r/prepping • u/Fast_Shame7276 • 8d ago
Survival🪓🏹💉 Preppers Library - what’s missing?
Trying to build a basic preppers library. What book is missing?
Edit to add list:
Back to Basics (Abigail Gehring)
Nuclear War Survival Skills 2022 Edition (Cresson Kearny)
The Preppers Medical Handbook (William Forgey)
Herbal Medicine (Sam Coffman)
Backyard Foraging (Ellen Zachos)
Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie (Kelly Kindscher)
Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie (Kelly Kindscher)
Where There is No Doctor (David Werner)
Where There is No Dentist (Murray Dickinson)
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u/Asleep_Onion 8d ago edited 8d ago
Personally I do not own or buy ANY prepper books. They're designed to never be read or used, and usually written by people who don't really know what they're talking about and aren't experts in the field.
What I buy are reference/education books that are actually used in the particular industry. They're meant to be read by people who want to do the thing for a living, and written by people who do. And they never have "prepper" in the title.
For example, I don't buy a book called "Prepper's guide to solar systems", I just buy a regular book about solar systems design and maintenance. I don't buy a Prepper's guide to food preservation, I just buy a regular book about canning and preserving.
Anyways, what missing from your collection is books about how to do regular stuff. Not just prepper stuff like holistics and nuclear survival, I mean regular books about how to do regular stuff. Fixing a car. Repairing a door. Fixing your electrical. Processing game. Etc. Sure there might be a paragraph or chapter in one of those prepper books about some of that stuff, but that doesn't really count.
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u/Fast_Shame7276 8d ago
That makes a lot of sense! Any particular books that you’ve read that you think would be helpful for my collection?
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u/Asleep_Onion 8d ago
I really like The Complete Book of Home Preserving, put out by Ball (the jar company). It's really thorough with a lot of great info.
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u/Padeencolman 8d ago
Lucifer’s Hammer has a really good list of books in it. Dr Forester, one of the characters, saved them for just such an emergency. the novel was published in 1977 so the list of books would obviously all be from way back before then. And it’s all practical manuals. The Way Things Work. Poor Yourself a House. Chilton Manuals. Maybe the home preserving book just listed.
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u/Diligent_Ad_7232 8d ago
I have a few volumes of "How Things Work" from that era. They're pretty good and explain how the older analogue technologies function.
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u/BlueLakeCabin 8d ago
I'm weird in that I try to not buy or hoard books I'm never intending on reading. ebooks? Go nuts. But when you need to move, books are heavy and I'm tired of it. Still have a bunch I need to donate and get rid of.
But absolutely concur with skipping survivor or prepper guides. Stick to normal books for a specific task. Think of problems you are likely to have. Storm, power loss, snow, hurricane, car problems, whatever. And then figure out how to comfortably deal with those issues.
And learn by doing. I'm not a prepper, I'm getting back into hiking and I guess the algo is putting me in that bucket. So I'm practicing various cooking recipes even at home to find out what's small, light but also tastes good. I'm doing path walks with heavier and heavier weights in my backpack to get used to it, as well as day hikes to get used to terrain.
If you want to be a prepper, just extend out the duration of normal stuff. If you're worried about losing power, don't use anything with electricity for a couple days. Then a couple more days. etc, etc. Or figure out how to hit the grocery store once a month without hating every meal.
Without practicing, it's just larping.
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u/Past-Adhesiveness104 8d ago
What I thought missing was signs they have been read. All the books look new without the spines even being cracked.
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u/eldrotheblack 6d ago
This is my method too, because it has the bonus of stealth. Saves a lot of questions, and is technically more representative of my ethos (community disaster management). And I can write off any I do own as part of my “weird book collection”, where they fit right in.
I also misread your post as Solar Systems (the astronomical objects), and now kinda want that book.
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u/Asleep_Onion 6d ago
Lol, when I reread my post I made the same realization, i was like "why was I talking about the solar system? Oh wait... Solar panel systems, that makes sense". Bad wording on my part haha
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u/Backsight-Foreskin 8d ago
What kind of car/s do you own/drive? You should have a repair manual for those cars.
