Hello, world! 

I haven’t written about books in a LONG time, but I love books.  I love reading and I have a particular fondness for post-apocalyptic literature.  Recently, one of my besties who also shares my love of science fiction recommended this book to me.  She has excellent taste in books, so I knew it would be good.

The book is One Second After by William R. Forstchen.

I don’t usually write reviews, so bear with me.  This book is based on the aftermath of a terrorist strike against the U.S.  After an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) strike, the residents of a small town in North Carolina are forced to make tough decisions to protect their town and care for their residents while managing the long-term consequences of an EMP strike.  The simple act of eliminating our very complicated power/electrical grid sends the world back into the dark ages and proves how very unprepared we are as a society to survive outside of the technology bubble we’ve created for ourselves.

I don’t want to detail the book much more than that because I’m notorious for giving away too much.  I will say this is the first book I’ve read of this genre that has ever made me feel like a real and true apocalypse could occur in our lifetime.  It was both brilliant and terrifying at the same time.  It felt so real to me that I kept thinking, “Oh shit, what would we do if the power really went out?!”  I mean really went out, as in everything with a computer chip is fried and the technology used to support our systems for transportation, sanitation, distribution, manufacturing, food production, medicine and life support technologies suddenly cease to operate.  I won’t lie, I had nightmares about this for days afterward and immediately started my long-term survival shopping list.  This book alone could keep Costco in business, forever.

What would you do?  What would you do if the power went out?  Do you have enough water, food and medicine to take care of your family?  For how long?  What about your pets?  Can you hunt?  Can you protect the people you love?

One Second After is a story about survival, sacrifice, devastating loss, loyalty, friendship, love and community.  It’s a story about both the ugliness and beauty of human nature.  It’s a story for everyone.

This book was amazing.  It sucked me in from the very beginning.  I know I’m reading a great book when I get angry that I have to stop reading because it’s time to make dinner for my kids, or you know, wake them up for school.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go to Costco.  I need to buy like 3,000 lbs. of bulk food and toilet paper.  😉