US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Why buy what you can get for free!?
  • Excellent Information and Presentation BUT Needs To Be Updated!
  • If Your GPS Broke, Would You Be Able To Find Your Way?
  • BEST BOOK!
  • Most important for Survival
 US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76
Department of Defense
Manufacturer: Department of the Army
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
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Accessories:
  1. Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite

ASIN: 0967512395

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Why buy what you can get for free!?.......2007-07-03

I would recommend, as another poster has, to download this book for free just by using google and inserting Fm 21-76, then print in out. Don't waste your money.

3 out of 5 stars Excellent Information and Presentation BUT Needs To Be Updated!.......2007-07-01

This book is very interesting. I started out planning to give it a quick look and ended up reading it almost cover to cover. It contains a lot of very useful information; however, it has a 1970's copyright date and some of the information seems to be outdated. For instance, with respect to snake bites, it still recommends cutting the bite to suck out the venom and applying a tourniquet. Most authorities now indicate that these practices are not only no longer recommended but are actually now considered to be the cause of most of the serious injuries (at least from the venomous snakes in my area).

With a simple update to insure that all information reflects current knowledge, I would feel comfortable giving this book 5 stars and recommending it to everyone. That said, it is still chock full of valuable and potentially life saving information and at the price, it is still a good investment.

5 out of 5 stars If Your GPS Broke, Would You Be Able To Find Your Way?.......2007-06-10

This manual is very extensive. Its range of topics include survival medicine, to creating emergency shelter in the field, to foretelling weather and how to find direction. It includes full color images of poisonous snakes and edible as well as poisonous plants to avoid.

While I haven't been in situations that tested virtually most of these methods, as many are geared toward survival in extreme circumstances, I always take this with me when I hike. I have, however, needed the info on tying knots, have used the pictures to identify snakes, and I often peruse the descriptions of first aid to keep familiar with it.

---*** THE BOTTOM LINE ***---

If you are someone who regularly spends time outdoors, even if it's just a dayhike or camping close to other people, you should really have this book that could help in many situations.

5 out of 5 stars BEST BOOK!.......2007-05-30

This is by far the best book I have seen on this topic. It covers all necessary areas without being too wordy. Don't go camping without it!

5 out of 5 stars Most important for Survival.......2007-04-22

As you can tell from the reviews, this book is a must for anyone who never have thought of what it takes to survive away from societal businesses.

How do you get water when water sources are polluted?

How long will you survive without water?

Prepare for accidents, because they will happen, more often than not.

And, more importantly, you may never know when you'll need to have this highly important manual to rely on.

Buy it, and read it, don't let it sit there without first becoming familiar to it's content. Don't wait until its absolutely necessary to use it first. It just may be a situation that you don't have time or much energy left to absorb the knowledge it contains.
SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good if you are not in a megalopolis
  • Amazing survival book - Incredable - Can't stop reading it!
  • SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
  • What about cabin avalanche?
  • Great!
 SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
John Lofty Wiseman
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060578793
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Book Description

The SAS Survival Handbook is the Special Air Service's complete course in being prepared for any type of emergency. John 'Lofty' Wiseman presents real strategies for surviving in any type of situation, from accidents and escape procedures, including chemical and nuclear to successfully adapting to various climates (polar, tropical, desert), to identifying edible plants and creating fire. The book is extremely practical and is illustrated throughout with easy-to-understand line art and diagrams.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good if you are not in a megalopolis.......2007-10-12

I think this book is very good for certain situations, but I feel that it does not meet the needs of most average folks in case of major catastrophy.

I would recommend Ron Foster's practical guide for all scenarios. Since he works in the field of emergency response, he has the most up to date and useful methods of urban and rural survival.

If you seriously want to learn more than "how to live off the land" short term, I would highly recommend Mr. Foster's publication, "The Rural Ranger: A Suburban Manual & Field Guide of Traps and Snares for Food and Survival".

I know how to live off the land if one can even get to such a ideal location, but hunger, thirst and the elements will wear out the millions of people trying to vacate their huge cities all at once.

This book gives one a fighting chance no matter what your skills are or where you live.

Seriously,
David Highum

5 out of 5 stars Amazing survival book - Incredable - Can't stop reading it!.......2007-10-10

This book is gold. If you decide to donate money to homeless people STOP. Donate this book instead. They will be able to live forever with the helpful survival tips in this book. It sits on my coffee table and has been a talking point with everyone who sees it. It has everything in it - including 'Emergency Child Birth in the Bush'. The trapping and food sections are amazing. This book was everything and much more than I thought it would be. Easily the best few dollars I ever spent on a book. Thanks to the sling traps I have no more stray cats claiming my yard as their own! Then using this book I was able to skin, prepare and cook these cats. I was also able to discard the offal that was not nutrient dense. Note: No cats have really been caught or cooked yet - but I could if I wanted to.