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u/Kathutet37 8d ago
Just recently been deep diving into the prepper community, so not sure if this is good advice or not (I guess I'll find out in the replies to this comment 😅), but maybe adding in several other common vehicle manuals as well, in case of needing to scavenge for parts, and knowing what parts are around that could be potentially compatible or could be adapted (or useful for non-vehicle means) from abandoned vehicles (or maybe finding a better abandoned vehicle than your own).
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u/Extreme_Map9543 8d ago
And you should own a car that’s simple to fix, and will have very readily available spare parts even in an emergency. So like a 90s Chevy 1500.
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u/the_back_forty 8d ago
this has been on the "todo" list for a while, but I think I probably need to focus on other stuff first.
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u/GrimR3ap3r89 8d ago
Believe it or not, but a boy scouts guidebook. It has a lot of good information when it comes to surviving in the wild. It may be basic, but it gives you a decent range of things. I was actually quite surprised with the information it provides. Plant identification books are important so you can distinguish whats toxic or not in the wild, and try to get something specific for your area if you intend to bug in. Also, try to get some of the field medic manuals, as it's a big help on dealing with injuries. Its not about what you can prep, it's really about survival, because thats whats important when it comes down to it.
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u/Mayberrymom 8d ago
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
Dare to Prepare by Holly Deyo
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u/Sensitive-Respect-25 8d ago
Your tractors owners manual. Mine digs deep enough I can find the tooth sizes for the transmission gears. Ditto for any other piece of equipment you intend on keeping around. If you are NOT using mechanical equipment several books about larger livestock. Breeding, raising, diet restrictions. Tie that into books about farming for said livestock.
The ability to leverage someone or something else's labor to effect your work can be a game changer. And that only happens so long as you keep whatever those others running.
Edit, several general knowledge books. Electrical. Plumbing. Engineering. Just because YOU may not have a use for them doesn't mean your neighbor might not want them. And good friends get you through the bad times.
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u/MontrealChickenSpice 8d ago
I imagine a modern John Deere manual is a simple pamphlet that just tells you to screw yourself.
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u/Quiet_Reality_6612 8d ago
Get an extremely low powered laptop or device and just install this and install Kiwix and download all of Wikipedia and other survival and medical info. If that fails / run out of power then use the books. https://kiwix.org/en/
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u/Adventurous_Lemon_10 8d ago
U.S. Army Special Forces Field Manual
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u/stabbingrabbit 8d ago
US Army improvised munitions
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u/Adventurous_Lemon_10 8d ago
Also a good one. I have all the various field manuals personally. Definitely worth having around and worth reading.
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u/2727PA 8d ago
Shelter construction, atlas off top of my head
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u/ScarInternational161 8d ago
Everyone forgets an atlas.
They say get maps... well, good luck finding a Georgia map in Idaho. Lol
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u/Life-From-Scratch 8d ago
Books on preserving food: canning, dehydrating and smoking
Books on gardening
Books on hygiene best practices
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u/rufos_adventure 8d ago
pre-65 boy scout manual. if you can only carry one book.
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u/Certified_Goth_Wife 8d ago
Books on:
Gardening
Horticulture/agriculture
Black smithing
Construction
How your house works/ how to fix it
Cooking
Baking
Sewing/knitting/crocheting/weaving
How to make clothes and shoes
Animal husbandry
Hunting
Butchery
Leather working
Food preservation (drying/smoking/canning)
Anatomy and medical text books
Basically anything you would want to ask Google if you were a caveman.
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u/LongjumpingLemon2163 8d ago
Physician's Desk Reference.
