Survival books that I chose for my library.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

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Mar 19, 2007
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Some of you might remember a post I had on BF a while back looking for advice on books on Survival.

I looked at a LOT of books, read quite a few of them and am reading a few more right now. I compiled a list that, I felt, took some of the best in each genre' and allowed for a good selection at my Library. The library is here:

http://www.cy-faircollege.com/Templates/Content.aspx?pid=11312

Here is the list - I am sure it is not complete by any means - but I think a good selection for a local library to carry:

Survival How-To Books (Modern):

98.6 Degrees - Cody Lundin - 1-58685-234-5

Survival: How to Prevail in Hostile Environments – Xavier Maniguet - 0760717044

The SAS Survival Handbook – John Wiseman - 0-00653-140-7

US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76 - Department of Defense – 0967512395 (This manual can be found on line in various locations. It is a government declassified manual and thus is public property)

Desert Survival Skills – David Alloway - 0-29270-492-5

Wilderness Survival Handbook - Alan Fry - 0-7715-7340-5

Survival: A Manual That Could Save Your Life – Chris Janowski - 0-87364-506-5


Survival How-To Books (Primative):


Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival – Tom Brown Jr 0-425-10572-5.

Outdoor Survival Skills – Larry Dean Olsen - 1556523238


Survival Tales – Non-Fiction:

Adrift: Seventy Six Days Lost at Sea – Stephen Callahan - 0-34541-015-7

Survive the Savage Sea – Dougal Robertson – 0924486732

Experiment in Survival – George Sigler - 097111000X

Fatal Storm – Rob Mundle - 0071361405

Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer - 0-38548-680-4

Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer – 0-679-45752-6

Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man’s Miraculous Survival – Joe Simpson - 006-073-055-2

Survive! – Peter Deleo - 0743270061

Between a Rock and a Hard Place – Aron Ralston - 074349282X

Where Hell Freezes Over – David Kearns - 0312342055

The Last Voyage of the Karluk – William McKinlay - 0312206550


Survival Psychology:

Survival Psychology – John Leach - 0-81475-090-7

Deep Survival – Laurence Gonzalas – 0-393-05276-1

Surviving the Extremes – Kennetheth Kamler - 0312280777


Survival Medicine:

Wilderness Medicine: Management of Wilderness and Environmental Emergencies – Paul Auerbach - 0-323-009506

Wilderness First Aid: Emergency Care for Remote Locations – Howard Backer et al. - 0-7637-0407-5

Wilderness Medical Associates’ Field Guide – James Morrissey - 0-97046-460-6


Hope you enjoy the list and get something out of it.

TF
 
The book that started my collection is "How to Stay Alive in the Woods" by Bradford Angier. I believe it was first written in the '50's but is still a good read.

I started my son out with the stories by Jean Craighead George (My Side of the Mountain) and he has since read the Paulsen books (The Hatchet et al)on his own doing. He's 10 now. Though not technical manuals, he is developing his own sense of survival/self reliance.

He now has saved his allowance to purchase his own books including the SAS Survival Handbook which I catch him thumbing through in the evenings before he goes to sleep.

Another good one for kids is the Willy Whitefeather books.
 
For Primitive Skills, I would also add...

"Naked into the Wilderness" Primitive Living & Surival Skills by John and Geri McPherson.

Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski

Participating in Nature by Thomas Elpel
 
Quiet Bear is 100% correct - without McPherson and Kochanski, your library is incomplete. :(

McPherson and Kochanski .:thumbup: :thumbup:

Doc
 
They just need a selection - they can find other books on their own. I thought this represented a good selection from a lot of genre's. It is a public library with thousands of topics - they can only afford a smattering - and I thought this was a good smattering.

TF
 
Tom Brown's books are excellent for learning how to start a fire. 280 pages means a fire a day for almost a year :)

I have Brown, Kochanski, Wiseman and Lars Fält's Swedish Survival Handbook.
 
Talfuchre said:
They just need a selection - they can find other books on their own. I thought this represented a good selection from a lot of genre's. It is a public library with thousands of topics - they can only afford a smattering - and I thought this was a good smattering.

TF
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Understood. Pretty good choices, really, it's just that McPherson is, IMHO, the godfather of the contemporary primitive skills arena, and before that creates a bit of a "(fill in the blanks) is much better" debate, part of this consideration is because of his material that's available. I think it would be very difficult to find anybody more knowledgable than Jim Riggs, but the only book he has available is Blue Mountain Buckskin (to the best of my knowledge).

