20 Best Fiction and Non-Fiction Survival Books that You Should Read Now

One needs to read books to broaden his skills. With books, you'll learn techniques and real-life lessons. You can learn tips and guides to save your and your family's lives.

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.

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Fictional Books

Achebe, Chinua. (September 1994). Things Fall Apart

This novel was originally published in 1958 and is the first of Chinua Achebe's three novels in the African Trilogy. The book was translated into 57 languages, and over 20 million copies were sold. This is the story of Okonkwo, a rich and strong Igbo soldier of the Umuofia community in the late 1800s. It features the resistance and survival 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 their way out of the giant labyrinth they are in. Just like everybody else, Thomas has no memory of his past life. However, as the story goes on, he has discovered that he knows the way out of the maze. 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 Martell, a winner of the Man Booker Prize. The story began when Santosh and Gita Patel decided to sell their zoo in India and Canada. Then, a storm struck their ship, and the only survivor were their son Pi and a Bengal Tiger. The two are in a lifeboat, learning techniques to survive and, ultimately, learning to trust 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 35 books that deal with survival. Bradford started writing survival books while 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 2nd edition of Bradford Angier's book, and the 1st edition was published in 1998. Black Dog and Levethal publish this, and is available in hardcover with 315 pages.

It is a comprehensive guide to finding food and shelter in the wilderness and helps preserve life. It is divided into four sections: Sustenance, Warmth, Orientation, and Safety. This book teaches one how to survive in the wild with minimal 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 doctor of internal medicine by profession. He is also a 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 at the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He also actively serves at MOFA, just like the two authors.

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 features survival psychology and the skills needed to negotiate a tragedy. In addition, it provides basic knowledge on gathering food, energy resources, light options, shelter, and others. Finally, as with the specs, it is 450 pages and was published by Gibbs-Smith.