Defensive Living: A Self Defense Book by Lovette and Spaulding

Defensive Living is a short, but very well-written book, by Ed Lovette and Dave Spaulding that is written to preserve “your

personal safety through awareness, attitude, and armed action.”  This book, now in its second edition, is an excellent primer for anyone taking responsibility for their own safety.

Covering many of the basic aspects of self defense inside and outside the home, the authors of Defensive Living speak from obvious experience.  Defensive Living is easy to read, but makes a significant impact to your mindset.

Among the topics explored in Defensive Living:

• the ‘fight or flight’ response;
• recognizing potential threats;
• conditioned responses;
• legal issues in self defense;
• threats to you in your home;
• threats to you while in your car;
• handguns for self defense;
• mental preparation;
• holsters;
• firearms safety; and
• gun handling skills.

In the handgun section of Defensive Living, there are step-by-step instructions, with photos, on establishing the best grip, perfecting the draw, indexing the weapon, using flashlights, and much more. Lovette speaks about self defense from experience. He is a retired CIA operations officer, a prior commissioned officer in the US Army Special Forces, and a 10-year law enforcement veteran. Spaulding is a firearms instructor and retired sheriff’s lieutenant with 28 years of law enforcement experience.

I recommend this book to the citizen who is just starting out, seeking to take responsibility for their own safety.  Defensive Living will open your eyes to a variety of issues you may have never considered.

I also suggest that the “old hands” to self defense and concealed carry consider Defensive Living.  While some of the information you may have already gotten in other training classes, there are explorations into areas not covered in basic CCW classes.