"One Second After" a scary must read!

[Capt Steve]

Just finished reading "One Second After" by William Forstchen. It tells the story of America following a nuclear blast in the atmosphere that generates a devastating "EMP" (Electromagnetic pulse), that destroys every piece of electronics in the country. No power, communications of any kind, the total loss of technology resulting in a complete break down of society. The story's focus is on a small town in North Carolina and its inhabitants as they struggle for survival.

It is grim reading to be sure but a must read for every American. I defy anyone to put the book down after more than a few pages. Very well written but keep the big box of Kleenex handy as the author will rip your heart out and feed it to you over and over again.

 

[duckloads]

I've heard about the massive EMP's. we all need to get a car with points/condenser ignition and a carburetor. I rember how to set points and tune a carb.

 

[GatorFarmer]

In the Congressional report on EMP, around page 200 something if I recall, there's information regarding actual testing of EMP effects on vehicles. Up through the 2004 model year, 90 percent of the vehicles tested would still run. At worst, they'd need to be restarted or have other problems but still be operable. Thus I didn't get that far into reading "One Second After" since it bugged me. Yes, the grid can be shut down, but cars, generators, and other things won't necessarily be knocked out and certainly not everywhere. The 90 percent, fatality wise, figure for life without power in the United States last came up during Y2K hysteria and seems repeated in the book. The usual source given back then was an old 1960s Rand corporation study or report of some sort. Given that the survival rate was much, much higher in Sarajevo when the system was greatly disrupted (which was a cosmopolitan, urban society), that number seems high.

I peaked to the end of the book after skimming it. I found myself wondering who was servicing all those vehicles - Bradleys etc, where the ammo came from and how they'd have been transported from Central Asia if ports and such, as well as global shipping, were badly disrupted.

 

[Onomea]

What if the electricity suddenly went out? One nuclear warhead detonated high above North America would produce a shockwave powerful enough to knock out the entire electric grid and all electronic devices. Not just temporarily because the system was overloaded, but permanently because the circuits were fried.

Ever heard of Electromagnetic pulse, or EMP? Probably not, unless you’re a nuclear weapons expert.....

The Nightmare No One In America Sees Coming

 

[ArcticFox]

I don't think the exact scenario of TEOTWAWKI is as important as understanding what might happen as a society deteriorates. From this book I realized how important medical issues are. Any run on prescriptions will cause many people to go without whether we have electricity or not. We have stocked up on sovereign silver, etc., and prescription meds out of our own pockets (beyond what our ins pays for). Also the proliferation of gangs in this book is a heads-up to those who prepare for the worst. Have a plan B that includes others for the strength in numbers.

 

[gregintenn]

I'm currently reading "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. If you really want the crap scared out of you, pick up a copy of it.

 

[venomballistics]

What if the electricity suddenly went out? One nuclear warhead detonated high above North America would produce a shockwave powerful enough to knock out the entire electric grid and all electronic devices. Not just temporarily because the system was overloaded, but permanently because the circuits were fried.


Ever heard of Electromagnetic pulse, or EMP? Probably not, unless you’re a nuclear weapons expert.....

The Nightmare No One In America Sees Coming

I dabble in electronics.
complex integrated circuits will snuff it, kiss your computer goodbye.
discrete transistors vary in susceptibility some of this equipment will survive.
good old vac tubes like those found in legendary amps like the Marshall JCM 800, and the vintage fenders will prove that you cant stop rock and roll.

 

[mike from st pete]

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven
Is the most well thought out end of the world novel I've ever read. A comet hits the earth just after calving over the Pacific Ocean. Things are pretty well wrecked from there. Many good survival issues are discussed.

 

[BarbC]

I'm currently reading "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. If you really want the crap scared out of you, pick up a copy of it.

I'm re-reading 1984. Scarier.

 

[dmar]

I'm re-reading 1984. Scarier.

I think we are beginning to live "1984..."

 

[P&R Fan]

My 2 cents worth. Read (or better yet watch the movies)" Fail Safe" and the original "On the Beach". Apparently people were really scared of nukes in the 60's. I don't know cause I was born in '65.

 

[oldogy]

I think we are beginning to live "1984..."

We're well into it.
oldogy

 

[Faulkner]

I peaked to the end of the book after skimming it. I found myself wondering who was servicing all those vehicles - Bradleys etc, where the ammo came from and how they'd have been transported from Central Asia if ports and such, as well as global shipping, were badly disrupted.

I'm thinking maybe you might should have considered actually reading the book. Pretty much everything you wondered about was covered.

Another good book with a similar premis was Alas Babylon, written in the late '50's. Still in print and a very good read.

 

[Capt Steve]

Whether you buy EMP as a viable threat as described in the book or not (I certainly do), the description of the societal breakdown seemed real enough to scare the pants off me. The issues of food, medicine, the elimination of essential governmental services that we so take for granted are detailed in frightening detail. It made me stop and painfully reevaluate how prepared I am to deal with any major disaster that could cause such a breakdown. While you cannot prepare for every eventuality I am going to take some serious proactive steps to be better prepared.

I will stockpile more food, medicine, cash in small denominations and of course ammo. I'll be adding a few tools, a generator and better communications equipment to increase my independence. I say again, a very good read, definitely worth your time as it will give you a lot to think about.

 

[godlessgael]

We're well into it.
oldogy

I think Brave New World by Huxley is much closer to the current reality than 1984, although both are scary.

http://www.recombinantrecords.net/images/2009-05-Amusing-Ourselves-to-Death.png

 

[gizamo]

The TV series Jericho is about this type of subject...you can still find it online..

 

[therevjay]

EMP is a serious issue that the US military has consistantly ignored. Russian military field radios still have tubes. This is NOT because the Russians are incapable of produceing solid state commo equip.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

My Science Fiction club had a fellow with a background in the power industry speak to us on this subject. Were such an even to happen...
Welcome to say 1900 because that's about where we'd be.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I'm thinking maybe you might should have considered actually reading the book. Pretty much everything you wondered about was covered.

Another good book with a similar premis was Alas Babylon, written in the late '50's. Still in print and a very good read.

I bought a copy tonight after being assured that I could swap it for store credit if I wanted to.

If I remember right, the same author did the pretty good "Lost Regiment" series years ago.

 

[GatorFarmer]

EMP is a serious issue that the US military has consistantly ignored. Russian military field radios still have tubes. This is NOT because the Russians are incapable of produceing solid state commo equip.

Not entirely ignored. "An EMP cannot be produced efficiently in ionised (electrically conducting) air, as that literally shorts out the EMP very quickly" was the most succinct quote that I could find on the subject from a site devoted to such. There's a project called HAARP that conspiracy theorists love to speculate on, but which really does do some things (admitted to in open sources) that would lead someone to believe that part of what it does (whatever else it does) is to offer a shield against the effects of deliberately high altitude detonations intended to cause damage via EMP.

The Russian had well know KISS fixes that were widely dissemenated and thus spoken of. American efforts at amelioration are less well known.

Anyway, an online story called "Lights Out" by, I think his handle was "half fast" or something, beat "One Second After" to the plotline by five years or so and is freely found online.