Looking for the best survival books to boost your skills when the SHTF? Stick to this page, as we review 13 guides on prepping, outdoors, bushcraft, and more.
Everyday life can present difficult situations or emergencies that will require you to have at least some basic survival skills. In fact, if you’re an avid weekend warrior who loves adventures and hikes in the woods, you’ll agree that self-preservation books are an invaluable companion.
Whether facing natural disasters like hurricanes or landslides, a vast wilderness, wildlife, ocean, or other rugged terrain, the best survival books provide essential information on how to avoid injury or death.
Not only will you get hands-on survival tips from endurance experts, but you’ll also be exposed to high-level tips and tactics used by brave men in the military. You will receive practical instructions on using common survival tools, navigating unexplored areas, innovative ideas for basic survival in the wild, etc.
We’ve compiled this list to improve your survival kit with quality self-preservation books that could save a life (ie yours). Remember, great gear can still hurt you without the skill to deploy it.
There are many things that people understand best from books. It is learning the ultimate survival skills, collect all the necessary items and guide the trees and wildlife.
Read lots of survival books by other survivors, but always keep an open mind and understand that just because they’ve published a great book doesn’t mean they’re the most incredible survival expert.
If you’re looking for the best survival books ever written, continue reading with the list below to get your head around this crazy genre of the best survival books.
Best survival books to be had in 2022
This concludes our step-by-step instructions as well as a comprehensive guide with some household skills. “Square Foot Gardening,” Chicken Tractor,” The Foxfire Series, Reader’s Digest Back to Basics, and many other excellent survival books can provide an interesting read that will teach you how to keep your family and yourself safe in case of supplies. How to take care of you..chain problems, money problems, or full-scale Ragnarok.
- Edible Wild Plants: Wild Food from Dirt to Plate | John Callas
- Peterson’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants | Lee Allen Patterson
- When technology fails Matthew Stein
- When all hell breaks loose Cody Linden
- Street Survival: Strategies for Armed Encounters | Ronald J. Adams
Types of Survival Books: Building Your Survival Library
Quality survival books that are practical and well thought out are simply irresistible.
The book titles that make it onto our list of the best survival books fall into a few main categories. Let’s explore this a bit more before we delve into specific survival books that will greatly enrich your library.Wilderness Survival Books
There is perhaps no better survival situation than the wilderness. It’s no wonder that so many books have been written about survival in the wild. Timeless classics will prove invaluable to neophytes and old-timers alike as they outline potentially dangerous situations and explain relevant survival strategies.Modern survival guide
Danger seems to lurk almost everywhere in our modern-day congested urban spaces. You definitely need a practical handbook to prepare for any situation in your home, office, or car. For example, fire, automobile accidents, natural disasters, theft, etc.
There are a series of interesting guides to avoid such emergencies.
Bushcraft Books on Edible Plants.
Foraging for wild plants and herbs in an emergency can be a risky affair for most of us. Therefore, a collection of good handbooks that cover the subject in satisfactory detail is indispensable.
Books in this category will help you distinguish the toxic from the nutritious, and the beautiful photos of wild plants with detailed descriptions will help you get the most out of the nutritious herbs scattered around you in the wild. can give You’ll also be well-guided to avoid some pretty-looking bushes that can send you six feet down.
Gardening and Housekeeping Books.
Homesteading is its own kind of survival. While you may not face immediate starvation or exposure to the elements, preparing your home for when the SHTF is an invaluable skill nonetheless.
You will learn farming, permaculture, conservation, livestock, water and power generation, among many other skills needed to set up an off-grid home.
- (#1-7) Best Survival Books for the Wilderness
- SAS Survival Guide | John “Lofty” Wiseman
- SAS Survival Guide – John “Lofty” Wiseman
- Buy now
- The SAS Survival Guide is a best-selling and highly trusted manual written by a former Special Service Survival Master. A versatile resource for all types of survival settings, from outdoor camping to wilderness adventures.
- Regardless of terrain, climate, on land, or even at sea, the handbook offers reliable time-tested nuggets on how to survive. Whether you’re relying on traditional navigation tools or the latest GPS, you can learn from John “Lofty” Wiseman’s vast experience.
- Topics include the invention of tools and weapons, first aid skills, hand-to-hand combat, and surviving extreme environments in every imaginable scenario. You also learn how to set up camp, find and prepare food, read the weather, keep warm, administer first aid, and survive without supplies.
- Recent revisions of the text have included topics that capture contemporary survival themes and tactics, including urban survival and terrorism.
- Check the latest price on Amazon.
- The Ultimate Survival Manual | Rich Johnson
- The Ultimate Survival Manual – Rich Johnson
- Buy now
- Rich Johnson’s background is serving as a paratrooper and demolitions officer in the US Special Forces. That means he knows a thing or two about avoiding disasters. In his classic The Ultimate Survival Manual, he outlines 333 basic skills that can help you survive the extremes that nature or life can throw at you.
- Whether you need to navigate a foreign terrain when you’re lost, or face the insurmountable task of crossing a fast-moving river, you’ll find it all here. It will be your guide to face and survive evil armed attacks, elements of nature like storms and floods, and wild beast attacks. Well, it is accompanied by pictures and well illustrated for better understanding.
- Check the latest price on Amazon.
3. How to survive in the jungle | Bradford Engr
- How to survive in the wild – Bradford Angier
- Buy now
- Any outdoor enthusiast will find this an indispensable companion in the wild that can be quickly swapped into your gear on the go. A classic written in 1956, How to Stay Alive in the Woods contains timeless survival tips that will make it nearly impossible for you to go hungry in the wilderness. Full color images of edible plants in the world are provided.
- Although the language used is not as contemporary, the content remains fresh, sound and relevant. This short manual is easy to read and useful in more ways than one.
- The book consists of four parts: Sustenance, Warmth, Orientation, and Safety. You’ll learn how to successfully hunt game without sophisticated weapons, build a simple shelter, and send distress signals when rescue is needed.
- Check the latest price on Amazon.
- 4. Special Forces Survival Guide | Chris McNab
- Special Forces Survival Guide – Chris McNab
- Buy now
This survival guide is a collection of survival tips from some of the world’s top military forces. It contains time-tested survival tactics from the Navy SEALs, Green Berets, French Foreign Legion, Delta Force, and other highly trained military units on how to survive in the wild.
The Special Forces Survival Guide covers many survival tips, from how to set up a shelter in the wild, navigating the jungle without a compass, preparing weapons and tools, starting a fire, and how to send distress signals. .
You’ll be glad you have these tried-and-tested survival tips that can get you through some unforgiving terrain and survive life-and-death situations.Check the latest price on Amazon.
5. Survival Handbook | Colin Towell
Survival Handbook – Colin Towle
Many people swear that if your library can have a survival handbook, there should be a survival handbook.
Written in a contemporary style, comprehensive survival.
What are the best survival books? Top 15 Books Reviewed
Posted by Alex Rijbein Outdoor & Hiking, Survival Gear, Survival Skills and Guides
Survival books.
Everyone needs a good survival book on their shelf or in their bug out bag. This is especially useful in the unfortunate moment of an emergency or disaster, and you need to know how to survive without everyday comforts. However, not all survival books are created equal, and not all of them will be effective in keeping you alive in an emergency.
There are certain topics that survival books must cover. They need to be taught how to prepare for emergencies and how to hunt, cook and treat wounds. Otherwise, your chances of survival will decrease significantly. You will be left without food, water and shelter, all of which you absolutely need to survive.
Survival books really can be the difference between life and death. The great thing, though, is that there are helpful and comprehensive survival books out there. I have read some of them and would like to offer my reviews and recommendations. Each review links to the book’s Amazon page, where more reader reviews are available.
This post may contain affiliate links to products I recommend. I may receive some compensation if you click on a link and make a purchase. This does not change the price you will pay.
Here at Truth Survival, we believe that knowledge is the key to survival. There is no shortage of great books on the topic of emergency preparedness and survival. We’ll look at some of the best survival books that we think are pretty much classics in the field. (In another article, we’ll look at books that are more about homesteading and off-grid living.)
Anyway, like I said, these 10 books are only the tip of the iceberg, but they get some great reviews on Amazon, and the authors themselves are pretty well known in prepper and survival education. Let’s dive in!
1 of our top 10 picks
- SAS Survival Handbook
- When All Hell Breaks Loose
- The Prepper’s Pocket Guide
- The Definitive Guide to US Army Survival Skills, Tactics, and Techniques
- The Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide
- SAS Urban Survival Handbook
- 100 Deadly Skills
- Living Ready Pocket Manual – First Aid
- The Survival Medicine Handbook
- How to avoid the end of the world as we know it.
- Best Survival Books – Bottom Line
I have read most of the wilderness survival books out there, and this is my review of what I believe to be the 4 best survival books.
I consider these survival books the best because their content is so good. These books aren’t self-published trash, and are written by reputable authors who, for the most part, really know what they’re talking about.
Unfortunately, there are so many survival books out there that it can be difficult for people to choose a book that gives good advice, and is written by an experienced, knowledgeable person.
