Customer Reviews:
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.
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a lot of very useful information; however, it has a 1970's copyright date and some of the information seems to be outdated.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.
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.
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!
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.
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:
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
Book Description
"Unique among survival books...stunning...enthralling. Deep Survival makes compelling, and chilling, reading."—Penelope Purdy, Denver Post
After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out. A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What makes the difference?
Examining such stories of miraculous endurance and tragic death—how people get into trouble and how they get out again (or not)—Deep Survival takes us from the tops of snowy mountains and the depths of oceans to the workings of the brain that control our behavior. Through close analysis of case studies, Laurence Gonzales describes the "stages of survival" and reveals the essence of a survivor—truths that apply not only to surviving in the wild but also to surviving life-threatening illness, relationships, the death of a loved one, running a business during uncertain times, even war.
Fascinating for any reader, and absolutely essential for anyone who takes a hike in the woods, this book will change the way we understand ourselves and the great outdoors.
Customer Reviews:
Captivating Read.......2007-10-06
This book is a captivating read. Once you start reading it you won't want to put it down. This is a must read for anyone venturing off of their couch and beyond the bounds of their metropolitan life style. Lawrence Gonzales provides real life examples of the human plight in our world where nature is king.
Where was his editor?.......2007-09-17
There is the potential for a great book hidden in this one. Unfortunately the authors ego hamstrings his own ability to bring it to fruition. A good editor coulda/shoulda done it for him. 60% of the book is the author's attempt to review the latest neuro- and other science explaining how our brains work when under extreme stress. 20% of the book is devoted to the completely superfluous stories of his own brushes with danger and palling around with famous buddies like Lyle Lovett and Lyle's Dad. That leaves 20% of book left for the meat - the real stories of real people in extreme situations. The science is interesting, but his attempts to synthesize wildly diverse fields is rambling, repetitious and often just boring.
Apparently I am in the minority.......2007-09-10
I thought this book was VERY poorly written and primarily a pontification of the author"s very boring, "oh and then I survived again aren't I amazing and wonderful, this little humble miracle that I am" *accomplishments*. Personal perspective is certainly valid, but not to the degree that he took it. I would have prefered to have heard other people's stories. I am a RN, EMT, trained as a wilderness first responder,climber, skier, trekker,runner, horsewoman, former river guide and I do not underestimate the value of his information and the importance of sharing it, but his style of writing and his boasting just turned me off. I say borrow it from the library, don't waste your money by buying it.
Great book for insight into the psychology of survival.......2007-08-28
I found this well written, informative and very enjoyable to read. If you are studying wilderness survival skills then consider this as the flip-side of your training. Studying the psychological aspects of survival is as important as the physical skills. This is a very good book.
The Human Spirit.......2007-08-22
There are a number of reasons why you should read this book. It is well written and engaging. It gives you an insight into the human spirit. And, the descriptive tales of survival when people are stranded in conditions that seem beyond hope are extraordinary.
Book Description
In the spirit of Jon Krakauer's bestselling Into the Wild, Eric Blehm's The Last Season examines the extraordinary life of legendary backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson and his mysterious disappearance in California's unforgiving Sierra Nevada.
The granite spires of the High Sierra have historically been a refuge of inspiration and adventure for the likes of John Muir and Ansel Adams, as well as for the pioneering rock climbers of the 1960s. But these mountains are as perilous as they are beautiful: here is where the Donner Party was trapped and where scores of unlucky hikers must be rescued every year. The Last Season tells the inspiring, poignant story of Morgenson, who, over the course of twenty-eight summers living alone in this craggy wilderness, became a celebrated ranger in the National Park Service's most adventurous unit. For the solitary, introspective Morgenson, who grew up in Yosemite Valley and as a young man honed his mountaineering skills in the Himalayas, this was more than a job -- it was a calling. He became fiercely devoted to preventing outside forces from encroaching on the wilderness he loved.
But over the years, the isolation Morgenson had once cherished took its toll, and he grew increasingly estranged from his wife and friends. When, at the height of his struggles, he went missing without a trace in Kings Canyon National Park, where he had long patrolled, many suspected suicide or foul play. Morgenson, after all, had once said, "The least I owe these mountains is a body." As one of the Park Service's most intensive search-and-rescue operations unraveled, some wondered if they were searching for a man who did not want to be found.
