“Crucial topic and perfect timing considering today’s challenging and dynamic threat landscape, especially in our homeland. The foundation of strategic deterrence is our resilience…[there’s] no better person to articulate this than Dr. Chris Ellis.”
—Glen D. VanHerck, General (ret), USAF, Former Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
My motto for the past several years is simple: Fight local, win local. We need one another.
We need to once again human scale our resiliency and embrace citizenship. We need to incorporate localism, interdependence, and neighborliness.
In Resilient Citizens I also reveal the number one prepping item every single home in the world requires.
-- Dr. Chris Ellis
Dr. Chris Ellis is a subject matter expert on individual household disaster preparedness in the United States and other developed countries. Chris earned his PhD at Cornell University, has four master’s degrees, and is an active-duty Army Colonel with nearly 26 years of service.
Resilience is a mindset.
From war zones to wildfires, pandemics to power outages, the threats we face today seem bigger, scarier, and more unrelenting than ever before. Why, then, does society take a critical view of those who prepare for the worst while hoping for the best? Why do so many people write them off as crazy, conspiracy-minded “doomsday preppers”?
In Resilient Citizens, Army officer and disaster expert Dr. Chris Ellis challenges the myths, dismisses the fearmongering, and takes a much-needed, long-overdue scholarly look not just at prepper culture in America, but our overall social, physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual health.
This isn’t another doomsday prepper guide or government-endorsed emergency brochure. It’s a deep dive into the people, perils, and politics of preparedness—from ranchers in the Rockies to policymakers globally—and a call to action for those who refuse to outsource their safety to luck or bureaucracy.
Unpacking thousands of hours of research, Dr. Ellis will help you—
Learn the traits and strategies of those best equipped to survive and thrive amid disaster.
Understand the psychological roadblocks that keep people stuck in denial or helplessness.
Discover how different belief systems, subcultures, and nations approach long-term resilience.
Debunk popular myths about “preppers” and discover the truth behind America’s growing culture of preparedness.
Examine the historical and political roots of America’s preparedness paradox.
Reveals the number one resilience item every household must own.
Whether you’re a concerned parent, a curious skeptic, or a seasoned survivalist, Resilient Citizens will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to think bigger, prepare smarter, and ensure your own survival in a chaotic world and uncertain future.
“Crucial topic and perfect timing considering today’s challenging and dynamic threat landscape, especially in our homeland. The foundation of strategic deterrence is our resilience…[there’s] no better person to articulate this than Dr. Chris Ellis.”
—Glen D. VanHerck, General (ret), USAF, Former Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
“Through scary field experience, rigorous research, and selfless public advocacy, Dr. Ellis has become one of the most important voices in the discussion around risk and resiliency in the 21st century. He and I have spent years teaching governments, media, and citizens about the fascinating history of preparedness, the nuances of "mainstream preppers," and why the old stereotypes and politics are doing you and your community a shameful disservice as we face a near future that is certain to be much more difficult than the recent past. This deep-dive study expands on [our] work, highlighting why the flaws of humans and our created systems deserve to be laughed at and critiqued—not preparedness.”
—John Ramey, Preparedness Expert, Founder of The Prepared, Cofounder of the Defense Innovation Unit, Former Silicon Valley insider
“Illuminating—Ellis maps a fractured America where resilience isn’t a hobby, it’s a rebellion against a society that’s forgotten how to save itself.”
—James Pogue, author of Chosen Country: A Rebellion in the West
“A fascinating and definitive book on preparedness and resilience for a global audience. Written with humility, curiosity, and great insight, this is the book for right now.”
—Dr. Lucy Easthope, Author of When the Dust Settles
“Resilient Citizens offers a uniquely high-level perspective on preparedness within the context of society as a whole. Dr. Ellis’s personal experiences in situations of societal breakdown combined with his extensive research and personal connections provide unique insight. He goes far beyond the level of individual prepping to the necessity of building resilience for everyone in society. This is a must-read for anyone committed to the survival and continued thriving of our nation and civilization.”
