Street E&E:
 | Street E & E: Evading, Escaping, and Other Ways to Save Your Ass When Things Get Ugly author: Marc Animal MacYoung rating:  asin: 0873647432 binding: Paperback list price: $20.00 USD amazon price: $15.60 USD |
How many times have you heard someone say, or even said it yourself, “If someone gets nasty with me, I’ll just run away!”
Animal’s writing style is witty, his attitude is sarcastic and he is above all, practical. His website, No Nonsense Self Defense.com is a wonderful resource of good stuff but I got free video! Hah! This book is obviously for the young ones that can still run but even though I am too old to run much, I still have things to teach and this is one of them. Have fun with it.
On page 10 we get:
“Now, once again I have to say the immortal words. You can recite them along with me if you want:
1) There ain’t no gurantees in a fight;
2) I don’t know everything there is about fighting - nobody does;
3) It’s awareness that will keep you alive out there and
4) If something in this book doesn’t work for you, toss it out. Remember, it’s your ass, Cochise, you say when.”
We also get his unique take on why run away:
“The essence of street escape and evasion [is] you’re not fleeing; you’re staying alive long enough to be able to turn the tables.”
~ Animal, page 7
Chapter One: Those Oh-So-Intimate Moments gives us the definitions of nine angles of attack, some funny stories, how to use the nine angles to dodge an attack, more funny stories, why you need to practice with a friend, balance stability and stance integrity and, and, oh yes, more funny stories! Oh hell, the whole book is filled with funny stories and amusing references. I won’t mention it again. And that’s a solid maybe!
Chapter two: Up Close and Personal builds on the nine angles to teach us a system of practical defense, including blocks, checks and slap blocks and parries. Not perfect martial arts blocks but what really tends to work.
He also includes tips on how to fight as a unit for two or more people, how to fight against a group or a gang, and what is the absolutely best target to destroy to end the fight without a lot of leagal repercusions.
Chapter Three: Hasta La Vista, Baby involves how to actually run away. It is full of good tips especially if you run into an alley with a 6’ brick wall at the end. Or a fence. Did you know you can actually run over a fence? Animal tells you how. Why you should not run away from the police is in here too.
Buggin out, Chapter Four, is the famous instructions on how to run with the cars! That is, how to cross a street full of cars to make your escape. And more tricks. And more funny stories too!
Chapter Five: Thinnin’ the Herd is all about how to use your escape and evasion tactics, how to use cars, gates and hedges so as to string your pursuers out in a long line so you only have to actually fight the lead guy. The use of found weapons is also discussed.
Chapter Six: Disappearing is a discussion about how to hide, especially from a pursuer. Hiding skills like breaking silouette, use of shadows, not looking at your hunter and thinking ‘hiding thoughts’ and others are all discussed, in detail.
Chapter Seven: Big League Fox and Hound expands into the realm of being hunted by a determined (criminal) group or gang who has a contract out on your life.
Though very few of you reading this will ever have to fear such a thing, it is a good read about how to become lost totally off the radar. And how to stay lost. This is the new ID, leave your friends and home stage of disappearance and is costly and lonely.
Bush League Fox and Hound, Chapter Eight is about being hunted by someone but it is not so serious that you have to leave town and change your name. The methods discussed are also directly applicable to a more ordinary and common scenario, the stalker. Whether it is a deranged co-worker or an ex with low esteem problems, being able to see him before he sees you and to slide out of his range before he sees you is very useful.
Chapter Nine: Making It in the Boomtown is all about taking a stroll on the wild side. If you must enjoy an evening of strip joints, low life bars and honky tonks, then Animal has some great advice for you And it all starts with his words:
“In the Boomtown, you never know when the shit is going down, so always plan for it.”
Though he goes into greater detail in another of his books, the topic is covered well enough to save your life if you wander out where there be dragons.
