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The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse
My book is a Modern Survival Manual based on first hand experience of the 2001 Economic Collapse in Argentina. In it you will find a variety of subjects that I consider essential if a person wants to be prepared for tougher times: -How to prepare your family, yourself, your home and your vehicle -How to prepare your finances so that you dont suffer what millions in my country went through -How to prepare your supplies for food shortages and power failures -How to correctly fight with a chair, gun, knife, pen or choke with your bare hands if required -Most important, how to reach a good awareness level so that you can avoid having to do all that These are just a few examples of what you will find in this book. Its about Attitude, and being a more capable person and get the politically correct wimp out of your system completely.
254 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 21, 2012
A resident of Buenos Aires, Argentina during that nation's economic collapse of 2001, Fernando "FerFAL" Aguirre offers preparation and survival advice based on his first-hand experience of social instability and infrastructural meltdown. At times inane (keep your doors locked, avoid eating rats, use your gun as a blunt weapon if you run out of ammo) and at other times comical, (the Jack Russell Terrier is the "Swiss Army knife of dogs") "The Modern Survival Manual" is narrated in an engaging, if needlessly macho, Listen Up People tone and peppered with apocalyptic acronyms: SHTF ($hit hits the fan) and TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It).
The core of "The Modern Survival Manual" is much like other survival books: which foods to stock up on, home security, situational awareness, basic self-defense, and weapons advice, but the significant contribution of the book may be its more tempered, socially-responsible philosophy of survival. As Aguirre puts it, "Not escaping from society, but understanding how society works during troubled times." In contrast to more extreme end-of-the-world scenarios often envisioned as an anarchist's holiday, "The Modern Survival Manual" nicely counters American survivalists' tendencies toward isolation and "holing up." Life doesn't stop after a collapse, Aguirre reminds his readers; you won't spend all your time loading AR mags and shooting zombies from the windows of your bunkerized safe house. You'll still have to work, drive across town, interact with others, shop for food, and raise your kids. Life doesn't end; it's only more difficult and dangerous than it was before--and the time to begin considering that is now.
The core of "The Modern Survival Manual" is much like other survival books: which foods to stock up on, home security, situational awareness, basic self-defense, and weapons advice, but the significant contribution of the book may be its more tempered, socially-responsible philosophy of survival. As Aguirre puts it, "Not escaping from society, but understanding how society works during troubled times." In contrast to more extreme end-of-the-world scenarios often envisioned as an anarchist's holiday, "The Modern Survival Manual" nicely counters American survivalists' tendencies toward isolation and "holing up." Life doesn't stop after a collapse, Aguirre reminds his readers; you won't spend all your time loading AR mags and shooting zombies from the windows of your bunkerized safe house. You'll still have to work, drive across town, interact with others, shop for food, and raise your kids. Life doesn't end; it's only more difficult and dangerous than it was before--and the time to begin considering that is now.
April 14, 2020
I give it two stars because there was some worthwhile food for thought I wish I'd had earlier. Things like stocking up on TP, respirators, and hand sanitizer as I read this during the COVID-19 shutdown... Aguirre also does a reasonably good job of pointing out things that people may realistically need after a disaster (cash on hand, food and water), and not the things people would need to survive a zombie apocalypse.
As with many survivalist writers, you have to sift through a lot of mud to find the nuggets of gold. He decries extremists in the survivalist community, people with racist or strange religious beliefs, and people he views as overly macho. He also says he maintains his firearms a certain way because he is heterosexual, says at least twice that "if you don't do X, you might as well get a sex change operation," and that you don't need to trust people as though you're giving them your daughter. I know most of the survivalist community in the US is composed of hard-right faux libertarians who are either well-off or "temporarily embarrassed millionaires." For them, advice from an architect with a lawyer wife on how to be a hardass landlord to struggling tenants may be worthwhile, as will advice on the numerous expensive firearms to stock up on prior to a collapse, or what to keep in the hidden safe in the backup home you have purchased in another country. For people who don't fit that mold, this is a fairly obnoxious, poorly edited screed with a few pieces of really valuable information from somebody with firsthand experience of a collapse in a developed country.
