Reading books expands one's skills. They teach techniques, real-life lessons, and tips and guides for protecting oneself and one's family.
As Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin once said: "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge."
Thus, this article will discuss the ten fiction and non-fiction survival books you must read today.
Check this out now!
Fictional Books
Achebe, Chinua. (September 1994). Things Fall Apart
This novel was originally published in 1958 and is the first of Chinua Achebe's novels in the African Trilogy. The book was translated into 57 languages. It has over 20 million copies, and this is the story of Oko. The Igbo soldier of the Umuofia community in the late 1800s. It features the resistance and reluctance of the Igbo culture against the devaluation by the British forces. It portrays the life of the early African village and how they unite to outlast.
Collins, Suzanne. (2008-2010). The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins has written a fictional survival book for young adults. The Hunger Games novel includes three books: the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and the Mockingjay. This is the story of Panem, which has power over 12 Districts. Each District must select their tribute each year, one boy and one girl, who will fight to their death. In this book, readers will learn how to survive in the wild using instincts, fighting skills, and having a strong bond with people.
Dashner, James. (July 2014). Maze Runner
This is the story of how Thomas and his fellow youth survive and fight out of the giant labyrinth, just like everybody else from his past life. However, as the story progresses, he discovers he knows the way. This novel includes four books: The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, and The Kill Order.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and The Sea
This classic novel was originally published in 1952, and even today, it is still widely read by literature students. It features the story of Santiago, an aging fisherman who fights with a large Marlin. At the end of the story, Santiago gathers enough strength to kill the marlin by piercing the harpoon in its heart.
Martell, Yann (May 2003). Life of Pi
The Life of Pi is a beautiful novel by Yann Martel, the winner of the Man Booker Prize. The story begins when Santosh and Gita Patel decide to sell their zoo in India. Then, a storm strikes their ship, and the only survivors are their son Pi and a Bengal tiger. The two find themselves in a lifeboat, learning survival techniques from each other.
Martin, George R.R. Song of Ice and Fire
Nowadays, one of the most popular epic fantasy novels is The Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. This package includes five books: Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with the Dragons. This novel features how the noble houses at Westeros fought to claim their rights to the iron thrones. Death becomes prevalent along the way; somehow, this novel will teach its readers the proper survival mindset.
Punke, Michael (October 2015). The Revenant
The Revenant Book is the New York Times #1 Best-Seller and is now a major motion picture. It is the story of a man named Hugh Glass, who is a real-life trapper and frontiersman in 1823. A scouting mission put him face-to-face with a grizzly bear, and he almost got killed. Two men were supposed to help Glass. However, they abandoned him. Now, Glass is driven to survive and take his revenge. This novel is based on a true story, and it features the human's desire to live and the will to continue his fight no matter what happens.
Roth, Veronica. (September 2014). Divergent Series
The Divergent Series was named the New York Times #1 Best-Selling Author, and it captured the hearts of both young adults and grown-ups. This novel includes three Divergent books: Insurgent and Allegiant. This is the story of Tris, who lives in a world divided into five factions. She chooses to be a Dauntless. However, she discovered she was a Divergent who couldn't fit in one of the factions. She learned how to fight, survive, and protect the love of her life from a war that must come into her world.
Weir, Andy. (October 2014). The Martian
This novel features how Mark Watney survives on Mars. He and his team went to Mars for exploration. However, his crew abandoned him after they thought that he had died in a dust storm. He used his learnings on Earth to communicate with NASA on Earth and survive the conditions on Mars with minimal tools available to him.
Zusak, Markus. (September 2007). The Book Thief
Lastly, Markus Zusak's book was named the New York Times #1 best-seller. This is the story of a young girl named Liesel. She was an orphan and was taken care of by Hans and Rosa. Hans taught her how to read, and she did her best to save some of the books burned by the Nazis. Their life changed when they welcomed a young Jewish boy, the son of the man who once saved Hans' life. This book will guide its readers on how to survive, especially during the war in Germany.
Non-Fiction Books
Angier, Bradford. (2001). How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Preservation That Makes Starvation in the Wilderness Next to Impossible, 2nd edition
Bradford Angier is a writer and a survivalist. He has written about survivalists who survive. Bradford stabs out survival. Hee, his wife, created illustrations for the book. He became popular, and people were inspired to follow his and his wife's lifestyle.