Many survival books out there proclaim that you can just read a book, buy some supplies, practice some skills, and you’ll be able to live in the wild. This is misleading, irresponsible advice. Those books are usually old, and the authors have not spoken (see Bradford Angiers). I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it will take a lot more effort than reading some books and packing a backpack for a few days.
Some survival books are published simply because the author is a survival celebrity like Bear.
Others publish their books with a slightly different approach to survival without adding much value; The world doesn’t need more survival books (see Michael Hawkes, Les Strouds, and many others).
The worst of the worst are copy-pasted from the SAS Survival Handbook and/or the US Army Survival Manual (see Dave Canterbury).Now let’s move on to the best survival books:
*There are two survival books that I didn’t cover in this top 4 list, but deserve a mention. Ray Meyers’ Outdoor Survival Handbook is also a great book, and would definitely be number five on this list. And for long-term jungle survival, Thrive is hard to beat.
4. Survival wisdom and learn what you need to know to thrive in the wild
by Stackpole Books
This book is not written by one person but a collection of many books. It looks like the publishers have compiled all of their outdoor survival books into one. The first thing you notice when looking at it is that it’s huge. It weighs 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg). You’re not taking it out with you.
Kit of survival books
Section on survival kits
This is the encyclopedia of survival. What I love about this is that not only will I get a good description of how to fillet a fish, but I will also find out how to fillet a specific type of fish. It covers a lot of material with its 480 pages.
This is a survival book you want to have in your reference library. It’s like the SAS Survival Handbook on steroids, so naturally, it’s a bit overwhelming. The pictures are very basic as well as covering most of the information, yet this is a wealth of knowledge. This survival book is only for jungle survival enthusiasts.
Survival books wisdom
Section on fire
Major topics within the book are animals, plants, food, water, hunting and fishing, fire, shelter, travel on land and water, weather and climate, navigation, and first aid.
One thing I don’t like about this survival book is that you can’t read it cover to cover. It has no order. Like a dictionary or encyclopedia you should look up each specific topic. It is more than a reference book.
Publishers don’t really know the priorities of wilderness survival, and think that just copying and pasting information from other books they’ve published will make the best survival book. You will be able to learn how to start a fire, but the book won’t explain why you need it in the first place.The main reason why this survival book is on this list is because I’m really impressed with the sheer amount of short-term and long-term wilderness survival information it contains. This is the closest thing you can get to survival wikipedia in book form. Survival wisdom and know how.
3. SAS Survival Handbook The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere
By John Wiseman
It is the most popular survival book of all time. John Wiseman, the author, was a survival instructor while serving in the SAS unit of the British Army. This is why this book has a military feel. I honestly think this survival book is over rated, but what I love about this book is that it covers so much information.SAS Survival Handbook:Best Survival Books – SAS Survival Handbook – John “Lofty” Wiseman
The SAS Survival Handbook is a highly recommended resource for anyone looking for a true classic. John “Lofty” Wiseman (author) is a former SAS (British Special Air Service) survival expert who is a true authority figure in the survival industry. I like the book because it has both expert and novice information. Wiseman was part of the SAS for 26 years. During this period he became a master of his art. Some of the things he talks about in his book are:
- How to Survive at Sea (Chapter 9)
- Urban Survival (Chapter 10)
- How to Get Food (Chapter 4)
- Basic First Aid (Chapter 8)
- And much more! I love the fact that John devotes entire chapters to his topics. This allows you to build your knowledge in depth. You can buy this book via Kindle, but I would recommend buying the paperback version. This is definitely one of the best survival books that you will want to keep in your collection forever!
- $ Check price.
When all hell breaks loose.
Best Survival Books – Cody Linden – When All Hell Breaks Loose: The Things You Need to Survive a Disaster
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No matter where you live, every family needs a copy of When All Hell Breaks Loose: The Things You Need to Survive. It’s full of useful information (no “fluff”). Author Cody Linden also knows his stuff, and is the founder of the well-known and highly regarded Aboriginal Living Skills School (ALLS) located in Prescott, Arizona.
This book will teach you the skills you need to survive at home, in the office or in your care. What I love most about this book is that it’s not a boring guidebook on how to survive. Instead, it entertains while informing at the same time. According to this book, survival is 10% gear/skill and 90% psychology.
I’ve heard that old saying myself, and I have to agree. This book will teach you how to manage your stress and anxiety during a survival situation. It will teach you basic hygiene skills as well as first aid. The book received high ratings on Amazon. Check yourself!$ Check price.
The Prepper’s Pocket Guide
Best Survival Books – The Prepper’s Pocket Guide: 101 Simple Things You Can Do to Prepare Your Home for a Disaster by Bernie Carr. View on Amazon
While not an earth-shattering volume written by a single guide to survival techniques, The Prepper’s Pocket Guide nevertheless covers many of the basics in an easy-to-understand manner (even beginners Individuals will also have no difficulty. their application). Author Bernie Kerr has experience in emergency preparedness, and his ability to write only on technical matters is a plus.
