Lafcadio, The Lion Who Shot Back

Amazon.com

First published in 1963, the late Shel Silverstein's children's book debut Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back, will resonate with young readers much as it did 40 years ago. The affable narrator Uncle Shelby's story begins: "Once there was a young lion and his name was--well, I don't really know what his name was because he lived in the jungle with a lot of other lions and if he did have a name it certainly wasn't a name like Joe or Ernie or anything like that." That all changes, however, when a circus man discovers the lion's skills as a marksman (the lion took a gun from a hunter he ate) and names him Lafcadio the Great. When the circus man takes Lafcadio to New York City, the story takes on a certain Crocodile Dundee quality--the lion eats the menu at a fancy restaurant, demands marshmallows (he likes the sound of them), and is captivated by the hotel elevator. As Lafcadio becomes more civilized and rich and famous, however, he becomes more unhappy. In the end, to entertain the increasingly despondent star, the circus man takes Lafcadio hunting in Africa where he encounters his old lion friends on the other end of his gun. Is Lafcadio now a man or is he a lion? He decides he is neither and wanders alone into the valley. In typical Silverstein style, this exuberantly-silly-yet-poignant fable, illustrated with simple, expressive line drawings, asks more questions than it answers. The glee the author derives from wordplay and the sound of language is positively contagious. This read-aloud classic belongs on every child's bookshelf. (Ages 6 to 10) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

"You don't have to shoot me," says the young lion. "I will be your rug and I will lie in front of your fireplace and I won't move a muscle and you can sit on me and toast all the marshmallows you want. I love marshmallows."

But the hunter will not listen to reason, so what is there for a young lion to do? After eating up the hunter, Lafcadio takes the gun home and practices and practices until he becomes the world's greatest sharp-shooter.

Now dressed in starched collars and fancy suits, and enjoying all the marshmallows he wants, Lafcadio is pampered and admired wherever he goes. But is a famous, successful, and admired lion a happy lion? Or is he a lion at all?

Told and drawn with wit and gusto, Shel Silverstein's modern fable speaks not only to children but to us all!

Customer Reviews:

marshmallow coats rule.......2007-04-06

Have you ever felt like you were torn between two worlds? Like, you want to fit in with this one group of new friends but in order to do that you kind of have to leave your old friends behind? Because the new friends and old friends are in way different places? Yeah. Same with Lafcadio.

He wants to be a good lion. He does. But then he gets all wrapped up in the world of humans. And the world of humans is not as simple as the world of lions, is it? No, it is not. So he can do some fun things, like have a marshmallow coat made for him because he just LOVES marshmallows, but life is not all marshmallows and roses. Lafcadio loses his identity. And at the end, he's conflicted about which world is his real home.

This is an awesome story about knowing your true self and being the person (or lion) you know you should be.

wow!.......2005-05-08

I hadn't heard of this book until a few years ago, when I came upon it and read a few pages in the bookstore. WOW!!! Although I appreciate Shel Silverstein's other stories and poems, nothing at all is like this one. And, that's a disappointment, because after reading this one to my children, we wanted MORE.

In my kids' schools, the Giving Tree was always considered such a classic, and praised as such. Lafcadio? Never mentioned! How disappointing, and oh, what those students are missing. Lafcadio isn't even in the school's library catalogue!

Lafcadio tells the story of a lion who comes to the city and becomes a gentleman--losing his lionly ways. But, Shel Silverstein tells this story so hilariously, I can barely read it aloud without laughing hysterically. I used to read this to my son, and literally could not get the words out without laughing uncontrollably. This, of course, caused my son to laugh as heartily without even knowing why. . . begging me to stop laughing and to tell him what was so funny. Lafcadio is an experience, that's for sure!

That said, this isn't a completely gentle book. It's probably the only book I've read to the kids that talked about eating people--and, made eating people funny. However, the unexpected quirkiness of the story is also what made it so hilarious. This is really a classic. Your kids will love it and you will love it.

Creative, captivating and comical..........2004-10-15

This book is about a lion named Lafcadio, who learnt to shoot using a gun and began shooting back at hunters - hence the name of the book! The story started when Lafcadio got hold of a hunter's gun and began learning to shoot. He practiced shooting day and night, and he got better and better as the days go by. He is never short of ammunition. To get more ammunition, he just eats up hunters who come into the jungle !!

Then one day, a man from the circus came and offered him a job in the circus. He accepted it with the condition that he get lots and lots of MARSHMALLOWS !!

