Book Suggestions

K

KFU

Part Time Knifemaker, Moderator
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
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Hey Iz, I have been lurking around your page for awhile and love the wealth of info you share. I am a seasoned hiker but have never really focused on bushcrafting and survival skills. Can you recommend some good books on the subject? Im thinking of doing some research, hitting the trails, and hopefully attend a class soon. I live near Blaine TN which is where the RAT classes are I think.
 
Hey, man.
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it very much.
I'll list a few of my favorites and maybe some of the other guys might do the same.

Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski - Not the best for hardwoods but definitely worth buying and reading more than once. He's got some really practical tips and tricks and he knows his bow and drill like nobody else.

Wildwood wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger - One of the best books imo that is in print today. Absolutely crammed with information. I consider this book to be the Woodsman's manual without a doubt.

Ultimate guide to wilderness living by John and Geri Mcpherson
This one is for the hardwoodsman. It's the only thing close out there that I know of that focuses on our environment almost exclusively. The skills are of the primitive variety , almost a little to much for me, but it's good information to know in the event we have to live that way either by choosing or if we are forced to.

How to stay alive in the woods by Bradford Angier
This one is all by description. No photos or drawings to speak of. So it's kind of hard to decipher some things in it. But it covers almost anything and everything. It's worth reading.

I know a lot of guys really like Nessmuk and Kephart's books but I didn't really care for them. They are more geared for northern camp life than they are for those of us in the south.

Hope that helps and maybe some of the other guys will list books they consider worth your time.
Iz
 
Couldnt agree more. :thumbup: I own all those except wildwood wisdom. Gonna have to order that one.

Also the good ol Army survival manual is a good read. 98.6 degrees by Cody Lundin is a well wrote book. Very easy to follow for a beginner. I also find myself looking stuff up in the SAS survival manual by John "Lofty" Wiseman from time to time...
 
If you can find a 50's to 70's era Boy Scout Manual, there is a lot of good basic stuff in there.
 
Good suggestions, guys.
I haven't read Lundin's book but I've heard good things about it.
Iz
 
I have all of the above mentioned books and will add 2 more.

Wilderness survival by Greg Davenport he is a former Air Force survival instructor

Survival is a dying art by Barry Davies a retired SAS survival instructor

Mike
 
Thanks for the info guys. I will have to keep my eye out for these.
 
IA Woodsman said:
Air Force Manual 64-4
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My Dad was a PJ in Vietnam (68-72). I found one of his old Air Force survival manuals when I was around 8 or 9 and from then on Survival Skills have always been a intrest of mine. Others I have read and resoursed from over the years not already mentioned are.

Tom Brown Wilderness Survival (I know there is a lot of debate on him and I do not really get involved with that, regardless the book has good info)

Bradford Angier, Master Backwoodsman (It is older by has lots of good survival and bushcraft info a lillte week on pics)
 
Another Bradford Angier book is Backcountry Basics. This one here is also a must have. Covers lots of stuff. Wilderness Survival, Canoee Skills, Camp Cooking, Wild Eidibles, just to name a few.
 
I love Bradford Angier's stuff. Have you guys read "On your own in the wilderness?" by Angier and Townsend Waylan? That thing should be mandatory reading for all outdoors enthusiasts.
Iz
 
The complete book of outdoor survival by J. wayne Fears was one of the first outdoor survival books I bought when I first got out of the Marine Corps.It is a great book on outdoor survival I can not recomend it enough. I also have the Air Force search and rescue survival book and that is one of the most complete books I own.


Mike
 
bindlestitch said:
I love Bradford Angier's stuff. Have you guys read "On your own in the wilderness?" by Angier and Townsend Waylan? That thing should be mandatory reading for all outdoors enthusiasts.
Iz
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I knew Whelen and Angier were friends, but never knew they wrote a book together. I will have to check it out. Another series to check out is the Foxfire Books. They are not really survival or bushcraft books but they detail life and skills used in the early appalachian life. Lots of these skills are great to know especially for extended stays.
 
bigcountry1315 said:
The complete book of outdoor survival by J. wayne Fears was one of the first outdoor survival books I bought when I first got out of the Marine Corps.It is a great book on outdoor survival I can not recomend it enough. I also have the Air Force search and rescue survival book and that is one of the most complete books I own.


Mike
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Mike,
I've never heard of the Fears book. There's another one I'll have to check out.:cool:
Iz
 
cddogfan1 said:
I knew Whelen and Angier were friends, but never knew they wrote a book together. I will have to check it out. Another series to check out is the Foxfire Books. They are not really survival or bushcraft books but they detail life and skills used in the early appalachian life. Lots of these skills are great to know especially for extended stays.
Click to expand...

Yeah, man the Whelen Angier book is worth tracking down for sure.
I like the foxfire books,too. Speaking of which, there's a really cool book I've got that reader's digest put out a long time ago. It's called "back to basics". It reminds me of the foxfire stuff a little but it's got all kinds of stuff on the old ways. Even things like digging your own well.:eek:
Neat book.
Iz
 
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