Destined to become a classic in mountain literature, The Last Season is a work that is as captivating in its writing as it is compelling in its sense of adventure. It is the result of eight years of research by Eric Blehm to uncover the truth about one of the national parks' greatest mysteries. Blehm's reconstruction of a desperate search-and-rescue operation woven with Morgenson's riveting biography takes readers deep into the heart of the High Sierra and into the little-known and much-romanticized world of the backcountry rangers -- revealing in the end the mind and spirit of a complicated, original, and wholly fascinating man.
Customer Reviews:
Sierra Backcountry Ranger Requiem.......2007-09-22
If you have hiked the High Sierras, no doubt you will love this book! It offers a penetrating look at a 28 year veteran back country ranger in the Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park, who disappeared during his last season. Why would anyone spend 28 years as a seasonal, low paid, poorly appreciated back country ranger? Who would put up with living in the isolated back country, on call 24/7? How could such a seasoned veteran simply vanish from the face of the earth? Why did an 8 day search for him, using almost 100 experienced rangers, search and rescue dogs, and multiple helicopters fail to find him? What part did depression over a failing marriage and guilt over an affair with another back country ranger play in his disappearance? Did he commit suicide? Or - - - did the fall out of this depression so cloud his judgement that he made a fatal mistake as he crossed his familiar beloved wilderness? As you may guess, I love the High Sierra and enjoyed this book immensely. Randy Morgenson reminds me a lot of John Muir. I take my well worn hiking and back packing hat off to this man who speaks so eloquently for the WILD! There is a lot of food for thought in this book for those who hike and backpack in the bush, seeking the silence and peace that only can be found there!
Captured their world.......2007-08-25
As a seasonal firefighter and helitack crewman in Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs from 1977-1980, I encountered some of the backcountry rangers (Randy Morgenson included) on medevacs, re-supply flights, etc. My wife and I still maintain friendships with George Durkee and Paige Meier. Blehm has done an excellent job of describing their world.
Very Good Book.......2007-08-10
Just finished this book, very good. It would have rated 5 stars for me if it was just a wee bit shorter as it did drag just a tad. I usually don't write reviews but I needed to counter some negative reviews in comparison where people contrasted it to "Into the Wild". "Into the Wild" is better written, to be sure. But contrary to some reviewers opinions, this man, Randy Morgenson, was truly someone who's life was "book worthy." The kid in "Into the Wild" basically threw his life away and really never contributed anything to anyone or anything. Randy really helped alot of people and "the land" and his life stood and meant something. I did enjoy Into the Wild, it was compelling, but as far as the main characters, NO comparison. Randy is an inspiration, Cris McCandless was just a lost soul......
Randy Morgenson - Gentle Giant.......2007-08-10
Over the last twenty years I have hiked all or most of the John Muir Trail sixteen times from south to north. Between 1987 and 1996 I had the privilege and honor of getting to know Randy on the trail. His friendly kind face at McClure was always a welcome sight. I would always take a layover day just to be able to spend some time talking to him about wilderness and the incredible beauty of the Sierras. His understanding of the mountains was deep and compelling. He was perhaps one of the most experienced introspective mountaineers the Sierras have ever seen. His knowledge of the High Sierra was tremendous and his humble sincere love of the land truly an inspiration - for such a powerful mountaineer Randy was such a gentle poetic person. This book does a superb job of capturing Randy and his pure love of the High Sierra while at the same time documenting the monolithic effort to find him. Also, having known over the years many of the backcountry rangers involved in the search, and knowing first hand what a close family they are I would also say that the author very deftly weaves into the book the fraternal nature of the search. I highly recommend Eric Blehm's "The Last Season" to anyone that has spent time in the wilderness (especially the Sierras) it reads like a mystery but has a very personal touch. Randy the Range of Light misses you, there is a tear in every thunderstorm, thank you for all the beautiful words.