So, off goes Lafcadio to the city. At the city, Lafcadio tried many different things. He had a haircut at a barbershop. He had a suit made of MARSHMALLOWS for him. And as the days passes, he came more and more human. He learnt to dance, swim and even bowl..

The story is full of wit. If you are looking for a gift for your little one, I would highly recommend this book!

Great read-a-loud book.......2003-12-23

I discovered this treasure after reading Shel's poetry books to the kids. I read it to them on a long flight across the country and had the people in the seats around me listening in discreetly. It has some great morals and gems in it. About knowing who you are inside and finding your way in this world. And about the absurdity of hunting from the lion's point of view. The kids just love the bit about every lion having their own hunter's rug.

My Favorite Book.......2001-05-27

Lafcadio is a young lion who is different from the rest. One day he meets face to face with hunters and he eats them up. He took the gun along with him. Everyday he went behind the mountain and practiced shooting and he became the best shooter in the jungle. But one day, a man came to him.

This book is great!! I first read it in fourth grade and I loved is so much, I read it more often!!

Average customer rating:

Good, but doesn't go far enough

"Turn the other cheek" doesn't mean being a door mat

Meeting the Author

Shooting Back-The Right and Duty of Self Defence

Shooting Back-The Right and Duty of Self Defence

Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defence
Charl Van Wyk
Manufacturer: Christian Liberty Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0620281200

Product Description

Shooting Back deals with the burning questions that plague all God-fearing People: Should we carry arms?
When is it appropriate to defend ourselves and our families?
What can we do when our freedom to carry arms is legislated away from us?

Customer Reviews:

Good, but doesn't go far enough.......2006-12-29

Like any good Christian I wholeheartedly believe in the Christian duty to arm yourself to the teeth and shoot everyone you don't like. I know for a fact that if Jesus walked the earth today, he would carry a .38 and an AK-47, at least. And what's more I know he would have been on the side of the oppressed white minority that courageously led South Africa during the glory days of apartheid. In fact, I feel his guiding spirit was right there with Mr. Van Wyk in his father's church, guiding the righteous to take revenge on the usurping nonbelievers. That is why I was so disappointed with this book. While Mr. Van Wyk's initial effort was valiant and Christ-like, I cannot believe he was willing to forgive his attackers. That whole Truth and Reconciliation thing, what a cowardly act! Jesus wept.

"Turn the other cheek" doesn't mean being a door mat.......2004-02-22

As a Christian, I am often asked how I can support things such as gun ownership. This book provides a classic example how lethal force can meet God's approval. Charl Van Wyk was in a church service in South Africa when the congregation was attacked by terrorists. Van Wyk was armed with a .38 revolver which he kept with him at all times, and he returned fire, driving the terrorists off. The final toll was 11 dead and 53 wounded. No one knows how many more would have been killed if Van Wyk had not been armed.

Van Wyk then details his own doubts after the fact and how he sought counseling. With his studies in the Bible on the subject of the Christian and self-defense, he presents the case for the biblical foundation, and the distinction between defense and revenge.

The book does its job of presenting the biblical mandate for us to protect the innocent, but I do have to say that I'm knocking off one star because he could have made his case in about half the space.

This book is an excellent answer to those who think a Christian should EVER raise his hand in violence - for any reason whatever. My copy is going to get passed around to a lot of my friends.

Meeting the Author.......2003-10-15

I have been privileged to meet the author and spend some time with him. Mr. van Wyk is no macho gun-waving shooter. Rather he is a mild-mannered family man who has strong principles and did what he had to do under very unpleasant circumstance. He does not consider himself a "hero" for his actions during the St. James Massacre.

I found him very articulate. He is able to communicate his ideas clearly, both in person and in his writings.

I highly recommend the book "Shooting Back" for every Church leader. It is a "must read" for everyone, whether you use firearms or not.

Shooting Back-The Right and Duty of Self Defence.......2003-06-07

Shooting Back by Charl van Wyk is a great book. What a testimony; in reading this book, I learned a lot about what God says about self defense and why gun control is so very devastating to a society.
I understand that, in recent months, the author has been given incredible opportunities to speak publicly about reconciliation and forgiveness to the terror organization that committed this atrocity. Amazing!

Shooting Back-The Right and Duty of Self Defence.......2003-06-07

13 Seconds: A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings

Average customer rating:

Moving us away from hagiography and conspiracy theories
DON'T BUY - EVEN FOR YOUR WORST ENEMY
A Different Approach to the Topic
Buy it for the DVD not the book
13 Seconds at Kent State University on May 4, 1970.

