Akkermans, Drake, Mattos, & Middleton, "Survival," 2007. Good but incorrectly advises cotton clothing in all weather and is obsolete on water purification.
Angier, Bradford, "Survival With Style," 1972, is dated, especially on disinfecting water, and simply incorrect regarding using iron (rather than carbon steel) with natural flint to strike sparks. Contains good information on fire-making, cooking and direction-finding. (Angier’s older books are often republished decades later with no effort to update the information.)
Beard, Daniel Carter, "Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties,” Diver 2004. Shelters simple and complex explained and shown by B.S.A.’s first “Chief Scout.”
Black Dog & Leventhal, publishers, "Survival Wisdom and Know-how," 2007. Some inconsistent and inaccurate information, but this anthology is good on balance. Pp. 178-181 good on water purification.
Gonzales, Lawrence, "Deep Survival - Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why," W.W. Norton, 2003. The current “latest word” on the mental aspects of survival.
Kochanski, Mors, “Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills & Wilderness Survival,” 2008. Mr. Kochanski and Ray Mears (cited below) are the leading authorities on “bushcraft” (living in the wilderness with minimum gear).
McCaan, John D., "Build the Perfect Survival Kit," 2005 has lots of worthwhile information on survival gear. It also has an inaccurate description of how a compass works, very obsolete confidence in iodine and chlorine "bleach" for making water safe, and unavoidably dated information on knife brands. There is no "perfect."
McManners, Hugh, “BSA: The Complete Wilderness Training Manual, 2d ed. rev., DK Publishing, 2007. Good overall but suggests the inferior chemical potassium permanganate for water purification and pictures and suggests use of massive chopping knives. Advice on snakebite first aid is dangerously incorrect for North America.
McNab, Chris, "How to Survive Anything Anywhere," McGraw Hill, 2004. Detailed information by former UK commando. Good but obsolete on water purification and wool as the only material for insulation layers. Also incorrectly believes that wood is the only suitable material for knife handles.
Mears, Raymond, "The Outdoor Survival Handbook," 1992. Really about primitive living by the UK's master of that subject, but with much good survival information - except for a strange devotion to cotton clothing for all seasons and all weather.
Stroud, Les, "Survive," Collins, 2008 is a serious book by one who is serious about the subject but strangely suggests fires inside brush shelters while occupants are sleeping ?!?!?!? Information on chlorine bleach and iodine for water purification is contrary to present expert advice.
Sweeney, Michael S., "Complete Survival Manual," National Geographic (undated). Good but weak on water purification. The advice on placing food where bears “cannot smell it” is unintentionally funny. (Bears can smell food still sealed in the can.)
Tawrell, Paul, "Camping & Wilderness Survival," 1996 at p. 75 has interesting detailed information on river crossings.
Tilton, Buck and Bennett, Rick, "Don't Get Sick," Mountaineers Books, 2002, is authoritative but rather technical for non-doctors. Written before development of Chlorine dioxide for outdoor use. Sold by B.S.A.
Towell, Colin, “The Survival Handbook – Essential skills for Outdoor Adventure. Another book by a former UK commando. Much excellent information. Handicapped somewhat by UK military jargon (e.g., PSK is called “belt order.”
. Encourages gathering of wild food. Suggests use of inferior potassium permanganate for water purification and omits SOLIS method. Pictures and suggests use of massive chopping knives. Advice on first aid for anaphylactic shock neglects role of oral antihistamines. Assumes all Coleman fuel stoves need priming. Confused about various ferrocerium tools (p. 127). Illustrations sometimes conflict with text (e.g. text advises wearing hat but illustration shows use of cap). (An official publication of the B.S.A. on sale in July, 2011.)
George Washington Sears does not make the list.
