Some additional Survialist reading material
 

I picked up 2 books last night from barnes & noble. The books are from James Wesley Rawles, they're fiction; but, you look at the economy today both nationally and the world. You will forget these books are fiction!

Patriots (A Novel of survival in the coming collapse), currently reading, started last night and could not put it down, currently at page 169. (This talks about a good that has prepared and others when "The Crunch" happened. This is an eye opener to what "One Second After" novel).

Survivors (A Novel of the coming collapse)

I've read Patriots, it is a decent read. A little too much of the common scenario of people with enough money to prepare a retreat + store food, money, spare parts, etc. Can't happen in my world.
I've read some poor reviews of the second one and haven't read it.

Out of the many fiction survival/apocalyptic books Ive read, Patriots is top 5. The info that you can gather from it is great and I continuously go back to it for tips. But like you said, Im not someone who can(or will) spend all of their money and time into planning. Overboard to me. I also read many negative reviews about Survivor but I still bought it. It was good. If you are just looking for a good story, I would look into it.

Lights Out by David Crawford is the best 'apocalyptic' book I've read.

I agree I read it a few months ago. I liked it better than One Second After.

Rawles Non-Fiction
 

And his (James Wesley, Rawles) real book...
How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times.
Plume; Penguin Group. New York 2009