13 Seconds: A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings
Philip Caputo
Manufacturer: Chamberlain Bros.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

21st Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1596090804

Amazon.com

Philip Caputo, author of the classic Vietnam memoir A Rumor of War, returns to the turbulent era of the late 1960s with 13 Seconds: A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings. Caputo carefully sets the stage for the tragedy--the gunning-down of students on the Kent State, Ohio, campus--as he shows the pressures slowly building: Richard Nixon's decision to invade Cambodia, the militaristic missives of the ultra-leftist Weathermen, and statements such as high-profile California governor Ronald Reagan's declaration about student protests, given three weeks before the shootings ("If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with").

While important events surge and roil throughout the book like massive currents, Caputo focuses primarily on the smaller stories of the students injured and killed by National Guard bullets. Caputo, a journalist then writing for the Chicago Tribune (and who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1972), was on the scene soon after the shootings took place. He writes with immediacy, clearly drawn back to the moment even after 35 years have passed. Some of the students who died that day were active in campus politics, while others were caught purely by misfortune, but all paid an incredible price. By allowing readers to understand more about the students and the circumstances that surrounded May 4, 1970, Caputo turns the story of Kent State into a kind of tragic novel. The book itself is short: under 200 pages, including summaries of court testimonies that make up the bulk of the index. But the poignancy of what America lost that day comes through clearly in Caputo's dense, no-nonsense writing. --Jennifer Buckendorff

Book Description

Thirteen seconds passed. Sixty-seven shots were fired. One nation watched . . .

On May 4, 1970, Ohio's Kent State University was in chaos following President Richard Nixon's announcement that the U.S. bombing of Cambodia would continue, with student protesters on one side and the National Guard on the other. That day, young Chicago Tribune reporter Philip Caputo had been sent to the campus to cover what looked like just another student uprising. But by the time he arrived, things had erupted into one of the watershed moments of the antiwar movement, with four students dead and nine wounded in a hail of bullets fired by panicked guardsmen. Now, thirty-five years later, the author of A Rumor of War looks back on that terrible day, discussing his own emotions, the nature of political discourse and civil disobedience, and what happened to those who were there and how they still live with the pain and anger every day. It was a time when America turned upon itself and our nation's innocence was lost.

Customer Reviews:

Moving us away from hagiography and conspiracy theories.......2007-01-14

It has been close to 37 years since the May 4, 1970 shootings at Kent State University shocked the nation. Now that passions have cooled and the participants have the benefit of maturity and hindsight, the time is ripe to look at the tragedy with fresh eyes and new insights. Philip Caputo's book provides the opportunity to rethink the making of the tragedy.

The book is part personal memoir, part reflection and part history. Caputo provides a high-level description -- not a comprehensive analysis, as some would hope -- of the activities of the students, National Guardsmen, campus officials and government leaders during the days of protest and violence that led to the shootings. He contrasts the shootings to the 1770 "Boston Massacre," drawing a few parallels, but significant differences. He ends the book with 75 pages (!) of appendices, including a lengthy timeline of the shooting and its litigious aftermath, and excerpts from the findings of various commissions that looked into the shootings and at campus unrest in general. A companion DVD produced by The Learning Channel provides graphic evidence of the string of events that culminated in the deaths of 4 students and the wounding of 9 others.

"13 Seconds" is not intended to be a detailed analysis of who shot whom and who died when. There isn't even a map of the scene, which would have been helpful. The book does provide a challenge to those who wish to view the event in polarized terms -- that the Guardsmen were illegitimate military occupiers (or pitiable victims of a vengeful mob); that the students were peaceful protestors (or profanity-spewing, stone-wielding barbarians). Caputo lays blame all around for the missteps, miscommunications, heated rhetoric and lack of discipline that caused the conflict to escalate into tragedy. Though rightly placing the majority of the blame on those who fired weapons against distant students, Caputo sees other threads contributing to the tapestry of death. These include paranoid reactions by students and city officials as well as comments by Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman's counsel that kids kill their parents, and by Gov. Ronald Reagan inviting of a "bloodbath" to bring campus conflicts to resolution.

Caputo's conclusion - that peaceful ways need to be found to express unpopular thoughts and to control their violent excesses - is not exactly new. But sadly, his conclusion that the shootings accomplished relatively little probably is true, much to the chagrin of those who wish to elevate May 4, 1970 to the level of a sanctioned government massacre of guilless innocents.