In short, disaster is something you cannot predict. But you can always be prepared. That’s what the Prepper’s Pocket Guide is all about. This is one of the best survival books in the prepping niche. The advice spans 101 practical DIY tips. This makes the perfect reference guide to have in your collection. The book currently has 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and reviewers find it a reliable resource.
Survival Books Survival Kits
Section on survival kits
It is not focused on a specific climate and tries to cover every place on earth. Its topics include preparation and planning, survival kits, knives, water, climate and terrain, wild edibles, fishing, hunting, traps, shelters, fire, cooking, axes, ropes and knots, maps and Includes navigation, travel and waterways, first aid. . Survival at Sea, Signalling, Search and Rescue, Civil Survival (2014 Edition), and Natural Disasters.
Survival books
Section on fire
It weighs about 2.2 lbs (1kg) so it is on the heavy side with its 672 pages. The book contains an incredibly large amount of material in a super-condensed form, yet it may be the Achilles tendon, it’s not.
2. Survival Handbook Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventures.
This book is very similar to the SAS Survival Handbook, covering almost the same material. Topics include: preparation, environment, equipment, navigation, travel, fire, basic outdoor skills, shelter, finding water, fishing, hunting, and trapping, food preparation, signaling, and first aid.Colin Towell, the author was the Chief Survival Instructor of the Royal Navy as well as the Chief Instructor at the US Navy SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Evacuation) school. Despite being written by a military instructor, this survival book doesn’t have a boring military theme and accompanying black and white photos.
Survival Books Fire
Section on fire
At only 319 pages, it covers less material than the SAS Survival Handbook, but provides a clear explanation as well as much better pictures. This is an easy and entertaining read. It weighs about 2.2 lbs (1 kg). Another thing I like about this book is that it has up-to-date content and realistic pictures.
What this book covers well is clothing. Clothing is your personal shelter, first line of defense, and an often overlooked topic in survival books. For example the SAS book barely covers clothing.
Survival books
Section on clothing
I highly recommend this book, it’s a great read. It doesn’t completely overwhelm you with information. Loaded with illustrations, this book makes it easy to absorb and retain knowledge. It’s better for the young and non-survival-obsessed, in other words, it’s not boring. Survival Handbook.
1. 98.6 Degrees The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
By Cody Linden
This is the work of genius. While everyone else is easily distracted, Cody gets it. This is why this is the best survival book. He gets straight to the point, regulates body temperature and absorbs practical knowledge in a memorable way. His style is highly entertaining as well as effective.
Survival Books Survival Kits
Section on survival kits
Cody Linden is a wilderness survival skills and beginner skills instructor in Arizona. I truly believe this survival book is a must read for every student preparing for a wilderness survival course. This should help you get your priorities straight. It gives readers not what they want, but what they need. Perhaps this is why it is not as popular as other survival books, despite being what the doctor ordered.
Survival books 98.6 degree fire
Section on fire,If you are looking for a book on bushcraft and ancient skills, you will be disappointed. This book will not teach you how to skin a rabbit without a knife. Instead it helps you prevent a survival situation in the first place, and then shows you what you can do to survive. I really enjoyed Cody’s sense of humor as well as the basic principles that should drive any wilderness survival strategy.
Survival Book 98.6 Degrees Wear
Section on clothing
The sections covering clothing and survival kits are well done and easy to understand. The pictures are entertaining and help drive the points home. This is the perfect book to have in a short-term wilderness survival scenario. It has a wealth of knowledge that is practical and relevant unlike many other survival books. 98.6 degrees.
The Ultimate Guide to US Army Survival Skills, Tactics, and Techniques
The Best Survival Books – The Ultimate Guide to US Army Survival Skills, Tactics, and Techniques – Edited by Jim McCullough
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The Ultimate Guide to US Army Survival Skills, Tactics and Techniques is an “all-in-one” solution to your survival needs. The fact that this is not an army thing caught my attention. It was also chosen by Amazon book editor Chris Schlepp as one of the best history books of 2018.
It will teach you how to survive just about any dangerous situation. Each page is packed with information. In short, this is one of the best survival books you can own. In it, you will learn about:
First aid
Nuclear Attack Survival
Survival of biological attack
Surviving a chemical attack
Physical/Mental Fitness
Hot/cold climate survival
How to find food and water
The book is filled with hundreds of examples, graphs and references. This is the knowledge that every living being needs.
$ Check price.
