Best Survival Books 2022: Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

1. SAS Survival Handbook 2. Bushcraft 101 3.  The Survival Medicine Handbook
John Lofty Wiseman SAS Survival Handbook Best Survival Book Dave Canterbury Bushcraft 101 Joseph Alton The Survival Medicine Handbook
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If someone is military personnel, then it is easy to survive amidst uncompromising phases of natural disasters, because such a person is fully trained to manage any kind of emergency.

Ordinary civilians, however, are not highly-skilled, and they need to rely on some survival gears to know the tricks and processes to protect themselves from any natural calamity.

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The practical implications of going through the survival books and kits are not just to protect an individual but an entire group.

You will come across some DVDs and mobile apps available for survival tutorial, but it is hard to learn real-time survival techniques from these platforms. In this case, you need to fill your library with the best survival books.

These survival books will teach you about the tricks for building shelters, finding foods and rescue process. You can even find the details of essential medicines and first-aids in these books.

Such survival books feature four categories such as wilderness survival books, urban survival books, wild plant books, and homesteader books. It is challenging to choose the best survival books because you can find more than a thousand books on different niche online. So, we are providing you with a comprehensive guide to select the best survival books.

Top 25 Best Survival Books 2022

1. John Lofty Wiseman SAS Survival Handbook

John Lofty Wiseman SAS Survival Handbook Best Survival Book

SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere is one of the best survival books written by John Lofty Wiseman. This book covers multiple topics, including urban survival and terrorism.

Also, you can learn about crucial things campers, hikers and outdoor adventurers should do. You will get a particular chapter written on fear management, and conceivable disaster management is added in its third edition.

Pocket survival kits are essential for your outdoor adventures, and you are sure to learn the utility of such tools. Plus, it is crucial to know about personal hygiene, especially when you on in a camp, not to mention how essential it is to find all information related to foods, first-aid, and disaster management.

A particular chapter written on self-defense is an interesting one, where you can find hand-to-hand combat techniques. This well-written survival book also covers security measurements so that you can protect your family from any intrusion.

Even, you can overcome any climatic challenge, and keep yourself protected in the desert to the mountains. The first survival and the disaster management topics are explained quite lucidly, with insights and processes that are easy and hassle-free to follow.

Pros

  • Written in multiple survival and disaster management topics
  • Covers first-aid, disaster survival and security
  • Written about personal protection and family security
  • A particular chapter on self-defense
  • Written on food preparation and climatic changes
  • Provides enough resources for hiking, outdoor adventures and camping

Cons

  • The wrong information is given about magnetism, electricity, static, and their phenomena
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2. Dave Canterbury Bushcraft 101

Dave Canterbury Bushcraft 101

Many have named this book as the best survival book written on the backcountry. Dave Canterbury has penned this book for your next backcountry trip. You are sure to find useful information about cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, containers and cordages.

If you read this book and carry it with your backpack for your backcountry trip, then you can enjoy your time even in a challenging situation without any fuss. You can discover the details about survival kits and their uses in this book.

Collecting and using the foods in a remote place during your camping is a difficult task; you will read all these tricks to save your foods and other resources from this book.

After reading this book, you will learn how to tackle different climatic situations and how to survive if a natural disaster hits you. You can read the personal protection guideline written by Dave Canterbury in this regard. Nature is always the best teacher, and this book carries the ideal conceptions needed to create items straight from the landscape.

Pros

  • Written on backcountry tours
  • Details of five Cc like cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, containers, and cordages
  • Gives an insight into disaster management and personal protection
  • Uses of bushcraft
  • Written on effective ways of collecting foods and cooking
  • Available in four different formats-audio books, paperback, Kindle and audio CD

Cons

  • The general information provided, not clear and concise
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3. Joseph Alton The Survival Medicine Book

Joseph Alton The Survival Medicine Handbook

Joseph Alton is an obstetrician and pelvic surgeon who have more than 25 years of experience. He has written this book named The Survival Medicine book: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way on survival skills, disaster management and safety, or first-aid.

This medical handbook can help you to survive during a medical emergency. People may face some medical emergencies during their camping or outdoor adventures. In this book, you can find all information related to medical emergencies.

After reading this book, you can treat more than 100 medical issues by the help of techniques written by Dr Joseph Alton. He has added a chapter in this second edition on natural remedies so that you can quickly treat almost all medical problems by following his steps.

This book covers medical preparation, different medical issues, medical skills that you need to learn, medical supplies for natural remedies, uses of essential oils in an emergency condition.

You will also learn to take a physical exam of a patient, handle the mass casualty, patient transport, personal hygiene, dental problems and their treatment and pain-relief management.

Plus, you can find some remedies for significant health issues, like stoke, urinary tract infections, abdominal pain, food poisoning, wound infection, pelvic infection, allergic infections and lots more.