5 out of 5 stars SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea.......2007-09-27

With the new tv shows showing actual survival skills in the wild my family and I have developed a real interest in this topic. I am enjoying the book. It was written in a very easy and understandable way. I feel confident that with this book by my side that I could survive quite well in a variety of situations.

3 out of 5 stars What about cabin avalanche?.......2007-09-19

I found this book to thoroughly take me through the fundamentals of survival, however, I am always thinking of some very particular situations that I could find myself in that weren't addressed.

For instance, what about the "trapped in a cabin by avalance" that we're all fearful of? I play it over and over in my head. Most likely it would be 3 or 4 of us on a weekend ski trip. I've always felt that it would be best to go ahead and turn on the others very early on in the event of an avalance instead of waiting for starvation to decimate the group.

For one, each day trapped in that cabin means that everyone will be burning calories, making themselves thinner and thinner, not leaving much of a meal if natural course is left to do the dirty work of finishing them off. Not to mention, you might be too weak for a death match days later.

Also, turning on them early will almost assuredly be unexpected, since ditching ethical behavior at first opportunity is not the norm and especially with so much food still in the fridge. You're going to need that element of surprise, b/c let's face it, when you start helicoptering that timber axe over your head, the line will clearly be drawn in the sand and its 1 versus 3 at that point. You'll need to mow them all down very quickly. Don't worry that you aren't hungry yet, as there should be plenty of snow at the windows that can be used to keep the bodies from spoiling.

But I definitely liked the informative chapter on which leaves are ok to eat and which are poisonous.

5 out of 5 stars Great!.......2007-09-14

Contains just about anything you would want to know about survival. I am reading the whole thing, and it is quite interesting!
One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • True to the man
  • A modern day "Thoreau"
  • Just as Good the Second Time
  • Homesteading in Alaska
  • inspiring
 One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
Sam Keith , and Richard Proenneke
Manufacturer: Alaska Northwest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0882405136

Book Description

To live in a pristine land . . . roam the wilderness . . . build a home. . . . Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. Here is a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars True to the man.......2007-09-29

Ten years ago I spent a summer volunteering for the National Park Service at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, in Alaska. My remote rangers cabin was located at Twin Lakes. Being on the lower lake, I was about 9 miles from my nearest neighbor- Dick. We spoke daily on our walkie-talkies, checking in about the weather, any visitors, or interesting wildlife viewings. I trekked up his way several times over the summer, and enjoyed a few meals with him. I can't remember if it's in his book, but his favorite sandwich was the "Twin Lakes Special": sourdough flapjaks, raw onion, and honey; don't knock it 'til ya try it! Just like his book, he was a gracious, thoughtful man, a true naturalist. Also the most spry 82-year-old I think I'd ever seen! I was saddened to hear of his death several years ago, and was grateful the NPS kept his cabin as a historical site; it is a cozy place, dark inside, smelling faintly of woodsmoke and 1948 sourdough starter, with wonderful decorative touches throughout. Dick was truly a special person, and this book captures his voice, his no-nonsense manner of talking, as well as his appreciation of the beauty of the natural world, perfectly.

5 out of 5 stars A modern day "Thoreau".......2007-09-16

You cannot visit Alaska without reading this book FIRST! Just the photography alone will make you want to go. I dentify in many ways with Dick as I lived in a cabin in the White Mountains of NH for many years. He didn't intrude on nature...he simply lived in harmony with it. He appeals to all of your senses in his simple but beautifully written words, never mind the pictures. He is definitely portrayed as a "loner" but that is a good thing..for a loner has much higher self esteem and sense of character than those who can't survive in the world without people around them all the time. Dick is a true steward of the land because of his deep, abiding love and connection for this piece of God's Creation. His beautifully chronicled life in Alaska will remind you of Robert Frost's words.."We love the things we love for what they are." Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars Just as Good the Second Time.......2007-09-12

I was telling my husband about this book as I started reading it. He said, "Don't you remember, we read that many years ago when Alaska Magazine published it"? I knew that Babe, the pilot, seemed familiar. It didn't matter. I was happy to read it a second time which is unusual for me. Oh, how I would have loved to have been able to do what Mr. Proenneke did and to live where he lived. There is nothing dull about this book and I suspect the people who find it dull haven't any interest in living in the wilderness without Blackberries, i-pods, automobiles and restaurants.