5
The Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide
Best Survival Books – The Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide: Food, Shelter, Protection, Off-Grid Power and More Life-Saving Strategies for Self-Sufficient Living by Jim Cobb
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The Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide will provide you with step-by-step DIY projects that will prepare you and your family for any life-threatening situation. You will learn how to prepare for earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. You’ll also learn how to stay safe if society is torn apart by a pandemic (surviving pandemics is incredibly difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing).
Another reason this is one of the best survival books is because it goes in-depth about off-grid living. If nothing goes back to normal for several weeks, you’ll be glad you bought this book. Learn about techniques for collecting water, hygiene, hunting, foraging, medical treatment, and strengthening your home.
The book is well rated on Amazon and is suitable for both beginners and expert preppers. Definitely add this to your collection!
$ Check price.
Your survival Dr. Bob Arnott and Mark Cohen
Your Survival – Dr. Bob Arnott and Mark Cohen
This survival manual by Dr. Bob Arnott and Mark Cohen is an easy-to-understand manual written in an uncomplicated style. Intended as a survival guidebook for the home, it explains in well-defined sections what to do before a disaster strikes, when it happens, and steps to take after a crisis.
Your survival is more than a manual. The handbook comes with a video and an organizer. A 90-minute video of in-depth interviews with emergency experts, a food storage checklist for emergency preparedness, key emergency SOS contacts, and more await you in this survival package.
A helpful resource for disaster preparedness for your home against epidemics, mob attacks, landslides, earthquakes, or any such eventuality. You will identify 10 essential items in your preparation for any crisis at home.Check the latest price on Amazon.
(#8-9) Survival books on edible wild foods and herbs.
8. Edible Wild Plants: Wild Food from Dirt to Plate | John Callas
Edible Wild Plants_Wild Food From Dirt to Plate – John Callas
Buy now. Edible Wild Plants is one of the best bushcraft books for finding edible vegetables in the wild. The booklet includes pictures of different plants for easy identification, their nutritional value and cooking options.
The text is authentically written as John Kallis is a nutritionist and wild foods expert. It has foraged extensively in European and North American regions. The book will explain how wild foods are edible and their nutritional value at different stages of growth and how to best prepare them.
In its coverage, instead of rushing through multiple plant options, it has focused on fewer plants that choose to provide in-depth coverage that makes it highly beneficial.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
9. Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants | Lee Allen Patterson
Patterson’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants – Lee Allen Patterson.Buy now
The Patterson Field Guide to Arable Wild Plants is a comprehensive foraging guide that covers nearly 400 plants found in the United States. This guide shows which plants are edible, with lots of drawings and color photos so you can identify the plants.
The book contains about 40 poisonous plants that resemble wild edible plants. Without an outdoor survival guide like this one, you could easily end up eating these poisonous wild herbs.
With this book as a companion in the wild, you can beat the pangs of hunger.
- Check the latest price on Amazon.
- (#10-12) Urban Survival Books.
- #10. When technology fails Matthew Stein
- When Technology Fails – Matthew Stein
- Buy now
- Matthew Stein considers how we can survive off-grid when technology fails. He develops an innovative survival strategy when we cannot get services from the electronic gadgets that have become a part of modern life and convenience.
- When modern infrastructure fails on a large scale, resulting in economic meltdown, environmental degradation, and societal breakdown, sustainability becomes the only viable solution.
The book thoroughly discusses how to survive when we face these obstacles in modern life. Topics include building shelters, disinfecting water, harnessing and installing renewable energy sources, basic medicine, how to make clothes, and building resilience and self-reliance. These will promote survival in the event that the social structure as it is now known collapses.
- Check the latest price on Amazon.
- #11. When all hell breaks loose Cody Linden
- When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Linden
Naturalist Cody Linden does it again with ‘When All Hell Breaks Loose’, a masterpiece follow-up to his previous survival book “98.6 Degrees”. It is larger and more detailed with many points on disaster preparedness and emergency measures to deal with a crisis.
An urban survival book and more, it covers topics from portable drinking water to trapping rats for food to handling a carcass. This book has many functional survival tips. If the information inside is not enough, it is explained in an entertaining way with memorable quotes found throughout the pages of the text.
Cody claims disaster preparedness is largely psychological, with 10 percent less gear and technique. Arm yourself with valuable survival tips and tricks for your home, workplace, and anywhere in between.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
#12. Street Survival: Strategies for Armed Encounters | Ronald J. Adams
Street Survival_Strategies for Armed Encounters – Ronald J. Adams
Street Survival: Tactics for Armed Encounters is not a theory-based textbook, but a book born out of the heat of real-life armed encounters between more than 400 police officers and armed assailants. The book analyzes the various encounters of these officers for a deeper appreciation of the armed conflict.
SAS Urban Survival Handbook
Best Survival Books – SAS Urban Survival Handbook: How to Protect Yourself Against Terrorism, Natural Disasters, Fires, Home Invasions, and Everyday Health and Safety Hazards by John Lofty Wiseman
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For urban environments, the SAS Urban Survival Handbook is one of the best survival books you can buy. If the title sounds familiar, it should. It is also written by John “Lofty” Wisement, the same author who wrote the SAS Survival Handbook.
The difference, of course, is that it talks about survival in an urban environment. Believe it or not, surviving in an urban environment can be more difficult than surviving in the wilderness. Why? Because people can actually be your biggest threat during a crisis. And guess what? If you live in a city, you are surrounded by them.
- That’s why you need a book like this one. Wiseman will teach you how to stay safe after earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other common hazards. He also talks about tsunamis, looting and travel. While we don’t advocate being naive about everything that lurks on every street corner, it’s still a good idea to educate yourself about the realities of urban areas. The more prepared you are, the safer you will be. With Wiseman as a writer, you can’t go wrong.
- $ Check price.
- 100 Deadly Skills
Best Survival Books – 100 Deadly Skills – The Cell Operative Guide…Clint Emerson
In today’s increasingly dangerous world, you need to be prepared. From mass shootings to terrorist attacks, deadly situations are everywhere. The author of 100 Deadly Skills, Clint Emerson, is a former Navy SEAL. Needless to say, he knows his stuff. In case you didn’t know, Navy SEALs go through hell and back before going into the field. So it’s safe to say that it has a lot of knowledge to offer that you can’t get from many other books.
100 Deadly Skills will give you solid stealth tactics, self defense techniques and other great stuff. There’s even a section on how to cheat facial recognition software! Learn how to make an improvised taser and even escape from a locked trunk. The book is full of examples and easy instructions. No list of the best survival books would be complete without mentioning it.
- $ Check price.
- Living Ready Pocket Manual – First Ed
The Best Survival Books – The Ready-To-Pocket Pocket Manual by James Hubbard MD
When SHTF, there will be no medics to help the wounded. You have to help yourself. That’s why I recommend purchasing a copy of Living Ready Pocket Manual – First Aid. It will give you ways to treat hypothermia, dehydration, heatstroke, frostbite, cuts, burns, gunshots, bites, rashes, broken bones, and even anaphylaxis.In short, it’s everything. This pocket-sized book will also teach you how to pack a first aid kit.
How to Choose the Best Survival Books
Before we move on to the reviews, let’s take a quick look at what makes a good survival book. As mentioned earlier, you cannot survive without knowledge of certain topics. Let’s see what survival topics must be included in survival books. If you would like to skip this explanation and go directly to the book reviews, please click here.
Your Survival by Dr. Bob Arnott and Mark Cohen Tim McWelch
Dr. Bob Arnott and Mark Cohen’s Survival Guide is an accessible, easy-to-read book that focuses on disaster survival. The book is divided into three sections that provide guidance before a disaster, through an emergency, and after a crisis.
This popular survival book is filled with expert survival tips and valuable checklists to help you organize your food, first aid supplies, and supplies. As a bonus, the book includes a 90-minute disaster preparedness video that the whole family should watch.
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Your Survival: Protecting…
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How to Survive in the Wild: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Preservation Anywhere by Bradford Enger
This Bradford Enger book is an absolute classic, and the small paperback is also easy to tuck into your luggage and take along for travel. The material is pretty solid, although the drawings leave you somewhat short on the details of essential skills such as setting traps and starting fires.
How to Survive in the Wild: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Protection Anywhere is an easy-to-understand survival guide for people who enjoy the outdoors.
The book covers colorful illustrations and sections that provide valuable information on finding food, which plants to forage, building shelters, clothing, self-defense and signaling for help.
Although the terminology is now somewhat obsolete (it was compiled in 1956), the book has one good thing: the information is evergreen. In other words, the capabilities presented have worked and can work. If you’re lucky, this little survival manual might be just what you need.
Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olson Tim McWelch
(Best Outdoor Survival Books
This is the book that started my obsession with survival manual skills. I was 16 when I bought Larry Dean Olson’s Outdoor Survival Skills.
This is a solid little wilderness survival book that teaches us that less is sometimes more. This outdoor survival book teaches Native Americans inspired skill sets for obtaining shelter, fire, tools, food and water, and more.
With this book, you can learn how to effectively series, handle archery, and build operational friction fire gear. Over time, I have actively tested the classes in this book, and have successfully replicated the capabilities described in its pages. If I can do it, so can you.