The DVD that accompanies the book is a very valuable, even-handed, if sketchy, portrayal of the events of that awful weekend. It's valuable to see hear former student victims speaking emotionally about the shooting. It's instructive to hear from the former Guardsmen attempt to describe their actions on Blanket Hill. It's perplexing and heartbreaking to hear former Sergeant Larry Schaefer (the only Guardsman who admits to shooting a student) both regret his actions and wonder why he did it. Still, it's amazing (and a bit maddening) that after all these years, he still does not know why he acted as he did.

The value of "13 Seconds" is less in its retelling of the details of the shootings at Kent State, than for the honest musings of a respected journalist eager to parse out specific details from their larger social context. After years of unabated rhetoric, paranoia and conspiracy theories (the unfortunate hallmarks of the 1960s) it is a sort of progress to see the shootings depicted as an unfortunate and unplanned spasm of violence from a band of frightened, ill-disciplined, ill-trained and ill-led soldiers against fundamentally unarmed students.

DON'T BUY - EVEN FOR YOUR WORST ENEMY.......2006-07-02

I confess I bought this book and WASTED MY MONEY. The books contains major factual errors. The author has minimal text - most of the book is simply a rehash and list of everything we already knew.

I have read many books on the Kent State Murders and this is the only one which claims "the soliders knelt down on the practice field, fired, and killed students." This guy may have got this baloney past his editors at a newspaper but - it appears he was not there and did not perform the required research.

He also chose a title for his book that was close to being borrowed from a book titled: "Thirteen seconds: Confrontation at Kent State" by Joe Eszterhas and was published in 1970.

Seach for the book by Joe Eszterha - it is worth the money.
=================
Search finds:

Thirteen seconds;: Confrontation at Kent State (Unknown Binding)
by Joe Eszterhas

Availability: Available from these sellers.

15 used & new available from $9.98

A Different Approach to the Topic.......2006-06-21

An earlier post was probably correct, it appears that Philip Caputo's "13 Seconds-A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings" was written mostly to provide a book to accompany DVD Documentary "Kent State: The Day The War Came Home". The DVD is included inside the book and provides a good overview of what happened on May 4, 1970.

While Caputo's book could use some minor fact checking I don't see any need to be suspicious of any major facts. There are not major distortions or significant errors, just confused details from someone who obviously did little (if any )primary research and rushed the book to print.

About half the book is a detailed chronology of the events and the text from "The Report of The President's Commission on Campus Unrest" (Sept-1970).

Which leaves only 122 pages of Caputo's writing and this is not exactly in small print. Yet besides the DVD I recommend this book without reservation. Its contribution is not in the retelling of what has been told before but in Caputo's focus on both a historical context and his use of this perspective to help the reader make strides toward healing 35 years later.

Caputo begins with a simple description: "Suddenly, a line of guardsmen wheeled, and making no distinction among active demonstrators, bystanders, and students merely walking to class, knelt and fired, killing four, wounding nine". He then cites the Boston Massacre of 1770; pointing out the similarity between the atmosphere in the early 1770's and the late 1960's, and the military occupation of Boston and of the Kent State campus. Then he contrasts the two events, particularly the much closer proximity of the colonists to the British troops and the much more satisfactory disciplining of the troops involved in that incident.

Caputo is pretty objective in handing out blame for Kent State but ultimately finds it cannot be shared equally. He cites "Henry V": "The king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make....".

The healing comes from an assessment of the enduring historical impact as Caputo dismisses most of what is usually cited, pointing instead to lessons from Kent State applicable now that we are fighting another morally dubious war. That (even a democracy) when not led by wise and temperate leaders, and when those leaders are given reason to perceive that they are executing the popular will, will resort to virtually any means to silence those who disagree too vigorously with its policies. That in 1970 the Ohio governor was acting as an agent of the people's will; that a true democracy must tolerate opposing points of view or it is just a dictatorship of the majority. Finally, that a citizen who believes his or her government to be in the wrong has the right to protest through peaceful civil disobedience, when other means of redress have been exhausted.

Perhaps even more appropriate is the following: "Anger and resentment can stop you in your tracks. That's what I know now. It needs nothing to burn but the air and the life that it swallows and smothers. It's real though, the fury, even when it isn't. It can change you, turn you, mold you and shape you into something you're not. The only upside of anger then, is the person you become, hopefully someone that wakes up one day and realizes they're not afraid of its journey. Someone that knows that the truth is, at best, a partially told story. That anger, like growth, comes in spurts and fits and in its wake leaves a new chance of acceptance and the promise of calm".

