The Mandibles is actually a novel. It starts a few years after a major financial shock, but before the final blow to the financial system. The family of interest is one with a humble circumstance, but with extended family in richer circumstances. The financial collapse follows much of Jim Rickard’s theories, but I think it is way off on a few details. I have hope and faith that America will be better than this book predicts.

Where I found it:
I listened to an interview with Jim Rickards on Youtube and he said “If you want to know what life is going to be like in 20 years, read The Mandibles”. That peaked my interest because Rickards has such a sensational view of what will happen in the next global financial crisis. I wanted to know what life actually looked like if Rickards were right. Also, it had been so long since I’d read a real novel that I couldn’t resist a financial excuse. I checked it out from my library a week or so later after requesting it.

My takeaways:
If things are headed south with no hints of relief, act before you are desperate. As this book dove into the hypothetical lives of people living in the times that I am preparing for, it gave me many details to ponder. What struggles would I have? How would I deal with the toilet paper crisis? What services could I provide that will always be valuable to support my family? What locations would fare better than my current home?

Recommendations:
Since this book is actually a novel, it is more digestible to many people, that is if they can handle a 432 page novel. If you think you might struggle reading Crash Course 2.0 or Road to Ruin, pick this one up. It doesn’t really convince you that there will be a collapse, but at least if one happens you won’t be nearly as lost as everyone else and you will be able to act.

The big negative I have with this book is the language and immorality. If you struggle with casual cursing, you’ll need someone to censor this book first (buy your own copy before editing the library’s). It doesn’t really focus on sex, but the mother figure lives with her boyfriend, there is a prostitute cousin, and the second half of the book briefly discusses that sex is no longer a private thing, just biology and recreation. There is also a heroic suicide where a character sacrifices for the better chance of family survival and a kid turns to criminal actions for food.

Not exactly a children’s bedtime adventure, but definitely an adventure.

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