No doubt many call it not just an informative book but also a useful medical guide regarding all naturalistic viewpoints about diseases. The book is a compact one, and it is written in simple language for people to understand.

Pros

  • This is a medical handbook written by an experienced doctor
  • Well written information on different medical issues
  • Natural remedies for medical problems
  • Covers vast medical areas including natural disaster management
  • Written in major medical emergencies such as stoke, sicknesses, abdominal pain and respiratory problems
  • Written on mass casualty and patient transport
  • Useful information about survival kits and emergency medicines
  • Available in two different formats-kindle and paperback

Cons

  • Only follow this book during an emergency, not recommended for all medical purposes
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4. Dave Canterbury The Bushcraft Boxed Set

Dave Canterbury The Bushcraft Boxed Set

Dave Canterbury is an instructor and co-owner of the Pathfinder School, which is one of the best survival schools in the USA. His book, The Bushcraft Boxed Set, was hailed as the bestselling title by the New York Times.

In this set, you can find different dour paperbacks written on bushcraft, advanced bushcraft, bushcraft management and The Bushcraft Guide to Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking in the wild. Although people love to go for adventurous pursuits, they should have all the gears ready before they confront nature in any form.

The first book of this set “Bushcraft 101” is written on the 5Cs of survivability. You can find the details of cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, cordages and containers in this book. If you want to survive in a natural disaster without any tools, then you can read the guidelines written in the second book named Advanced Bushcraft.

Apart from that, Dave Canterbury describes the cooking process in the wild in his third book named The Bushcraft Guide to Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking in the Wild.

Preparing foods during your trek and packing your essentials for your outdoor tours is a hectic task; all you have to do is follow the tips prescribed by Dave in this regard.

Pros

  • A complete set of survival book
  • Written by the bestselling author Dave Canterbury
  • It is a comprehensive guide for your next outdoor adventure
  • Written on various topics including bushcraft management
  • Useful information about 5Cs of survivability
  • You can survive in the wild without any tool
  • Available in two formats-kindle and paperback

Cons

  • Less information about first-aid and edible plants
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5. The Popular Mechanics Essential Survival Guide

The Popular Mechanics Essential Survival Guide

Do you know about the emergency medicines and therapeutic process? You can learn about popular drugs by reading this book The Popular Medicines Essential Survival Guide written by Popular Mechanics.

If you think, it is impossible to protect your family from natural disasters or to protect yourself from flood or fire, read this best survival handbook to know the emergency survival techniques.

Many have hailed this book as one of the best survival storybooks written in a story-telling format. Here you can find some survival stories, including a few lessons. A practical lesion written on a dog sledder and a helicopter pilot crashed into the icy waters can give you enough insights. Since the narration is in the story format, it is fun to reading.

You will get to know decision-making power is essential during an emergency so that you can take critical decisions but following the steps written in this book during an emergency. This book not only saves you and your family from natural disasters, but you can learn about survival strategies.

Pros

  • Technical and theoretical information about survival strategy
  • Crucial details on survival medicines
  • Includes lessons and stories
  • Written on emergency medicines
  • Useful information about natural disasters and combat process

Cons

  • Available in one format only-Flexi bound
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6. Bradford Angier How to Eat in the Woods

Bradford Angier How to Eat in the Woods

It is safe to call this book as one of the best wilderness survival books available in two different formats. You can download the kindle version or buy the hardcover.

How to Eat in the Woods is written by Bradford Angier. This book is written about edible plants, fruits, nuts and berries available in wildlife.

You cannot survive in a forest if you do not know how to track, trap and kill the animals. You need to prepare your foods with limited resources, so you must know how to locate edible plants, eggs, and insects and purify water in a jungle.

Otherwise, you cannot survive. In this book, you are sure to find all the useful information about food preparation during camping and hiking.

Plus, a particular chapter is also written on building a fire and on preparing foods without utensils can help you a lot. You can prepare your meals during your outdoor adventure, and you can survive during a natural disaster. Even, you can follow the tips written in this book to save your family from an emergency.

Pros

  • Information related to food preparation in remote areas
  • Learn about fishing and collecting eggs, edible insects and plants
  • Find out purified water
  • Prepare food without any utensils
  • Building a fire for preparing meals in a camp

Cons

  • No information available for first-aid
  • Only related to food
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7. Bob Mayer The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide

Bob Mayer The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide

Do you know how to tackle a pandemic situation? You cannot survive in a pandemic, and a virus or bacterial infection can do it.

Apart from that, we often face some natural disasters like flood and earthquake. To be prepared for such situations, you must read this book written by Bob Mayer.