As with many survivalist writers, you have to sift through a lot of mud to find the nuggets of gold. He decries extremists in the survivalist community, people with racist or strange religious beliefs, and people he views as overly macho. He also says he maintains his firearms a certain way because he is heterosexual, says at least twice that "if you don't do X, you might as well get a sex change operation," and that you don't need to trust people as though you're giving them your daughter. I know most of the survivalist community in the US is composed of hard-right faux libertarians who are either well-off or "temporarily embarrassed millionaires." For them, advice from an architect with a lawyer wife on how to be a hardass landlord to struggling tenants may be worthwhile, as will advice on the numerous expensive firearms to stock up on prior to a collapse, or what to keep in the hidden safe in the backup home you have purchased in another country. For people who don't fit that mold, this is a fairly obnoxious, poorly edited screed with a few pieces of really valuable information from somebody with firsthand experience of a collapse in a developed country.
August 13, 2018
this was recommended to me by a friend. I was glad not only that the author stated up front that English was not his first language but that there would be translation issues. On occasion I was glad I speak Spanish, yet I never found it to be a major issue that disrupted my ability to follow his points.
The most attractive thing about this book wasn't so much "prepper" hints and tips as it was seeing through the eyes of someone who had actually been in a place where the economy "crashed" and what happens in society in response. I've read a great deal of speculation on the subject, so I was glad to get what I believe was a first hand account. I think it was very worthwhile. Clearly, to those who refuse to adopt the "it can't happen here" mentality, not much of it was revelatory. Nevertheless, some specifics were unanticipated on my part, so I appreciate the time and considerable effort Mr. Aguirre has taken in writing and publishing this book.
The most attractive thing about this book wasn't so much "prepper" hints and tips as it was seeing through the eyes of someone who had actually been in a place where the economy "crashed" and what happens in society in response. I've read a great deal of speculation on the subject, so I was glad to get what I believe was a first hand account. I think it was very worthwhile. Clearly, to those who refuse to adopt the "it can't happen here" mentality, not much of it was revelatory. Nevertheless, some specifics were unanticipated on my part, so I appreciate the time and considerable effort Mr. Aguirre has taken in writing and publishing this book.
May 18, 2016
This guy's "survival manual" will get people killed! Poorly written and boring. It could be good for laughs if the subject matter wasn't life or death.
March 17, 2011
Scary but fascinating account of the complete collapse of Argentine society in 2001, with valuable insights about how to prepare for the worst. No matter how modern a country may seem, civilization is never more than three missed meals away from anarchy.
July 3, 2021
What I liked:
- A sober overview of practical concerns suited to a real economic collapse, not an imagined Mad Max scenario.
- The realistic look at how currency and barter function in those circumstances.
What I didn't like:
- The later focus on personal combat. I'm certainly no expert, but I become skeptical about the whole book when it includes sections about going unarmed against a knife or gun.
- Almost complete lack of sociological awareness. The phrase "bad guys" has no place in a serious book.
- It's choking on machismo and unexamined assumptions. Whole sections are devoted to the author's self-aggrandization.
- Reactionary pandering. Rather than list the details, I'll just say that the person who had this book before me wrote "Jews" in the margins.
- A sober overview of practical concerns suited to a real economic collapse, not an imagined Mad Max scenario.
- The realistic look at how currency and barter function in those circumstances.
What I didn't like:
- The later focus on personal combat. I'm certainly no expert, but I become skeptical about the whole book when it includes sections about going unarmed against a knife or gun.
- Almost complete lack of sociological awareness. The phrase "bad guys" has no place in a serious book.
- It's choking on machismo and unexamined assumptions. Whole sections are devoted to the author's self-aggrandization.
- Reactionary pandering. Rather than list the details, I'll just say that the person who had this book before me wrote "Jews" in the margins.
November 5, 2020
So, I can't tell for sure how much this guy is for real, and how much is B.S. To me, he scans a little bit like those Special Forces wannabees who brag about how dangerous their lives are at parties, but turn out to be accountants IRL. The book also suffers from a lack of good editing, there's a lot of repetition of previous points which are not intentional and for emphasis, and some of the "prep" lists he makes seem severely impractical.
