Top 10 Best Survival Books - The only guide you need

Whether you’re studying to become the next Les Stroud or looking to learn survival preparedness skills in case of a Zombie Apocalypse, you’re going to need a resource, and you’re in luck! We’ve got a list of the best survival books this side of Mars – neatly organized, in a handy-dandy little chart! Of course, if you’re not a book learner, there are plenty of survival schools throughout the world.

How do I choose a survival book when there are so many?

Survival comes in many flavors - Desert, Woodland, Jungle, Mountain, you name it. You need a book that fits your needs and that’s exactly what we aim to help you find. In an effort to avoid information overload, we have listed (in no particular order) the top 10 best survival books - that is, of course, in our opinion. Although we’ve been through each of these books, I will say there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to books. That’s because not only do we all have different needs, but we have different reading styles. If you’re only here to check out our top 10 list, the chart is just below. However, if you have a few spare minutes, I’ve also written a few words of wisdom, which I’ve gleaned from my experiences as a US Marine. That stuff is below the chart. If you have any questions about a particular book, email me and I’ll do my best to address them. Also, don’t forget to have a look at our article on basic survival gear.

	Title	Author(s)	Pages	Score
	SAS Survival Handbook	John Wiseman	676	4.6
	Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide	Jim Cobb	240	4.7
	The Ultimate Survival Manual	Rich Johnson	256	4.3
	Survival Wisdom & Know How	StackPole Books	480	4.5
	The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook	Joshua Piven & David Borgenicht	512	4.2
	Survive!: Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere - Alive	Les Stroud	373	4.7
	Wildwood Wisdom	Ellsworth Jaeger	520	4.8
	Wilderness Survival: 2nd edition	Gregory J. Davenport	304	4.3
	Hawke's Green Beret Survival Manual: Essential Strategies	Mykel Hawke	640	4.7
	Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills: Naked into the Wilderness	John McPherson	408	4.5

Keep Calm and Train On

Learning the art of Bushcraft takes time – a lot of time. I’m reminded of my Marine Corps days, which taught me patience when it comes to learning and mastering techniques such as survival cooking, fire making, shelter construction and hunting. There are plenty survivalists out there who have dedicated their existence to wilderness living – but nature doesn’t discriminate and neither does physics. It doesn’t matter if you’re an outdoor enthusiast, Marine or professional survival trainer – you’ll get nowhere without patience. This is equally true if/when you find yourself in a legitimate situation where your very life may depend on your ability to keep your cool. Emergency kits don’t come with concentration.

Learning is a two part recipe

There are two components of learning and mastering survival: Theory/Concept and Practical Application. To learn theory, you can watch YouTube videos; survival shows or just hit the books. But for practical application, I suggest you just pack up your bag and head out to the field. Books can only take you so far, and you have to use your imagination to visualize yourself executing these tactics you’re reading about. A wise Gunnery Sergeant once told me “nothing trains fire-building faster than a cold night”.

Common wisdom

I think there are a few things you are going to find in common within the chapters of not only the absolute best survival books but also the books that are on the lightweight side as well. These would be the basic survival skills - fire making, shelter building, basic hunting, etc.. Realistically, you need to have a foundation for these basic survival skills but at the same time, know that some of the books in our top 10 have a little more meat in certain areas. So check them all out and make an informed decision. Happy trails!

Got a suggestion for the list? A read that just simply can’t be passed over? Post a comment below!