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Buy it for the DVD not the book.......2006-05-23

s someone who has researched the Kent State shootings for thirty some years, I bought this to keep current with the literature on the topic. Having spent hundreds and hundreds of hours in archives and with the FBI files, I don't expect many new Kent State insights from popular literature. But, with almost all the books I really like on Kent State out of print, I was hoping for a book I could recommend to others. Being a great fan of "Rumor of War," I expected Caputo to use his excellent story-telling skills to bring people closer to the horrors of that day.

Unfortunately, on page 15, I discovered what would become a pattern with this book: sloppy research and/or a careless disregard for basic facts. On page 15, Caputo is discussing the Weatherman when he mentions "Bill Flanagan." Bill Flanagan? Caputo must mean the Weatherman Brian Flanagan, not Bill Flanagan. Maybe just one little error.

But on p. 32, Caputo tells us that the "Porter County coroner had opened an inquiry into the four deaths." Porter County? Where's Porter County? What Caputo meant was PORTAGE County.

On p. 68, Caputo tells us that Jeff Miller transferred to Kent State in January 1970 from the University of Michigan. But he didn't. Jeff transferred from Michigan State University. And don't tell any MSU grad that it's the same as U of M. (Or vice versa.)

Because of silly errors like the above, it's impossible to trust the information that Caputo presents. On p. 48, he says that "a couple of students suffered minor bayonet wounds" on Saturday night. If this is true, it is big news. But Caputo has given me no reason to believe it's true. Instead, I believe he's referencing the students who were bayoneted on Sunday, not Saturday, night. And that is not news at all.

Needless to say, I am very disappointed in this book. It appears to have been done quickly and haphazardly, solely to provide a book to accompany the "Kent State: The Day The War Came Home" DVD. This excellent DVD will give anyone interested in the shootings a good overview and understanding of what happened on May 4, 1970. I give the book two stars because the price of the book and DVD, combined, is more than reasonable for the DVD alone. But, if you read the book, be suspicious of facts contained therein. Until you have verified them with other sources, I would discourage you from citing them as truth.

Lastly, while I have not yet studied the chronology (which takes up about half the book), I expect it to be helpful in pinpointing dates of certain events. But my needs regarding Kent State materials differ dramatically from what most individuals will want. Anyone seriously interested in Kent State would have benefited from an index but, alas, Caputo has not provided one.

13 Seconds at Kent State University on May 4, 1970........2006-05-22

Caputo does a great job of showing the divisiveness in U.S. society during the sixties and early seventies. At a peaceful Midwest campus in Ohio, a series of actions results in an escalation that leads to the murder of four students and the injury of nine others by Ohio National Guardsmen.

First off, Caputo shows the trashing of the town of Kent on May 1, and the subsequent firebombing of the ROTC building at Kent State escalated peaceful protests to a new level and resulted in the call out of the Ohio National Guard. The blame for this goes to those students who performed these tasks. The students also assaulted firemen attempting to extinguish the ROTC building blaze.

When the Ohio National Guard was called onto campus, the students were surprised. Well if you trash a town ($15,000 worth of windows broken) and burn down a building, you shouldn't be surprised if the government responds in kind. When the Guardsmen attempt to stop a protest meeting on May 4, 1970, rocks are thrown at them and they are verbally abused. These actions are a slap in the face to the guardsmen. They are the ones with loaded weapons. One has to wonder what these students were thinking. Ultimately, the eight Ohio guardsmen were responsible for killing four and wounding nine. These men committed murder, but the students were responsible for causing the situation to develop.

This short book has a good summary of the actions that led to the killings. The DVD enclosed with the book is excellent. Both the DVD and book give an overall picture of what happened on May 4, 1970.

Core Archery: Shooting With Proper Back Tension

Average customer rating:

Strating of right

Core Archery: Shooting With Proper Back Tension
Larry Wise
Manufacturer: Target Communications Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Backache | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Archery | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0913305189

Customer Reviews:

Strating of right.......2007-06-14

An excellent book that should be "compulsory" reading for any person serious about archery. If I read the book when I started archery I would not have had to unlearn the many bad habits I learnt or have been taught over the past three years.

A clear and practical step by step guide to get any serious archer in shooting his best shot.

