Book Review: Joe Nobody's "The Home-Schooled Shootist"

     Many of you will be familiar with Joe Nobody, but just in case you're unacquainted with this Everyman, he expresses all those thoughts and "politically incorrect" questions you have about Big Brother.  He also has a collection of informative and "How To" books that should be in every preppers library.  Joe has asked me to review his book, The Home Schooled Shootist: Training to Fight With a Carbine.  This latest book is an instruction guide for intermediate to advanced shooters, and since I don't feel adequately qualified to give my opinion on such a subject, I thought I would invite my very first guest writer to offer his insight on the book.  
     I have asked my husband, Peace-Loving Warrior, (who is incidentally, quite a shooter, himself) to give an honest review from an experienced shooter.  Here is PLW's critique:

     Before giving you my unbiased opinion on this book, I feel I should give you some credentials, and tell you why Belle felt I was qualified to give you my assessment.
     I just wrapped up a 3-day Advanced Carbine Course with Travis Haley, formally the front man for Magpul Industries, the premiere firearms designer.  He now runs his own gig, called Haley Strategic Partners.  I spent three mentally and physically challenging days learning how to manipulate my carbine under every stress situation imaginable.
     Along with the other handgun and carbine training classes I've taken, I think I'm a pretty good judge as to whether an instruction guide is legitimate and useful for the reader.  So in keeping with an outlaw theme, I'm going to present my opinion as The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

     The Good.  There is a lot to like about Joe's book.  The reader can tell that Joe has poured out his fountain of knowledge and experience in a sincere effort to get those who are awake up to speed on their skills and training.  Joe starts off this guide with a powerful statement, which if taken to heart, may be the most important mission statement in the entire book:  "This book is about dominating in a gunfight."  
     Joe gets to the point and tells the truth.  His book is really about setting a baseline from which untrained shooters can assess where they are on a scale of skill levels.  This is done through a series of various drills.  After all, how can you improve, if you don't know where your baseline is?
     This book is very comprehensive and informative.  To go into detail about all the drills would be exhaustive, but they are all helpful and instructive.  So let's just talk about generalities, OK?  If you purchase this book, here's what you will learn on your way to becoming a formidable gunfighter:
1.    The OODA Loop - if this is new lingo to you, purchase this book!
2.    Natural Point of Aim
3.    Weak and Strong Hand Shooting
4.    Mag reloads and "immediate action drills" (Joe teaches some fantastic drills in Chapter 3.  If you don't know how to run your gun, then get this book!
5.    Equipment Checklist
6.    Stance - Grip - Sight Picture and Trigger
7.    Zeroing and Dry Firing
8.    Barriers & Corners
9.    Ballistics of the 5.56
10.  Reloading the 5.56

     This is just a taste of what you will learn.  Will it make you a better gunfighter?  Well, my friend, that's up to you.  Will you be willing to find the time to train, and improve, and commit his drills and actions to muscle memory?  If the answer is "yes", then get this book.  In all honesty, this isn't a book to read and leave stored in your hard drive.  To really learn from it, this book will take effort and training on your part.

The Bad.   I've read other reviews of this book, and they see it as a replacement for real training.  But I strongly disagree.  This opinion doesn't reflect on Joe or his book, but when a gunfight starts, you will only be as good as your training.  If that training is not committed to muscle memory, and you are stuck in your adversary's OODA loop; then you, my friend, are in trouble.  So get some qualified, professional training, and add Joe's drills to your routines and range sessions.  This book is a great addendum to your training regimen.

The Ugly.  OK, this may be unimportant to most people, but I'm not wild about the cover of this book.  As a prepper, I can appreciate Joe's target audience.  But this book is a legitimate guide and cross-over book --- both preppers and shooters have much to gain from Joe's base of knowledge.  For me, the cartoonish aspect of the cover minimizes the important information within.  But, hey, maybe it's just me.
     So, all in all, I give Joe five stars on content, and three on the cover art.  To sum it up .... Get this book!

Proverbs 15:31-32       "If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.  If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. "