—Jonathan Rawles, Founder of SurvivalRealty.com
“I am obsessed with disaster preparedness. Maybe that’s because I live in Los Angeles, where natural and man-made disasters do some of their best work. I've been a low-key prepper for years, but after reading Chris Ellis’s essential book, I know I’m not alone. This book gives you the reasons you need for why you should always—as the Boy Scouts used to say—be prepared. We don’t know what’s coming. We just know it will. Highly recommended!”
—Peachy Keenan, Author of Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War
“Every American needs to be a ‘resilient citizen.’ This book is about much more than preparedness; it’s an outline of how to approach life during these turbulent and unpredictable times.”
—Seneca Scott, Activist
“For different reasons, and from different personal and political starting points, more people are embracing the need to build practical resilience bottom-up within their communities. Although it’s a way of thinking that remains disreputable in mainstream narratives, Chris Ellis gives us a detailed and clear-eyed account of why it shouldn’t. There are different ways to cultivate resilience, but it’s striking how Ellis’s emphasis on personal agency, community embeddedness, and spiritual connection resonates across so many of them. This is a timely intervention on a crucial issue.”
—Chris Smaje, Author of A Small Farm Future and Finding Lights in a Dark Age
“A must-read for understanding resiliency and the way forward in an increasingly risky world. Dr. Ellis’s book is a meaningful framework for analyzing the how, the what, and the why now of preparedness. A book about doom and gloom? No. Hope, responsibility, and community are the true keys to survival.”
—Dr. Anna Maria Bounds, Associate Professor, Author of Urban Preppers and the Pandemic in New York City and Bracing for the Apocalypse
“Disaster could strike at any moment, and Ellis shows us exactly how to be ready. But Ellis gets something crucial exactly right: real preparedness is valuable even if disaster never comes. By learning practical skills like first aid, growing your own food, or organizing drills with neighbors, you naturally become more capable, confident, and clear-headed. Better yet, these simple acts of cooperation pull communities closer together. As Ellis says, building genuine local connections create stronger neighborhoods—and the benefits of that are enormous. Everyone involved ends up happier, healthier, and less stressed, regardless of what the future holds.”
—Matt Smith, Founder of CrisisInvesting.com
“There’s a lot of bluster and fearmongering in the preparedness space. Thankfully, we have Dr. Ellis to offer sane, measured, and actionable advice in an increasingly chaotic world.”
—Josh Centers, Editor-in-Chief of The Firearm Blog
“Dr. Ellis does us a remarkable service in reminding us of the paradox of disasters: awareness that will likely inspire us into becoming better people. More courageous, more skilled, more confident, more grounded into the landscapes and cultures we inhabit, and ultimately the need for the longer-term perspective. Preparation becomes stewardship of the cultures and places we love.”
—Wrath of Gnon on X, Traditionalist
“Resilient Citizens offers much-needed insight into how we understand the concept of what it means to be a ‘prepper.’ Dr. Ellis provides a clear and thoughtful taxonomy, coupled with deep expertise in disaster preparedness, delivering a well-rounded and timely perspective on the field. As I read, I found myself reflecting on my own resilience—shaped in part by a partially off-grid upbringing in rural Montana and further informed by my research as an artist exploring creative problem solving and artistic praxis. No matter [what] your political affiliation or personal background [are], this book is an important and thought-provoking read.”
—Kate Parsons, MA, MFA, Associate Professor, Pepperdine University, and Cofounder of Primal U
“Dr. Ellis is the real deal, a deep thinker with a lifetime of knowledge on one of the most important issues facing humanity: how to not only survive but thrive in a world that feels ‘off.’ If you’re looking for guidance on why things feel so strange, why it feels as if ‘the powers that be’ don’t want you to be independent or self-sustaining and what to do to become a resilient citizen, this is a must-read.”
—Graham Summers, Founder and CEO of Phoenix Capital Research, and Author of Into the Abyss
