In a previous article, I discussed 10 key books to add to your emergency preparation library. The article covered general books for any length of disruption, books for short-term, intermediate (longer than a week), and longer disruptions (over a month). Another feature of this list was each book helped build a library of needed skills for quick adoption as needed during a crisis.
Although printed books are becoming less popular as electronic information and digital resources become the norm, such resources are power dependent – in other words, how will you access the information without Wi-Fi and a power source? Thus, even if I personally did not prefer physical books, guides designed to provide needed skills in an emergency need to be independent of power and technology needs. As you plan for any level of emergency, part of that plan should be a library of printed books to help direct your efforts and to support or provide needed emergency skills.
Though the first article primarily focused on 10 great skill-based books for emergencies, it was difficult to pick only 10. Additionally, as I went through my library, and thought about what skills or information each book provided, I noticed a few gaps which resulted in some additional purchases. Finally, I recognized that some of my favorite books were more focused on helping you prepare. Thus, this companion article will cover books that were added through the process of writing the first article, a few ‘runner-ups’ from the first article, and books that can help direct your preparation plans. So, without further ado, here are 10 more books worth adding to any preparedness library.
Books About Food and Sustainability
“The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game Volume 1: Big Game” by Steven Rinella, Random House Publishers, Copyright 2015. When first creating a collection of books for emergencies I approached the process methodically. What skills did my wife, son, and I have, what skills could we quickly learn (based on previous experience), and what skills would be useful but absent? This process drove many of our first purchases and though this resulted in a lot of books on edible plants it did not include any on hunting. I often tell people to be very honest and realistic in assessing their own skills. I recognized that, though I had some experience hunting, it was almost exclusively game birds and deer. I was assuming these same skills would apply to any animal I might have to hunt to supplement food in a disaster. This was likely an overestimation of my skills and resulted in this first additional purchase.
At almost 400 pages with simple explanations and full color illustrations, this book covers most big game you would find in North America. The first two sections cover general gear and tactics for hunting big game, with the next section covers specific hunting tips for each type of animal. The final sections cover butchering and cooking. As I read through various sections I was very happy that I had added this book to my collection to aid in hunting what is likely to be available, not what I hoped to find. The adage beggars can’t be choosers came quickly to mind as I considered the yearly options of game available to me in my area.
“The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game Volume 2: Small Game & Fowl” by Steven Rinella, Random House Publishers, Copyright 2015. This was the book I was mainly wanting of these companion volumes, but I am also glad I bought both. Similar in layout to the first volume, this book covers gear and general tactics in the first section and butchering and cooking in the last sections. The middle section is game specific and is a larger section compared to Volume 1 as it covers all sorts of small game and fowl. Living in Indiana most of the larger game in Volume 1 is west of my location. However, smaller game and fowl are abundant in my area and are not something I have much experience hunting. Though I currently have no plans to start hunting such game, in the event of a longer-term emergency I will be glad to have both references.
“How to Forage for Mushrooms without Dying: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide” by Frank Hyman, Storey Publishing, Copyright 2021. When I was first looking at our current property the previous owner took me on a tour of the 20 acres and was very insistent on showing me where all the mushrooms grew. This experience added to my previous review of books on edible plants that, when mentioning mushrooms at all, just said ‘Don’t.’ Combined, it made it clear I needed at least a basic reference on harvesting mushrooms for food in dire emergencies. This book fills the hole in my collection very nicely, with sections on mushrooms in general, how to stay safe, easy-to-identify mushrooms that can be eaten, and how to cook and preserve mushrooms. What I like about this book, compared to others, is the straightforward focus on widely available mushrooms that are easy to identify without overcomplicating things. Finally, there is also a section on how to steer clear of dangerous mushrooms.
“Kill it & Grill It” by Ted and Shemane Nugent, Regnery Publishers, Copyright 2002. This book has been in my library for over 20 years now. Like all of Ted Nugent’s books, it’s a very easy and enjoyable read. Primarily, it is a book of recipes for wild game and fish interspersed with life lessons from Ted Nugent. Whether you agree with his thoughts or not, they are always presented in a very authentic and amusing way. Not to mention most of the recipes are very good. The downside is that there are few real pictures or diagrams, but there is a lot of general hunting philosophy contained between the recipes.