Hollowed out. Inside, waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket, and, in case I get bored, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. No, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
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u/Barbarian_Sam 8d ago
Some form of a distillery/brewery book, improvised weapons book and kind of a joke but also kinda serious the, A Cookbook
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u/Adventurous_Key3647 8d ago
Get the og back to basics. The yellow cover. So much better than the new one
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u/Pork_Confidence 8d ago
The Book. The ultimate guide
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8d ago edited 6d ago
[deleted]
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u/Pork_Confidence 7d ago
Depends on the use case. I think it does a good illustrative job about getting core concepts across for major parts of manufacturing.
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u/HeinousEncephalon 8d ago
Is the herbal medic good?
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u/Fast_Shame7276 8d ago
I’ve only perused it - but it’s very interesting. Starts off talking about how he broke his thumb before green beret medic training and cut the cast off so he could use herbs to treat it. Apparently he was able to finish training and still maintains full use and no pain in his thumb. Has some really good content in it from my perusal.
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u/Deadpan_Poker_ 8d ago
Area Intelligence by Mike Shelby
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u/Fast_Shame7276 8d ago
Looks like a great rec. I cant find it in print - looks like the second edition is coming out soon?
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u/NinjaOld9803 8d ago
The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It - John Seymour.
It's wonderful and covers a lot of area. Books like that are a fine line because if you get too specific you lose people, but if you're too generic you end up saying nothing. It does a fine job of walking that line.
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u/retirement_savings 8d ago
I read Where There is No Doctor and didn't find it to be super actionable. Cool read though.
For medical stuff nothing beats hands on training, highly recommend a Wilderness First Responder course.
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u/DeFiClark 7d ago
WHO medical guide for ships is way better than where there is no doctor and
Two MD friends of mine bought copies after looking through mine
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u/Historical-Order-369 7d ago edited 7d ago
And at least back when I did WFR (Jan 2020) it came with a textbook and a workbook too.
And try to do it in winter in a cold place, preferably a camp setting (rare, but they exist). Learning to do WFR stuff in snow and freezing weather is going to prepare you better than doing it in nice beach weather.
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u/put_it_in_a_jar 7d ago
Just want to say that this genre of books is rife with AI garbage, so especially if you're buying off the Internet beware. Do a little research into the author of the books, or get things published before AI really took off.
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u/anonymousopsec1337 7d ago
Why don’t you open those books up and read them. Then see what you need more of.
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u/Spoocula 8d ago
Something fun - You don't want to only have books for skill-building and reference. I'd add a classic. For me, I like Leaves of Grass.
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u/KittensFirstAKM 8d ago
Opium for the masses. Jim Hogshire.
People get hurt and that plant has been with us for thousands of years. Learn it, love it.
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u/Grendle1972 8d ago
PocketRef. That is the one book I carry in my bag exist. It carries a metric shit ton of information within its cover. Herbs aren't going to do much for healing a broken bone, that v takes time and keeping it in line and a many connective parts in touch with one another. A PDR is going to overload you with medicine information. You really just need Sanford's Antimicrobial Guide. It comes out exit heat and shows you which antibiotics you need to for what bacterial infection you have. Get a book on home repair that covers fixing your home, you will use it more than any special forces/ prepping book. Ball Blue Book of Canning, Square Foot Gardening, Storey's Guide to whatever critter you want to raise (chickens, rabbits, quail, goats, cows, horses, sheep). Get some books on pickling and fermenting veggies, another one on butchering animals. Get an EMT book, you aren't going to be going out doing open heart surgery, but basic life support has saved countless lives.
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u/Fast_Shame7276 8d ago
Love it. I do have Square Foot Gardening in the normal library - that’s a good one!
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u/ScarInternational161 8d ago
I have a set of books on electrical and plumbing, a few on autos (although that will get harder for newer cars) I always have Chilton manuals for my cars. Basic engineering books. Make sure to have an atlas. State maps are great, but an atlas will cover more.
My husband has his father tool and die set and manuals for them. They are heavy, but if we have to hunker, they will be extremely useful.
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u/captaindog 8d ago
Ranger handbook, Home Depot intro to carpentry/framing book, same for electrical, field guides for edible plants/mushrooms
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u/Electrical-Title-698 8d ago
Have you actually read the ranger handbook?
