One Second After - William R. Forstchen

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

The novel deals with an unexpected electromagnetic pulse(EMP) attack on the United States as it affects the people living in and around the town of Black Mountain, North Carolina.

I just finished reading this, it's not a comfy catastrophe type book. There were very few people prepared for this type of event across the US.

After an EMP, there is no mains electricity, no back up power, no generators, no solar, no inverters, nothing. your mobile phone and your landline will be dead, even your battery power watch will stop at the exact moment of the pulse.

The dieoff starts one second after the pulse with ICU patients and continues down the scale of required care. Type 1 diabetics... Without refrigeration there is no insulin. The main character has a diabetic daughter, 12 years old and she requires almost daily insulin.
How far would you go to stop a loved one dying?

Recommended reading.

[adam2]

Agree, highly recomended.
I read it a while ago and have since loaned my copy to several friends, one of whom has become very doomerish and now prepares better for any future disaster.

[energy-village]

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll look into it.

http://www.DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.co.uk/gp/product/0765 ... -1&seller=

[adam2]

This book does not seem to be easily ordered from high street bookstores, I bought a copy on ebay easily enough.
Worth considering.

[emordnilap]

Abe Books is usually my first port of call. I haven't been let down yet.

DODGY TAX AVOIDERS? Schmamazon.

[Ballard]

I read it, not so great, try J G Ballard instead.

[tpals]

I read it, not so great, try J G Ballard instead.

A relative?

[adam2]

Worth reviving this old thread to state that two sequels are now available.
"One second after" is followed by "one year after" and then by "the final day"
Both are well worth reading IMHO. Very cheerful

[kenneal - lagger]

I was having an email conversation with a friend about how we were getting on with Covid and she said "Well your farm is designed for just this sort of thing, isn't it." It's heartening when people recognise that your efforts have been worthwhile. She worked for us part time a few years ago and is now living in France and looking for a piece of land with a house to do what we have been doing.

[BritDownUnder]

I liked the first part of the first book that I found online yesterday.

I would be interested to know what people on the forum think would make a good Faraday Cage?

I have often thought this would be a good weapon to attack Australia - possibly by China or Russia as it would disable a wide area but cause little destruction to the resources of the country. Let's hope the US and even the UK have a suitable response strategy ready to employ.

[adam2]

A basic faraday cage need not be complex, any container made entirely of metal and with close fitting doors, lids or other openings should serve. To guard against any EMP leaking in via small gaps around the doors or lids, I would place vulnerable items in a secondary small faraday cage within the larger container.
I use metal biscuit tins placed within a metal filing cabinet. Aluminum foil wrapping of items that are then placed in a metal cupboard is another possibility.

Remember other hazards such as fire, flood, and building collapse as well. Most modern electronic gadgets are not worth saving as they will be of little use without the internet and other infrastructure.
More important are radios, both standard broadcast receivers and two way radio equipment. LEDs, LED lamps, and rectifier diodes are also worth stocking in an EMP resistant store.

[BritDownUnder]

Thanks for the advice. A filing cabinet was obtained for free today from a facebook advert and it is intended to place it within a fully metal shed. Biscuit tins are surprisingly hard to find second hand so I will have to develop a liking for biscuits quite soon. I have been thinking about getting a ham radio for a while and will have to look out some of my multimeters and battery chargers to go in the filing cabinet.

[adam2]

That sounds good, neither a metal shed nor a filing cabinet will give complete protection due to the risk of leakage around doors or other openings.
A metal filing cabinet within a metal shed should be fine.

[UndercoverElephant]

I have recently read this. Thought it was a badly written pile of trash. Might or might not be realistic - I have no idea what is going to happen in the US, and have trouble understanding current events so have nothing to predict about their future. I just thought the writing was poor and the book was jarring to read.

[adam2]

I rather liked it, though tastes and preferences vary.