Average customer rating:

Missing the forest for the trees.
Historical, more than practical
Applegate Updated
Did not care for it.
Tactical Firing Solution

Bullseyes Don't Shoot Back
Rex Applegate , and Michael Janich
Manufacturer: Paladin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Shooting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0873649575

Book Description

Learn why point shooting is the most practical technique for aiming and shooting a handgun in a real gunfight. This instructional guide teaches you how and when to use point shooting, compares it to two-handed sighted fire and tells how a major police training facility is teaching point shooting with stunning results.

Customer Reviews:

Missing the forest for the trees........2007-08-06

Although I agree with much of what the authors say, I also believe they fall into the same trap they accuse the "gurus" of, and alternate between valid points and contradictory statements:

1. Gun "gurus" are wrong to emphasize two-handed sighted fire.
2. "Realistic combat shooting technique is a continuum which ranges from extreme close range body point firing to two-handed sighted fire techniques."
3. You should emphasize one-handed point shooting.

A better approach would have been to emphasize statement #2 and then show the benefits of one-handed point shooting without trying to make it sound like the "holy grail" of combat shooting.

Overall a good book that is worth your time to read. If nothing else, it gives some historical perspective on the evolution of combat shooting and offers old/new ideas for consideration.

Historical, more than practical.......2006-03-25

The book is a classic in tactical shooting, and of interest on that account.

As far as practical information goes, it's sensible and clearly presented, although repetitious. The old photos are often unclear, and more sketches or photos, giving more detail, would be welcome.

I'd advise anyone to borrow the book, rather than buy it.

Applegate Updated.......2005-07-08

This book updates the close quarter handgun firing section of "Kill or Get Killed." Point shooting has a couple of advantages over using the sights. Focus on the sights psychologically removes the shooter from the gun fight and can increase accuracy--but the human eye can focus on only one thing at a time. Fratricide (shooting brother police officers) is one of the pitfalls of using your sights. You need target focus if you are to identify your target--and know what your target is doing at the moment you shot. Sight focus is important beyond 25 feet--this varies between people--and target focus is vital at ten feet or less. Most gunfights take place at close range because criminal activity is an anti-social social activity. The book, "Body Language" explains the distances for social interaction and how you can fool almost anybody at 25 feet, but have a lot of trouble doing so at 4 feet. Most of the police officers who died from bullet injuries in the line of duty were shot from distances of less than ten feet--often, by other police officers. Memorizing the grooves in your front sight instead of looking for body language clues when your enemy is close enough to touch is losing situational awareness--you'd have shot already if your target was doing something that justified shooting! The uncertain nature of close quarter encounters is why point shooting must be part of the skill set possessed by every soldier, law enforcement officer, and armed private citizen. Today's handguns have better sights--so low light, stress-induced visual impairment, and the effects of getting a face full of tear gas don't have the same effect as when armed with a M1911A1 issued in 1942. Point shooting is quick to learn, and point shooting skills don't decay as rapidly as using the sights.

It's a choice between target focus and front sight focus. Up close--target focus. At a distance--front sight focus.

Applegate's choice of the Glock automatic may surprise some--he chose that pistol for its grip angle and reliable functioning. Many ranges won't permit the use of Vector "low temperature tracer" ammunition because of a perceived fire hazard--in some areas, all tracer ammunition is prohibited. I don't recall Applegate recommending the use of AirSoft guns (with their low-velocity brightly colored plastic projectiles), but the projectile can be observed and corrections made in grip and trigger control when tracers are impractical.

Fairbairn and Sykes taught Applegate to fire "bursts" in order to make up for the low power of pistol bullets. The two British police officers were using the .45 automatic with full metal jacketed bullets fighting crime in Shanghai about 80 years ago. Applegate developed the two-shot burst as a fire discipline tool--there's a tendancy to shoot only one time and gape when the target doesn't fall down. There's another problem brought on by "cold ranges" (guns only loaded for a firing string, then loaded and cleared upon command) -- the trainee is trained to empty the magazine each time a target is presented. This creates two problems: fifteen or sixteen bullets go down range in a gun fight regardless of what the target does (the law enforcement officer is concentrating on keeping front sight on target blur) and the shooter now has an empty gun.

Point shooting isn't a cure-all. Point shooting is an effective answer to a limited tactical problem. Ignoring point shooting just because you cannot hit a six-inch bull's eye at 500 feet with the technique ignores the fact than most deadly force encounters are within 10 feet and totally ignores the human factors.

"Bullseyes Don't Shoot Back" is an excellent primer for point shooting. Get Rex Applegate's video, "Shooting for Keeps" as a companionn to the book. Don't neglect fire using your pistol sights, but practice point shooting.

