An older book that really gave me the bug was "Outdoor Survival Skills" by Larry Dean Olsen. I picked up a version at Mesa Verde around 1977, IIRC. I grew up in the country, but this book had lots of in-depth, "hard" skills that I never even thought about. Very David Canterbury-esque. Certainly worth a read.
One thing I do with many of these survival books with their line drawings, is to take a box of colored pencils and color in the illustrations. One day my great grandchildren may benefit from seeing the concepts shown in higher detail by doing this.
I like the books you recommended. I too own Dave Canterbury's books, except Bushcraft illustrated. Also added in my library the SAS handbook, books by W. C. Beard, Horace Kephart, George Washington Sears, Stephen Ambrose, and numerous blacksmithing books. Still building the library. Next Les Stroud, Cody Lund. Others from the authors listed in the front pages in Wilderness First by Dave Canterbury. Also have read a few of Tom Clancy's books just for something different. I have check one to midnight sounds interesting. Thanks for what you do. Love your videos especially the one dealing with coffee.
Foxfire series of books was already mentioned, so here is one I enjoyed: "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen, it's the first of five novels. It is about a teenager who is stranded in the wild and must learn to survive on his own, and of course he has a hatchet!
Nice array of books on that list, Doc. There are a couple I don't have in my library I will locate and add. Thanks. Also, don't forget Tom Brown designed and popularized his own knife design (in the same spirit as Kephart and Nessmuk/Sears), The TOPS Tom Brown Tracker. 😜🔪
Good video!👍🏻 I like how you saved the best for last. People who bushcraft might think of Tolkien as a writer of kids books but I’m here to tell ya. You ain’t lived till you’ve been in the woods & got lost in Bilbo Baggins world 🌎 !! Plus I’ve read & put into practice many of the books you listed & I agree 💯%
Thanks! I wrote down a couple titles I dont' have! For fun reads, fantasy and urban fantasy, I like the Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop, Women of the Supernatural series by Kelley Armstrong, and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearn. I buy anything that Anne Bishop and Kelley Armstrong publish. They are that good. I've read everything they wrote. Cheers!
Few to add to the list: Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger, 98.6 by Cody Lundin, SAS Survival Guide by Lofty Wiseman and not really to read but the most compact book of useful information is the Pocket Ref by Thomas Glover.
Cody Lundin's books "98.6 degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive" - this one covers the science of maintaining your core temp. It can be dry at times but it's very informative! "When All Hell Breaks Loose" - this is all about survival in ANY environment. It covers urban and wilderness... great content!
Paul O'Learys The Wilderness Survival Guide is a good read, he's a former paratrooper with a bushcraft school in the UK and Lofty Wisemans Operation Lavivrus is a fictional novel with survival techniques written into it, entertainment and learning all in one, what more could you ask for?
Sounds like a pretty good list. Already have a couple of those books and also like them. So I will go check out some of the missing ones. BTW don‘t buy Bushcraft Illustrated, I find it pretty useless, especially if you own all the other Canterbury books...
Tom Brown is for those who want to walk off of the highway with a jack knife, and not much else. They portray primitive survival, at a neolithic level; not much for the car camper or those enamoured with gadgetry.
Bear Grylls? Maybe if I planned on staying in a hotel, drinking pee from a dead snake or hitting a stuffed animal with a stick. Some of those are solid books. Another fine video.
I'd suggest the Foxfire books. Fascinating and informative books on how it was done in the Appalachians way back when.
An older book that really gave me the bug was "Outdoor Survival Skills" by Larry Dean Olsen. I picked up a version at Mesa Verde around 1977, IIRC. I grew up in the country, but this book had lots of in-depth, "hard" skills that I never even thought about. Very David Canterbury-esque. Certainly worth a read.
Thank you Ernie...
One thing I do with many of these survival books with their line drawings, is to take a box of colored pencils and color in the illustrations. One day my great grandchildren may benefit from seeing the concepts shown in higher detail by doing this.
I like the books you recommended. I too own Dave Canterbury's books, except Bushcraft illustrated. Also added in my library the SAS handbook, books by W. C. Beard, Horace Kephart, George Washington Sears, Stephen Ambrose, and numerous blacksmithing books. Still building the library. Next Les Stroud, Cody Lund. Others from the authors listed in the front pages in Wilderness First by Dave Canterbury. Also have read a few of Tom Clancy's books just for something different. I have check one to midnight sounds interesting. Thanks for what you do. Love your videos especially the one dealing with coffee.
Foxfire series of books was already mentioned, so here is one I enjoyed:
"Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen, it's the first of five novels. It is about a teenager who is stranded in the wild and must learn to survive on his own, and of course he has a hatchet!
Of course one has to check out Hatchet and Grandma Gatewood's Walk
Nice array of books on that list, Doc. There are a couple I don't have in my library I will locate and add. Thanks. Also, don't forget Tom Brown designed and popularized his own knife design (in the same spirit as Kephart and Nessmuk/Sears), The TOPS Tom Brown Tracker. 😜🔪
Hi Dr.
Thank you for all your videos. Glad you mentioned Tom Brown, Jr.’s books.
Also, US Army Survival Field Manual FM 21-76.
Good video!👍🏻 I like how you saved the best for last. People who bushcraft might think of Tolkien as a writer of kids books but I’m here to tell ya. You ain’t lived till you’ve been in the woods & got lost in Bilbo Baggins world 🌎 !! Plus I’ve read & put into practice many of the books you listed & I agree 💯%
Thanks! I wrote down a couple titles I dont' have! For fun reads, fantasy and urban fantasy, I like the Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop, Women of the Supernatural series by Kelley Armstrong, and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearn. I buy anything that Anne Bishop and Kelley Armstrong publish. They are that good. I've read everything they wrote. Cheers!
Few to add to the list: Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger, 98.6 by Cody Lundin, SAS Survival Guide by Lofty Wiseman and not really to read but the most compact book of useful information is the Pocket Ref by Thomas Glover.
Cody Lundin's books
"98.6 degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive" - this one covers the science of maintaining your core temp. It can be dry at times but it's very informative!
"When All Hell Breaks Loose" - this is all about survival in ANY environment. It covers urban and wilderness... great content!
Paul O'Learys The Wilderness Survival Guide is a good read, he's a former paratrooper with a bushcraft school in the UK and Lofty Wisemans Operation Lavivrus is a fictional novel with survival techniques written into it, entertainment and learning all in one, what more could you ask for?
This was a really nice positive video
Sounds like a pretty good list. Already have a couple of those books and also like them. So I will go check out some of the missing ones. BTW don‘t buy Bushcraft Illustrated, I find it pretty useless, especially if you own all the other Canterbury books...
Annapurna - Maurice Herzog
Tom Brown is for those who want to walk off of the highway with a jack knife, and not much else. They portray primitive survival, at a neolithic level; not much for the car camper or those enamoured with gadgetry.
Bear Grylls? Maybe if I planned on staying in a hotel, drinking pee from a dead snake or hitting a stuffed animal with a stick. Some of those are solid books. Another fine video.