If you’ve spent any amount of time on my blog, you had to figure this was coming at some point, right?

By no means should you consider this any sort of end all, be all, list of the ONLY survival related books I feel you should read. Instead, this is just a list of those nonfiction books I’d suggest to both the beginner and the experienced when it comes to preparedness topics.

Build the Perfect Survival Kit by John McCann
This is an excellent resource on how to build all manner of survival kits, from a small Altoids container that will fit in a shirt pocket to multi-bag systems.

The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley
This book is required reading for anyone interested in surviving emergency situations. The author covers all manner of physical and mental responses in the human body under a wide range of scenarios.

Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery and
Storey’s Basic Country Skills by John and Martha Storey

Are both essential reading for anyone looking to start a homestead, as well as those anticipating a “back to the land” scenario playing out in the near future.

When There is No Doctor by Jane Maxwell and When There is No Dentist by Murray Dickson

Are both vitally important if we face a time when seeking medical and dental assistance may be difficult if not impossible.

Bug Out! by Scott Williams
Not just a manual for what to put in a bug out bag, Williams has put together a great tutorial on how to choose a bug out location, including many specific recommendations.

Life After Doomsday by Bruce Clayton
The first survival oriented book I owned and I still have it today. An excellent resource on surviving nuclear war as well as other potential disasters.

Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance by James Ballou
Great book on how to make do with what you have, rather than going out and buying the latest and greatest workshop gadgets. Definitely great information to have when Home Depot isn’t available to you anymore.

Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton
All around excellent introduction to creating and maintaining a stocked pantry as well as recipes to use stored goods. Just a great little book.

In the next couple weeks, we’ll discuss the fiction side of the coin.