The Kindle edition of this book was last updated in 2022. Reading this book will equip you with some tactics of disaster management from the Special Forces.

A chapter of this book is written on the Special Forces where trained commandoes describe their techniques to save energy and valuable time during an emergency. Plus, you can learn the process of building a survival team. The five elements of survival, such as water, food, medicine, shelter and fire, are described in this book.

Bob Mayer is an Ex-Green Beret who taught for many years in the JFK Special Warfare Center and School. The author wants every civilian to know about the time and cost-saving processes during an emergency.

Pros

  • Step-by-step guide on survival strategies
  • A particular chapter was written on disaster management by the Special Forces
  • The process of building a survival team
  • Usage of survival resources such as water, food, medicine, shelter and fire
  • Time and cost-saving processes during an emergency or disaster
  • Available with downloadable links

Cons

  • Written on common sense, not on survival kits
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8. Tony Nester When The Grid Goes Down

Tony Nester When The Grid Goes Down

Tony Nester has written this book into two parts, such as short-term survival strategy and long-term strategy. In the first part, you can find useful information about short survival for 24-72 hours.

The second part describes the grid-down emergency, where you can manage a sudden emergency by following the steps prescribed in this book. Not to mention, you can also learn to deal with the pandemic attacks.

This book describes different aspects of an emergency. While reading, you will come across details like creative, self-reliant home, water storage, and critical gears needed for a crisis.

No doubt, it is one of the rare survival books that describe the safeguarding process of your home. You can maintain your room temperature during power-cut by following these steps.

Apart from that, you will learn how to design a medical kit for an emergency. You can find some information about the defense mechanism in a particular chapter. This book is available in Kindle and Paperback, and you can download it from any part of the world.

Pros

  • Short-term survival strategy 24-72 hours
  • Grid-down emergency for pandemic management
  • The information available on self-reliant home, water storage and purification methods
  • Sanitization and hygiene methods
    Describe off-grid medical kit

Cons

  • Less information available on emergency medicines
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9. Beau Griffin Survival Medicine & First Aid

Beau Griffin Survival Medicine & First Aid

After a natural disaster, you can get injured. It is hard to find any savior in your nearby location who can rescue you and your family. So you need to know the first aid process so that you can take care of sick and injured people by applying for minimum medicines. In this regard, you can read this book written by Beau Griffin.

After some camping in the wilderness, he started using the natural resources available in his camp area. According to Griffin, people must be prepared for facing any kind of natural disaster when they are on camp, and it is possible by using some natural resources.

Many have hailed this book as one of the best survival books nonfiction. It describes various topics such as the golden rules of a first responder, how to make your first aid kit more energetic and resourceful, how would you diagnose common medical problems, and how to tackle natural disasters as well as the post-disaster world.

You will become an emergency responder after reading this book, not to mention, you can save people after a disaster.

Pros

  • Available in three different formats-audio books, Kindle and paperback
  • Includes various topics such as disaster management, emergency medicines and first-aid kit
  • You can diagnose and treat the minor injury by reading this book
  • Described post-disaster world
  • Learn how to take up medical assistance where no facility is available

Cons

  • This book is written on essential medicines, and there is no way to treat a patient without modern medicines
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10. Dave Canterbury Bushcraft First Aid

Dave Canterbury Bushcraft First Aid

Dave Canterbury is an author of a bestselling book Bushcraft 101. Now the author is treating you with another book on bushcraft co-written with Jason Hunt. If you love adventures, then you can go for hiking or camping. The book will make every hardship effortless. You just need to add a few essential things in your backpack.

You can read this book to become a first responder, and you can treat various health issues. Dave Canterbury covers some major injuries like cuts, burns, bone fractures and head injuries in this book. Apart from that, you can learn first aid such as dressing, slings and bandages.

Bushcraft First Aid can help you to keep yourself safe so that you can keep your team healthy during hiking and camping by following his tips. No doubt lifesaving information is given in this book. Better imbibe it to save your life from significant injuries so that you can enjoy your camp without worry.

Pros

  • Written by bestselling author
  • Learn about emergency medicines
  • You can treat major and minor health issues
  • Lifesaving information for hikers and campers
  • Major injuries like bone fractures, burns, cuts and head injuries covered
  • Available in two different formats-paperback and Kindle

Cons

  • Seek professional medical advice written in this book is not a survival strategy
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11. Creek Stewarts Survival Hacks

Creek Stewarts Survival Hacks

Is it possible to survive in the wilderness? You can only survive in the wilderness if you have proper safety gears. But sometimes, you can face some problems in your safety gears during hiking, and you cannot rely on these pieces of equipment blindly. So how can you survive in the wilderness without any safety gear?

This book, written by Creek Stewart, will answer all your answers. He is a survival expert who hosts a show called Fay Guys in the Woods, and he is the owner of the Willow Haven Outdoor Survival Training Schools.