This is the second edition of Bradford Angier's book, which was published in 1998. The first edition was published in 1998. Black Dog and Leventhal published this, and it is available in hardcover with 315 pages.
It is a comprehensive guide to finding books, food, and shelter in the wilderness and helps preserve life. The book has four sections: Sustenance, Warmth, Orientation, and Safety. It teaches how to survive through tools.
Arnot, Bob Ph. D., and Cohen, Mark. (October 2007). Your Survival: The Complete Resource for Disaster Planning and Recovery
It is another must-have book by Dr. Bob Arnot and Mark Cohen. Dr. Arnot is a professional internal medicine doctor, the chief medical correspondent for CBS TV Network and NBC TV Network, and a Save the Children Fund board member.
Meanwhile, Mark Cohen is a veteran journalist who made a big name at the New York Times, Men's Journal, Washington Post, and GQ.
This book offers an overview of some natural and artificial disasters our country faces and a complete survival system for you and your family. It features a checklist and organizer that will help make planning simple and affordable. Things like an insurance policy, food, communication lines, and others will save you when tragedy hits you the hardest.
Apart from the handbook, this product includes a 90-minute DVD featuring interviews with experts on surviving disasters.
Carline, Jan. Ph. D., Lentz, Martha J. Ph. D., and MacDonald, Steven C. Ph. D. (July 2004). Mountaineering First Aid: A Guide to Accident Response and First Aid Care
One of the best survival books today is the one that covers comprehensive first aid. This is a book by Dr. Jan Carline, a faculty member of Medical Education at the University of Washington. He is also connected for 15 years with the Mountaineering Oriented First Aid Program (MOFA).
Meanwhile, Dr. Martha J. Lentz is a physician, registered nurse, and faculty member of the School of Nursing of the University of Washington. Like Dr. Carline, Dr. Lentz has been active at MOFA for almost 20 years.
Finally, Dr. MacDonald is an epidemiologist at the National Center for Environmental Health within the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Like the two authors, he is actively involved with MOFA.
This book is available in both Kindle and paperback editions. This guide meets the current standards of administering first aid by the American Red Cross and the Wilderness Medical Society. It gives various case scenarios, from simple to serious injuries, especially if medical help is impossible.
Lundin, Cody. (June 2003). 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Cody Lundin is a survival instructor and the Aboriginal Living Skills School director, which he founded in Prescott, Arizona.
In this school, he shares his knowledge about living in the wilderness and maintains that one must keep the body at a core temperature of 98.6 degrees to be alive.
Cody was also the former co-host of Disney's reality TV show, Dual Survival, from 2010 to 2014. Apart from the 98.8 Degrees book, he has another book,
When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes. In this book, the author emphasizes that a human can live without food and water for a few days, but if the body's core temperature drops to 98.6 degrees, he might die instantly.
He gives tips on how to survive harsh weather conditions and knowledge on how to maintain a 98.6-degree temperature.
Lundin, Cody. (September 2007). When All Hell Breaks Loose
This book is available in Kindle and paperback editions. It teaches readers how to prepare for disasters. It also covers survival psychology and the skills needed to navigate a tragedy. Additionally, it provides essential knowledge on gathering food, energy resources, lighting options, shelter, and more. Finally, it spans 450 pages and is published by Gibbs-Smith.
Olsen, Larry Dean. (November 1997). Outdoor Survival Skills, 6th edition
Peterson, Lee Allen. (September 1999). Edible Wild Plants: Eastern/Central North America
Stewart, Creek. (May 2012). Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit
Towell, Colin. (January 2012). The Survival Handbook: Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventure. 2nd edition
Colin Towell joined the Royal Navy in 1977 and became a combat survival instructor. He then spent the next 30 years teaching survival skills to the UK and US armed forces, air force, and navy, which apply to the sea, desert, land, and other weather conditions. In addition to serving on tours with the Army Intelligence Corps, he has served in Germany, the USA, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland.
In addition, this handbook will teach civilians and military alike how to live without using conventional modern tools, especially in the wild. It teaches readers how to build a shelter, gather food, make clothes, and more. It includes real-life experiences of how some people survived an attack from a wild animal or harsh weather conditions.
Wiseman, John. (November 2014). SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere
