that’s where most of us live.  There’s information about all sorts of stuff, from self defense, cooking a rat, and even finding new and creative ways to wipe your butt when the toilet paper has run out.  Cody also does well to throw in little chestnuts of real world disasters and the impacts they had on people living through them.

The book is a great read, I am currently on my second reading of it, and I pick up new information every time I skim the pages.  When All Hell Breaks Loose  is a fantastic addition to anyone’s survival library!  If you want to learn more about Cody Lundin, you can visit his site here.