Even though most of us who enjoyed the book probably don't begin to have the skills that Richard Proenneke had which made what he did possible (and a pilot friend who delivered for free) I think we all wish we could do what he did. I know I do. I didn't realize that a sequel exists. It costs big bucks, but if it's anything close to as interesting as this book, it's worth it. Maybe I'll find out if the Mission Girls ever showed-up.

5 out of 5 stars Homesteading in Alaska.......2007-08-16

The year was 1968. The setting, the Alaskan bush. The mission, to live simply, deliberately, and self-sufficiently off the land, free of the trappings of contemporary society. The protagonist, clearly not what you might expect given the era. He was not some young, free spirited hippie, luddite, or draft dodger. Rather, he was a skilled hard working machinist/woodsman, who at age 51 decided to permanently leave the rat race behind.

Why this man, Dick Prenacke, suddenly left behind his conventional existence to live in a remote and unforgiving section of Alaska is never fully explored in the book. While snippets do reveal his distain for modernity, it never fully embellishes on what ultimately drove the author to do what few would ever conceive of doing. Perhaps Dick realized that at 51, the physical and physiological fortitude required to make such a transition would soon be out of his reach. More likely however, he foresaw the end of an era. No more than a few years after his departure into the wild, Alaska would enact laws prohibiting trappers and homesteaders from freely trudging off into the woods to live the quintessential "Alaskan experience." Soon Alaska would become like the rest of the lower 48, where people like Dick would be considered trespassers and evicted from any land that they did not rightfully own. Fortunately for the author, the laws were grand fathered in.

While the book is essentially a personal account of Alaskan homesteading, the author episodically weaves social commentary into his writings. He laments a society that is wasteful and superficial. The hunters that come into his Alaska, products of such a society, leave garbage and animal meat behind, unaware that the author cleans up after as well as makes use of their squander.

The author also reveals his anxiety for a society that is increasingly consumed by materialism. He feels that man is entrapped by things that he doesn't need and he seeks to avoid the superfluous at all costs. To the outsider, surviving in the wilds of Alaska would seem to require an extravagant amount of equipment and gear. One can only imagine the bill the average suburbanite would amass at the local REI in preparation for such an endeavor. Yet the author demonstrates just how little is required to not only to survive but also to prosper in such an inhospitable region.

The book closes with some thoughts on technology, and the rapidity of change that comes with it. The author's words are both haunting and prescient as he elaborates on his first year in Alaska and how his experience conflicts greatly with society at large.




5 out of 5 stars inspiring.......2007-07-14

Inspiring book. Diarist was over 50 when he began this journey. Helps me look to the future for myself.
Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Loved it so much I purchase 2 more for gifts!
  • Doesn't get any better
  • Simply the most comprehensice survival guide that I have seen.
  • Man in the Wild
  • Cool book with everything
 Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book
Paul Tawrell
Manufacturer: Paul Tawrell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0974082023

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Loved it so much I purchase 2 more for gifts!.......2007-07-30

This book has everything! My bother-in-law came over and couldn't put it down! So I purchased one for him and one for my brother (since they love camping and backpacking too)

5 out of 5 stars Doesn't get any better.......2007-07-09

This is easily the most comprehensive and complete guide out there. Very easy to follow and understand every concept presented.

5 out of 5 stars Simply the most comprehensice survival guide that I have seen........2007-05-07

I am an avid outdoorsman that loves primitive survival techniques. This book is very enlightening. There is a lot of things that you have not thought of that is in this book. Every survival situation that I can think of is here.(Hurricane, earthquake, tsunami,etc;) It also has basic to advanced camping info. Overall, I am very impressed. Massive book, with massive loads of info.

5 out of 5 stars Man in the Wild.......2007-04-10

Everything you need to know to survive in the wilderness is in this book. You'll find important tidbits you may never need to know in addition to the everyday survival techniques.

5 out of 5 stars Cool book with everything.......2007-03-23

This is a great survival guide thats packed with information. I bought one for my 12 year old nephew who is a boy scout and loves camping. He was thrilled. It has tons of info on many aspects of camping and outdoor/nature stuff. I have one too, but haven't had time to throughly go thru it.
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Book
  • A must-read for any hiker, hunter, camper, etc.
  • You can stay alive with items that fit in a sandwich bag. The list is here.
  • Lundin's fine book focuses on a practical hierarchy of priorities
  • Interesting Reading
 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1586852345

Book Description

"If you breathe and have a pulse, you NEED this book." -Cody Lundin

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Book.......2007-10-04

Lundin goes beyong just the gear list for a "survival kit" and discusses the importance of regulating body temerature. Most other books do this but they do not go into as much detail to help you understand. Lundin also discusses the psychology of a survival situation that other authors do not do at all. Unless you have been lost in the wilderness alone you will not know what happens but Lundin does an excellent job of explaining not only what happens but how to overcome the situation. Excellent book to read but like he says, in order to fully understand the concepts you need to get out in the wild and take a survival course.