Even though I have 14 of Tom Brown Jr.'s books, and he was in part responsible for my involvement in Survival/Primitive Skills, if there was a fire in my apartment, I would save McPherson's books before Tom's (no disrespect intended)

Doc
 
What is really exceptional about the McPhersons is that they are actually living daily, everything they write about. Unlike most of us, including most primitive practicioners, they are not specialists in one particular aspect or skill, but relatively good at all.
 
This is a good one, based on Australian Bush but would still have value in other countries.
Book:_Australian_Bush_Tucker_Man_1859.jpg
 
DOC-CANADA said:
...Even though I have 14 of Tom Brown Jr.'s books...Doc
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Just curious, how does one person fill 14 books with survival tips? 280 ways to start a fire like NordicViking said? How many snares and lean-to designs are there?

I've only read a small percentage of the books listed in this thread, but I find a LOT of overlap between them. Sometimes verbatim. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course. It's just that there comes a point, where you don't really need one more diagram on how to skin a bunny or build an igloo. Personally, I don't have the time, patience or budget to compile a library of every survival book ever printed and compare notes on them.

I mean no disrespect, especially since I haven't read any Brown. This is a great thread and I suspect there will always be threads similar to it, because the topic is valid and presents lots of opportunity for learning. But, I think sometimes we get caught up in having every detail covered, or every author... and except for specific flora/fauna reference books, "survival" is not as complicated as it might seem. Water, shelter, food, 1st aid and orienteering... I'll wager most any of the books listed here, combined with a fair ration of common sense and a stout knife, will get you through the day or a week in the woods. Some books, like L.D. Olsen's, don't even require a knife if you really learn and practice the material.
 
i like a book written by bradford angier it is titled "Basic wilderness survival skills" it teaches all sorts of stuff but it seems more like primitive camping
 
GibsonFan said:
Just curious, how does one person fill 14 books with survival tips? 280 ways to start a fire like NordicViking said? How many snares and lean-to designs are there?
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GibsonFan, they are not all on survival. Some are philosophical in nature, some are tracking books, some wild edibles, well, you get the idea. Only 2 are specifically called survival books - one for adults and one for teaching children.

I've only read a small percentage of the books listed in this thread, but I find a LOT of overlap between them. Sometimes verbatim. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course. It's just that there comes a point, where you don't really need one more diagram on how to skin a bunny or build an igloo. .
Click to expand...

That all depends on your perspective. For me, if I find out one new thing of importance, it was worth the effort.

Personally, I don't have the time, patience or budget to compile a library of every survival book ever printed and compare notes on them.
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To each their own, of course. Personally, I don't spend money on guitars, guns, or expensive knives. It all depends on your priorities.

But, I think sometimes we get caught up in having every detail covered, or every author...
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But, of course. How else could one satisfy one's obsessions? :)

Doc
 
Danno4017 said:
This is a good one, based on Australian Bush but would still have value in other countries.
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Hey Danno,

The Bushtucker Man used to run on tv here and I taped most of them. The guy is excellent and what a job. For those of you who don't know, he was a Major (?) in the Australian Army and his job was to interact with the aboriginals in the Northern Territories and record the wild edibles (and survival techniques) for the Army. In other words, he was at a survival school and camping/exploring 24/7 (and getting paid for it!).

Danno, feel free to update/correct any of the foregoing, I case I screwed something up.

Doc
 
There are far too many "survival" books out there, and not nearly enough time. I would love to see a book passaround happen sometime.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
GibsonFan, they are not all on survival. Some are philosophical in nature, some are tracking books, some wild edibles, well, you get the idea. Only 2 are specifically called survival books - one for adults and one for teaching children.Doc
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Well OK, that makes a lot more sense, I figured I was missing something :) I see your point on the other things you mentioned as well.

falnovice, that's good idea about a book pass-around or trade.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Hey Danno,

The Bushtucker Man used to run on tv here and I taped most of them. The guy is excellent and what a job. For those of you who don't know, he was a Major (?) in the Australian Army and his job was to interact with the aboriginals in the Northern Territories and record the wild edibles (and survival techniques) for the Army. In other words, he was at a survival school and camping/exploring 24/7 (and getting paid for it!).

Danno, feel free to update/correct any of the foregoing, I case I screwed something up.

Doc
Click to expand...
You are spot on Doc, he was/is a Major and does the live off the land courses for the Army and SAS.
Very intresting and knowledgeable fellow, his series is still being re-run on cable.
 
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