In his book, Stewart describes the practical uses of everyday items and turn them into a survival kit. For example, he has represented the usage of soda tabs and plant leaves, which can become one of your most useful survival tools.

Apart from that, you can also learn about various topics like, how to use sticks and rope to make a table, how to create a shelter by using trash bags and how would you naturally purify the dirty water.

You can simply purify dirty water by using a plastic bottle and sunlight. When it comes to your survival in an emergency, you need to know everything, and you can follow the steps written in this best survival book.

Pros

  • You can turn your everyday types of equipment into survival kits
  • How would you naturally purify water?
  • Usage of natural elements in the wildlife situation
  • You can survive in a disaster without any safety gears

Cons

  • There are no paragraphs written on carbon filters and soda bottle for purifying water
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12. Beau Griffin Survival Survive Anything

Beau Griffin Survival: Survive Anything

How would you survive in a pandemic situation? No doubt you and your family can be affected by natural disasters like floods and earthquakes or a pandemic attack like virus infection in the mass population. So if you need to know how to survive in an emergency, read this book written by Beau Griffin.

Beau Griffin has explored various places in five continents, and he has a tremendous practical experience. In his book, you can find out some paragraphs written on a survivalist mindset.

It is imperative to keep your mind safe from any panic attack during an emergency. Apart from that, he has written some survival strategies to save water, food and shelter in a safe condition.

You can learn about safety management, and you can explore the world without any fear. If you face any problems during your camping or hiking, then you can just read the particular section of this book to find out the probable solution. There are no short-cuts when it comes to your confrontation with nature.

Pros

  • Written in natural disasters and safety management
  • Covers various topics like how to secure the basics
  • 100% money-back guarantee
  • Available in three formats-audio books, paperback and Kindle
  • Written in survival strategy to keep your shelter safe

Cons

  • No primary medicines and first-aid given in this book
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13. George Washington Sears Woodcraft And Camping

George Washington Sears Woodcraft And Camping

George Washington Sears has written this book on survival strategy. He was a sportswriter for Forest and Stream magazine. He has started writings with a pen name Nessmuk. His books on camping tours are considered as bestselling books during the 80s.

Most of the survival books are designed with illustrations that are annoying for the readers because we need some information, not pictures. George has made this possible. He has written this book without any illustration.

This book is one hundred years old, and most of the information given by the author may not be relevant in every situation. But you can find some traditional survival processes in this book, which are still relevant in today’s life.

Chapter written on light wilderness gear principles can attract you most. You can find some touches of humor in this book. Plus, you can explore old American heritage through this book. It is also a good work on literature that is an exciting reading and even an easy way to carry on with your daily needs.

Pros

  • It is a novel-style survival book
  • More than a hundred years old, but still relevant
  • Traditional survival strategies
  • Useful information about the jungle, woodcraft and camping provided

Cons

  • Outdated information, and designed without any illustration
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14. Clint Emerson 100 Deadly Skills

Clint Emerson 100 Deadly Skills

Clint Emerson is a bestselling author who served the navy once. He has written this book for surviving in the wild during an emergency or disaster. You can find 100 survival skills in this book which are written from his actual field experiences.

He was in Special Forces. Rest assured, he is the right person who can share some live survival experiences.

When you are in the wild, you can face sudden changes in climate. So be prepared for the crisis and learn lifesaving skills from the expert like Clint Emerson. He has written this survival manual where you can find useful information about securing a shelter, lighting a fire, and finding foods in the wild.

Special Forces are rigorously trained so that they can easily survive in an emergency. They can deal with an active shooter, suicide bomber and terrorist. So, an opportunity has come to you to learn such survival strategies from an expert of the Special Forces.

Pros

  • Written by the bestselling author Clint Emerson
  • You can follow his steps to tackle any kind of emergency during a disaster
  • Learn about foods, securing a shelter and building fire
  • Given some practical experiences on survival strategy
  • 100 deadly skills to survive in the wild
  • Available in three formats: audiobook, Kindle and paperback

Cons

  • Page no-50: usage of alcohol in cold can increase heat loss, but people can suffer from frostbite by using tobacco and caffeine in such cases.
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15. Tim MacWelch The Ultimate Bushcraft Survival Manual

Tim MacWelch The Ultimate Bushcraft Survival Manual

You will notice many survival books available online, but you can find only a few of them written on the history of survival. The Ultimate Bushcraft Survival Manual, written by Tim MacWelch, has examined the survival history of native people around the world.

The native people had made their shelters, weapons and other necessary things for their survival, and the author implements such a process in the modern era.

