I was just curious about what other people thought would be good text resources for survival purposes, excluding the zombie survival guide, cause that's just obvious. Here's mine:
Wilderness Survival
Army Survival Manual:
Though its a mediocre book, it covers a LOT of info. GIves you survival tips for desert, arctic, and everything in between. Probably one of the handiest books to keep on hand for those "oh crap" moments that you never expect.
Boy Scout Handbook:
Again, though it is a mediocre book, it is very handy. This is particularly helpful to teach things versus just listing things without explaining them very well.
How to Stay Alive in the Woods:
A nice book that gives some good detail about how to put up shelters and where to find food and how to keep warm. It is not the best book on the topic, but it does a very good job of informing the reader about everytihng he/she must know.
Primitive Living
Back to Basics:
This book I found at something like a flea market that was going on in our local mall and I am rather proud of it. It gives rather good explanations for how to build a house, how to be a blacksmith, etc, etc. Though an older book, a useful one nonetheless.
Primitive Food & Health Needs
Stalking the Wild Asparagus:
Does a great job at explaining how and where to find vegetables in the wild. A little kitchy sometimes, but well written and interesting.
Earl Mindel's Herb Bible:
Though a bit heavy handed for what one might need, it gives us some info about nutrition and helps us get an idea of where to fulfill these nutritional needs.
These books that I have listed are not the best that exist, they are just what I found helpful. Mostly I am interested to hear about what other people have found to be helpful. Anything?
I've found that the most informative survival guide I've ever read is "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks (the son of Mel Brooks). Now, I'm well aware that this book is found in the "Comedy" section of your local bookstore, but I assure you, that this is highly scientific and explores all details of survival in all levels of zombie infestation. After reading this book, I have become even more paranoid about the event of a zombie outbreak, because of it's sheer believability. I highly reccommend.
Other survival books on my shelf include:
The Worst-Case Scenario survival handbook - Excellent guide which explores how to do anything from wrestling an alligator to hotwiring a car.
The Bradford Angier Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants - I feel that such a guide would be very important when on the run, and your rations are running low.
How to Stay Alive in the Woods - Excellent survival guide. Tells you exactly what the title says.
I also have various Boy/Eagle Scout handbooks, as they tell you the basics of camping, etc. Lots of good stuff.
Here's a book I just picked up yesterday: Field Guide to the Apocalypse - Movie Survival Skills for the End of the World, by Meghann Marco. It's an easy read, i was able to knock it out in a few hours. It's mainly a humorous tongue-in-cheek guide to surviving several different bad future scenarios as envisioned in various sci fi and action movies - the false utopia (think Logan's run for an example), the high tech dystopia (i.e. blade Runner), and neo-medievalism (think mad max). Obviously the neo-medieval setting fits this site the best. It does actually include some useful info (surviving in harsh wastelands, making bio-diesel (and converting your ride to use it), constructing solar stills); it also has a few pages about zombies, but nothing that isn't covered much better in the ZSG. But the general scenarios and how deal with living without electricity and making your way in a de-populated world offer much to stimulate the mind of the zombie survivalist. And you never know, the ways described to determine if your spouse is trying to kill you and INSERT you with a replicant might come in handy... :lol:
The battle rages but they fight in vain
When all is done it must begin again
-"Freya", the Sword
The SAS Survival Handbook
Si vis pacem, para bellum
I only have the one, but it suits my needs just fine.
The Pocket Reference. Everything you wanted to know about anything, assuming you don't want to get a military manual. Small, easy to leaf through, and contains topics ranging from basic electrical wiring to how to help someone who's having a stroke. Not zed related, just Jack of all trades useful.
Also, The Dangerous Book for Boys. Why? Because little tricks lead to bigger tricks, and this is the book that taught me how to water-proof matches.
Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties by D.C. Beard. A thorough outline of dozens of different types of makeshift wilderness shelters and several intriguing designs for log cabins.
You lose.
this ones good: Total Resistance
written for the swiss during the cold war.
also paladin press have some good books amongst their publications, some are a bit silly yet the field guides etc are good reprints. they used to publish the sas e&e/recce course notes which was very good, not sure if it's still in print tho.
fairbairn-sykes "all in fighting" is interesting too if you can find a copy.
waves to echelon because this thread is so on a list somewhere/ lol
Here is my survival book list:
Bushcraft Skills and How to Survive in the Wild: A Step-by-Step Practical Guide by Anthonio Akkermans
How to Survive Anything, Anywhere: A Handbook of Survival Skills for Every Scenario and Environment by Chris McNab.
The SAS Self-Defense Handbook: A Complete Guide to Unarmed Combat Techniques by John "Lofty" Wiseman.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Brooks (although this book is debatable in some of it's tactics and ideas, it still has some good ideas).
Krav Maga/ The Original Israeli System of Self-Defense and Practical Fighting Skills: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault by Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfelf), Founder of Krav Maga and Eyal Yanilov, Chief Instructor
I am not even going to begin to list the Ninja books, just believe when I say I own a lot of them.
What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed Reading People. written by Joe Navarro with a foreword from Marvin Karlins, Ph. D. and published by Harper Collins in 2008 is an excellent book and I recommend it to all site members.
Crime Signals: How to Spot a Criminal Before You Become a Victim by David Givens, Ph. D., published by St. Martin's Press, New York, is the book I am currently reading. It is a look into criminal body language and how to recognize the "signals" of a possible attack before they happen.
Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Protection, Second Edition by Grand Master John Perkins, Lt. Col. Al Ridenhour, and Matt Kovsky. Published by Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. Teaches a system of personal protection called "guided chaos." Really interesting so far and I'm enjoying the insights from the authors very much.
I read The Self-Reliance Manifesto: How to Survive Anything Anywhere by Len McDougall. The author addresses many survival needs in both the wilderness and urban setting. In one chapter, McDougall explains how to sight in a rifle without a bore-sighter and a small amount of ammo. Very good read. I got a new book: Build the Perfect Survival Kit by John D. McCann
Although the title of the book threw me at first (most of you know my feelings on the use of the word perfect), it is actually proving to be a good read. It is really about making your own "perfect" kit.
Edit: I am half-way through this small book that holds so much good information on Survival Kit building and i recommend it to any member of the site who may be interested in making a better kit for themselves. Here is a picture of the book if you do decide to look it up: Book Cover Picture.
I have two new old survival books. I saw old because they are used, but they are still useful.
The first one is The Outdoorsman's Emergency Manual by Anthony J. Acerrano from Winchester Press and illustrated by Helene E. Walker and Dwight Walles. It only cost me three dollars. This book is basically the American Red Cross Emergency Handbook with more survival information (for it's time 1973).
The second one is The Handy Sportsman by Loring D. Wilson from Winchester Press and photographs taken by the author. I usually do not pick up handyman type books but this one shows you the steps in building things like your own gun cabinet, tackle box, and fishing nets. I could not pass it up for the price, another three dollars.
In the coming weeks, I should have a better oppurtunity to read them and give more feedback. :)
I have a new book written by Les Stroud titled Survive! and published by Harper Collins Publishing, copyrighted 2008. So far, I am enjoying the read very much.
"Merely having an open mind is nothing; the object of opening a mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." G.K. Chesterton