| For a survival researcher, it is baffling to see the | | | | emergency situations and disasters. Therefore, |
| large number of texts on display in library shelves, | | | | even for those who do not intend to be part of |
| book stores, e-catalogs, and blogs, and choosing | | | | an outdoor activity any time soon, this book |
| the right one usually becomes a nightmare. There | | | | contains useful information that might just help |
| are books on outdoor survival, emergency | | | | save their lives. Further, this book is extremely |
| preparedness, disaster survival, and terrorist | | | | easy to read, as well as being enormously |
| attack survival, as well as those covering the | | | | entertaining, and once again, easy to retain. |
| possibilities of nuclear, chemical and biological | | | | What do you do, however, once you are past |
| warfare. The average reader, therefore, is quite | | | | the basics? Again, you certainly face an |
| justified in questioning "Where do I start?" The | | | | overwhelmingly large number of alternatives. John |
| answer, fortunately, is simpler than it looks. Since | | | | Wiseman's "SAS Survival Handbook: How to |
| most survival books, and particularly those written | | | | Survive in the Wild, in any Climate, On Land, or at |
| in the last decade or two, target the average | | | | Sea" is, I feel, a very strong candidate here. The |
| reader, the beginner can gain the knowledge he | | | | key feature of the work is that it provides very |
| needs from a wide variety of books. The best | | | | detailed survival knowledge at the same time as |
| approach usually is to select, as a starting point, | | | | being very approachable. If you are upset with |
| one or two general books that cover almost all | | | | the fact that books for advanced learners almost |
| aspects of survival. Once you are familiar with the | | | | always use boring, tiring jargon and complex |
| fundamentals, you can refine your field of study | | | | writing styles, then this book is a great option for |
| according to what you feel is your most urgently | | | | you. The full color illustrations of poisonous and |
| needed knowledge, or according to interests. I will | | | | edible plants, animals and herbs are extremely |
| present here a general selection of survival books, | | | | helpful in an actual outdoor survival situation. This |
| which should be a good place for you to start, | | | | is also a good place to learn fire craft, hunting, |
| and should help you identify the areas which you | | | | shelter building and navigation skills. |
| want top explore further. | | | | Of course, if you simply want a carry along guide |
| The best book to start with is, I feel, "Ultimate | | | | for a potentially life threatening situation, the US |
| Survival Skills - Secrets to Staying Alive, Anytime, | | | | Army Survival Manual ought to serve you well. It |
| Anywhere." The reason that it makes a good | | | | deals with all types of survival skills in exhaustive |
| starting point is its approachability: it is written in | | | | detail, and you can find in it all the information that |
| easy-to-understand, everyday language, and the | | | | you could possibly need in the event of any |
| style is engaging so that it is a fun and | | | | disaster or emergency. |
| informative read. The information given is new for | | | | If you are a complete novice in the field of |
| beginners, so you learn a lot while avoiding | | | | survival, you can read any one of these books |
| information overload, and consequently, you can | | | | for a start and then decide what particular aspect |
| retain almost everything the author describes. | | | | of survival you wish to research further. For |
| If you find it too brief for your liking, however, | | | | more advanced learners, however, it is best to |
| then Cody Lundin's "When All Hell Breaks Loose - | | | | learn more about aspects that you do not already |
| Stuff you need to survive when disaster strikes" | | | | know about, just to ensure that you can hold |
| is an excellent alternate. It is more pertinent to | | | | your own in absolutely any kind of survival |
| our daily lives, as it focuses mostly on urban | | | | situation. |