That said, there are a few points Aguirre makes that I thought ran counter to conventional wisdom which were good. For example, he debunks the whole idea of the countryside being more safe when the SHTF than being in a more populated area. It turns out that in an actual economic collapse, groups of bandits prefer isolated targets with no nearby neighbors, where they can rob, torture, rape and murder without worrying about anyone coming around to investigate or help the victims.
He debunks the idea, as well, that a barter economy will take over, and those who hoarded ammo and canned goods will get rich quick, using real world experiences from the Argentinian crisis to illustrate his points. One thing that happened in Argentina was that laws were rapidly passed banning the sale of ammunition by private parties - all sales had to be done by licensed firearms dealers. That could easily happen here, despite all 2A concerns, if the government doesn't let the crisis go to waste. Many weapons were confiscated during Katrina, and it could certainly happen on a larger scale in a national emergency.
He does support keeping a certain amount of precious metals on hand to use as "currency", but stresses highly being careful not to let anyone know you have a stash, and only to change small amounts as necessary. It's probably better to have some scrap 18K gold jewelry to sell in a crisis, as then you can pretend it was Grandma's heirloom ring that you're reluctantly parting with, and not part of a greater cache. It sounds as if silver never became widely used as a holder of value in the Argentinian situation, so you might bear that in mind if you're planning for massive inflation in the U.S. at some point eroding the value of your paper money. Also, paper money will not simply become "toilet paper"; it will still be used, but will not buy what it used to buy as cheaply.
He also promotes the "gray man" concept. In a social situation where people are desperate, and many have turned to crime, it is best to not a) fit any victim profile, such as by being too well-dressed or appearing rich and b)to simply go quietly unnoticed by criminals, or considered a "hard" target. There's some good stuff here on situational awareness, too.
He seems to me to spend far too much time talking about various methods of "active" self defense. Street-fighting tactics and the ability to make anything into a weapon are all very well and good in their place, but as a middle aged man, I'm not likely to take up Thai boxing and become proficient any time soon, or become an MMA champ, so aside from making note of the dozens of ways to kill a man in a knife fight, I pretty much skimmed this whole section.
I really picked up this book on a recommendation from someone whose opinion I respected, hoping to learn more about the financial crisis in Argentina (which sparked Aguirre's interest and need to learn more survival skills) and how to handle potential events like runaway inflation or the devaluation of the dollar. The "financials" section was quite small, and appeared near the end of the book.
It did contain a good section on haggling, which most Americans could stand to read, if they ever intend to buy souvenirs in the second or third world, never mind applying it if the SHTF in our country.
You definitely will have to dig for the "nuggets" here.
That said, there are a few points Aguirre makes that I thought ran counter to conventional wisdom which were good. For example, he debunks the whole idea of the countryside being more safe when the SHTF than being in a more populated area. It turns out that in an actual economic collapse, groups of bandits prefer isolated targets with no nearby neighbors, where they can rob, torture, rape and murder without worrying about anyone coming around to investigate or help the victims.
He debunks the idea, as well, that a barter economy will take over, and those who hoarded ammo and canned goods will get rich quick, using real world experiences from the Argentinian crisis to illustrate his points. One thing that happened in Argentina was that laws were rapidly passed banning the sale of ammunition by private parties - all sales had to be done by licensed firearms dealers. That could easily happen here, despite all 2A concerns, if the government doesn't let the crisis go to waste. Many weapons were confiscated during Katrina, and it could certainly happen on a larger scale in a national emergency.
He does support keeping a certain amount of precious metals on hand to use as "currency", but stresses highly being careful not to let anyone know you have a stash, and only to change small amounts as necessary. It's probably better to have some scrap 18K gold jewelry to sell in a crisis, as then you can pretend it was Grandma's heirloom ring that you're reluctantly parting with, and not part of a greater cache. It sounds as if silver never became widely used as a holder of value in the Argentinian situation, so you might bear that in mind if you're planning for massive inflation in the U.S. at some point eroding the value of your paper money. Also, paper money will not simply become "toilet paper"; it will still be used, but will not buy what it used to buy as cheaply.