4 out of 5 stars A must-read for any hiker, hunter, camper, etc........2007-08-26

If you believe the TV drama crap in the show "Man vs. Wild" where Grylls is scaling cliffs and jumping into freezing rivers, this book isn't for you because Cody Lundin actually wants you to live. The book 98.6 Degrees tells you statistically that most people who die in the wilderness die from hypothermia and hypothermia -- not from avalanches, bear attacks, etc. But most people don't want to hear this maybe because it isn't exciting enough.

I think of this book as the foundation from which all survivalism studies should start. The book really goes into great detail into the "whys" of exposure and other conditions one commonly faces in the wild. You need this information so that you can adapt and think on your own for the unique situation you may face. Cody challenges traditional survivalism manuals and has the personal experience to back up what he writes. One reviewer labeled this book as a kum-bay-ya book, but the book is exactly the opposite. The book speaks with life saving frankness and flat out tells you that you will be worm food if you make certain wrong decisions.

The book has some great color photos and diagrams as well and has perhaps the best and most thorough advice on assembling a survival kit I've seen (the book explains why store bought kits are seriously lacking). The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that I felt the book, at times, spends a little too much time on trivia knowledge (e.g., history of the match) at the expense of more knowledge on shelter building strategies, how to build a fire, etc. I want more info on how to put the survival kit to use. I suppose that might be in a sequel to this wonderful book. Despite minor shortcomings, this book has completely changed how I look at preparing for and handling survival situations. Highly recommended!

5 out of 5 stars You can stay alive with items that fit in a sandwich bag. The list is here........2007-08-16

Buy the book. Your life, your family's life may be saved by it. Buy it for your friends.

4 out of 5 stars Lundin's fine book focuses on a practical hierarchy of priorities.......2007-07-29

I teach a brief segment on survival skills, and I completely rewrote my class outline after reading Lundin's book. Lundin explains why silly diagrams on building a figure four trap and a solar still do not add to survival skills, but core knowledge of the key priorities of shelter do.

I'll give it four stars instead of five because there is some silly rhetoric in it irrelevant to the survival issue. But I recommend this book to anyone interest in practical advice.

5 out of 5 stars Interesting Reading.......2007-05-13

Interesting reading with excellent ideas, list, supply ideas etc.

Definitely would recomend to keep on hand
Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival (Survival School Handbooks / Tom Brown, Jr)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • When civilizaton falls, I'll be ready!
  • "A Treasure"
  • Good place to start
  • Survival at it's best.
  • Keep this in your pack.
Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival (Survival School Handbooks / Tom Brown, Jr)
Tom Brown
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425105725

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars When civilizaton falls, I'll be ready!.......2007-07-14

This book is well written, easy to read and full of useful information on how to survive out in the wild places. Anyone planning for the end of civilization (or just a fun weekend camping in the woods) should read this book.

5 out of 5 stars "A Treasure".......2007-04-20

when i say treasure i don't use that term lightly. i originally read this book in it's entirety and really enjoyed it, then put it down for awhile. However, I have spent numerous hours in the outdoors as of late and have found this as a guide to just about anything i want to do in the outdoors.
I have used it to guide me through making baskets and containers in the wilderness, (and an easter basket for my wife), for skinning a wild animal, for making knifes, arrows, etc. from flint and bone, for guiding me to some edible wild treats. I could go on and on about the uses for this book. And even if this book isn't complete on a particular subject it will guide you to a book that does. Whether it's to one of his books or another field guide series.

4 out of 5 stars Good place to start.......2007-02-11

This book is a great place to start if you're interested in learning outdoor survival. Very practical, not just what to do, but how to think when you're if you're stuck in a survival situation. Clear directions, simple illustrations. Not as dry as, say, a Boy Scout manual.

5 out of 5 stars Survival at it's best........2007-01-10

Tom Brown is a mastermind.I got this book read it,then got all of his field guides. Outdoor survival is my love and Tom Brown has taken me to a whole other level. BUY IT!

