17 Best Survival Books Review -Wilderness Survival Handbook 2022

Most of us want to survive the uncertainty ahead, and without a doubt, survival books are most easy methods to learn and prepare for harsh conditions, and to emerge victorious over whatever life throws our way.

When it comes to Survival and Survival Gear, books are a must-have for reading, learning and referencing back to time and again.

This big the question – what is there to survival?

Worst scenario – the Yellowstone caldera eruption! Still bad but not quite so awful – economic depression, fire, floods, earthquakes, you name it.

Almost every year people lose everything to tornadoes and hurricanes. And they think California is bad because we have an occasional earthquake out here!

The fact is, terrible things happen and we want to be prepared. These survival books will give you the low-down on survival tactics that can serve to keep you and your loved ones alive.

Top 3 Best Survival books :

These are best amazon selling books about Survival. You should take a look these book before going out for champing or in danger.

These books will guide you how to save a life in hard and dangerous conditions of weather.

At the end of the top ten list, you’ll find two bonus book which is free at the end of this article.

This is a newly updated survival manual for campers, outdoor adventurers, and anyone who needs to learn survival skills.

You will learn different of the methods about what to eat and how to prepare it – and what to avoid.

Whats Right For You

There is not a survival book to beat all other survival books at least not that I know of.

There are however a lot of survival books out there some very good some very bad and quite a few that are basically taken from military survival manuals.

The purpose of this lens is to try to help you decide which book is right for you. Some are fun to read and some quite boring and hard to follow, so read the descriptions to help you find the right one for you.

SAS Survival Handbook

Survival for any climate in any situation.

There’s a section on camp shelters and locations, how to organize your campsite, and what tools you’ll need in the wilderness.

First aid is covered, and most important, how to avoid fear, how to react in hostile situations, and all the basic survival essentials.

This survival manual is available in paperback format only.

How To Survive The End Of The World As We Know It

Tactics, techniques, and technologies for uncertain times.

A survivalist expert shares his knowledge of survival tools and skills.
You’ll learn about water, food storage, fuel, power options, gardening, livestock, medical supplies and their use, communications, security, investing, bartering, and when to get out of dodge.

If you want your family to be prepared to survive the end of the world as we know it, this book is an excellent investment.

Every person (children included) should have this kind of training because we don’t know what might happen next.

you can get this book in Kindle, paperback, and downloadable audio format.

5. The ultimate guide to U.S. army survival

This is a good all around wilderness survival book. It is however a bit boring to read but it was not intended to be entertaining.

It covers a good range of survival skills some of which as a civilian you will not need like how thick you need to build walls and roofs for different types of bombs or how to hide a tank.

Well some may find this info useful.

The good points of the book is that it does cover a wide range of survival skills from first aid to psychology to hand to hand combat.

This book pretty much covers everything for wilderness survival but it is big and heavy. Not exactly a book you would use as a field manual. Great over all book for wilderness survival.

Many other survival books have been written from this or a service manuals like this.

Even though it is geared for the military this is a good book to read and some of the stuff that is geared for the military you may not think you will need but knowing self defence and strategies are good things to know.

I highly recommend this as one of be on your reading list.

6. Field&Streams-The Total Outdoorsman manual

Now here is a well put together survival manual.

Lots of good color pictures and diagrams.

This one covers just wilderness survival but does it well. With some good stories.

This one has the feel of sitting around the campfire learning from seasoned pros.

Here you will find more hunting and fishing tips than most other survival books.

I know I said I wasn’t going to divulge my favorite and I don’t know that this is my favorite but it is definitely the one I go back to the most. Great one to have in your library.

7. Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family, 2nd Edition

Survival Books – Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family, 2nd EditionA practical survival manual to prepare for natural or man-made catastrophes.

Included are sections on firearm selection and handling, food storage, radiological emergency preparedness, and disaster preparedness networks.

There are copyable worksheets to help you organize as you prepare to survive, whether it be with children, animals, or the elderly.

Read this book, and you’ll know what to do. There are numerous illustrations including photos.

This book is available in paperback or Kindle editions.

8. Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart

“If Law Enforcement is no longer there and people are hungry, ugly things can happen.”

Survival Books – Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls ApartIn a worst-case scenario we may be plunged into extreme societal unrest.

We may be forced to defend our families and must know how to hold our ground.

Most of us have never been in that situation and could be easily taken advantage of by more aggressive and savvy, desperate individuals.

This book goes beyond food storage, shelter, and water. It teaches how to train your team and equip yourself for defense.

If this sounds outrageous or out of bounds, read The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. It is fiction, but clearly, shows how bad it could get in an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario.

Holding Your Ground is available in Kindle or paperback versions.

9. Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook

Everything you need to know to keep your family safe in a crisis.

The author of this book has nine people to feed regularly, and lectures on food preparation awareness and emergency preparedness.

This book teaches how to plan and store a three-month food supply. More than that, it shows you other essentials you should store such as clothing, bedding, first-aid supplies, fuel, and most importantly, water.

In the pages of this book, you’ll find instructions for creating first aid kits, home pharmacies, and home grocery stores.