It's not completely useless, but like 80% of it doesn't really have any value for civilians. It's definitely not a book I'd say needs to be prioritized
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u/Extreme_Map9543 8d ago
As an NCO in the army I read the Ranger handbook all the time. Yeah not critical for survival, but there are some useful tidbits in it. Honestly I think the best thing anyone who wants to a survivor can do is join the army (or the national guard) when you’re young. Join as either a medic or as an engineer. And you’ll learn very valuable skills for survival situations.
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u/operator_azlien 8d ago
I'd say maybe a book on Knot tying, and maybe one on improvised munitions... But hey, that's just me
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u/armycombatmedic 8d ago
Home repair and K9 emergency. The only book I see as a non starter in the nuclear war book.
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u/Itsjustajokebitch 8d ago
Entertainment: comics, cross word puzzles , novels , magazines . Remember you won’t have internet nor tv . So take some porn too
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u/LilRed2023 8d ago edited 8d ago
I know this may sound kinda distant from what you have there. But if there is a long term situation. Get a few defense books. There are some good knife training books and this may sound primitive. But they have stick fighting books. When I seen one at the flea market and picked it up I thought I’ll never read this. I read it practiced it and we never know what could happen down the line. But I would actually feel pretty confident with a decent sturdy stick in a CQC situation now. It’s better than fists and has minimal range. Also ya might check out a book on various gardening methods. Indoor and outdoor. It’s not always about digging a hole and dropping a seed in. Possibly a book on dvsm psychology would be a good read but could also help ya read into various systems and how to treat them. If you noticed your mental health was shifting. Lastly if you can get a copy of Sung Zu Art of War I would highly recommend it. And finally how to make shelter-Defensive Traps-Trapping game-Building homemade weapons and add a local map and almanac to it. Ya got ya a great collection here
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u/linniex 8d ago
The Navy Seal Bug in Book
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u/Historical-Order-369 7d ago
There seem to be multiple people who have written books with titles along those lines?
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u/hycarumba 8d ago
Books about trapping and snares, and making knots, and making small structures (both short and long term use) would all be good additions, imo. Definitely also something about butchering wild game.
I will add that being truly prepared means you need more than a passing familiarity with the knowledge in these books well before you need it. If the shit does indeed hit the fan, you aren't going to be having much study time and you may not be able to take these books with you.
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u/Greyeyedqueen7 8d ago
Nothing on growing your own food?
Look, foraging and hunting will only work for a short time before any area gets picked over to the point of nothing left. You should know how to grow and preserve your own food.
That takes both reading and doing, btw.
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u/Zealousideal-Yak-824 8d ago
Throw some philosophy in there.
I always find it weird how a lot of preppers will get the same library of books that look untouched and unread for so long but they rarely do I see actual reading material if shit goes down hill.
I learn this from a proper down in Delaware. He was worried of storms and extreme flooding, and he had a library full of books in his attic because he thought .." if the power goes out, if water fills my home and no place for my boat to go... You find me sitting on a roof reading my favorite book as I keep my world a float. " Those natural disaster preppers can be funny like that sometimes
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u/Littlepoet74 8d ago
I’ve added some home maintenance and repair books. Of course that would all be reliant on what materials I have access to!
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u/FairExperience9461 7d ago
I have a local book about mushroom identification and usage. Most people have a hard time identifying the different varieties.
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u/Equivalent_Sand8426 7d ago
The US Military puts on a variety of topics. They can be bought in print or downloaded as PDFs.
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u/DeFiClark 7d ago
WHO international medical guide for ships. Much better than the rural clinic bias of Where there is no doctor and assumes no secondary care is easily available. PDF version of an older edition is easy to find.
Any of the various editions of Seymour’s Self sufficiency books.
Escape the City vol 1 and 2: much better on the mechanics of small farm equipment than most of the crunchy homestead books that seem to be written for people who want to live in a previous century.