4 out of 5 stars Keep this in your pack. .......2006-07-26

This book is the best starting place for those wishing to learn about wilderness survival. The book is well organized and a pleasure to read. The subject matter can be dry, but Mr. Brown does a good job of interlacing his personal experiences with the instructional material. There are two reasons I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5. 1) I think it could use more diagrams and pictures. Without an instructor by your side it would be easy to misunderstand some of the more technical skills covered. 2) This book is mainly for temperate regions. While much of the material is useful for any climate, it is missing tropical and artic specific information. Mr. Brown's knowledge of survival and tracking techniques is second to none. His field guides should be on every outdoor enthusiast's book shelf, and this book should be in your pack with you at all times.
Wilderness Medicine, 5th Edition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • New edition is even better
  • The PDR for wilderness injuries & related illnesses
 Wilderness Medicine, 5th Edition
Paul S. Auerbach
Manufacturer: Mosby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  2. Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care, 5th Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care, 5th
  3. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies (Toxicologic Emergencies (Goldfrank's)) Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies (Toxicologic Emergencies (Goldfrank's))
  4. Advanced Disaster Medical Response Manual for Providers Advanced Disaster Medical Response Manual for Providers
  5. Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid, 5th Edition Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid, 5th Edition

ASIN: 0323032281

Book Description

Manage any medical emergency you encounter in the great outdoors! Every day, more and more people are venturing into the wilderness and extreme environments...and many are unprepared for the dangers that come with these adventures. Whether these victims are stranded on mountain tops, lost in the desert, trapped deep in the woods, or injured far out at sea, this indispensable resource equips rescuers and health care professionals to diagnose and treat the full range of emergencies and health problems encountered in the wilderness!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars New edition is even better .......2007-10-05

It is no surprise that the Fifth Edition of this unique medical reference is better than ever. For those who are new to this authoritative tome, you will immediately notice how well it is organized to help those in an emergency effectively find the answers they need. The chapters cover Mountain Medicine, Cold and Heat, Burns, Fire and Radiation, Rescue and Survival, Injuries and Medical Intervention, Animals Insects and Zoonoses, Plants, Food and Water, Marine Medicine, Travel and Environmental Hazards, Equipment, Special Populations (issue related to children and the elderly) and the Wilderness.

Every subject is carefully explained so the medical injuries surrounding the subject can be identified and understood in context and with greater detail. For example, to understand how to rescue someone from an avalanche, the reader must understand how avalanches are formed. The book also goes into detail on rescue equipment and their correct use as well as proper self and organized rescues before discussing medical treatments for avalanche victims.

The bulk of the book consists of chapters regarding various injuries and conditions encompassing symptomology, description diagnostic techniques (tests and such) that can be employed, treatment options, and the range of expected prognoses--in a nutshell, what is the likely injury, how do we treat it, and what's the outlook in terms of cure and survival.

A wealth of reliable, understandable information is readily accessible primarily targeting the medical professional but also for the lay person accompanied by very helpful illustrations.

The update is most welcome, as the area of wilderness medicine has grown significantly beyond rescue of mountain climbers to the practice of medicine in situations of constrained resource, during times of catastrophe like 9/11 or Katrina and often in appalling conditions. This new edition also identifies new and better treatments of everything from high-altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema to heart stroke.

5 out of 5 stars The PDR for wilderness injuries & related illnesses.......1997-07-25

Foregoing knowledge of the existance of this text was unkown, until it was needed in an emergent situation on site. At that time a stingray injury required our immediate attention. With no previous experience in this kind of injury, the book provided immediate no frills information on treatment, backup care and procedures. After this experience, I carefully examined the text at length and was amazed at the comprehensive nature of the topic that was covered. I would recommend this text to be present in all health care provider libraries and offices, as it is in mine. Dr. H.J. Willis D.O. Emergency & Trauma Physicia
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • The book works...
  • Laughter and Skills You Hope You Never Need
  • Entertaining
  • Really good
  • Three Reasons To Buy This Book
 The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
Piven
Manufacturer: CHRONICLE BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: LIFE (Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks) The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: LIFE (Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks)

ASIN: 0811825558

Amazon.com

How to Wrestle Free from an Alligator: 4. If its jaws are closed on something you want to remove (for example, a limb), tap or punch it on the snout.

Though it's being marketed as a humorous title--after all, it's unlikely you'll be called upon to land a plane, jump from a motorcycle to a moving car, or win a swordfight--the information contained in The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is all quite sound. Authors Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht consulted numerous experts in their fields (they're cited at the end of the book) to discover how to survive various and sundry awful events. Parachute doesn't open? Your best bet for survival is to hook your arms through the straps of a fellow jumper's chute--and even then you're likely to dislocate both shoulders and break both legs. Car sinking in water? Open the window immediately to equalize pressure, then open the car door and swim to the surface. Buried in an avalanche? Spit on the snow--it will tell you which direction is really up. Then dig as fast as you can.