Couldn't pull myself away.......2007-07-30
Eric Blehm crafted a tale rich in detail and sincerity with The Last Season. While Morgenson's life and his disappearance made for a great mystery ripe for any author to pick, Blehm's attention to the true main character-the high Sierras-gave the story a texture that would have otherwise been lacking. The layers of the story contantly unfolded to reveal a depth that gave the reader pause to contemplate the inherent conflicts. The enormity of the landscape crept up from the pages-it was like traveling through the park each night as I picked up the book. A great read for anyone who appreciates a well written, complicated story-especially the endings.
Average customer rating:
- 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
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98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
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Similar Items:
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Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
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When All Hell Breaks Loose
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Build the Perfect Survival Kit
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SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
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Wilderness Evasion: A Guide To Hiding Out and Eluding Pursuit in Remote Areas
Accessories:
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Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite
ASIN: 1586852345 |
Book Description
"If you breathe and have a pulse, you NEED this book." -Cody Lundin
Customer Reviews:
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.
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!
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.
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.
Interesting Reading.......2007-05-13
Interesting reading with excellent ideas, list, supply ideas etc.
Definitely would recomend to keep on hand
Book Description
For a soldier, knowing where you are is a matter of life and death, and so it comes as no surprise that the Army has produced the most complete, clear, and thorough guide to map reading and navigation available.
The book starts with a comprehensive explanation of the meaning and uses of maps, whether photographic, planimetric (standard-style) or topographic, then progresses to discuss the use of those maps, discussing compass techniques, celestial navigation, and determination of distance. There is a detailed section on interpreting topographic maps, with notes on tactical considerations for differing terrain, as well as determining the ease of movement through an area.
Chapters include:
Training Strategy - Maps -Marginal Information and Symbols - Grids - Scale and Distance -Direction - Overlays - Aerial Photographs - Navigation Equipment and Methods - Elevation and Relief - Terrain Association - Mounted Land Navigation - Navigation in Different Types of Terrain - Unit Sustainment
There is also information on field sketching, the tricky art of map folding, units of measure and conversion factors, map symbols, orienteering, and the global positioning system (GPS).
For the adult outdoorsman venturing into the wild, the Boy Scout, or the serious military buff, the Army's guide to map reading and navigation is an indispensable must.
Customer Reviews:
not to learn from.......2007-06-12
Found this book confusing. Maps are illegible which makes the text irrelevant. It covers way too much detail all at once instead of progressing through steps. Covers alot of info and data useful only for those in the military. May work in conjunction with a lecture course, but by itself I would be surprised if anyone learned only from this book. I am new to this so maybe it's just not for beginners.
Learn to Navigate.......2007-04-10
Study orienteering with the handbook used by the U.S. Army. This guide is perfect for any outdoorsman or for teaching Boy Scouts how to use a compass.
First choice for teaching purposes.......2007-03-07
I own several excellent books on compass use and "orienteering."
The Army version "Map Reading and Land Navigation" is the simplest and most straightforward explanation of how to get around with just a compass and a map. If I were teaching teenagers (Scouts, etc.) how to use these tools this would be my choice of text.
A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.......2005-08-08
Soldiers need to know how to read maps accurately, how to navigate, and how to understand all manner of maps, compasses, celestial navigation and more. So does the outdoorsman. For the military and the outdoors wilderness trekker, U.S. Army Map Reading And Land Navigation Handbook provides basic instruction on grids, scale and distance, reading overlays and using navigation equipment. A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.
Book Description
This is the definitive guide for all campers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers, including:
- First aid and wilderness medicine
- Building shelter and making fire
- Hunting and trapping
- Pocket survival kit
- Disaster preparedness
Customer Reviews:
Great!.......2007-09-20
I love survival and have a ton of survival references. I have both the "Survival Handbook" and the "Survival Guide", by Lofty. The Handbook is by far the best reference I have found. Most other survival books are just knock-offs of old Army survival manuals. The Guide is an abreviated version of the Handbook. The Guide is an excellent size to carry with your survival kit. Most of what is cut out of the Guide is foundation to make for easier reading and is not very noticable unless you actually compare each book side-by-side. There are a few exceptions. To save space, some of the pictures of useful plants that are in the Handbook are missing from the Guide.
Overall, a solid buy!
EVERY ONE SHOULD OWN THIS........2007-08-18
I recently moved back to Oregon after being away for 20 years or so and am now very passionate about hiking and nature.While I am not by any means a risk taking hiker I wanted to feel more secure in my surroundings.