If you want to test yourself against nature, then be prepared for facing some severe troubles. Not to worry, because this book will rescue you from all ordeals. You can read the traditional ways of survival from this book and apply such policies during your trek or outdoor camping.

To survive in the wild, you need to secure your shelter, food and water. Plus, you need to know how to purify water naturally and build a fire for cooking. You can learn these tricks from this book. Most importantly, this manual describes each part of the basics in details.

You can find useful information about signaling for help, lighting a fire by using different materials, purifying water and storing water in a safe place, creating a safe shelter and using the survival kits for various tasks.

Pros

  • Written in details about survival priorities
  • Describes shelters, water purifying process, fire building, signaling and usage of tools
  • Include a separate section on edible plants, trapping and using of ancient weapons
  • History of primitive survival strategy
  • The chapter on food storage and long-term living in the wild
  • Ancient bushcraft skills

Cons

  • Suitable for camping, but no chapter is available on first-aid
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16. Jim Cobb Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide

Jim Cobb Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide

No doubt it is one of the best prepper books written by Jim Cobb. Cobb is a prepping expert, and he has put forward useful information about survival techniques in this book.

You can prepare your family against any life-threatening disasters like earthquake, flood and pandemic. The DIY project of this book describes some easy lifesaving process, and the readers can easily follow such steps to save their life.

There are two types of crisis, such as short-term crisis and long-term crisis. Earthquake, flood and hurricane can be a short-term crisis, and any kind of pandemic attack done by viruses can be treated as a long-term crisis.

Jim covers these entire crises in his book where you can find practical information regarding water collection, storing of food, first aid and medical treatment without any doctor, and community building strategy to prevent mass infection.

After a disaster, you need to go through an emergency period, until services are restored. You need to learn some survival skills that can help you to live without any electricity and water. So, you can read this book to know about such survival strategies.

Pros

  • Written in various survival strategies
  • Learn how to live in an emergency period
  • Information is given about purifying water and maintain the hygiene
  • A special chapter on food storage, hunting and edible plants
  • Available in two formats-paperback and Kindle

Cons

  • There is no information about long-term survival
  • “Staying at home” mentioned in conclusion is not a survival strategy
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17. Dave Canterbury Advanced Bushcraft

Dave Canterbury Advanced Bushcraft

Advanced bushcraft is written by Dave Canterbury, who is the author of a bestselling book. The author is an expert on the bushcraft and disaster management, but this time, he has written on the survival strategy in the backcountry with no equipment.

You can read his book, Bushcraft 101, to learn the woodcraft and disaster management in details. But if you want to explore nature intimately and test yourself against nature, then Advanced Bushcraft is a must-read.

In this book, you can find useful information about bushcraft, medicines from plants and navigating without ant map. It will be a thrilling experience for you, and you can explore the wilderness without any supporting gears.

Even if you forget your safety gears and medical kits, no need to worry because this book will teach you how to survive in challenging situations, it depends upon how you utilize your surroundings.

You can make some medicines from plants, find out a few edible plants to prepare your foods. You can purify the water available in your location in a natural way. You will learn all these tricks by reading this book.

Pros

  • Written on advanced bushcraft techniques
  • Learn how to live in an emergency without any tool
  • Written in various topics like navigation, foods, packing, edible plants and wildlife
  • An interesting and informative part of crafting medicines from plants
  • You can explore backcountry for years with such techniques written in this book
  • Available in four formats-audio books, paperback, Kindle and audio CD

Cons

  • Poor quality illustrations
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18. Tim MacWelch Outdoor Life

Tim MacWelch Outdoor Life

If you are in a tight spot where no electricity, water and food supply is available, then you need to survive by using your surroundings, and you can find many natural resources in your surrounded areas. To know more about such survival strategies, you must read this book once.

This hunter-gathering manual written by Tim MacWelch Is a must-have. He is the author of a bestselling book named Prepare for Anything, Hunting & Gathering, and How to Survive Anything.

In this book, he has written some valuable survival information about food preparation, hunting, outdoor adventures, and herbal medicines. When you are in the wilderness, you need to use your hands and weapons for hunting fish. Rest assured, you can also prepare your foods with some edible plants available in your surroundings.

But how would you use your weapons? How to build a fire to prepare food in the wild? How would you treat your injury without any medicine? All of these questions will be answered tactfully in this book.

Apart from that, an individual chapter written in different kinds of traps can help you to secure your shelter. The author has written a chapter on herbal medicines which can be prepared by natural plants.

Pros

  • Learn about hunting and herbal medicines.
  • Survival strategy to deal with an emergency
  • Written on food preparation, hunting, and outdoor adventures
  • You can be a self-sufficient survivor by learning the survival skills written by Jim
  • Available in two formats- Kindle and Paperback

Cons

  • This book is a republished edition of a special edition of Outdoor Life Magazine.
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19. Rich Johnson The Ultimate Survival Manual

Rich Johnson The Ultimate Survival Manual

This 350 pages survival book written by Rich Johnson is an incredible piece of work. The author is an expert who served in the American Special Forces, and he has written some practical tips and survival skills in his book for the civilians.