He also promotes the "gray man" concept. In a social situation where people are desperate, and many have turned to crime, it is best to not a) fit any victim profile, such as by being too well-dressed or appearing rich and b)to simply go quietly unnoticed by criminals, or considered a "hard" target. There's some good stuff here on situational awareness, too.
He seems to me to spend far too much time talking about various methods of "active" self defense. Street-fighting tactics and the ability to make anything into a weapon are all very well and good in their place, but as a middle aged man, I'm not likely to take up Thai boxing and become proficient any time soon, or become an MMA champ, so aside from making note of the dozens of ways to kill a man in a knife fight, I pretty much skimmed this whole section.
I really picked up this book on a recommendation from someone whose opinion I respected, hoping to learn more about the financial crisis in Argentina (which sparked Aguirre's interest and need to learn more survival skills) and how to handle potential events like runaway inflation or the devaluation of the dollar. The "financials" section was quite small, and appeared near the end of the book.
It did contain a good section on haggling, which most Americans could stand to read, if they ever intend to buy souvenirs in the second or third world, never mind applying it if the SHTF in our country.
You definitely will have to dig for the "nuggets" here.
June 10, 2022
My husband read this book a while ago and it somehow ended up in our living room end table. I picked it up partly because I was contemplating what the folks in Ukraine must be going through now. That made me think about what Syrians have been dealing with for years, the aftermath of the Lybian civil war, the Balkan war, and all the times in my lifetime alone when people suddenly found themselves on the receiving end of a whole lot of awful and unexpected shit. There was no war in Argentina in 2001, but a financial collapse that caused some of the same fallout you might expect from a war, as well as some unique issues. This book addresses how things changed, and how people dealt with those changes, with the specific intent of offering advice and tips for anyone hoping to be better prepared for similar problems. It’s a quick and easy read, a really interesting commentary on the situation in question, and it held my attention. It feels particularly relevant in a post-pandemic world riddled with supply chain issues and facing the prospect of de-globalization and a possible NATO-Russia conflict. I took some notes, bought some things, and generally do feel better prepared for a life that might be less stable in the not-too-distant future.
November 2, 2016
This book was one of the best prepper books I've read, because this man actually went through the total collapse of Argentina. Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in South America, but once the socialists came to power, they totally destroyed the country. Don't people read and understand history any more? Socialism does not work. It never has. It is very close to a dictatorship, because only those at the top get anything. Socialism never helps the lower classes, though the upper classes tell the lower classes that it will. It's all about those in power. Anyway, so much for my rant. Fernando did a great job in this book of telling it like it is (was), and might be again!
June 7, 2014
Keeping in mind that English is not the author's native tongue, and the indie publishing, this is a very enlightening book. It contains a lot of insights & a good perspective of what it's like to survive a real life collapse.
May 15, 2015
This book is very interesting. It is about the economic collapse in Argentina 2001.
May 17, 2021
This is far, far better than most "survivalist" books. Unlike his fellow genre members, this one comes with a lot of urban tactics, as well as a more level headed look at the end of the world as we know it. I.E. more than likely you are still going to go to work, have kids go to school, and generally carry on as normal, albeit with a lot more crime. I found the book to have several "helpful hints" that I hadn't considered before, such as stocking up on junk gold jewelry to trade in vs gold coins. The former is used by everyone in a pinch (pawning grandma's jewelry) whereas the latter almost always signifies a prepper with a hoard. Trying to sell a gold coin paints a big target on your back, and if the person you sold it to is unscrupulous you could find yourself followed home and robbed.
That is just one of a few very helpful tips I found scattered throughout the book. Yes, not all of it is gems, but the author does a great job of covering all of the basics while also giving useful anecdotes from his time in the rougher areas of Argentina. I recommend it as a starter book, although those well read in the genre will likely find something useful. 9/10
That is just one of a few very helpful tips I found scattered throughout the book. Yes, not all of it is gems, but the author does a great job of covering all of the basics while also giving useful anecdotes from his time in the rougher areas of Argentina. I recommend it as a starter book, although those well read in the genre will likely find something useful. 9/10
December 26, 2020
Good advice from someone who lived through an economic collapse. Includes his recommendations for what to store, what jobs to work, what guns, knives, and currency to get, which martial arts to learn, what breed of dog is best, what animals are good to eat, where to live, how to fight and disarm people, etc. He advises that people should learn to shoot and draw with either hand (151). Women to not wear skirts or have long hair; rapists target women wearing skirts and long hair (109). Great confirmation to my common sense!