“A Guide to Canning, Freezing, Curing & Smoking Meat, Fish, & Game” by Wilbur F. Eastman, Jr., Storey Publishing, Original Copyright 1975. Though butchering and cooking are well covered in other books on this list, this book specifically focuses on how to preserve and store what you hunted, trapped, or fished. Written in a clear and straightforward way with many diagrams and illustrations, this book served as the primary guide in stockpiling the needed materials in the event of a long-term disruption. There are sections on canning, freezing, curing, smoking, and jerking meats in general. This is followed by a section on specific meats including recipes for preservation. This is a great book to help build out your needed supplies, and if I ever must supplement stored food supplies the skills included will be invaluable.
“Modern Homesteading” by Living the Country Life, Weldonowen Publishing, Copyright 2017. Living the Country Life is a lifestyle website and magazine focusing on sustainability. This is less of a narrative book and more of 145 short articles on a variety of topics. It is basically a modern website published as a full-color printed reference book. There are broad sections on gardening, birds and bees, recipes, preserving, raising small animals, and indoor and outdoor projects. This book holds a unique place in my collection as it has been used to support my wife’s insistence that we start raising animals now, something I have resisted for various reasons.
Books for When Everything Goes to Hell
“When All Hell Breaks Loose” by Cody Lundin Gibbs, Smith Publishing, Copyright 2007. The next few books are focused on long-term or permanent disruptions of services. “When All Hell Breaks Loose” is an overview of all the issues that need to be addressed when an emergency turns out to be a much greater issue. The author focuses on needed materials and skills to be truly prepared and provides information in an easy-to-digest style, “be prepared, not scared.” Though the information is dense (400+ pages) it is presented in a semi-humorous style with illustrations (cartoons) galore. The first half of the book is focused on the psychology of survival and digs deep into the mindset needed as well as the challenges one needs to face if considering urban or suburban survival. The second half of the book is focused on the ‘hows’ of survival and covers all the areas well. The only reason this book did not make my original top 10 is that it is a better pre-read before or at the start of your preparation compared to a resource for once an event has happened (though I imagine I would still reread this book at that point).
“Prepper’s Home Defense” by Jim Cobb, Ulysses Press, Copyright 2012. Written from a Deter, Delay, Defend philosophy, this book focuses on how to better defend your property and family when emergency services fail. Chapters focus on setting up perimeters, better securing your home, firearms, and defensive techniques, gathering intelligence, and creating potential alliances. Though only a little over 200 pages there is a lot to think about and I would count this, like the last book as more of a pre-read to an emergency than a guidebook once it has happened. In other words, though there are skills and projects that would be needed in a long-term disaster, most of these would also require some pre-preparation before the emergency started. This is a book that guided some of my preparations and some of the supplies I have built up over the years. Like the last book, I would likely re-read this one during a disaster, but it is best read before.
“The Survival Medicine Handbook” by Joseph and Amy Alton, Doom and Bloom, Copyright 2016. Written by a medical doctor and a registered nurse, this serves as a companion piece to the book “When There is No Doctor” from my first list. Weighing in at over 600 pages, the tone is one of emergency preparation for when medical services are unavailable. Unlike other medical guides that are designed for use in underdeveloped sections of the world, this one is specifically designed as a guide for long-term disruptions. Sections include medical preparedness, common medical conditions in the absence of medical help, and ‘if you must’ guides to medical emergencies. Easy to read with some illustrations, this book falls back into the realm of what to read when it is needed.
“The All-American Outhouse” by Bob Cary, Adventure Publications, Copyright 2003. The final book on this ‘runners-up’ list was again obtained after writing the first article. As I thought about sanitation, I realized that although I had books that discussed outhouse placement and sanitation, I did not have one that contained actual plans. I could have easily downloaded a set of blueprints from online and printed them out to be added to one of my ‘things I found online’ binders, but I preferred the idea of getting a better printed source. Thus, this book joined my collection. At only 70 pages it is likely the shortest book in my library, but contains all you need. History, sanitation, use, and a full set of carpentry plans are included. Though my septic system should be good for anything outside of a permanent disruption, the skills to handle that eventuality are now in my library as well.