How would you avoid airborne diseases? Do you treat a poisoning victim? All these questions will be answered in this book. Apart from that, real-life stories with concrete examples of this book can help you to learn some hands-on training on survival strategy.

You can gain advanced survival skills from this book. You can build a quarantine room and clean the chemical spills by some DIY methods, and you can even start a car with a screwdriver. So, this book is a life-saver from any danger. You can surely tackle any kind of disaster in the future.

Pros

  • Learn about quarantine room, airborne diseases and chemical spills
  • Learn how to start your car with a screwdriver during an emergency
  • Real-life experiences shared by the author
  • Written in story-telling format, which is easy to understand
  • Learn how to don a gas mask and harvest aspirin at your home

Cons

  • Available in paperback only
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20. Colin Towell The Survival Handbook

Colin Towell The Survival Handbook

The Survival Handbook is written by Colin Towell, who is an ex-SAS combat survival instructor. Many have hailed this as one of the best survival books available online. The author explains several survival skills including camping, survival kits, survival devices and essentials for camping in his book.

Illustrations with the step-by-step guidance of this book can help you to understand some vital survival skills within minutes. Apart from the mentioned aspect, you can find some information about raft building, fire building and map navigation in this book.

From the basics like, catching fish and identify edible plants to finding water in extreme situations are explained with real-life experiences. If you are lost in a jungle, then you can survive for a long time by following the steps written by Colin Towell.

Pros

  • Best survival books with illustrations and a step-by-step guide
  • Includes various topics like hunting, camping, shelter and fire building
  • Written with real-life stories and example
  • People can face extreme situations by following this book
  • Available in three formats-flexi board, paperback and Kindle

Cons

  • Quite expensive
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21. Kevin Estela 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods

Kevin Estela 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods

In this book “101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods,” Kevin Estela talks about feeder mindset. People who possess a feeder mindset can easily tackle any pandemic situation because they are proactive, not reactive.

The content list of this book is an innovative idea of the author, where he has listed all survival skills. So, the readers can quickly identify the problems in an emergency and solve the matter by their proactive skills.

Apart from that, the author includes various topics in his book, like shelter building and securing process, water restoration, storage and purifying process, uses of the knife, cordage building and hunting foods. These tips can help you to survive in an emergency.

An individual chapter on first-aid can give you some practical knowledge about medicines and treatment procedures. Plus, signaling, navigation, and usage of maps are included in a specific chapter. The most exciting part of this book for the readers is its activity part, where you can find some challenging situations with advanced survival skills.

Pros

  • Describes some challenging situations
  • Covers navigation of maps, signaling system and food preparation
  • Hunting, fire building and shelter security included
  • Written with practical examples
  • 101 survival skills

Cons

  • Incorrect scientific information is given about the fire triangle and air current
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22. Dave Canterbury Bushcraft Illustrated

Dave Canterbury Bushcraft Illustrated

You will hardly come across survival books available in an illustrated version. Bushcraft Illustrated: A Visual Guide is written by the famous writer Dave Canterbury will not let you down.

Many have hailed this as one of the best coffee-table survival books written on bushcraft and survival skills. Here you can find some illustrations on shelters, useful survival tools and edible plants.

In this book, you will find more than 300 illustrations, which can help you to survive in the wilderness. You can find different sections in this book that describes how to pack your survival kits, essential knots for outdoor survival or cordage, fire craft, trapping and edible plants.

You can survive in a forest or remote area if you use the natural resources for your survival. All you have to do is follow the steps written by Dave Canterbury.

The author has given a catalog of edible plants in this illustrated version. You can start a fire and cook your foods in your camp by using various materials, and you can learn such tricks from this book. Bushcraft 101 was declared as a bestseller by the New York Times.

Pros

  • Written by the bestselling author Dave Canterbury
  • Fully illustrated book with more than 300 pictures
  • Written on various topics such as outdoor survival, fire craft, trapping, cordage and packs
  • Best coffee table survival book

Cons

  • Less information is given and best for beginners
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23. Dave Canterbury The Bushcraft Field Guide

Dave Canterbury The Bushcraft Field Guide

Do you know how to cook in the wild jungle? For camping, hiking and outdoor adventures, collecting food and cooking the same is a significant issue. Plus, you need to know about hunting or find out the edible plants to eat.

In this case, you can read this book written by Dave Canterbury. He has written everything like packing, trapping and preparing food in this book.