One thing that didn’t make sense to me: He argues for why gold is the universal form of currency, and why people wear jewelry; it’s like portable wealth (185). Yeah, except you can’t easily take pieces of it off in order to use it in trade. And why gold and not silver or some other metal?
Favorite quotes:
People learn from their own mistakes, but smarter people learn from other people’s mistakes” (20).
“The important thing is using [cuss words] when you really mean them and within the right context. Otherwise they lose their strength and you are just rude and impolite” (23).
One thing that didn’t make sense to me: He argues for why gold is the universal form of currency, and why people wear jewelry; it’s like portable wealth (185). Yeah, except you can’t easily take pieces of it off in order to use it in trade. And why gold and not silver or some other metal?
Favorite quotes:
People learn from their own mistakes, but smarter people learn from other people’s mistakes” (20).
“The important thing is using [cuss words] when you really mean them and within the right context. Otherwise they lose their strength and you are just rude and impolite” (23).
November 23, 2020
More of a compilation of his blog posts, but very readable. I like that his wife (a lawyer) also offered her point of view. There is a lot of attention paid to the increase crime during Economic Collapse. Some of the measures he suggests include making your house more difficult and inconvenient to break into than your neighbors because criminals are lazy and easily deterred when an easier option is available. He also suggested having two small fireproof safes, because criminals rarely think there are two safes. Having lived through the collapse of the Soviet Union, much of it made sense and was well enough explained to make me understand it more from someone living it than a visiting foreigner. I was more interested in the day to day and the financial challenges, which is about 15% of this book. Most of it is about the dangerous increase in crime from all sides, including corrupt police and officials.
March 29, 2021
A surprising and good survival book. what makes this book different is that it’s self published. The Author is sharing real life experience of someone who experienced first hand a real economic collapse. The tone could be perceived as sometimes aggressive or offending by an American audience but if you filter it, the informations shared are really valuable. The author does not fall into the trap of being vague to please all audiences and take strong positions and opinions. For example, as he is publishing himself, he can freely share opinions on brands and products.
Overall, this book is full of valuable information.
Overall, this book is full of valuable information.
July 26, 2021
This book was recommended from a YouTuber - "SensiblePrepper" from a few of his videos. I think prepping is very necessary for all of us and this book will give out some good tips. I can see that there are so many things to cover when it comes to prepping and frankly, it can feel overwhelming. I feel that I'm not even prepared with what I've learned.
This book shows that what happened in one country can also happen in any country including the US. There are many good lessons to learn from this book!
This book shows that what happened in one country can also happen in any country including the US. There are many good lessons to learn from this book!
November 28, 2021
A leitura deste livro foi aconselhada por um grande amigo. Partilhamos muitas opiniões sobre o funcionamento das sociedades modernas, mas este manual de sobrevivência foi demasiado forte para mim. Fernando Aguirre é um defensor acérrimo de uma autodefesa muito agressiva com armas brancas e armas de fogo de diferentes calibres. Talvez por vir de uma família que as manuseia há várias gerações, o autor deste manual acha normal andar "armado até aos dentes". Uma versão moderna do "velho Oeste"? Brrrr...
May 22, 2023
Great insight into the economic collapse of Argentina in 2001, what happened as a result, and how to prepare for such fallout in your own country.
I appreciated the author's resilience to self-publish and retain their intense, yet understandable tone.
This book is not for easily-offended readers and is perfect for someone looking to prepare for the seemingly imminent collapse of the USD.
My only critique is that the book is 14 years old at this point and so some of the physical product recommendations are certainly dated.
I appreciated the author's resilience to self-publish and retain their intense, yet understandable tone.
This book is not for easily-offended readers and is perfect for someone looking to prepare for the seemingly imminent collapse of the USD.
My only critique is that the book is 14 years old at this point and so some of the physical product recommendations are certainly dated.
August 24, 2024
I thank this author for a provocative and useful book.