This is a great LITTLE book that is easily carried in a backpack and it is packed with all sorts of useful information on outdoor survival.When you read about people that die because they got stuck in the snow it's a wake up call that you should know what to "just in case". May I also reccomend that parents should buy their children WILLY WHITEFEATHER'S OUTDOOR SURVIVAL BOOK and THE RIVER BOOK they are both excellent books for teaching children outdoor survival skills. The outdoors shouldn't be a scary place and there is no reason for people to die because they are lost or stranded after all the wilderness was our ancestors home!
Comprehensive Manual .......2007-08-02
This strong booklet is a well illustrated comprehensive manual of all the things you have learned as a boy scout. It concentrates on the essentials, is very useful and to the point. It helps to behave intelligently when outdoors.
Peace of mind is worth 5 stars!.......2007-06-20
When I bought the SAS Survival Guide, I was looking for a book that would help me gain some knowledge about what to do in certain survival situations along with some interesting tidbits. I initially was upset when I saw the size of the guide (my fault, no one else's) but I eventually came to realize that the size of the guide was perfect for what I needed it for.
So what's to like about this book? There's a TON of great information in this book. The major topics are:
Essentials
Climate & Terrain
Food
Camp Craft
Reading the Signs
On the Move
Survival at Sea
Rescue
Health
Disaster Strategies
There's a wealth of information in between these topics. I'll admit that I bought this book because I'm a nervous wreck when it comes to traveling and I thought this would be a good book to bring along in case something bad happens. For the peace of mind, this book is invaluable.
And what's not to like? Like I said, if you want a book that's bigger, be sure to read the dimensions and get the bigger size. Other than that, the book is great.
Adults, this is a good book to own simply for the peace of mind. In case something happens (god forbid) where you need to know information about not only basic survival skills, but more complex things like what foods are safe to eat, where the best place is to build a shelter, and how to find safe, drinkable water, it's great to have this book on hand. You can't beat the price!
The Best Of.......2007-03-20
I have read a few books on survival and this is the best one I have found up to this point. I have even read the U. S. Army's handbook and this is better.
I purchased the full size book first and then ordered this version so I could pack it easy in my backpack or day pack. The Gem version has all the same information the full size book has. I was going to purchase some survival cards to pack, but have purchased the GEM size book after finding out it was available through a survival seminar I attended with the Boy Scouts.
Book Description
Now with full-color topographic maps and featuring the latest on electronic navigation, The Essential Wilderness Navigator is the clearest and most up-to-date route-finding primer available. Providing readers with exercises for developing a directional ‘sixth sense,’ tips on mastering the art of map- and compass-reading, and comprehensive updates on a range of technological advances, this perennially popular guide is more indispensable than ever.
Customer Reviews:
The Essential Wilderness Navigator.......2007-10-09
The relaxed, conversational pace of this book may appeal to some readers. It strikes me otherwise, and feels wordy, and in places little more than fluff. If the writing were tighter, the details would stand out better. Those details are there and worth getting. It is a good introduction in that sense. For some readers this may be enough. If you are inclined to read more than one book on any subject you're interested in, then this may be helpful as one of the first books on navigation you might read. But it is unlikely it'd be your last.
Very informitive.......2007-08-19
Great book. Read it before I went on a backpacking trip to Colorado. It taught me a lot about map reading, how to use a compass, and also how to be more aware of my surroundings. I would suggest this book to anyone who backpacks or does day trips.
Good Book.......2007-05-13
This is a excellent book if you do not have a knowledge of the wilderness. I would recommend it highly
Difficult to get lost with this one..........2005-09-05
An excellent book for those starting out on orienteering. Very good conversational wording. Doesn't use too much jargon. The practical exercises are easily understood. The combination of the written word and neat diagrams and pictures make the information easily digestable.
Excellent Map and Compass Instruction Book.......2004-12-04
You want to learn how to use a map and compass? For hiking or backpacking, especially remote wilderness? This is the best comprehensive book I've found on the subject, bar none. Reasons:
1. It gets to the point quickly in teaching you map & compass fundamentals. No fluff, no wasted time on esoteric principles of magnetism or the rules of orienteering competitions (a fine sport, but one bearing little resemblance to actual wilderness navigation with its special large-scale magnetic-north maps and simplified compasses etc.) Instead, this book concentrates on one objective: accurate land navigation in a wilderness environment.