Did not care for it........2005-06-05

The text repeats the same thoughts over and over. I was disappointed in the book. There are much better choices.

Tactical Firing Solution.......2003-11-24

I am a recent convert to Applegate.

I have been shooting for some time now, with limited results using frontsite focus, controlled breathing, squeeze trigger, be surprised when the round goes off, blah, blah, blah. The problem is...way to much fine motor skill required. When our heart rate goes to 145 bpm ie adrenilin dump, we enter the gross motor skill zone. All the fine motor skill crap will go out the window...Weaver, Chapmann, Iscosoles, all of it, unless you train for hundreds of hours to create 'muscle memory'. Most of us just don't have time, we will go to gross motor skills, as will most of the 'Experts'.

That's Applegates entire premise, and he is a true WW II combat expert, what is old, is now new, plus it could save your life!

I tried Point Shooting yesterday, fired 250 rounds at 45 feet (beyond the 30' range accuracy of point shooting), it works -BUY THIS BOOK!

Customer Reviews:

Image Text.......2000-03-29

Shooting Back is a wonderful book of images taken by homeless children. The images are photographic stories told by these children "in their own words". The tables are turned on traditional images of homelessness as the children themselves define the area in which they live and the content of their lives. The result is a moving collection of images of homelessness that challenge dominant modes of visualizing poverty and homelessness.

Shooting Back from the Reservation: A Photographic View of Life by Native American Youth

Average customer rating:

Reservation life as captured by the young residents

Shooting Back from the Reservation: A Photographic View of Life by Native American Youth

Manufacturer: New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1565842065

Book Description

In Shooting Back from the Reservation, Native American children have photographed their daily lives, working with Jim Hubbard and his Shooting Back organization. 150 of these pictures are reproduced in rich duotones, complemented by the powerful prose and poetry of the children. This book offers an unrivaled opportunity to see and read about community and family within different tribes: the interiors of homes and playgrounds, and the natural splendor of the environment, as well as the man-made eyesores surrounding and texturing the reservations.

Customer Reviews:

Reservation life as captured by the young residents.......2006-06-11

This book is a collection of photos taken on Indian reservations around the country. They depict aspects of the lives of the residents that we hear about but never see. You can see some of the features of the poverty on the reservations, but most of what you see is children at play having a lot of fun. The Shooting Back Project puts cameras in the hands of children so what is unique about these photos is that children took them. The quality is higher than you would expect from children whose ages are measured in the lower double digits. They show us the world of a reservation child from the perspective of a reservation child.
All of the photos are in black and white, yet they reveal a colorful side of life on the reservations of America. They empower the photographers and send a strong message to the viewer.

Firing Back: A Clear, Simple Guide to Defending Your Constitutional Right to Bear Arms

Average customer rating:

Self Defense is a Civil Right
It is so accurate, I couldn't put it down
A clearly-written guide to gun policy & activism

Firing Back: A Clear, Simple Guide to Defending Your Constitutional Right to Bear Arms
Clayton E. Cramer
Manufacturer: Krause Pubns Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Armed America: The Remarkable Story of How and Why Guns Became as American as Apple Pie

ASIN: 087341344X

Customer Reviews:

Self Defense is a Civil Right.......2007-08-22

The purpose of this book is to aid a person in answering questions about the right to keep and bear arms. You can compare the arguments and the facts (p.4). The author wants a society that is more peaceful and free. Chapter 1 explains why self-defense benefits society (p.9). Cramer learned how the corporate media lies about "gun control". Chapter 2 tells how people don't change their minds because of a sole event but because of experiences in the real world. Well-written letters can affect elected officials (p.11). He gives practical advice. [It is best to write a letter, then rewrite it the next day. You will think of changes. Review and rewrite on the third day and finish.] Page 16 gives good advice on a letter to the editor, and about personal responses (p.17). Cramer discusses local organizing (p.18). Those costs can be eliminated by keeping it informal with a low overhead.

