View Full Version : Unitended Consequences Back In Print...
Certainly should be read by everyone with a genuine interest in firearms and civil rights.
With hardcover copies long out of print and going for as much as $300.00 the release on paperback for $30.00 is certainly welcome.
http://www.accuratepress.net/ross.html
It will be a tad dated now, but worth the price simply for the first section on the history of firearms culture in this country.
Ouroborous
07-16-13, 00:46
Great book–wouldn't have ever had the pleasure of reading it were it not for the suggestion I found here on M4C.
Might just have to pick up a hard copy!
Great book–wouldn't have ever had the pleasure of reading it were it not for the suggestion I found here on M4C.
Might just have to pick up a hard copy!
Only the paperback is back in print. If you want a hardcover you are probably gonna spend $300 on a used one.
This should be required reading at every PD academy.
This should be required reading at every PD academy.
I think the last chapter could very easily be taken the wrong way.
NCPatrolAR
07-16-13, 05:16
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
Grand58742
07-16-13, 06:31
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
The history portion is pretty good. Up to about page 250 or so in the .pdf I've got.
As for the rest...I'll keep my comments to myself.
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
You didn't like the history section?
Granted I could have survived without the "future fiction" fantasy. But it wasn't that bad. Nobody is saying this is the greatest book ever. But in terms of this specific topic, it's one of the few and that makes it one of the better ones.
There are so few titles devoted to this subject "the civil rights of firearm ownership" that books like The Turner Diaries are included. And if you thought Unintended Consequences was bad, you'd probably hang yourself if you read The Turner Diaries.
While not quite Orwell, Unintended Consequences does an excellent job of establishing where we were in the past related to firearm rights and how much as changed into the Clinton years. I think it does as good a job as any book documenting the many areas where government has violated the second amendment rights of citizens.
It also does it in a way that addresses ideas of personal freedom and individual liberty as a whole. It isn't simply about firearm but how the government limits rights in daily life and then reaches into your pocket to make you pay for it.
To dismiss it as "reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old" really isn't fair or accurate.
It's kind of like the film Red Dawn (1984) in many ways. It addressed some things we were all genuinely concerned with and served as a valid warning. The fictional depictions were probably gross simplifications and it is unlikely things would ever go anything like that. But like the book, there were few films willing to even address the subject so by default this ends up being probably the best one made.
As such both the book and the film have a tremendous following that probably sets expectations much higher than they should be. That said, at the time everyone should have probably watched "Red Dawn" and I think everyone should probably read "Unintended Consequences."
But of course if I had my way every person in high school would be forced to watch the "Amerika" miniseries.
NCPatrolAR
07-16-13, 14:42
You didn't like the history section?
No; I didnt really care for the history section featuring the Toepperweins nor any other part of the book.
To dismiss it as "reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old" really isn't fair or accurate.
UC might be the most poorly written book I've ever had the misfortune of opening.
No; I didnt really care for the history section featuring the Toepperweins nor any other part of the book.
Fair enough. I'm just glad somebody wrote all that down in one book. It's history and heritage that will easily be forgotten.
UC might be the most poorly written book I've ever had the misfortune of opening.
I'm guessing you don't reach much firearms related fiction.
:D
But of course if I had my way every person in high school would be forced to watch the "Amerika" miniseries.
Pitch it to the networks with a Kardashin or 2 (not the ones from Star Trek) and you might get a season or 2 of a very popular show.......if they could tell it from a reality show.
I read the Turner Diaries right after the OKC bombing because it was all in the news. Sadly I see a lot of that "fiction" turning out to be fact with the government the way it is.
I have the PDF of UC around here somewhere I just never got time to read it yet.
Nightvisionary
07-16-13, 17:17
No; I didnt really care for the history section featuring the Toepperweins nor any other part of the book.
UC might be the most poorly written book I've ever had the misfortune of opening.
Really! I find that very surprising. How many books do you typically read in a year?
NCPatrolAR
07-16-13, 17:23
How many books do you typically read in a year?
All depends on how motivated I am
Moose-Knuckle
07-16-13, 17:27
The fact that the Holders of the world would like to ban books such as this is reason enough for me to read it and buy several copies to pass around.
I didn't realize the hard copies were worth so much. I enjoyed the book and my late teenage children have both read it. While I don't think it's a literary masterpiece, it is a worthwhile read.
You didn't like the history section?
Granted I could have survived without the "future fiction" fantasy. But it wasn't that bad. Nobody is saying this is the greatest book ever. But in terms of this specific topic, it's one of the few and that makes it one of the better ones.
Second that- the first half was *ok*, the second was like :confused:.
There are so few titles devoted to this subject "the civil rights of firearm ownership" that books like The Turner Diaries are included. And if you thought Unintended Consequences was bad, you'd probably hang yourself if you read The Turner Diaries.
As someone who has read both, yeah, this is accurate. The level of stupid in TTD is just.... wow.
..............
But of course if I had my way every person in high school would be forced to watch the "Amerika" miniseries.
Yes! Seriously, everybody here should track that down on youtube and watch it. Very timely. Shockingly so in some places. I only got through about half the series last time I watched it but, yeah- definately worth the multi-hour watch.
Wish it would just get re-released on DVD or such already but.... I'm sure there's no market for that. :rolleyes:
1234567
Nobody is saying this is the greatest book ever. But in terms of this specific topic, it's one of the few and that makes it one of the better ones.
Probably not your intent, but that reads like you're calling it a literary "Smartest Retard." :p
It's not a ringing endorsement, but it's accurate...