You’ll get ten steps for creating an affordable food storage program.

10. When All Hell Breaks Loose

Best Stuff you need to survive when disaster strikes.

Survivalist Books – When All Hell Breaks LooseIf all hell breaks loose, you need survival skills to see you through the crisis, wherever you may be.

The book teaches that living through a disaster is 90 percent psychology, 10 percent methodology, and gear.

You’ll find this survival book entertaining and easy to read, but very practical.

Learn how to survive even under stress and while in danger.

The book addresses drinking water needs, alternative lighting, food storage, heating and cooling, and much more.

Available as a paperback or in a Kindle edition.

11. The Forager’s Harvest

A guide to identifying, harvesting, and preparing edible wild plants.

Survival Books – The Forager’s HarvestFamiliarity with wild edible plants can save you in a food-related emergency. If you don’t know what plants in your area are edible, this is a excellent time to start learning and experimenting with methods for preparing them.

If you can make delicious meals out of locally available plants, you’re worth in your community will be inestimable.

This book is a guide for finding and identifying wild edible plants. You’ll learn when to harvest them, how to collect them, and how to prepare them for cooking.

There are color photographs to aid in plant identification, plus a harvest calendar and bibliography.

12. 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive

“…a nonstop thrill ride, jam-packed with common sense modern survival skills…”

Survivalist Books – 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass AliveCody Lundin, the “Dual Survival” expert (Discovery Channel) explains the essentials of keeping your body at a normal temperature.

If your core temperature drops, you’ve got exposure and are likely to die.

Staying warm, healthy, and sane are essential for survival under any stressing conditions.

This book has been called “a destined underground classic” and “a nonstop thrill ride, jam-packed with common sense modern survival skills for the backcountry, the backyard, or the highway.” Does that sound useful and entertaining?

If you want to keep your temperature at 98.6 degrees whether you’re lost in the desert or a snowstorm, read this book and learn to save your life.

Available as a paperback or in a Kindle edition.

13. The Modern Survival Manual

Surviving the economic collapse.

Survival Books – The Modern Survival ManualThis book has a unique perspective.

It is written by a family man who survived the 2001 economic collapse in Argentina.

He’s put his experience and wisdom into this manual to help people in other countries as try hard to save their life and learn new skills after the economic collapse.

The book covers family preparation techniques and skills, preparing your food supply, home, and vehicle, preparing your finances, and dealing with power failures. You will learn how to fight to defend yourself using a variety of weaponry including chairs and pens.

Hopefully, you will never deal with that scenario during a disaster. However, your awareness and attitude will be the deciding factors.

Will you be ready when disaster strikes?

This book is available in paperback only.

14. U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook

Best Expert advice on survivalist skills.

Survival Books – U.S. Air Force Survival HandbookThere are more than a thousand black and white illustrations in this book. It is a formal training manual for US Air Force survival training courses.

As such it contains the best information possible for pilots shot down in a variety of difficult situations. It is practical advice, but you’ll find it interesting and easy to read.

Learn about survival in the tropics, the Arctic, at sea, in the desert, and in enemy territory. You’ll also read about the psychological effects of torture and imprisonment.

Would it help to have this information? If you think so, get this book.

You can get it in paperback or Kindle edition.

15. Meat Eater: Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter

It’s a great way to get a taste of adventure without ever leaving his recliner.

Rinella is witty, entertaining, very easy to read and even sneaks in some educational bits along the way. One of my favorite books, hands down. I’m sure you’re outdoorsman would love it too.

Upgrade: If you want to take this gift up to the next level, you can also order DVD’s of Rinella’s  TV show “Steven Rinella:MeatEater” from their website right here.

16. Hunt, Gather, Cook

Another book? I know. But this one is as much a primer on cooking wild game as it is a book for reading.

Hank Shaw shares tales of hunts, tips on procuring the right ingredients, and lessons on cooking wild foods.

If your dad has any desire to fire up the grill, or  fancy’s himself a cook, this is a great gift idea.

If your dad is the culinary type, it might be a good idea to turn him onto Hank’s website while you’re at it.

It’s full of useful tips and info. It’s called Hunter Angler Gardener Cook and you can find it at honest-food.net .

17.Bonus #1 – A free book

…you can download this in Kindle format.
Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties, by Daniel Carter Beard – shows and explains how to build a wide variety of survival shelters in the wilderness, from one-night huts to larger, cozy hogans.
Download Book

Survival is the name of the game…

Throughout history and throughout the world, crisis has come from storms, floods, earthquakes, and wars.   And throughout history and the world, the people who survived such disasters were the strongest, healthiest, fastest, smartest and most prepared.  This is true in all of nature, animals and humans alike.

However,  today we rely on electricity like no other time in history.  Any length of disruption in this one utility would cause great difficulties for us – unless we are prepared.

 Preparing for crisis can be accomplished, but it is best if taken in steps.  Begin to educate yourself through books and simple purchases of extra food during your weekly grocery shopping can help you to become better prepared.  

Preparing now for tomorrow will help you Be A Survivor.

Survival doesn’t just happen, it is Prepared for.