2. It teaches realistic methods, and does not emphasize the unrealistic ones (one glaring example: penciling a lot of inaccurate magnetic declination lines all over your map the night before your trip (because the author used the method once for an adventure race with a special large-scale map and thinks it's cool) instead of just buying a compass with adjustable declination or pasting a pointer indicating a true bearing on your compass baseplate! Hey, sitting atop a windblown mountain is no place to attempt to draw magnetic lines of declination with a three-inch compass baseplate when you walk off your pre-marked map or have to use a friend's copy!
3. It has large, clear, easy-to-follow illustrations. Believe me, this is a rarity in most map/compass books.
4. It teaches BOTH compass dead reckoning (compass only) AND terrain association (map priority) navigation principles and shows the advantages and weaknesses of each in a given situation. Some orienteering-biased books would have you believe the compass is only good for aligning a map to magnetic north!
5. It has nice large pages and lies flat while you refer to various sections and practice using your map & compass in the field. Don't laugh. Remember, you will learn land navigation by practicing outdoors what you're reading. One session of trying to refer to the tiny pocket paperback pages and dingy photos of competing books will make you a believer in a large-paged instruction book with clear illustrations.
6. It covers more advanced map/compass skills (resection, finding position from a baseline and landmark, etc.) as well as beginner exercises, and does so in the same clear, practical way without excessive verbiage or attempts to be clever. One competing book spent 3 entire pages on how to use a 1902 compass design!
7. It warns you of the great inaccuracies of some improvised 'navigational' methods (like telling directions from a wristwatch and the sun) while still giving you useful information on finding direction from Polaris and other methods that do work well enough for emergency navigation.
8. While it has the mandatory chapter on GPS and the development of computer-generated waypoints, it does not attempt to be a 'all-method navigation' book. Such a book does not exist. Either the GPS material will be inadequate (because no general GPS book can cover each model of GPS and their widely varying operational characteristics in different outdoor environments) or the map/compass material is too abbreviated. Learn to use a map & compass before all else - this book makes it simple.
Book Description
More popular than ever, Tom Brown, Jr.'s unique approach to inner growth through outer awareness has gained a wide audience, ranging from weekend campers and nature lovers, to serious survivalists and college students. The Science and Art of Tracking expands upon Tom Brown's most enduring subject: the important life lessons to be learned through tracking skills. Tom Brown was taught the ancient skills of survival by a Native American he called Grandfather. His most advanced lessons were those of the scouts, members of a secret society who were highly attuned to nature. The scouts refined tracking to a disciplined science and art form. With these physical skills came enhanced perception and true enlightment. "Tracking was their doorway to the universe," Tom Brown writes, "where they could know all things through the tracks..." Now Tom Brown, Jr. shares generations of wisdom through one of the most rewarding pursuits to be found in nature. Tracking lets us unlock the secrets of each animal we follow, and in turn, to become more aware of our own place in nature and the world. It is a journey of discovery that engages the senses, awakens the spirit, and enlightens the soul.
Customer Reviews:
Good read.......2007-05-14
Some of the stuff is a little too huggy feely for me, but if you work through that stuff, there's a lot of EXCELLENT information in this book about tracking. This book will make you a better outdoorsman. All you've got to do is read and practice.
Excellent........2007-03-21
This book is a must buy for all "Brownies" who have attended his Standard classes and had as much a hard time as I did taking notes. I went to his school in early March and my pens kept freezing up. There was Tom, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, never even shivering! This book will help complete any notes you might have missed. For new readers, this gives a good insight into just how good Tom is at what he does. Tom is the master. There is no one anywhere like him.