Doc Safari
07-17-13, 11:47
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
LOL! I remember when this came out. Rightly or wrongy a lot of people thought it was supposed to remove the stain on the militia movement caused by "The Turner Diaries." I'm not sure it accomplished anything other than to make a bunch of preppers have warm fuzzies.
RogerinTPA
07-17-13, 12:45
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
I read a PDF version while in AFG. I was inspired to read it from other people's urgings and out of a basic curiosity for the premise of the book. While it did have some pertinent info and valid points, it was 'severe ass pain' to continue to read and make it all the way through to the end. I did not enjoy the writing style at all. I understand the importance of the historical references and context, but it caused the storyline to wonder way too much for my attention span. Just too boring. Maybe a cliff note version could have added appeal to reading it.
Probably not your intent, but that reads like you're calling it a literary "Smartest Retard." :p
It's not a ringing endorsement, but it's accurate...
I wouldn't rank it there, because I actually think it's an "ok" book in it's own. But it is certainly a "best effort" category book.
Reminds me a lot of Ayn Rand where several critically important ideas and concepts were expressed by an obviously intelligent person but in the medium of fiction (which can be one of the worst vehicles for such things) that culminated in less than impressive results.
The ideas of Ayn Rand could easily improve this country for the better. The problem is the book Atlas Shrugged requires an extremely intelligent, and patient person who is willing to wade into that mess and read the same things over and over in a storyline that is hard to relate to for most people.
Unintended Consequences isn't as bad in terms of being able to read and get through it, but it suffers from many of the same issues. Another problem is people expect it to be "just about guns" and don't realize it's about all kinds of freedom and liberty and ironically are put off by parts of the book that espouse freedoms they don't happen to agree with.
At any rate, I've read it twice.
I'm most impressed by the chronicled history of the firearms culture in the US. This sadly includes the progressive history of abuse by government and law enforcement.
I think the story was ok, as it shows changes in the country over three generations and from multiple perspectives. If Tarantino did it thousands would line up to declare it brilliant.
And of course the solution chapter where the government is effectively brought under control and the worst elements eliminated is simplistic, fanciful and wishful thinking. Of course if you wrote a chapter that detailed means of effective change Ross would probably have been arrested.
Even with the book "as is" the government made several efforts to ban it.
montanadave
07-17-13, 14:23
If Tarantino did it thousands would line up to declare it brilliant.
That is an awesome idea. SteyrAUG cast in the role of "Chili Palmer" and getting Tarantino to bring Unintended Consequences to the big screen.
C'mon. You know you want to do this. :D
NCPatrolAR
07-17-13, 16:49
What were the actual attempts to ban the book? I see people often say that, but I dont remember any attempts when it was released.
What were the actual attempts to ban the book? I see people often say that, but I dont remember any attempts when it was released.
I'm trying to find an internet source that's credible. I think I recall reading about it in The American Rifleman or possibly Shotgun News.
The Justice Department under the Clinton Administration was trying to use The OK Bombings and Tim McVeigh as justification to ban the book even though it was published after the fact.
UPDATE:
OK, found this which doesn't mention any official effort by the Justice Department and I have to assume it would be there if true.
http://john-ross.net/faq.php
Has anyone in the government given you any trouble about the book?
Sort of. Go to http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39696d3b3c7b.htm for the letter my lawyer sent to the ATF concerning some efforts to intimidate my wife and also some book vendors. ATF’s official response was that they knew nothing about this, and that it must have been individuals acting on their own, without agency approval. This strikes me as a little far-fetched, that two agents would go out at 7:00 AM on their own time on an unapproved fishing expedition, but maybe that’s what happened.
No one has bothered me or my ex-wife since Jim Jeffries wrote the above letter.
So what we may have read is an account of the Justice Department "complaining" about the book but exaggerating that into efforts to actually ban it. Looks like there was some "unofficial" harassment but that is still different from efforts to actually ban the book just as the media complaining about "assault weapons" is different from an actual Senate bill seeking to ban "assault weapons."
QuietShootr
07-17-13, 19:34
One of the worst books I ever forced myself to try to read. People talk like its on par with The Illiad when it reads more like thesis written by a 5 year old
I'm shocked. Shocked, I say.
QuietShootr
07-17-13, 19:35
Fair enough. I'm just glad somebody wrote all that down in one book. It's history and heritage that will easily be forgotten.
I'm guessing you don't reach much firearms related fiction.
:D
I expect that this history and heritage is one that he would be happy to have forgotten.
RogerinTPA
07-17-13, 19:51
I haven't read about a ban on the book, but I have read and heard 'they' are/were monitoring who was making purchases of this, and other anti government literature, advocating rebellion & revolution as it's core theme. After Snowden spilled his guts on what this administration has been doing for years, it's no longer in my disbelief category.
Moose-Knuckle
07-17-13, 21:31
I haven't read about a ban on the book, but I have read and heard 'they' are/were monitoring who was making purchases of this, and other anti government literature, advocating rebellion & revolution as it's core theme. After Snowden spilled his guts on what this administration has been doing for years, it's no longer in my disbelief category.
Yup, ever see Mel Gibson's Conspiracy Theory? This is exactly what happens every time he goes into a big box book store to purchase a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. :eek:
Truth be told, I have purchased a large portion of my library from local book resellers and even gun shows with cash. I know I know, tin foil . . . :D
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0988198002/ref=tmm_pap_new_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=new
Eleven Bucks sounds even better!
William B.
07-18-13, 12:58
I don't think that's the same book, usmcvet; just the same title.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.