Rating: Summary: In Agreement with the Special Forces reviewer Review: I, too, have read many survival books and I tend to disagree with some of the reviewers of this one. This is not only an excellent book, but the best on topic. The Survival Escape & Evasion version is simply not applicable to the average camper or disaster survivor. This is all you need, and much more.
Rating: Summary: Its a good survival book Review: Its a very good survival book, I recommend you to read this book with the help of some other well illustrated books, this one is well illustrated too but not perfect at all. I recommend it for outdoor enthusiast, and for boy scouts. I recommend to have other books at hands specially in the venomous animals and poisonous plants as well as edible plants, this because some plants are not listed, only few, as well as some dangerous animals.
Rating: Summary: All The Reviews Helpful Review: The Amazon.com reviews have all been most helpful, especially the 1 October one by "West Point" author Norman Thomas Remick. As such, when I read through "Survival", I feel I am obtaining education on Wilderness Medicine important enough for a United States Army doctor to have. I believe this is an essential book for everyone. Thank you.
Rating: Summary: Awsome Book Review: The information in a survival manual that makes it good or bad depends entirely on whether you've read the right one when the need hits. I went through the US Army Survival Training in 1963. The skills learned since then by the military are incorporated into this book. It isn't the be-all-end-all, but anyone who intends to read a single survival manual won't feel cheated by buying this one.
Rating: Summary: We all have different ideas Review: The information in a survival manual that makes it good or bad depends entirely on whether you've read the right one when the need hits. I went through the US Army Survival Training in 1963. The skills learned since then by the military are incorporated into this book. It isn't the be-all-end-all, but anyone who intends to read a single survival manual won't feel cheated by buying this one.
Rating: Summary: civilian version Review: The material includes information on Navigation, Health & Hygiene, Hazards, Foods (Vegetables, Wild Plants, Fish and tons of different ways to catch them that actually work; other food from fresh water, reptiles, insects, catching birds, mammals, and more), Find Water, Water from Plants, Survival water still, Fire making, Cooking, Preserving Food in the wild, Climate and Weather, Travel, Shelter, Clothing, Health, Survival at Sea, Poisonous Snakes, signaling for help, and more ... One very nice treat the version sold here differs from the real surplus military version in that it offers color photos of the plants, and it is very comprehensive. While there are specialty books on edible and poisonous plants that are more complete, the material here is very adequate for inclusion in this manual. All in all, one of the best books on the subject, well rounded and very detailed. I have a library of books on this subject and while one reviewer thought this book had too much info and wanted a simpler book, I would say that if you had it with you in an emergency you would not think so. Keep it in the trunk of your car with your roadside tools, you never know when you might need some help. Oh, and remember this book has been modified for civilian use. The original title of "FM 21-76" was "Survival, Evasion, and Escape" rahter than just "Survival". The portions of the book dealing with evasion and escape have been removed, since it has been deemed by someone that civilians will never need this.
Rating: Summary: Basic Skills Review: The Oct70 edition has the basic skills needed to survive for a short period of time in a well suited area; however, it is not as comprehensive as newer editions. I suggest obtaining the new CDROMs or the newest print copy (I believe it was in 93).
Rating: Summary: Good except for Jungle/Desert Survival Review: The U.S. Army field manual on Survival is a good basic guide, standard reading for our troops, and unlike some survival manuals, it is fairly well written and organized. I have yet to find a survival enthusiast who didn't have this book or Greg Davenport's Wilderness Survival in their personal library, and that tells you something. One of the bigger drawbacks to the book is its sketchy coverage of jungle and desert survival - for these areas you'll definitely want additional reading on these topics, as there's a lot more information to be had! If you're interested in those environments, Jeff Randall's Adventure Travel in the Third World book is excellent for jungle survival, while Mark Johnson's The Ultimate Desert Handbook is definitely the best desert survival book out there.
Rating: Summary: Be realistic! Review: This book is actually quite an interesting read. It's fun to read about how the most daring 1% of us should approach a survival problem. If you are familiar with "Department Of The Army Field Manuals" you will understand, however, why this book is just wrong for the other 99% of us. It is a DETAILED guide to every nuance of survival to the last possible detail. Did you know, for example, that "clean splattered blood on the meat will glaze over and help preserve the meat" or that after skinning a snake for food "you can use the skin for improvising belts, straps or similar items?" Under the chapter on intestinsl parasites we learn to "eat 1 to 1 1/2 cigarettes. The nicotine in the cigarette will kill or stun the worms long enough for your system to pass them." Stun the worms??????????? I enjoy this book as entertainment and understand that I can never use the majority of information it offers. On the other hand its treatment of snakebites is the best short course on what to do in this scary situation. Believe it or not, "The Official Boy Scout Handbook" is far more practical and readable. It was a best seller among infantry officers headed to Viet Nam in the 1960's. Get both of them. Next time you find yourself stranded you will know from the Army that a proper bolo is made from 24" cords and 1/2 pound weights. The Boy Scouts will instruct you on how to calm yourself down enough to simply wait for help which will be coming. In a pinch each books pages may be used to start fires and, well, to do other things!
Rating: Summary: Be realistic! Review: This book is actually quite an interesting read. It's fun to read about how the most daring 1% of us should approach a survival problem. If you are familiar with "Department Of The Army Field Manuals" you will understand, however, why this book is just wrong for the other 99% of us. It is a DETAILED guide to every nuance of survival to the last possible detail. Did you know, for example, that "clean splattered blood on the meat will glaze over and help preserve the meat" or that after skinning a snake for food "you can use the skin for improvising belts, straps or similar items?" Under the chapter on intestinsl parasites we learn to "eat 1 to 1 1/2 cigarettes. The nicotine in the cigarette will kill or stun the worms long enough for your system to pass them." Stun the worms??????????? I enjoy this book as entertainment and understand that I can never use the majority of information it offers. On the other hand its treatment of snakebites is the best short course on what to do in this scary situation. Believe it or not, "The Official Boy Scout Handbook" is far more practical and readable. It was a best seller among infantry officers headed to Viet Nam in the 1960's. Get both of them. Next time you find yourself stranded you will know from the Army that a proper bolo is made from 24" cords and 1/2 pound weights. The Boy Scouts will instruct you on how to calm yourself down enough to simply wait for help which will be coming. In a pinch each books pages may be used to start fires and, well, to do other things!
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