With this book in hand, you can go for a trek or wilderness travel without any worry. You are sure to survive for years if needed. Apart from that, you can find some recipes in this book which can be prepared with minimum ingredients. You will undoubtedly make tasty and hygienic food with some natural ingredients like edible plants.

Dave Canterbury added some colorful illustrations in his book, which are easy to understand. Canterbury is the author of a bestselling book named Bushcraft 101. So you can expect accurate information from him.

Pros

  • Learn about packing, trapping and preparing food
  • Recipes given for your wilderness travels
  • Available in two formats-kindle and paperback
  • Written by the bestselling author
  • Learn how to find out and prepare foods in the jungle

Cons

  • It is a recipe book, not a survival guide
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24. Colin Towell The Survival Handbook

Colin Towell The Survival Handbook

The Survival Handbook is written by Colin Towell, who joined the Royal Navy in 1977. Later, he was qualified as a Combat Survival Instructor, and he was taught survival skills in the USA Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine.

So he has considerable experience, and he has written this book with survival skills and techniques. You can consider this book as your survival tool because you can find all information related to your expedition in this book.

You can find some useful information about shelters, water storage, and catch and cook food. The process of purifying water in a natural way and packing of essential kits for your wilderness travel are given in this book.

This photographic and nonfiction book for adults is translated into 62 languages. You can learn about first aid techniques, uses of emergency kits and rescue operations from this book.

Pros

  • Everything from planning to execution of an expedition given
  • You can learn about shelter, food preparation and purifying water
  • Written by Combat Survival Instructor
  • Available in hardcover and paperback
  • First-aid instructions are provided for an emergency

Cons

  • No kindle and online edition available
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25. Rainer Stahlberg The Survivalist’s Handbook

Rainer Stahlberg The Survivalist's Handbook

There are different kinds of threats that can affect your family during an emergency. You should read this book to prevent such risks. Rainer Stahlberg writes the Survivalist’s Handbook, the author who has written his real-life experiences in this book which are derived from his childhood days.

In this book, you can find some useful information about nuclear or chemical attacks, biological and virus attacks, global energy crisis, natural disasters and economic emergencies. This step-by-step guide for surviving in a disaster will teach you to deal with both kinds of disasters.

You can find a chapter in this book where the author includes some list of survival supplies. Cooking utensils, food, shelters, camping tools, defensive weapons, medicines, items to barriers and other necessary things for your outdoor adventures are listed in this section.

Pros

  • Useful information given on nuclear and chemical attacks and biological
  • Written on survival strategy during virus attacks, global energy crisis and natural disasters
  • Economic emergencies described
  • List of survival supplies enlisted and categorized as per exact practical requirements
  • Learn how to deal with humanmade and natural disasters

Cons

  • Paperback edition is less costly than Kindle
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Three Types Of Survival Books That You Must Read

Many avid readers feel that they get along with books more than humans. You cannot blame them; some novels have that power to take you away in someplace else. It is no wonder why people still choose books over movies.

If you identify yourself as a voracious reader, then it is time for you to expand your reading experience. Not only novels but non-fiction also have that strength to take you to an unparallel journey.

1. Military Survival Books

No one could have an exciting life as an army officer. You will come across some survival books available that are written by the Special Forces professionals. Apart from that, there are some military manuals available as survival books, and you can read them to know the best survival process.

These books are battle-tested, and you can find some real-life experiences in these books. But you cannot find much information about edible plants, food preparation and hunting tips in these books.

2. Survival Books

You will be thrilled if you read some dedicated survival books available online. These books will equip you with all useful information related to food, hunting, weapons, emergencies, disaster management, herbal medicines, first aid and shelter and fire building. Even, few of them are written on chemical and biological attacks. So, you can choose such books to know the best survival strategies.

3. Fictions

People love to read fiction because it has those imaginary descriptions which are heartwarming. Still, some fiction authors write books about survival, but in the fiction style, it makes the story on the whole new level.

You will get a broader perspective on survival situation from these fictions. Fiction writers can create some stories by their imagination and describe an emergency with some easy words

People can easily understand such stories, and they can easily fight against a crisis. It is the difference between fictions and non-fiction, which give you the best survival skills so that you cannot find them useful in the wild.

Factors To Look For When Buying Best Survival Book

Survival books can help you during an emergency like no other means. You can use the natural resources and DIY tools available in your surroundings to survive. But nothing can be much worse when you do not know how to secure a shelter, cook your food with edible plants and purifying water naturally.

In such a case, you cannot survive for a long time. Apart from that, you can get injured while you are hiking and you cannot call your doctor or admit yourself in a nearby hospital to survive. Better you learn to treat yourself with your first aid kit.

