I recently received a copy of Massad Ayoob’s book “Deadly Force – Understanding Your Right To Self Defense” from the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network.  This book dovetails very well with my belief that if you have a right, you have a responsibility to exercise it, and exercise it with all the knowledge and skill that you can. Learning from sources like Mr. Ayoob goes a long way toward having the tools to fulfill that responsibility.

“Deadly Force” does an excellent job at explaining the legal elements of using a weapon to defend yourself, with a lot of time spent on disparity of force situations.  I found this appropriate not only for today’s headline issues, but also for self-defense in general.  Mr. Ayoob takes his time in explaining such things as disparity of force, opportunity, and jeopardy, and doesn’t fall into buzz-word bingo.  The last few chapters recount his thoughts on the Martin-Zimmerman case in Florida, as well as a review of the Hickey case in Arizona, both of which have lessons we should all consider when we go about with the means to defend ourselves.  In addition, Ayoob discusses the pitfalls that you can run into in the aftermath of a self-defense shooting, including myths and mistakes that seem to never die in our debates of what to do and what not to do.  Where Ayoob pulls away from the crowd of self-defense writers is that he points to legal arguments and case-law when he gives advice on things like modifying a safety, EDC carry of a gun with a competition trigger, and using hand-loaded cartridges in self-defense.

When paired with a resource like Kathy Jackson’s “Cornered Cat“, which discusses the ethical “Why” of self-defense, this book will give you a good foundation of the legal “How” and “When” to complete the picture.  It does not delve too deeply into the mechanics of carrying a weapon or defending yourself, Mr. Ayoob covers those subjects in other works.

I recommend “Deadly Force” to anyone who views defense of self and family as a personal responsibility.

Disclaimer:  I did not pay for my copy of “Deadly Force”, as it was sent out to ACLDN members, which includes me.  I was not asked to do this review, and received nothing for doing it.