Les Stroud

The paradox of this book is that the person most likely to buy it is likely to have heard it all before, as a fan of the show Survivorman - and the TV show is a much better medium for illustrating many of the skills described in the book. One common problem with all survival skills books is that they have to contend with either a bias toward a specific biome or situation, or subdividing every topic into what works in a specific region - again, something the TV show could do much better as show more each episode is a particular location, where the same core skills get applied suited to that region.

All that being said, it’s as good a general survival handbook as you can get by a man who’s actually done and documented most of the techniques described (surprisingly a rarity for survival guides). Stroud keeps a casual, conversational tone, that is suitable for the format (other similar books can get very stilted and absolute), has a very clear focus on survival not being bushcraft (you’re trying to live long enough to get rescued or back to safety, not build a stone age camp) - again something surprisingly absent from other books. This is something you should read and review, help practice some skills, and pack a survival bag, before the hike or trip. When you actually know where you’re going, the book to bring with you is one that covers the specific biome you’re going to be in, so that it can tell you about the exact plants, wood types, water sources and wildlife you’re likely to encounter and need to identify there. show less

***.5

While well organized and entertaining, most of the skills and techniques discussed in the book are the type of thing that contestants on Alone need to learn, not the average hiker or backpacker. Unless of course you are planning on doing something silly like a solo winter trek across Alaska, in which case reading a book like this isn't sufficient and you'll need actual hands-on training. But people do find themselves in survival situations, so it's at least good to be familiar with the show more concepts, especially if traveling to an exotic locale. And I suppose it's always possible that your guide gets bit by a snek and you have to trek through the Amazon for a few days on your own... show less

Well, this is a tough book for me to review. It's not a novel or a story it's more like a manual, or handbook. If you are looking for excitement, you won't find it in this book, but I did find a lot of it interesting. One problem people might have with this book is that it is very specific and wouldn't appeal to a wide audience, but I guess if you own the book, or are reading it, you find survival appealing.
If you want to learn how to survive, or are taking a trip where survival might show more become a necessity, this is, hands down, the right book to read. Even if you are interested in the outdoors, or like camping, I would recommend this book. Les Stroud knows what he is doing, and explains it well. I mean, you don't get a T.V. show called Survivorman without knowing what you are talking about.
Anyway, I felt at times the book got repetitive, but I guess that can help you learn the information and recall it if you do ever find yourself in a survival situation.
Basically what this boils down to is: If you are outdoorsy and/or interested in survival, read this book. If you could care less about the stuff, skip it. (Although survival skills are not without their merit.) show less

Written by Les Stroud from TV's Survivorman, this is not one of the better survival books I have read. Stroud intersperses stories about his own adventures (which are not live and dead) with other famous stories that are told better elsewhere.