So You Think You're Safe Think Again

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

The idea for this book, author Ken Summerfield says, came at a house
party held by a former hippie turned middle-aged baby-boomer. When his
host declared “I’m afraid to go out at night any more,” it
occurred to Summerfield that baby-boomers are the primary target not
only of thieves but also of security product companies, because “you
have possessions now that are irreplaceable or that you would rather not
replace. And you might have them at your cottage as well as your main
residence.”

Each of the book’s 28 chapters concentrates on one segment of
personal security. If you are interested in securing your home against
thieves, there are chapters on door locks, burglar-proof windows, guard
dogs, and electronic security systems. If you are wondering about fire
safety, there are chapters on fire extinguishers, escape routes, chimney
fires, and carbon monoxide detectors. There are even chapters on con
artists, natural disasters, and industrial toxic-gas leaks.

My only real criticism of this comprehensive guide is that Summerfield
sometimes has a tendency to fan the flames of paranoia in the reader
(the title is a good example). He also throws out crime statistics
without interpreting them. Overall, however, So You Think You’re
Safe... is a well-written, well-organized, and affordably priced guide.