Each survival skill is explained in simple steps with helpful illustrations. Most stress the need to be prepared--both mentally and physically. For example, to escape from quicksand, you will need to lay a pole on the surface of the quicksand, flop on your back atop the pole, and pull your legs out one by one. No pole? No luck. "When walking in quicksand country, carry a stout pole--it will help you get out should you need to."

Hopefully you'll never need to know how to build a fire without matches, perform a tracheotomy, or treat a bullet wound. But in the words of survival evasion resistance escape instructor "Mountain" Mel Deweese, "You never know." --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

Danger! It lurks at every corner. Volcanoes. Sharks. Quicksand. Terrorists. The pilot of the plane blacks out and it's up to you to land the jet. What do you do? The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is here to help: jam-packed with how-to, hands-on, step-by-step, illustrated instructions on everything you need to know FAST-from defusing a bomb to delivering a baby in the back of a cab. Providing frightening and funny real information in the best-selling tradition of the Paranoid's Pocket Guide and Hypochondriac's Handbook, this indispensable, indestructible pocket-sized guide is the definitive handbook for those times when life takes a sudden turn for the worse. The essential companion for a perilous age. Because you never know...

Download Description

Danger! It lurks at every corner. Volcanoes. Sharks. Quicksand. Terrorists. The pilot of the plane blacks out and it's up to you to land the jet. What do you do? The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is here to help: jampacked with how-to, hands-on, step-by-step, illustrated instructions on everything you need to know FAST -- from defusing a bomb to delivering a baby in the back of a cab. Providing frightening and funny real information in the best-selling tradition of the Paranoid's Pocket Guide and Hypochondriac's Handbook, this indispensable, indestructible pocket-sized guide is the definitive handbook for those times when life takes a sudden turn for the worse. The essential companion for a perilous age. Because you never know...

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The book works..........2007-07-13

I read the book. I saw a car accident. I can't go into further details because it is illegal to perform medical procedures without a degree in medicine. The boy didn't survive (he was brain dead immediately (happens when your head takes a cars bumper)) but his body did and was used to keep two other kids alive.

5 out of 5 stars Laughter and Skills You Hope You Never Need.......2007-04-10

The odds may not be very good that you'll end up in some of these situations, but if you ever do, you'll be glad you read this book. If you never need these skills, then it's great for a laugh.

4 out of 5 stars Entertaining.......2007-02-22

Extreme and extremely funny. Some are more plausible than others but all are thought provoking.

4 out of 5 stars Really good.......2007-01-31

When I bought this book, my girlfrind and some friend where making fun of me, but as soon as one of them started reading it, he couldn't let it down and everybody was reading it. It contains information that I hope I'll never need. It's funny, but at the same time the information provided was well researched.

Great for having at your coffee table, since everyone will comment on it.

I belive it might be useful also for actual surviving....

5 out of 5 stars Three Reasons To Buy This Book.......2007-01-20

One: You just might learn how to save your own life.

Two: You just might learn how to save someone else's life.

Three: You just might impress the hell out of your next date.


I like this book. It's like one of the Dummies titles devoted only to survival skills. It makes you feel like you're just a leetle bit superior to everybody else. The basics are here, but so are some of the coolest factoids, techniques, and tricks I've ever read. If someday you're in a falling elevator/locked in some pervert's trunk/facing an oncoming flash flood/freezing your epidermis off in a snow-covered SUV while driving home from a ski resort where you had a fight with your significant other who was wrong, not you, you'll be glad you bought this book and spent a day reading it. It's cool, it's fun, it's empowering, and it reminds me of someone I knew in college. (Yes, that last detail won't make you rush out and buy it, I know, but...)

Read The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook and you'll feel like you're ready for anything life might throw at you!
Brian's Return
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Brian's Return
  • Bryce from Lake Tapps- Brain's Back
  • Amazingly good!
  • An awsome second part!
  • Brian's review
 Brian's Return
Gary Paulsen
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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  1. Brian's Winter Brian's Winter
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ASIN: 0440413796

Amazon.com

A deer in his canoe, a bear attack, a leg stabbed with an arrowhead--it's just another week in the life of 16-year-old Brian Robeson. In his opinion, this beats a date at Mackey's Pizza Den, a fight with a bully, and a video game at the mall any day. After having survived a plane crash and 54 days in the Canadian wilderness several years earlier, Brian can't seem to fit into "civilization." The world of high school and family life makes no sense anymore. So Brian begins to plan. It's time to return to the woods. This time, though, he makes no plans to come back home.

