Reviewing the book – One Second After

Sometime in the past two weeks I was made aware of a new book titled One Second After, by William R. Forstchen. The jacket cover states about Forstchen: he has a Ph.D. from Purdue University with specializations in military history and the history of technology. He is a faculty fellow and professor of history at Montreat College. He is the author of more than forty books, including the NYT bestselling books Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor (coauthored with Newt Gingrich).

That said, I don’t see a claim for him being a believer, nor does he necessarily write from an evangelical Christian point of view. However, he is definitely a patriotic American, and his writing suggests he is more than aware of sound moral issues.

One Second After is a novel Forstchen wrote after doing extensive research on EMP’s (Electro Magnetic Pulse). An EMP is a weapon of mass destruction and has been studied and developed extensively by China, and hoped for by N. Korea, Iran, and other rogue nuclear countries. It is known that one or two EMP’s, detonated in the atmosphere about 200 miles above the U. S. would completely take out the vast majority of electrical systems, and reduce the country to it’s state about 200 years back. It would happen instantaneously, and we wouldn’t even know something happened, except that all vulnerable electrical systems would be fried. It is one of the potentials for disaster at our doorstep, and a very real possibility in the eyes of many who have studied these things.

I recommend a serious read of this book. The realities of such a disaster are far beyond what I have previously considered. If we intend to survive anything short of the rapture, here on earth, then this book is well worth our time. Keep a note pad close by because the author brings many things to light that we’ve not considered in the area of people management and behavior, grass roots government, threats to health, food, and security.

This reading is not for the faint hearted. It is graphic, it has some crude language, and it will disturb you. I am challenged to think and ponder in areas I’ve not considered before. At the same time, it does not raise fear in me, nor do I trust our Lord any less.

If God allows me to do so, in any coming disaster, I fully intend to protect, comfort, lead, share the Gospel with, and disciple my family, my company of men, other believers, and anyone the Lord brings along my path. We face a dangerous life in Christ – Scripture assures us of that. I consider the emergence of this book as another piece of my being prepared. This is a book for warriors, the strong of heart. Husbands, discuss with your wives whether or not they will read it.

If you’re going to read it, sooner is better than later. John