Cramer explains the advantage of joining the National Rifle Association. [It is a large group that is responsible to its members who elect their leaders. Unlike the "Gun Control" lobbies.] His advice on good manners is excellent (pp.22-24)! Chapter 3 has excellent advice on discussing topics. Cramer's comments are correct (p.34), but he doesn't mention corporate bias. Are newspapers always accurate? Chapter 4 is one of the most important. Reading a book on Classical Logic will help you evaluate reports in the media, such as news shows. Page 41 omits any mention of the "appeal to ignorance", often used in advertising. Page 44 tells about the trick of responding to a question with another question. [Some radio talk shows are skilled in distracting a caller. Just make a note on what you want to say and refer back to your topic when the host jumps to another topic. Consider the possible responses and your answers.] Chapter 5 explains why crime statistics are not 100% correct, and surveys are sometimes designed to get the results desired by the person paying for the survey (p.54). Chapter 6 tells why statistics from other countries are often flawed (p.63). Cramer provides data on the murder rates among different groups (p.68). He shows what was overlooked; some groups in Seattle had a lower homicide rate than in Vancouver (p.72). America's higher murder rates are balanced against higher suicide rates and repressive laws in other countries (pp.74-75). Those stories about "Children and Guns" are mostly cooked up (p.87).

Chapter 8 tells why the true aim of "Handgun Control Inc." is ban all handguns. Who was its founder (p.90)? Does that explain its influence with the new media? Registration doesn't solve crimes (p.95), it is only for confiscation (p.91). That Haynes decision isn't "crazy", it merely proves that registration won't stop criminals (p.98). Registering bullets has problems (p.101). Chapter 9 discusses the "cost benefit analysis" argument. Who benefits from a loss of rights? Cramer exposes the false story about restrictions on handguns in Washington DC (pp.119-122). The murder rate skyrocketed once you adjust the murders for the population (fewer people result in fewer murders). That story about the dangers of a gun in the house was concocted (p.125). King county (Seattle and suburbs) has one of the highest suicide rates in the country. Guns in the home prevent crimes such as home invasion robberies. Page 143 explains how misinformation in the media works. High capacity magazines can save lives (p.144). Chapter 11 explains why gun prohibition won't work. Both guns (p.151) and ammunition (p.153) are easily manufactured. There could be unintended consequences (p.154).

Chapter 12 discusses Constitutional rights. Gun Control advocates don't read the court decisions they claim for their support (p.159). The Bill of Rights protects Americans from state laws that deny fundamental rights (p.162). He explains "US vs Miller" so you can understand this decision. Chapter 13 says "it can't happen here" as long as citizens are well-armed. The Second Amendment is not about hunting. The right to self-defense is a human right (Chapter 14). You can't depend on the government. Violence against minorities has often occurred when local governments ignored these crimes (p.184). "Shall issue" laws have lowered murder rates (p.185). There is a short chapter on "The Media" (Chapter 15). Journalists are generalists who have to write for a general audience, they don't have the time and interest for technical details (p.188). Violent programming on television may be the main cause of increasing violence in society (pp.189-190). Don't expect the corporate media to change a policy that brings them millions (p.191). Journalists, like other employees, know the corporate rules and may have a biased outlook. Confusion about the word "semi-automatic" can be eliminated by using "self-loading". Chapter 16 recommends a number of books for further reading.

It is so accurate, I couldn't put it down.......1999-04-07

This book is an excellent way to inform oneself of their constitutional rights and arguments to win any gun debate. I recommend it with all my heart. It exposes the dirty tricks of the anti-firearm statistacs that gun control advocates have used. It also tells you the honest to god truth behind guns in america. If you haven't read this book and own a firearm you don't know the half of the damage that gun control advocates have done to the publics view on gun owners. I urge you to read this and have a accurate information explain to people the truth about guns in america.

A clearly-written guide to gun policy & activism.......1997-10-16

The first part of the book is a short guide to gun rights activism, with advice on how to write letters to newspapers and elected officials, and other tips for activists. The much larger portion of the book covers various policy topics (for example, public health, crime statistics, various frauds perpetrated by anti-gun and pro-gun advocates). The information is presented in a clear, straightforward writing style, thoroughly supported by endnotes and other documentation. Thus, Firing Back is great one-volume source to help you write letters to the editor, educate your co-workers or friends about the gun issue, and turn yourself into a more informed citizen. Review by Dave Kopel, Independence Institute, http://i2i.org.

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13 Seconds: A Look Back at the Kent State Shootings
Philip Caputo
Manufacturer: Chamberlain Bros.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O7L8AK

Country inns and back roads: Including some castles, pensions, country houses, chateaux, farmhouses, shooting lodges, chalets, villas, and small hotels

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Country inns and back roads: Including some castles, pensions, country houses, chateaux, farmhouses, shooting lodges, chalets, villas, and small hotels
Norman T Simpson
Manufacturer: Berkshire Traveller Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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