Gary Paulsen, the popular author of many critically acclaimed books for young people and winner of the 1997 Margaret A. Edward Award, has written another sequel to the Newbery Honor Book Hatchet. (The River and Brian's Winter were earlier sequels.) Paulsen's graphic and detailed descriptions of Brian's adventures demonstrate a deep familiarity and connection to the wilderness; and in fact the author has spent much of his life in the bush, living almost entirely off the land. Brian's experiences in nature parallel his growing independence and maturity; readers who don't feel like they "fit in" will easily relate to the young protagonist's search for identity and purity. (Ages 11 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

As millions of readers of Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter know, Brian Robeson survived alone in the wilderness by finding solutions to extraordinary challenges. But now that's he's back in civilization, he can't find a way to make sense of high school life. He feels disconnected, more isolated than he did alone in the North. The only answer is to return-to "go back in"-for only in the wilderness can Brian discover his true path in life, and where he belongs.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Brian's Return .......2007-04-25

Die or not die!!!!! You'll have to read to find out.
Brian has got in an enormous mess. He has to meet a councilor and the councilor changed his live. He has Brian go back to his favorite place, the great, enormous wilderness. Going back to the wilderness helps, but he gets excitement. He gets attack by many things.
I like this book because I like reading adventure and learn. I would recommend this to people that like to travel and hunt. I would give this to people that likes to learn. Now you have to read this book.

4 out of 5 stars Bryce from Lake Tapps- Brain's Back.......2007-03-13

Brian's Return

I am reviewing the book Brian's Return by Gary Paulson. It takes place in the forest, on a beach, and on a river.

Going Back

Brian is back and he wants the joy of the wilderness again. So he goes to an area populated only by wildlife, but this time he's prepared. He has a-lot of equipment such as: A bow, arrows, shafts and points, a quiver, a knife, a hatchet, matches, lots of rice, seasoning bug repellent, and lots more. Things go fine; he hunts successfully, eats and reads Shakespeare. But soon he meets a man cooking something at his fire. Brian figures he is of no danger and sits down. They have a friendly conversation and the man leaves. Later Brian goes through shallow water and encounters a bear. Will the bear kill Brian? Will Brian kill the bear? What will Brian do? What will happen? The only way to find out is to read Brian's Return.

You should read this book

I really liked this book; it had plenty of details and was very well written, for example: "Brian sat quietly, taken by a peace he has not known for a long time, and let the canoe drift forward along the lily pads..." I read this book, and you should too.

The sequel to Hatchet

One other thing you should know is that this book is the sequel to Hatchet, and so therefore should not be read until Hatchet has been read. There are also other books by Gary Paulson that are sequels to Hatchet, those too are great books.

My recommendation

I highly recommend this book. It's a must read for Gary Paulson fans. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

5 out of 5 stars Amazingly good!.......2007-02-12

The main plot to the story is there is this boy, who in the previous book wound up stranded in the forest, then learned to survive in those conditions after a while. In the second book he wanted to return because he missed the woods and the way it felt to be in them. He never liked life as it was at his home, giving him more the reason to return. This was probobly the best book I have ever read, books by the same author are also just as good.

Z.C.

5 out of 5 stars An awsome second part!.......2007-02-10

The first book was an awsome action and adventure packed story, and every aspect of the second book was even better. In my opinion this book is greater than any book I have ever seen. The authors books are some of my favorites over any other author I have seen. I would recommend this book to anyone, most books I would get rather bored with, but this one seems to catch my intrest.

5 out of 5 stars Brian's review.......2007-01-04

I liked this book because it talks about the woods and the animals around him. It talks about Brian's life in the woods.
What happens in this story is all about Brian wanting to go back to the woods and he does in the middle of the book. Caleb Brian's new friend is a retired Cop who is blind. He wants Brian too go back to the woods but Brian thinks his parents wont let him. Brian orders all this stuff so he can go back to the woods.
If you like the Brian's series you will like this book. You might want to read the ones before this one. It is a book I recommend to anyone that likes this series. It is a very good book.
Wilderness Empire: A Narrative (Eckert, Allan W. Winning of America Series.)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great series
  • A Dangerous Time in Colonial America
  • History coming alive
  • Bloody, bloody good
  • Widerness Empire
 Wilderness Empire: A Narrative (Eckert, Allan W. Winning of America Series.)
Allan W. Eckert
Manufacturer: Jesse Stuart Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War | Colonial Period | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1931672024

Book Description

For over two hundred years no Indian force in America was so powerful and feared as the Iroquois League. Throughout two thirds of this continent, the cry of "The Iroquois are coming!" was enough to demoralize entire tribes. But these Iroquois occupied and controlled a vast wilderness empire which beckoned like a precious gem to foreign powers. France and England secured toeholds and suddenly each was claiming as its own this land of the Iroquois. Alliance with the Indians was the key; whichever power controlled them could destroy the other.

