Day by Day Armageddon: Required Reading for any Survivalist

What? A book review? Exactly. Though, not any old book – this series is in a class of their own, and we’ll tell you why it would be required reading if “Survivalism” or “Security 101” ever became official classes.

“Day by Day Armageddon” is pretty much exactly what is sounds like – it’s a zombie apocalypse tale, seen from the perspective of an Air Force officer who decides not to report in when the world falls to pieces. He’s not a deserter – his base is destroyed, and when the zombies roam the cities and streets, he has no choice but to keep his head above water on his own.

Who the H*** is J.L.Bourne?

The “Day by Day Armageddon” books are written as the diary of a USAF officer, detailing the experiences he goes through in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, finding food and shelter, scavenging supplies, rescuing other survivors and in turn being rescued by them, and struggling in the tug-of-war between what appears to be opposing factions, trying for the throne in a ruined world.

The books are technical at times, especially when it comes to weapons and tactics, and the use of military equipment. The officer is a disciplined officer who is meticulous in his notes and in recording the details of his methods, and at times, the books read like pure survival handbooks – with zombies as a bonus. Which is always nice, in our opinion.

J.L. Bourne is, in fact, a USAF officer, having served in Iraq and other places, has been awarded several medals and have logged over 60 missions over Iraq alone. This guy knows what he’s doing. Those of you who’ve watched Top Gun might think that “flyboys” are only trained to sit behind the controls of planes, but that’s not entirely accurate. The US Air Force has their own Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school, where airmen are taught everything from basic survival, to the psychology of survival and vehicle maintenance and repair, among a whole range of other things. Bourne is actually very well qualified to write a survival book – and when he decides to throw in a few million zombies… all the better!

Why You Should Read it:

We’re not crazy about the hardcore survivalist movement. Paranoia never helped anyone, and keeping some sense of moderation about everything is really the key to be able to function in society. An example, you say? Well… building your own bunker and stocking it with basic survival gear is fine. Building your own bunker in the middle of the woods, then stocking up on guns in order to fight off law enforcement would be bad.

Knowing what to do in case a disaster occurs, however, can be vital to your survival, and the survival of your family. These books will not only entertain you, but virtually every page contains tips that will help you get through a lot of difficulties that can pop up, not only if the world is overrun by the undead, but als in case of natural disaster, “regular” war, terrorist attacks etc.

What is the shelf life of batteries? How do you use Night Vision Goggles correctly? What can you use to purify water you think might be contaminated? What should you look for in a makeshift shelter? How to drive a tank… well, that last one is probably unlikely, but still – you’ll know, right?

Whether you’re a survivalist or not, whether you’re security minded or not, these are hands down some of the best zombie apocalypse books we’ve read, and we’ve seen some of them… Security, survival tips & tricks, military insight and zombies, all in one package. From a genuine USAF officer. It just doesn’t get any better than that, does it?