Most of this book seems to be based solely on MacYoung's personal experience and opinion. That isn't always a bad thing, but this book would have benefited from some real examples of, say, how the culture in Latino gangs differ from Asian gangs, which is something that he may not have personally experienced.

There are some nuggets, like a few ways to confront or mentally sideslip aggressive people, and some mental exercises to increase your awareness, but it seems like this book could have been condensed a lot without losing much. What really redeems this book is actually the flipside of the flaw I mentioned earlier-- reading it is like having a long rambling chat with one serious testosterone-laden hardguy, who has been in the worst hellholes and has lots of stories to tell about it. If that isn't the world you're from, it certainly makes for interesting reading.


Valuable knowledge to have   December 16, 2000
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

What sets Marc Macyoung apart from many other self-defense experts is this: he teaches you how to avoid fights in the first place. Avoidance and Prevention are common themes that prevail throughout his works. And this book teaches you exactly how to avoid or anticipate confrontations by identifying the potential trouble makers. With his unique style of writing, Animal shares his knowledge in an informative, yet entertaining way. For all those of you who have enjoyed Animal's other works, this is a good book to have. And for those who don't know Marc Macyoung, this book is worth a try.