Tactical Defensive Training for Real-Life Encounters

Even though this book also deals with firearms and bladed weapons, and it is targeted towards Law Enforcement - it is equally valid for anyone interested in self-defense. In short: It is a great book about awareness, preparation, common sense, self-preservation and self-defense - armed or unarmed.
It is a relief to find an advocat of firearms to hold such a balanced view as Ralph Mroz does in this book. This is not a "shoot first, ask questions later" book. The goal of this book is to show how "hardware" components (guns, knives, sticks and empty-hand skills), is inexorably linked to critical "software" (will, skill and awareness).
In order to do so, the author takes a good look at some of the traditional views and even myths held in self-defense and martial arts. Being a martial artist myself, I must admit that Mroz has a lot of really valid points of view.
Ralph Mroz uses Boyd's OODA loop and Cooper's Color Codes, to explain the larger picture of being aware and ready. He states (as I see it) that it is of little use to know techniques or carry arms if you're caught in such a way that your "hardware" can't be used. How right indeed!
In various chapters the author takes a look at self-defense and self-preservation, the mental stuff, bladed weapons and firearms.
To cut a long story short: Get this book and read it! If you don't "like" firearms or bladed weapons, then just skip that part. If you use only you hands and feet to protect yourself the same principles still apply. More than anything, it helps being prepared - big time!