One of the best ways to see if something works is to try it at home before you ever have to use it in a survival situation. I put this list together from the literature I’ve looked at and found useful and interesting. Read through the list and see if something grabs you.
There are a lot of books out there on Survival. I can’t profess to say that I am an expert on the matter ( I am more of a generalist) but I have read a lot and know more than the basics. Most good information is simple and doesn’t need to be made complicated.
With some survival books much is copied from other sources. Experts are those who can take complex situations and boil it down into digestible matter for others to devour. Survival copy-cats regurgitate what experts are saying or writing about and then reframe it into another offering. KISS Keep it simple stupid.
Most good books have lots of great info to sift through and even badly written books may have a gem or two. If it doesn’t make sense, move onto the next page and avoid the material that is posed as something ground-breaking. Common sense and common practices usually win the day in uncommon situations.
6 Degrees: The Art Of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin, director of the Aboriginal Living Skills School in Prescott, Arizona, stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so. This book is about how to stay alive based on the principle of keeping the body’s core temperature at a lively 98.6 degrees.
A Field Guide To Edible Wild Plants: Eastern And Central North America
“This books includes 370 edible wild plants, 37 poisonous look-alikes, and is illustrated with over 400 drawings and 78 color photographs showing how to recognize each species.
Also included are habitat descriptions, lists of plants by season, and preparation instructions for 22 different food uses.”
A Field Guide To Western Medicinal Plants And Herbs
“Over 500 species of plant are covered here with more than 530 color photographs illustrating the plants. An index to medical topics helps locate information on specific ailments.
Symbols next to the plant descriptions provide quick visual warnings for poisonous and allergenic plants. Organized by flower color for fast identification, this guide is an essential aid to appreciating native plants and the wild areas they inhabit.”
Bug Out: The Complete Plan For Escaping A Catastrophic Disaster Before It’s Too Late
“Cataclysmic events strike sleepy towns and major cities every year. Residents face escaping quickly or perishing in rising waters, raging fires or other life-threatening conditions.
By the time the evacuation starts, it’s already too late. Being prepared makes the difference between survival and disaster. Guiding you step by step, Bug Out shows you how to be ready at a second’s notice.”
Build The Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit
I really liked the information in this book. “If an unexpected emergency or disaster hits, are you prepared to leave your home–fast? You will be if you follow the advice in this book.
This book shows you how to create a self-contained disaster preparedness kit to help you survive your journey from ground zero to a safer location. Survival expert Creek Stewart details from start to finish everything you need to gather for 72 hours of independent survival–water, food, protection, shelter, survival tools, and so much more.”
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide To The Art Of Wilderness Survival
“By survivalist expert Dave Canterbury, Bushcraft 101 gets you ready for your next backcountry trip with advice on making the most of your time outdoors.
Based on the 5Cs of Survivability–cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, containers, and cordages–this valuable guide offers only the most important survival skills to help you craft resources from your surroundings and truly experience the beauty and thrill of the wilderness.”
Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills And Wilderness Survival
“Clear instructions, extensive use of diagrams, and a full color photo supplement detail all the practical skills and knowledge essential for surviving and enjoying the wilderness. Includes basic instructions for lighting and maintaining a fire, chopping wood and felling trees, creating a warm shelter, using knives and axes safely, finding plants and animals important for survival, cooking in the outdoors, and making tools, ropes, baskets, and more from plant materials.”
Contact! A Tactical Manual For Post Collapse Survival
“This manual is the result of a detailed consideration of a societal collapse and the civil shift and aftermath that would impact individuals and families who are intent on survival. The purpose of this manual is to provide information to enhance the security, tactics, and survival skills of law-abiding citizens who are faced with civil disorder, lawlessness, violence, and physical threat in a post-collapse environment.
The information in this manual is derived from training and experience gained from service with special operations forces (SOF) and subsequent employment as a security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a distillation of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) adapted to the threat and environment anticipated in this type of scenario, in order to provide the knowledge needed to survive in a world turned upside down.
It is no longer just survival of the fittest but survival of those prepared. The manual will take you from self-defense as an individual, team and family, and on to tactics, techniques, procedures and training that can be used by tactical teams that you may need to form in order to survive or to resist tyranny. In a serious post-event scenario, one of total collapse with several months or years before recovery, families, groups and communities may be forced to create such tactical defense forces to protect personnel, loved ones and resources against hostile forces. There is something in this manual for both the tactical newbie and the military veteran.”
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, And Why
“Over a decade since its original publication, Laurence Gonzales’s bestselling Deep Survival has helped save lives from the deepest wildernesses, just as it has improved readers’ everyday lives. Its mix of adventure narrative, survival science, and practical advice has inspired everyone from business leaders to military officers, educators, and psychiatric professionals on how to take control of stress, learn to assess risk, and make better decisions under pressure. Now with a new introduction on how this book can help readers overcome any of life’s obstacles, Gonzales’s gripping narrative is set to motivate and enlighten a new generation of readers.”
Fire Skills: Methods For Starting Fires Without Matches
“Inside you will find 50 methods for starting fires without matches. You will learn how to light fire with friction, chemicals, the sun, electricity, and sparks. You will learn how to start a fire with ice, guns, rocks, sticks, flashlights and even air. If you enjoy camping, hiking, primative or survival skills, scouts, or just walking in the woods then you should read this book. You will gain knowledge of so many methods of starting fires without matches that you will be better prepared in case of an emergency. Dave Aman is an expert at starting fires without matches. He has been a Boy Scout leader for 15 years and this subject has become an obsession to him. He has tried many experiments and is willing to pass this knowledge onto you. Read the book and show off to your kids or maybe your hunting buddies. ”
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
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10 Killer Books to Add to Your Survival Library, List 2