The Poor Man's James Bond
Encyclopedia
The Poor Man's James Bond is a four book series originally intended for the survivalist-minded, compiled by Kurt Saxon
. They were marketed toward the survivalist movement of the 1970s and 1980s, and as a counterpoint to The Anarchist Cookbook
which Saxon claimed contained inaccurate information. The first volume was an expansion of an earlier Saxon book, The Militant's Formulary.
According to Saxon, during the 1960s he sent brochures about The Militant's Formulary to "several thousand" police and fire chiefs. His stated purpose was that, as a result of several officers being killed by "improvised weaponry directed at them by radicals", police and fire departments could use the literature "to recognize improvised bombs and such and their common components". However, some of the recipients believed Saxon to be a radical, and sent letters stating this fact to the police in Saxon's hometown of Eureka, California
. In response, the chief of the Eureka Police Department replied with letters assuring the others that Saxon was "on their side".
. Compared to other paramilitary
manuals such as The Anarchist Cookbook, the Poor Man's James Bond is much more relevant to modern day survivalism
. The first volume talks about how to blow up a car, make napalm
and poison
s such as ricin
, nicotine
, arsenic
and cyanide
. It also contained a full U.S. Army self defense manual along with a gunsmithing workshop. This included diagrams of how to alter the firing mechanism for different firearms. These modifications were often to increase rate of fire. The second volume talks about improvised weapons that could be made legally using common household items. It also had a number of easily made and readily available booby trap
s and a number of other explosives recipes. The third volume, which was not widely available, is the least controversial as it mostly contained information on crime in modern society, how to beat the system, and significantly less information on "anarchism
" or "terrorism
." A fourth volume was published, but it is very rare to find a copy and contains more of what the previous volumes contained. In each book the author states that nothing in the book should be remanufactured, procured or otherwise created without first consulting the government of the area.
Kurt Saxon
Kurt Saxon, born Donald Eugene Sisco on March 6, 1932, is a survivalist and the author of The Poor Man's James Bond, a series of books on improvised weapons and munitions.-History:...
. They were marketed toward the survivalist movement of the 1970s and 1980s, and as a counterpoint to The Anarchist Cookbook
The Anarchist Cookbook
The Anarchist Cookbook, first published in 1971, is a book that contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and other items...
which Saxon claimed contained inaccurate information. The first volume was an expansion of an earlier Saxon book, The Militant's Formulary.
According to Saxon, during the 1960s he sent brochures about The Militant's Formulary to "several thousand" police and fire chiefs. His stated purpose was that, as a result of several officers being killed by "improvised weaponry directed at them by radicals", police and fire departments could use the literature "to recognize improvised bombs and such and their common components". However, some of the recipients believed Saxon to be a radical, and sent letters stating this fact to the police in Saxon's hometown of Eureka, California
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
. In response, the chief of the Eureka Police Department replied with letters assuring the others that Saxon was "on their side".
Content
Much of the content of these books consists of reprints of old books now in the public domainPublic domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. Compared to other paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
manuals such as The Anarchist Cookbook, the Poor Man's James Bond is much more relevant to modern day survivalism
Survivalism
Survivalism is a movement of individuals or groups who are actively preparing for future possible disruptions in local, regional, national, or international social or political order...
. The first volume talks about how to blow up a car, make napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
and poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
s such as ricin
Ricin
Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can kill an adult. The LD50 of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally...
, nicotine
Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...
, arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
and cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
. It also contained a full U.S. Army self defense manual along with a gunsmithing workshop. This included diagrams of how to alter the firing mechanism for different firearms. These modifications were often to increase rate of fire. The second volume talks about improvised weapons that could be made legally using common household items. It also had a number of easily made and readily available booby trap
Booby trap
A booby trap is a device designed to harm or surprise a person, unknowingly triggered by the presence or actions of the victim. As the word trap implies, they often have some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. However, in other cases the device is placed on busy roads or is...
s and a number of other explosives recipes. The third volume, which was not widely available, is the least controversial as it mostly contained information on crime in modern society, how to beat the system, and significantly less information on "anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
" or "terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
." A fourth volume was published, but it is very rare to find a copy and contains more of what the previous volumes contained. In each book the author states that nothing in the book should be remanufactured, procured or otherwise created without first consulting the government of the area.