Best survival books are available with medical information, which put out information on some herbal medicines from natural plants by providing you step-by-step methods. We hope it is enough to understand why you should read a few survival books so that you can tackle different kinds of emergencies.

Now here’s the thing, when you are providing with plenty of options, it is natural to get confused. Choosing the best survival book can be a hectic task if you are a novice reader.

Sometimes a few bestselling books with hugely positive reviews can make things clear; you can read one or two sample chapters and decide for yourself. But if you are completely lost, then you can follow these factors to choose the best survival books.

1. Outdoor Experience

Before you choose a survival book, you must consider the places you want to visit. How much wilderness experiences you have, and if you are a seasoned traveler, then you can choose a book for a beginner.

But if you want to test yourself against nature, then you must collect the best survival books. In this case, you can choose some books written on bushcraft, woodcraft, disaster management and emergency medicines.

2. Learning Areas

If you do not find a book interesting, then it is hard to read the book to the end. So, you must choose the best survival books according to your interest area. Most of these survival books cover shelter building, fire building, food and water collection, emergency medicine, first aid, camping tools, and weapons.

Make sure you grab the best survival book as per your niche. For example, if you want to learn about emergency and herbal medicines, then you can read some books written on wilderness medicine.

3. Types Of Survival Strategy

Survival books are written on specific survival scenarios. You can find some survival strategies in these books, which apply to humanmade disasters or natural disasters. For example, there are few books which are written for backcountry locations; in this case, you need to grab a few books for hiking and camping.

For hiking and camping, you can select some survival books which are cover all-natural disasters. Else, you can choose some book for pandemic attacks, chemical attacks or backcountry adventures. The thing is you need to choose the book according to your needs.

4. Reviews And Feedback

Before you choose a survival book, you must read its reviews and feedback. They say you should not judge a book by its cover, but you can do it by reading descriptions. Make sure the author can highlight a few areas in his or her description.

In this case, you can read the first chapter, and if you find it informative, then you can buy it. You can find some best survival books like “Bushcraft 101” which are considered as bestselling books by the New York Times. Plus, there are few reviews published by the world’s leading newspapers. So you can choose these books to learn more.

5. Experienced Writers

Fiction writers and novelists cannot write survival books because there is no room for imagination. Authors who have field experience can write such practical books, and they can share their own survival experiences through their books. You can read the “About the Author” section on Amazon before you place an order. You can find some authors who are survival instructors, and few of them are attached to the Special Forces. So you can trust in their words.

6. Formats Of The Book

It is better to collect the books in paperback or hardcover format because you can keep them in your cabinet, and read them again and again whenever you need. Plus, you can carry such books with your backpack and use the steps written in these books during your travel.

Most of these survival books are available in Kindle and paperback format, and few of them are also available in audiobook and audio CD format. You can use such audiobooks and Kindle whenever you want.

FAQs on Survival Books

1. Do I Need To Choose Bushcraft Survival Books For My Wilderness Travel?

Bushcraft meaning “skill at living in the bush.” Bushcraft books are written with some resources that can help you to use natural resources to survive in the wild. So, if you want to travel to some extreme places, then you must read such survival books.

2. Is It Possible To Survive In An Emergency Without Any Tool?

Yes, you can survive in an emergency without any tool, but you need to know things about bug out bag process written in the best survival books to survive. You can turn some DIY tools into your survival tools so that you do not need to use any additional safety equipment.

You can save your family and friends from any disaster by using such tools. It is highly recommended to use survival gears so that you can purchase the best safety gears prescribed by the best authors.

3. What Are The Five Essentials For Survival?

The most common five survival essentials are shelter, signal, food, fire and water. You need to know how to secure accommodation, put a fire, purify the water, navigate the map and prepare meals in the wild. You are sure to learn these things in the best survival books.

4. How Can I Avoid Mistakes During My Trekking?

Lack of navigation tools, safety weapons, foods, shelter and water are the common problems, but you can avoid such issues by reading a few survival books. You can prevent some mistakes to store your water and food. Also, you can secure your shelter by following some steps written by the best survival experts.

5. How Would You Realize That You Are Lost In The Wild?

You need to mark your position and find a way to back to your last place. According to the survival experts, this system is called as “Home Base” method of navigation. You can learn such navigation and uses of maps from these survival books.

Never go for solo travel. The best way is that you should go for trekking with a team. People in your group can tackle any emergency and rescue a team member during a crisis. Apart from that, you must inform your familiar ones about your travel plan. If you lost during an adventure or trekking, then your family can contact the government to rescue you.

It is not a daunting task to choose the best survival book. You can easily buy a suitable book according to your niche. You need to select such books according to your needs, and you must decide what you need to learn. Then you can choose the best survival book according to their subjects, and you can select a few books that cover multiple survival strategies. We hope you will make good use of this buying guide.