Prepare for survival
Although it is not always possible to predict every future scenario, you should start now and be prepared for possible emergencies. In every good survival book, having a go bag packed and ready should be recommended.
This go bag should contain all the important things that you will need in an emergency such as:
- Extra clothes
- First Aid Kit (Click on the link to know which first aid kit is best)
- Copies of all important documents
- Non-perishable food or snacks
- A considerable sum in cash
- Any self defense weapon that you may have.
- A strong flashlight with multiple batteries – see my list of recommended flashlights
- A multi-tool with several tools and attachments that can serve you in a variety of situations.
- Other important items you may consider necessary.
A good survival book should also explain how to effectively prepare for a lack of food, electricity or water. You need extra non-perishable food, extra clean water, or a way to sterilize the water. You’ll also need fuel sources that aren’t around the power grid.
When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Linden Tim McWelch
Another fantastic read by Cody Linden is his 2009 Tragedy Survival Manual When All Hell Breaks Loose. For those who enjoyed 98.6 Degrees, you’ll love this giant book full of disaster preparedness and emergency skills.
With topics such as bugging out, creating a crisis outdoor kitchen, and dealing with a dead person, this very in-depth book covers a lot of information.
This is not just a tragedy survival or urban survival book. There are lessons here for any type of emergency. This is one of my favorite books.
Mountaineering First Aid by John Carline, Martha Lentz, and Steven McDonald Tim McWelch
Mountaineering First Aid by John Carline, Martha Lentz, and Steven Macdonald is a pocket-sized book on injury response and first aid care, which will fit well in a wilderness medical outfit.
This book contains a range of advanced checklists and provides education on dealing with many common external pitfalls. I keep this book in my biggest medical bag as a reference for signs and symptoms of problems.
Mountaineering First Aid: A…
- Mountaineering First Aid: A…
- $15.95
- View on Amazon Price. Tax plus shipping
- Peterson’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Tim McWelch
Every survival library wants a copy of the book, and so does every bug out bag. The 400 plants described in this book are found in the southern half of the United States, along with growing numbers from coast to coast. This short book tells you what wild plants use as tea, salad, root vegetables, and many other forage foods.
Don’t let the white and black lines discourage you. This book has details and many crops that many slick looking books with color photos are missing. Never go hungry again with this book in your pocket.
By Forrest Griffin Tim MacWelch Be Ready When The Sh*t Goes Down
For centuries, man has fought to stop the monster within him. Yet, UFC fighter and author Forrest Griffin has ridden this monster into uncharted waters, perhaps drowning the wrong thing. This book is basically a dirty joke book. That’s how I read it, but these are two valuable survival tips for fans of the original survival skills.
The first thing is that the forest is not exactly the one we can get stuck in. I find this book thought provoking, like the chapter about digging up your spouse’s flower garden to build a bunker with another prison inside to lock out pesky relatives.
The chapter on building a vehicle of destruction (putting a brewery on a ship) is also encouraging. It may be inspired by a madman, but I stand by my point of view.
This leads me to the next point I take from this book: don’t take everything so seriously. It’s easy to find all the gloom and doom with the preparation for urban survival and tragedy, and so this book can serve as a foul-mouthed palate cleanser. Caution: This book is not intended for young adults.
- Be ready when the shit goes…
- Be ready when the shit goes…
- $16.99
- View on Amazon Price. Tax plus shipping
Create the Perfect Bug Out Bag by Crack Stewart Tim McWelch
The name says it all. Survival instructor/recently turned author, Kirk Stewart has written a play-by-play playbook to guide us in the art of having an evacuation survival kit that will be our own life if we have to bug out.
Building the Perfect Bug Out Bag helps us figure out the gear we need to build a 72-hour survival kit on any budget. Packed with options, each chapter helps us assess our needs and find the means to meet them. Various checklists and images make the book easy to read, understand and use.
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
(Books on how to survive in the wilderness)
Dave Canterbury, co-owner of Pathfinder School and as supervising instructor, brings a wealth of expertise. USA TODAY named this survival school one of the 12 best in the country.
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival is what you’ll wish you had when you’re camping or hiking. It’s small, only 8″ long, so it’s perfect for slipping into your backpack for all those long hiking/camping excursions.
As the name suggests, this is a great survival book called Bushcraft 101, which tells you exactly what you’ll want to pack in your survival gear for being out in the woods, how to make a few shelters for yourself. Make, and show you how to set up your cooking device. It covers, first and foremost, the author’s five Cs of survival: cutting tools, coverings, combustion equipment, containers, cording, and containers.
