What have you learned from the Survival Books?

[WiseOwl]

I have been thinking about this lately. I just finished reading Lights Out again for the 3rd time (yeah, it passes the time at work and at night)
As stated in other threads, the characters in most of these books are either already set up or magically come into some money and luck.
I think I have read every one of these books, at least twice. I enjoy them and with small kids, its hard to get out as much and pay for the SuperNintendoGear anymore.
And other than the PAW fiction, what about the survival reference books?
I read, read, research, practice and fail. Then repeat until I get pretty good. Well, acceptable.


So, we have the "magic list" from my library

Alas, Babylon
Patriots
One Second After
Normal and the other parts
Mountain Home
Lights Out
Robinson Crusoe
Behold A Pale Horse
Walden
Lord of the Flies

Now for the non fiction reference:

SAS Survival Guide
Mykel Hawkes Green Beret Survival Manual
Bear Grylls Man vs Wild
Les Stroud Survive
Cody Lundin 98 Degrees and When All Hell Breaks Loose
Rawles Survive TEOTWAWKI
Aron Rolston Between a Rock and a Hard Place-127hours
Into the Wild
How to Grow More Veggies....
Encyclopedia of Country Living
Mel Bartholomew Square Foot Gardening



I didnt include the plethora of Military Field Manuals that I have.



I am currently reading Mykle Hawkes book and I think he has the best non fiction book out there. I guess its because I can relate to him more than any of the others. Him and Cody Lundin


But, my point is I have learned so much and combined all of that knowledge into a section of brain matter that makes me valuable. I didnt grow up in the scouts or have the privilege of serving this country and getting the best training that Uncle Sam could give. I have learned just about everything in my life on my own. And in a survival situation, and I am not even talking the End of the World, I think that I am mentally and physically capable of making it and helping others make it. Now in a plane crash in the jungle or a train wreck in the canadian wild probably wont happen in my life but at least I believe in those situations, I would know what to do. I think of what could happen in my every day travels. Going to work and having an accident or going to the mountains and breaking down in a remote area or at the grocery store when someone has a heart attack or even being robbed.


I know what I lack and these books arent going to teach it.
Thats money, accuracy and I guess you could say wild edibles.
I do have a couple of wild edible books that I try and learn from but there is no book for the flora and flauna for the Boondocks.


I also dont watch much TV. When I do its NATGEO, DISC, MILT, Clint Eastwood movies :), and History. I cant get bogged down on what most Americans watch. And I will watch the occasional Braves game (when we arent on an 8 game losing streak after being in first place :mad:.
So in my spare time I am reading. Hell, I am halfway through Mykel Hawkes book and I just started it yesterday (nice when you can put all of the PDF's on your iPhone to read when away from the comp.)

I know a lot of your guys and gals have read most of these books. Did you retain any of the knowledge to help you in situations or in your prepping? I can tell you first hand, if it wasnt for these books and outlets like this forum, I would be eating grass in a field and getting sheered to make a turtleneck.

Wise Owl

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Read most and used them as primers to get my stuff together over the years and for discussions. Dont believe everything you read neither cause a solar water still sucks and you will die. You gotta try this stuff and some is total theory and junk even in the military manuals.
The fiction is that but good to get you motivated sometimes.

[WiseOwl]

Read most and used them as primers to get my stuff together over the years and for discussions. Dont believe everything you read neither cause a solar water still sucks and you will die. You gotta try this stuff and some is total theory and junk even in the military manuals.
The fiction is that but good to get you motivated sometimes.

Exactly. I never take anything out of "these" books as the gospel per se, but man it sho nuff feels good when you do try something and it works!!!

I have tried the "tie rags around your legs and walk through the dew". Yeah, you get like a shot of water.

[Bearman202]

The main thing I learned from reading such books is that I will never know everything, nor will I ever have all the skills someone needs to survive in the wild. I'm too old, too slow, and just not smart enough, I think. The other thing that I learned was that in a survival situation, attitude equals altitude. The willingness to keep going, even if it looks hopeless, can often make the difference. There is no way to know everything, but if you keep going, and trying new things, (even some that aren't mentioned in the books) you can make it. Maybe another thing is to remember to think outside the books. Every situation will be different and things that worked in the books won't work in your personal reality. Flexibility may be the key here. Keeping your eyes open, and being willing to grasp opportunity will be another key to survival. I wish I was a McGyver, but I'm not. I do okay with coming up with different ideas, and it helps a lot to read and at least have the concepts in place, but I am willing to try. Hopefully, that will be enough.

[EX121]

I think the biggest lesson if you read enough is that you have lots of examples to stimulate your unconsious mind. so if you find yourself in a situation your mind can hopefully come up with a solution. It may not be something straight from a book but a combination of ideas. This also means that you have practiced some to find out what works for you. And I agree that attitude is very important.
I liken it to beer poured into a glass if you have enough bubbles (ideas) something is likely to reach the surface.

[blackhawk]

william w. johnstone's ashes to ashes series are great

[DIM TIM]

A lot ! LOL :D Seriously......I'm still learning stuff all the time. Survival Guide Magazine used to be right up there with all the books that I read, but they died and went to Ezine land.
One I like right now is a great little mag for the 21st Century Frontiersman.............The Backwoodsman.

[Pop_45]

The one book that really got me started thinking about survival, and homesteading, being self sufficient is a Readers Digest book: back to basics. I still pick it up from time to time and re-read some of the things. It has a ton of information.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I have tried the "tie rags around your legs and walk through the dew". Yeah, you get like a shot of water.

and a bad case of poison oak/ivy !!

[blackhawk]

Back to basic is great,foxfire is good

[WiseOwl]

and a bad case of poison oak/ivy !!

You know I can't get that stuff. Lucky me!