If you spent any time in the dark corners of pre-internet bookstores or flipped through the back pages of survivalist magazines in the 80s, you’ve probably seen it. A thick, oversized paperback with a title that sounds like a cheesy spy spoof: The Poor Man’s James Bond.
But don't let the name fool you. This isn't a collection of martini recipes or tips on how to wear a tuxedo. It is a dense, often terrifying manual on improvised weaponry, home-brewed explosives, and "do-it-yourself mayhem."
While most people have heard of The Anarchist Cookbook, Kurt Saxon’s poor mans james bond book is actually the one that serious survivalists and fringe historians talk about. Saxon, the man who claimed to have coined the term "survivalist," didn't just want to write a book; he wanted to arm the "decent citizen" against what he saw as a crumbling society.
Honestly, the history behind this book is even weirder than the chemistry inside it.
The Man Behind the Mayhem: Who Was Kurt Saxon?
Kurt Saxon was born Donald Eugene Sisco in 1932. He wasn't some shadowy government operative or a chemistry professor gone rogue. He was a collector of forgotten knowledge.
Saxon spent much of his life digging through old 19th-century science journals and military manuals. He believed that modern man had become soft and dependent on a fragile system. To him, the "poor mans james bond book" was a way to return power to the individual.
He was a complicated, often controversial figure. Over the years, he was associated with everything from the American Nazi Party and the Church of Satan to the Minutemen. He was even a person of interest in the Zodiac Killer investigation—though never charged—partly because of his obsession with ciphers and bomb-making.
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Saxon’s philosophy was simple: if the system fails, you need to know how to make your own fuel, your own medicine, and, most importantly, your own weapons. He didn't care if his instructions were dangerous. In fact, he famously wrote in one of his prefaces about nearly losing an ear while experimenting with concussive caps.
He was his own guinea pig. That’s probably why his readers trusted him more than the "dangerous" and often inaccurate recipes found in The Anarchist Cookbook.
What’s Actually Inside the Poor Mans James Bond Book?
If you crack open a copy of Volume 1, the first thing you notice is how much it looks like a scrapbook. It’s a chaotic mix of Saxon’s own rants, reprints of old military documents, and diagrams that look like they were pulled from a 1920s Sears catalog.
It isn't just one book anymore; it grew into a five-volume series. Here’s a look at what the "poor mans james bond book" actually covers:
- Improvised Munitions: This is the core of the brand. It includes the full text of the U.S. Army's TM 31-210 Improvised Munitions Handbook. You’ll find instructions on making everything from "fougasse" (a type of improvised mine) to napalm and pipe bombs.
- Old-School Chemistry: Saxon had a weirdly deep respect for "Granddad's" way of doing things. He reprinted massive sections on how to make your own acids, poisons, and even booze (the "Poor Man’s Still" is a classic chapter).
- Unconventional Weaponry: There are blueprints for an 11-shot 12-gauge shotgun made from hardware store parts. It's crude. It's ugly. It’s also functional.
- Personal Defense: It covers "American Jiu-Jitsu" and street fighting techniques. Basically, if it can help you win a fight or protect a homestead, Saxon put it in there.
One of the most popular sections is actually titled "The Secret Agent's Lab." It sounds exciting, but it’s mostly about how to bypass metal detectors and evade pursuit.
The tone of the writing is incredibly aggressive. Saxon writes with a sort of "grumpy grandpa" energy, constantly complaining about "liberals" and "predators" while insisting that his readers become "even more dangerous" than the people they are trying to protect themselves from.
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Is It Legal to Own?
This is the big question. You can actually find the poor mans james bond book on sites like Amazon or ThriftBooks today. It’s not "banned" in the United States in the way people think.
Because of the First Amendment, owning the book is generally legal. However, the application of the information inside is where things get dicey.
If you actually build the devices described in the book, you are likely violating federal laws regarding destructive devices. Law enforcement tends to view possession of this book as "intent" if they find it alongside the raw materials mentioned in the text.
In other countries, like the UK or Australia, the laws are much stricter. Possession of "terrorist manuals" or books that provide instructions on bomb-making can lead to immediate arrest.
Even in the U.S., major platforms like eBay have been known to pull listings for the book. It’s one of those items that exists in a gray area—legal to read, but a massive red flag to the authorities.
Why People Still Buy It in 2026
You might think a book full of 19th-century chemistry and 1970s rants would be obsolete. But the "poor mans james bond book" has a strange staying power.
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Part of it is the "forbidden fruit" factor. People want to see what all the fuss is about. But there’s also a practical side for the modern prepper movement.
In an era of supply chain issues and global instability, the idea of being able to manufacture your own essentials from scratch is appealing. Saxon’s focus on using "hardware store items" means his instructions don't require high-tech labs.
Key Differences from The Anarchist Cookbook
Most experts agree that if you’re looking for technical accuracy (even for historical purposes), Saxon’s work is superior to The Anarchist Cookbook.
The Cookbook, written by William Powell when he was a teenager, is notoriously full of errors. Some of the chemical recipes in the Cookbook are literally recipes for disaster—they’ll blow up in your face before they ever hit a target.
Saxon, for all his faults, was a meticulous researcher. He tested his formulas. He used real military manuals. He was a "weaponeer" first and a writer second.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re interested in the history of the survivalist movement or the "poor mans james bond book," there are a few things you should keep in mind before you go hunting for a copy.
- Treat it as a Historical Document: Read it to understand the mindset of the 1970s survivalist movement, not as a weekend DIY guide. The chemicals and materials described are often highly unstable.
- Verify the Edition: If you’re a collector, look for the original Atlan Formularies or Desert Publications editions from the 80s and 90s. Many modern reprints are low-quality scans with missing pages or illegible diagrams.
- Know the Laws: If you live outside the U.S., check your local "prohibited publications" list. Don't end up on a watch list because you wanted to read about how to make a still.
- Digital Archives: You don't always need to buy a physical copy. Sites like the Internet Archive often have digitized versions of Saxon’s work (Volumes 1 through 5) available for research purposes.
The legacy of Kurt Saxon is a strange one. He died in 2021 at the age of 89, leaving behind a series of books that continue to fascinate and frighten in equal measure. Whether you see the poor mans james bond book as a vital survival manual or a dangerous relic of a more paranoid era, there’s no denying its impact on the fringes of American culture.
If you choose to track down a copy, do it for the history. Leave the "do-it-yourself mayhem" to the pages of the past.