It has been compiled by Dave Canterbury, a world-renowned and well-known survivor so that you can thoroughly test and substantiate the information it contains. This is definitely a survival book you’ll want to get your hands on if you’re in any wilderness area
Hunting and foraging
If you need to survive, you need a source of food that isn’t a grocery store or a restaurant. Knowing how to hunt is the best way to ensure that you will have a source of food that allows you to survive as long as animals roam the land.
Most importantly, you need to know how to make weapons that can effectively kill and clean up animals. Ammo and guns won’t be easy to come by in a survival-type environment, so you’ll have to make do with whatever sticks, rocks, or ropes you can.
Forage is also an option that can replenish your food resources. Survival books can teach you which edible plants, berries, and mushrooms you can find, and which ones you’re best off avoiding. And if the disaster lasts for months, you should also have basic knowledge of how to grow your own food and store it for later use.
Knowledge of first aid
Knowing how to heal a wound, whether shallow or deep, is essential to keeping yourself healthy and alive. Without first aid, you risk bleeding, infection, dehydration, and poisoning. It is important to know how to deal with these problems.
Any good survival book should tell you how to do things like:
- stitches
- Heal snake bites.
- Prevent infection.
- Start an IV.
Make a saline solution
Knowing these specific skills can save your life when tragedy strikes, and you have to overcome an illness. Without this knowledge, you could bleed out, or die faster than any injury.
Use of organic materials
In nature, you really have everything you need to sustain life. You can create fire, which is not only a source of heat, but it can also cook food, purify water and give you light. You can use branches, soil, and natural caves to create a life-saving shelter. You need a survival book to explain and explain hundreds of ways that can be used to sustain life.
Anything found in nature can usually be used as a source of energy and to help cook, kill or grow your food. Without this knowledge, you probably won’t survive more than a few days.
Mental preparation
You may have all the necessary items and physical skills, but there is also a psychological aspect to survival. Any survival book should teach about the survival mindset. When you have your head in the right place, when you approach any situation in a calm and calculated manner, your chances of survival are much better. With no panic to distract you, you’ll work at your peak and overcome any challenge.
Mental preparation should also include guidance on the size of your group. If you are living alone, you must learn how to deal with loneliness and how to be completely self-reliant. If you have a family, you need to know how to care for others, provide them with emotional support and rational guidance. For more information on survival thinking, see my article on survival traits.
Trust
Is the author highly recognized in the specialized field? Nowadays, anyone can quickly put together a few hundred pages on a particular topic, create a functional cover design, and then make it available for download. Reading reviews is great, you should check out the author as well.
Experience: Try to find out more about the author’s experience with the topic. Regarding survival publications, serving in the military is not necessarily a reliable sign.
Unless he was a member of a unit that received special training in the subject, he is writing about it. However, it is good if they have expertise in the field and have held the position for many years.
Credibility: When you look for information about an author’s work, pay attention to their reviews and comments. Search on websites like Amazon, of course, but you should also look for general blog entries and similar content.
Learn what other survival guides say about the author. Do they have a track record of being subject matter experts? Does he count as someone who can successfully impart knowledge?
What is your biggest fear?
Good survival books.
Survival is about being prepared for anything. Your biggest fear is a great place to start. This will give you a starting point when you shop for top survival books.
Although thinking about your worst fears may seem scary, it can help you relax and feel less anxious, knowing that you can handle a dangerous situation. If you’re afraid of falling and injuring yourself on a hike, it’s a good idea to find the best prep books on first aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important part of surviving in the wilderness?
Surprisingly, the length of time spent in the wild is not the most dangerous. Your reaction within the first 10 minutes of being in danger is critical. This is when most of the casualties occur.
If you make quick decisions like panicking or running away, you are more likely to be in danger. You’ll have the best chance of a survival situation where you take a second, take a deep breath, and keep your head clear.
What are the 5 keys to jungle survival?
These five essential survival skills include building shelter, finding food and where it is, cleaning water and starting a fire, and signaling for help. These are your essentials to protect you from hunger, dehydration, or the elements. You can prompt for help in a survival situation.
What are some common mistakes people make in the wilderness?
We’ve covered the most common mistakes people make when trying to survive in a jungle survival situation. An emergency can be dangerous if you panic, don’t know, or don’t use the five rules of wilderness survival.
You should read the best survival guides before heading out into the wild. It’s a good idea to pack your favorite survival books and other tools when you go camping or hiking.
How to Build Your Survival Book Library
I don’t think an episode of your favorite survival show on DVD or an app for your phone can replace an actual paper book. What’s in my library? There are four types of books that keep me sharp and help me learn when the worst survival app.
Result
The best survival books are those that provide clear and concise instructions on how to survive in a variety of situations. They should also be easy to follow and understand. The best survival books will also include a variety of tips and tricks that can be used in a variety of situations. Thank you for reading!