Everyone should understand Argentina's infamous corralito event in the early 2000s and the awful crisis that followed. In those days, most Argentines held money in dollar-denominated bank accounts, and when the country could no longer maintain the peg holding the Argentine peso at parity with the US dollar, the government "corralled" that money: fr... [see the rest on my book review site.]
Everyone should understand Argentina's infamous corralito event in the early 2000s and the awful crisis that followed. In those days, most Argentines held money in dollar-denominated bank accounts, and when the country could no longer maintain the peg holding the Argentine peso at parity with the US dollar, the government "corralled" that money: fr... [see the rest on my book review site.]
July 21, 2022
Lots of good information. It was an uncomfortable read - constantly considering how I’d fare in a knife fight or mugging, etc - but, nevertheless, important topics to think about. I particularly appreciated that it was framed within the context of how we live today, not some post-apocalyptic situation. Seemed like practical advice. I definitely have lots of highlighting, and margin notes and post-it’s with lists after this first reading.
July 9, 2020
I thought there’s be at least SOME memoir to this. There are reviews out there being thoughtful and others dismissive. Mine says: get your resources elsewhere there’s better material out there and this doesn’t give much insight you can’t logically anticipate re economic collapse. Maybe his second one about moving to another country entirely to survive is worth checking out instead.
July 15, 2022
Very interesting book. I was hoping for more details on the economics and exchanging of hard moneys for goods and services. Like using gold chain for small purchases because you can cut the links.
The prepping and survival skills are good to know. I really liked the section on car jacking. Also securing and hardening you home.
The prepping and survival skills are good to know. I really liked the section on car jacking. Also securing and hardening you home.
February 8, 2020
This is a must read for everyone. We think it can't happen here and we are wrong. The idea that we are too big to fail comes from a place of complacency. I appreciated his own view of the economic collapse of Argentina and how hard it was and is still.
August 29, 2023
Ma Foi! Great insights from someone who has lived through tough times.
October 10, 2024
This was a really interesting book. I recommend it to men as it is written with them in mind.
September 16, 2021
This books contained a lot of valuable information, information that could have used a pretty significant round of editing. There were no chapters to speak of and the subjects just rolled into each other. But, it was a good read despite the editing issues. I’ve knocked it down a star as a result but I’m glad I read it.
June 5, 2019
Full of useful knowledge. Lots of things in here gave me a perspective I've never looked at before. There were a few small things I didn't agree with, but you should never follow anyone 100%. You have to be very rich if you were to follow this book completely, so take what you can. It's always good to prepare for even short term disaster. I'm surprised gardening wasn't part of this, because thats something everyone should work on.
December 20, 2019
A must read for anyone. A great look at the realities of an economic collapse and how to survive. Also good for authors who write dystopian fiction and want a good dose of reality. ;)
November 14, 2012
As indicated by the hyperbolic cover photo and the Comic Sans font, this is a self-published book-- more like a printed blog, really. Nevertheless, it does have some valuable information. I've been reading about Argentina's boom and bust, because I think something similar may happen here, in the US: hyperinflation, rolling blackouts, greater crime and poorer infrastructure. Most of the books I can find deal with what happened to the economic system, but Ferfal's book deals with living with the consequences. I don't think things are going to get as bad as they were in Argentina, but it's clear to me that Americans can no longer sustain their current standard of living, and things are going to get bad. This is a book where you can take what you need and leave the rest, and I found it informative.
August 16, 2015
A more realistic look at a post-financial collapse in Argentina in 2001. I lived down there for a couple of year's, so it was interesting to read about the author's experience while going through the collapse and it's aftermath.
I'm don't know a lot of the modern history of Argentina but it seems like the 2001 financial crash was in the works for decades, it just came to a head in 2001.
I don't think I would have liked living in Argentina during that time. I would hope that I would have done what the author did and bug out in another country. Definitely not worth staying! Hope something like that doesn't happen in the US for a very long time!
I'm don't know a lot of the modern history of Argentina but it seems like the 2001 financial crash was in the works for decades, it just came to a head in 2001.
I don't think I would have liked living in Argentina during that time. I would hope that I would have done what the author did and bug out in another country. Definitely not worth staying! Hope something like that doesn't happen in the US for a very long time!
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