My friend Valerie started a Master’s program in publishing at NYU this fall, and needed a concept for a book to make in a marketing class she’s taking. Thinking about the current financial crisis and various worries that people seem to have about the entire economic system failing, we threw together a concept for a guide to stages of financial, governmental, and societal collapse.

early chapter concepts

• so your market is collapsing
• not panicking–money you need in the short term should not be in the market in any case
• saving more money–rising costs due to market instabilities mean that having more liquidity at hand will be worthwhile
• spreading your savings around–in case any particular banks fail, waiting for FDIC reimbursements for one account at a time is best
• buying goods with seemingly-intrinsic value, gold, diamonds, etc
• stockpiling weapons and ammunition
• so your savings are evaporating
• small engine repair
• making moonshine
• a beginner’s guide to cobbling
• a beginner’s guide to tailoring
• marksmanship
• so your family is starving
  • growing crops
  • digging latrines
  • obtaining potable water
  • identifying edible mushrooms
  • setting bones

Cover Design (click for a big version):

obviously the authors and quotes are fakes, but they are placeholders for how layout would work.