Buy it you'll learn and live better for it........2006-01-14
This is a great book on three levels. 1. On the practical level it will make you a better tracker because of its simplicity and organization. 2. On the scientific level it will help you analyze and synthezise tracks because of its system for measurement and classification. 3. On the metaphorical level it will help you connect the search for the unseen in tracking to the search for the unseen in your psyche, spirit or soul. It is rare to find a manual that moves from the worldly or practical to the religious or spiritual. Buy it you'll learn and live better for it. Roberto
quite useful, more so than his other books.......2005-03-17
there is a good summary of basic pressure points and many of the important complicated ones. If you are at a point in your tracking studies when you are ready to start working beyond basic animal signs to reading track movement, this is a good guide. But you might not need it for long, because all of its exercises are carried out in a tracking box with relative ease. It is very hard to teach this stuff to yourself, as I am finding, so find yourself a teacher to set you on your way. Or go to Tom Brown's tracking school for more detailed instruction. If you want to be inspired and drawn into tracking for life, read The Tracker first, then read his other books. A lot of stuff is repeated amongst all of his books, so don't buy them unless you really need them. This is the only book with really concrete tracking instruction, which is why I bought it. Kind of sad really, I wish he would write more books about this and less about old man stories.
Charlatan.......2004-06-20
Brown's revelation of pressure releases is nothing new. Any tracker worth his or her salt knows Brown's new revelation is just common sense. Trackers have been using this technique for centuries. Brown's "adventures" with grandfather are fiction. Brown is a charlatan who couldn't track a muddy-footed elephant down a dry sidewalk.
Book Description
Is your life on a downward spiral? Why not simply take off, cover your tracks and then return to your old life once the dust has settled? Learn where to go, how to get there, what to take, where to stay, how to live comfortably and securely in your refuge and how to return home when - and if - you decide to.
Customer Reviews:
few good ideas.......2007-07-31
this book is more like a large pamphlet. The book is mainly a lot of ideas that are somewhat common sense (at least to me). In order to make most of this book work for you, you might want to also get a book on how to extremely lower your standards. The author suggests most of his ideas to become homeless and hitchhike as opposed to actually setting up a new identity although there are a few ideas about that. All in all for the length of the read i didnt expect to much, but got a few ideas.
This book saved my life!.......2007-01-13
I am surprised at some of the past reviewers of this book. They sound like armchair secret agents that want a book like this to tell them all the secrets of 9/11, Roswell and the Kennedy assassination, all for under a dollar!
The truth is, however, that this book is a how-to manual for people who need to lay low for a while, because of financial problems, stalkers, vengeful ex-spouses, or what have you.
Do the techniques it describes work? YES. Using them I was able to disappear for several months during a time when a vengeful and psychotic ex-boyfriend wanted very much to put a bullet in me. He is now sitting in prison, and I am safe for at least 20 years. But if I hadn't found this book then I would likely be dead at this point.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who needs to get away from things for a while - without anyone being able to track them down.
This Title is Unique - Not the Average "Change Your ID" Book.......2004-11-08
Most books on the subject of Fake ID tell you how to start over completely. You have to sever ties to your former life permanently and completely. There is no going back. But what if you aren't sure you want to change your ID completely? What if all you need is an extended vacation to collect your thoughts and prepare a plan?
"Cover Your Tracks Without Changing Your Identity" introduces the concept of a "light identity change". This interesting title explains how to leave your old identity intact but keep your problems finding you at your new location. Using Wilson's tactics in "Cover Your Tracks Without Changing Your Identity", you will be able to return to your former identity if you desire.
The information contained in this unique title will undoubtedly help many people.
Packed with good information.......2004-10-09
Anyone needing to increase their personal privacy should read this book. It has advice for people trapped in bad marriages, folks threatened by stalkers, and even those who are just desperately unhappy in their daily lives. Following Wilson's instructions you really can virtually fall off the face of the earth for several weeks up to a year, while you get your head together and figure out what to do next.
Though it's about a very serious topic, the author tosses in some of his own quirky humor and observations which make the book fun to read as well as enlightening. Recommended to anyone interested in privacy protection.
Books:
- Variations on a Theme Park: The New American City and the End of Public Space
- Waiting for Wings
- Water and Power: The Conflict over Los Angeles' Water Supply in the Owens Valley
- When GOD Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life
- When the Rivers Run Dry: Water--The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-first Century
- Wilderness Empire: A Narrative (Eckert, Allan W. Winning of America Series.)
- Wonderful World of Horses Coloring Book (Dover Colouring Books)
- Working with Your Woodland: A Landowner's Guide (Revised Edition)
- Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
- Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
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