15 top survival books with the best techniques for nature and wilderness
Making it through harsh natural conditions without the necessary know-how can be challenging. Are you a prepper, a bushcraft novice, someone planning to explore the wilderness, or perhaps lost outdoors? Plenty of survival books exist to help you ditch panic, pack your backpack, and embrace adventure. Are you curious about the best reads? Find all the details you need right here.
Source: UGC
Several notable survivalists and adventurers have authored survival books to impart crucial skills. These guides cover shelter-building, plant foraging, and other techniques vital for conquering nature's hurdles. They are essential for navigating disasters, civil disorders, wildlife and sea encounters, and unexplored terrains, preventing injury or death.
Books about survival
You must be familiar with survival aspects like bush crafting, first aid, foraging, prepping, and homesteading/gardening. The books listed below cover most of these topics, which can be bought in stores or online at Amazon.
We used data from Amazon and other publicly available data and compiled this list by analyzing the reviews from readers and online sale rates. Here are the top survival books for adults and on in nature.
1. Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
Dave Canterbury's bushcraft manual is a superb beginner's guide on survival skills. It was published in 2014 and has 256 pages. Most of its content is for those living in the Northeast US.
This book covers shelter construction, fire ignition, crafting tools, kit selection, and food foraging. The author discusses the five Cs of survivability: cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, containers, and cordages.
2. SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere by John 'Lofty' Wiseman
Former SAS soldier John Lofty Wiseman penned this 672-page comprehensive survival guide. It is honoured and used globally by military units. It entails hand-to-hand combat, first aid, tool crafting, signalling, and thriving in extreme environments.
It delves into wilderness and disaster survival, offering extensive insights into climate, self-defence, shelter construction, food foraging, navigation, and illustrated first aid techniques.
3. How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere by Bradford Angier
Bradford Angier's 1956 masterpiece is a timeless compact guide for wilderness survival and self-preservation. It is pocket-friendly and one of the best/ oldest how-to survival books ever published.
Divided into sustenance, warmth, orientation, and safety sections, it features vital skills like finding food and water, using a compass, and crafting shelter within its 320 pages. Despite the slightly dated language, the practical wisdom shared remains ever-relevant.
Source: UGC
4. US Air Force Survival Handbook: The Portable and Essential Guide to Staying Alive by the United States Air Force
Initially crafted for the US Air Force in the 60s, this 592-page survival guide focuses on aircrew survival in diverse terrains. It covers navigation, finding food and water, sea survival, animal tracking, first aid, and more. Praised for its clear instructions and insights into survival psychology, it comes in a portable, pocket-sized edition with cool diagram illustrations.
5. 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive by Cody Lundin
Are you looking for a witty yet informative survival handbook? Cody Lundin is a wilderness expert, and his 216-page book is a short yet info-packed survival guide. Despite limited space for detailed diagrams, it gives valuable content infused with pop culture and humour.
He gives practical advice on survival kits, shelters, and temperature control. He stresses the importance of maintaining a core temperature of around 98.6 degrees for overcoming various conditions.
6. The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living off the Land & Doing It Yourself by Carla Emery
Discover the essentials of homesteading in this 928-page book. First published in the '60s, this guide encompasses gardening, food preservation, cheese-making, and more, providing knowledge for self-sufficient living. Whether you are a survivalist or an urban farmer, this best-selling resource offers a holistic approach to a simpler, greener life.
7. The Pocket Guide to Outdoor Survival by Ron Cordes and Stan Bradshaw
This book teaches fundamental wilderness survival tips, including finding safe drinking water and building emergency shelters. It is a must-have among books, as this pocket-sized guide ensures you are prepared for any threatening situation. Its authors made it waterproof and packed with essential knowledge for escaping outdoor emergencies.
8. Wilderness Survival by Gregory J. Davenport
This book is a top-notch guide born from the author's US Air Force survival instructor training. It addresses various wilderness survival scenarios and offers expert advice on equipment, shelter building, and water sourcing. Davenport covers the five survival elements: personal protection, signalling, finding food and water, travel, and health.
Source: UGC
9. The Survival Medicine Handbook by Joseph Alton
It goes beyond typical first aid manuals and assumes a scenario where hospital access is nonexistent. With over 300 topics and 300 illustrations, it guides the average person to become an effective medic in survival situations. It covers principles, supplies, natural medicine, history, physical hygiene, and more across 694 pages.
10. Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen
Larry's book advocates the notion that simplicity is paramount in wilderness survival. It was published in the 90s and draws inspiration from Native American practices. The book imparts crucial and basic water, shelter, fire, food, and tool acquisition skills. It also includes crafting friction fire equipment, archery gear, and string.
11. The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer
Are they interested in spending some time outside civilization? Then, knowing how to forage and identify edible wild plants is vital. Rather than cover hundreds of edible wild plants, the author hyper-focuses on 32 of North America's most commonly found wild plants. He spends over 300 pages detailing where they are located, how they are harvested, nutritional information, and how to prepare each edible part.
12. Peterson Field Guides Edible Wild Plants by Lee Allen Peterson
This is one of the wilderness survival books that guides those seeking edible wild plants in nature. It is also a practical survival resource for daily living. For those interested in gardening and natural foods, this guide covers 400 plants, focusing mainly on the eastern US. Knowing what is safe to eat and how to prepare it is crucial for survival, making this book invaluable for backcountry adventurers and foragers alike.
13. When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes by Cody Lundin
Naturalist Cody Lundin demonstrates survival skills from his book on the show Dual Survival on The Discovery Channel. This book guide spans 450 pages, offering solutions for catastrophes, including obtaining drinking water, storing nutritious foods, and temperature control without power. It also discusses alternative lighting, makeshift toilets, rodent-catching, and safe body disposal during societal collapse or wilderness emergencies.
14. Field Guide to Wilderness Survival by Tom Brown Jr
This is one of the best books on how to survive in nature. Tom gives insights on tracking and wilderness survival while maintaining ancient patterns. The book is easy to read, with precise instructions, and is understandable.
Source: UGC
15. Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide by Jim Cobb
Jim Cobb's book is one of the most popular prepping books available. It equips readers for extended societal collapse, offering strategies for enduring crises like pandemics or grid failures. It covers water collection, food sourcing, medical aid, home fortification, and community building. This 208-page guide is a vital resource for self-sufficiency during prolonged emergencies.
What is the best survivalist handbook?
It is tricky to determine the best since it depends on the skill the survivalist chooses to acquire. However, survivalists frequently regard the SAS Survival Handbook by John 'Lofty' Wiseman as one of the most comprehensive and practical.
What are the best survival skills?
There are several survival skills and techniques you need if you want to stay alive and be rescued in the wilderness or nature. However, below are the best and basic ones you must have:
- Have the right attitude in a panic situation
- Fire-making skill
- Shelter-building skills in the wilderness
- Signals-making skill
- Sourcing and preparation of edible food and plants skills in the wild
- Sourcing and purification of water skills in the wild
- First aid skills
- Have navigation skills
Is survival a book genre?
Yes, most survival books are fiction. The stories have fictional characters but pass on how to survive in the will. Hatchet, Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies are examples of survival books fiction.
Survival books come in handy during negative wilderness and nature experiences. These books have helped survivalists, preppers, foragers, and adventurers survive in any condition they find themselves in. So, pick one today and enjoy that adventurer's journey without panic.
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