Nicolas Orr and His New Preparedness Book [Review]

Books are an outstanding resource. While we currently live in an age where everything can be found in seconds on the internet, you can never beat a book. A physical copy of information will stay with you for life. That’s why I like to purchase as many books as I can. So, when Nicolas Orr released a new title strictly on preparedness, written in the crass voice of his favorite protagonist, I had to pick it up.

Prepping is one of those skillsets that I have been building for a long time. It is an overall skillset that is made up of a number of smaller skillsets. Under that umbrella are skills like canning, bushcraft, shooting, small unit tactics, and field medicine, just to name a few. In fact, I believe it to be fully impossible for one person to master every skill required to be an effective prepper. That is the number one reason why I own so many books on skills within the prepping category.

My latest addition to the library is Nicolas Orr’s new book called The Pipe Hitter’s Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown. It was recommended to me by a close friend who knows the author, who up until this point I had never heard of. Let’s dig in a bit.

Who is Nicolas Orr?

The first thing you need to know about Nicolas Orr is that Nicolas Orr is not his real name. It’s a nomme de plume (pen name) that the writer chooses to use to protect his anonymity. The man behind the name is still a rather impressive figure. He has thirty plus years of ground combat experience overseas as a member of the U.S. Military and as a contractor. On top of this, he has also served a good amount of time as an Executive Close Protection Agent. Due to his work however, he writes under a pen name.

On top of just recently writing The Pipe Hitter’s Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown, he has also written the Operator series. Thomas Thrasher is the main character of that series. Thrasher is also the voice chosen by Orr to speak throughout the PHG.

After finishing the book, I was able to interview Orr on the subject. Here’s the interview in full.

An Interview with Nicolas Orr.

Who was the Pipe Hitter’s Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown written for?

“This guide was written for concerned American citizens, veterans and non-veterans alike. Millions of Americans understand that there is something terribly wrong with our nation and we are on a dangerous path. This book was written for people who want to make a positive difference and not just allow circumstances to roll over them.”

What was the inspiration behind this title?

“A pipe hitter is a serious person who is willing and able to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. That is the mindset that American patriots need to have right now. They need to be prepared to be uncomfortable and have the courage to fight to save this country.”

Have Americans lost the “Frontier Spirit” we once had?

“It is a sad state of affairs that most Americans have no genuine concept of from where their food comes or how much effort it takes to produce it. We once had the bold spirit of self-reliance in this nation and, if we hope to survive as a Republic, we need to find it once more.”

How have platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit impacted the average American? Do you think there is a path forward, or are we now too engrossed in the age of digital outrage to recover as a nation?

“Americans need to be more attuned to their actual community and neighbors and less dependent upon what the media, both MSM and social, has to say. The level of censorship and newspeak that we are witnessing today is astounding and horrifying.”

I noticed some call-backs from Sebastian Junger’s book Tribe throughout the text, as well as some tactics, techniques, and procedures produced by t he United States Marine Corps’ MCWP 3-11.2. How much of the book was inspired by real-world military publications, and how important do you think the skillsets of the basic rifleman are to the average American?

“Any reference to Junger’s Tribe is purely coincidental. The military leadership principles and tactics come directly from actually military experience and combat duty overseas. The average American needs to know much more than ‘how to shoot’. Skill with arms is important, but just as important, citizens must understand how to work together as a team, not just as a bunch of individuals with guns.”

Aside from the PHG, what other hard copy books should people keep on hand? In your opinion, what are some of the best non-digital resources someone should own?

“Great point, Kindle is convenient, but actual paper will last. Total Resistance by Major H. Von Dach is a classic. Guerrillas in the Mist by Bob Newman is a must have. The Patriot Fire Team Manual by Paul Markel is another detailed, must have for citizens who want to protect their communities from thugs and criminals.”

Is there still time for the uninitiated to build their “lifeboat” and prepare to defend it, or do you think it has already started to rain?

“There is always time. We trained up new soldiers after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, the urgency is much greater today than it was in years past. The old thinking of ‘I’ll get training, some day’ is no longer valid. Some day is today. I hope that American patriots will heed the call and be ready to crush whatever problems come our way.”

My thoughts on Nicolas Orr’s Latest Title.

Nicolas Orr’s latest title is well timed right now. In my opinion, the world is in a very chaotic state at the moment. For the duration of 2020, we have seen disaster after disaster. Starting with massive fires in Australia, rolling right into the COVID-19 pandemic and racially fueled civil unrest in the United State of America, if ever there was a time for Americans, or anyone anywhere, to be jumping on the preparedness bus, 2020 is the time.

If you’re new to the prepping scene, then I highly recommend you check this title out. Orr goes in-depth, explaining how time on the flat range alone isn’t enough to make you a skilled shooter. He also covers down on a lot of basic preparedness principles like food storage, and building a team. Furthermore, even if you are an experienced prepper, you need this title. It’s filled to the brim with knowledge that will assist you in your preparedness regiment.

Where you can get the Pipe Hitter’s Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown.

If you’re looking to get the Pipe Hitter’s Guide to Crushing the Coming Societal Breakdown, you can find it at this link on Amazon. Nicolas Orr is a highly entertaining writer, and you’ll enjoy his other works of fiction as well. It’s worth noting ahead of time that the entire PHG is written in the voice of Thomas Thrasher.  Thrasher is the main character of Orr’s series of Novels titled The Operator. This gives the book an interesting flavor that you won’t find anywhere else.

Let me know down in the comments what you are currently reading. What preparedness books would you recommend to other members of our community? As a group, we can come together and share information that helps us build our own communities up. A stronger and more prepared community is one less group of people needing federal assistance in a time of dire need. For that reason, I believe preparedness is actually a national security issue.