Wilderness Empire is the gripping narrative of the eighteenth-century struggle of these two powers to win for themselves the allegiance of the Indians in a war for territorial dominance, yet without letting these Indians know that the prize of the war would be this very Iroquois land. It is the story of English strength hamstrung by incredible incompetence, of French power sapped by devastating corruption. It is the story of the English, Indian and French individuals whose lives intertwine in the greatest territorial struggle in American history--the French and Indian War.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great series.......2007-07-28

This is one of the weaker books in Eckert's series, but it was still a good read. I'd recommend it for any Eckert fan, or any other American-History fan. You should definately read the other books in the series!!!

5 out of 5 stars A Dangerous Time in Colonial America.......2007-02-26

Wow! What a book! For anyone interested in studying the French and Indian War period, this is a must read. Although it's not a "textbook" account it's still a lot of fun. I would read this book alongside Francis Parkman's "Montcalm and Wolfe" and Anderson's "Crucible of War". Probably Mr. Eckert's best work. It's really great for younger children or anyone who has forgotten about good old-fashioned American folklore. Fantastic!

5 out of 5 stars History coming alive.......2007-02-12

The best book I have ever read on the French and Indian War. It is utterly amazing how Eckert makes characters from the past come so alive. You really get the feeling that you not only learned about events that happened in the past, but that you get to know the people who experienced them.

5 out of 5 stars Bloody, bloody good.......2006-09-08

Though published in 1969, when attitudes toward Native Americans were just beginning to recover after centuries of demonization, "Wilderness Empire" paints a very balanced picture of the complexities of the American frontier during the period of the French and Indian War. Comprising the formative years of George Washington, Ben Franklin and many of other actors on the American historical stage, this often-ignored historical period was the foundation for the Revolutionary War years that immediately followed. What happened in the 1740s and 50s cemented the reputations and formed the attitudes of those who forged America in the 1770s and 80s.

Eckert does a fascinating job of writing a "semi-fictional" work that relies heavily on the letters and other documents of the players themselves. He claims not to have invented conversations, but to have dramatized them based on the evidence in the primary sources. Of course, this cannot extend to Eckert's descriptions of his characters' state of mind, but he seems to take care to add proper emotional expression to the dry facts where appropriate.

Eckert's tale includes hundreds of characters, but he focuses on the exploits of a few notable ones. William Johnson, the young Irish adventurer become military leader, is at the center of the tale. Johnson seems one of only a few Americans who took the Indians seriously and was subsequently adopted by them. His incredible double life - as a white subject of the crown and as the Indian Warraghiyagey - showed him to be a man of intelligence, subtlety, heart and strength. Other characters - the exquisite French Marquis de Montcalm, a young and inexperienced George Washington, the Mohawk Chief Tiyanoga and New Hampshire's Robert Rogers of Ranger fame - are also featured prominently. This is not due to their later fame as much as to the fact that these were men of great valor and valiant action in their day. Eckert does feature women in his tale, but often they are love partners, slaves or victims. One wonders whether he might have made more of them had he written the book ten years later, when feminist scholarship and sensitivity urged writers to take a closer look at female contributions.

In any event, Eckert's tale is very bloody. Indian atrocities -- including scalping, dismemberment, ritual torture and cannibalism -- get more than their fair share of space. Cannonballs cut men in two and musket fire pierces brains and bodies and leaves men screaming in agony. Eckert does not pass judgment on these actions, though his French and especially his English characters do. At least he attempts to see these practices with native eyes, as the just spoils of warfare, as much due to the victors as the powder and food of the vanquished. But for the reader, the burnings, killings and mutilations do seem to pile up after a while. On the positive side, this gives the reader a chance to appreciate the tenuous nature of life on the New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia frontier. There's enough brutality on all sides to make one glad to live in more peaceful times.

I found "Wilderness Empire" to be a fascinating, if slow, read. The vast array of characters, the difficult Indian names and places, and the complex and convoluted nature of the events makes it difficult to read for pleasure. But in the end, the book was well worth the effort. I now feel I have filled a long-standing lacuna in my historical understanding - the period the led to the American Revolution and set the stage for the white expansion across the continent.

5 out of 5 stars Widerness Empire.......2006-07-04

Second time I have read it the first time was over 25 years ago, it is an oustanding narative of the early days of America detailing important events in the early setteling of our country.

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