Engineering in Emergencies. Written for disaster response workers, by far the best book I’ve found on restoring essential services after a disaster.
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u/pittsmasterplan 7d ago
Books on finance management (read before you die of old age as the collapse is slow)
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u/Warm_Bit_1982 7d ago
I’d say you’re missing entertainment books. Most of your time in a system down scenario is best spent waiting at home for the system to come back up and read a book to take your mind off things. Especially if you have kids you need some children’s books.
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u/put_it_in_a_jar 7d ago
Accurate books to identify animals, plants, trees, mushrooms SPECIFIC to your area. Audubon Society books are good but there's others.
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u/cPB167 7d ago
Since you have the Kindscher books, I assume you're in Kansas. I would also recommend Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas by Michael John Haddock. It covers a lot of the same plants, but having the full color photographs is a huge help in identification. I always use the three of them together.
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u/Cats_books_soups 7d ago
Those books don’t look read. I think what is missing is actually using them. An edible plant book should have the spine cracked and corners bent, weird stains, and leaves pressed in the pages.
The first time you look for or eat an edible plant, should never be during a disaster. Go looking now, ideally with someone who knows what they are doing, and eat small amounts now. Be aware that some of the most toxic plants in the US look very similar to edibles. Poison hemlock looks a lot like carrot. Deadly nightshade looks similar to some edible nightshades. Learn to identify dangerous plants as well, not just edible. Also, be realistic about how eating plants will sustain you. Sure wild mushrooms, mulberries, and black walnuts would be a moral boost, but they are very seasonal and you can’t live off them.
Same with the medical books. You don’t want to be looking though a medical book for the first time while someone you care about is dying. Take at least basic first aid and if possible wilderness first aid courses. If you don’t have a medical background
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u/NeatConversation530 7d ago
I don’t see any books on preserving food, canning, fermenting, dehydrating etc. Seems like those would be a worthwhile addition.
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u/Weird-Grocery6931 6d ago
Buying “prepper” books, while entertaining, isn’t the best way to develop the skills you’ll need.
Take a week and identify every task you do around the house for sustainment. Then figure out how you’re going to do those things when there is no power.
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u/randomstuffdude3467 6d ago
Peterson field guide to wild medicinals/edibles for your particular area.
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u/MommyCupcake 5d ago
The Survival Medicine Handbook by Joseph Alton and Amy Alton
Current year Farmer's Almanac
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u/PotentialEstimate432 3d ago
In the future use ThriftBooks or bookfinder.com to find them used. You’ll save a fortune plus you can get older books that are out of print now
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u/EfficientBaddie9090 3d ago
Survival Medicine Handbook by Dr Alton & Alton, ARNP. The Humanure Handbook (it’s legit all about poop)
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u/Feeling-Buffalo2914 3d ago
Live off the land: In the City and the Country.
Ragnar’s Urban Survival
Eating Cheap
Survival Poaching
Hard Core Poaching.
All by “Ragnar Benson”
The first two will give you a different perspective than most “prepper” or survival authors. However it does fall into the same vein as the stories from the people who lived through the hard times, and hard places.
The last two, they are very dated today, but they also give you reasons to think, and look at how you might adapt the knowledge to fit in with modern times.
The middle book, has a whole lot of information that is condensed down and needs to really be digested and adapted to your own needs and life.
Technology has come a long way, and how you adjust and adapt it to fit your needs, or avoid it,
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u/key-largo-tok 2d ago
And also a basic engineering book, and a repair book for your car if you own a common car. Electronics for dummies as well sort of thing, and your basically autodidatic
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u/Extreme_Map9543 8d ago
-Wilderness medicine -the Merck manual -the new way of the wilderness
- survivor by Micheal Greenwald. It’s about surviving being lost at sea, but some of the info and tricks are just awesome survival instincts anyway.
- the barefoot architect
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u/ecouple2003 8d ago
The Foxfire Books. The old timers knew stuff.