books about ‘survival skills’ and ‘living-off-the-land’ in – any wilderness or hostile environment – page one –

“A comprehensive guide to making your own Native American tools and weapons. The history of the implements is provided, along with a primer on working with flint. Complete instruction is then given on: digging tools; axes; knives; hide scrapers; spear points; arrowheads; baskets and packs; chisels; fishing spears; harpoons; hooks and line; fish traps; fish nets; spear throwers; slings; blow guns; bolas; rabbit sticks; game clubs; traps and snares; decoys; calls; spears; darts; bows; arrows; tomahawks; clubs; daggers; lances; and shields. Whether for the survivalist, historian, student or enthusiast, this is a comprehensive guide to these ancient arts.”

“TV’s extreme survival expert Ray Mears has lived off the land in the world’s most inhospitable places, and Bushcraft is a coffee table-style encapsulation of that hard-won knowledge and experience. Aspiring travellers will find hundreds of life-saving tips here, and even if you plan to stick pretty closely to the beaten track

(say, your garden), the specialist information contained in chapters on survival essentials like finding and purifying water, establishing fires and shelter, cordage (the joys of making your own string), and living off the land (grubs and the like), is fascinating in itself–in the tradition of TV’s finest “natural history”

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“Wescott enlightens one that ‘go-light’ camping was generated not in modern days, but at the turn of the century. From Seton and Beard’s woodcrafting, to Wilder’s jack-knife cookery, this book include every nuance of camping. All terrains, from the heat to the chill northern climates; all ages and styles are encompassed in the simple basics that it takes to enjoy the great outdoors.”

“In one small book, Larry started a movement that did what the hippies couldn’t do. It showed people how to truly use the natural resources that surround us all, from how to tan hides and make snares to weaving tree bark and building shelters. Best of all, it shows us how to do all of these things without spending a dime–as it was done in days gone by. As a teacher, Larry is the best and the rest of us owe what we have to him. If you have any interest in how things were done before there was a Wal-Mart at every corner, get this book! I cannot say enough about it.

“Based on Mears’s BBC2 survival series, this guide explains both to groups and individuals, the everyday skills required to live in and enjoy the natural world without violating it. Topics range from constructing a natural shelter, building a fire and orienteering, to identifying medicinal herbs. This is a brilliant book. It contains a vast wealth of information locked in seasonal sections. Simply open the book to correct season and using plentiful clear illustrations, it will teach you techniques specific to the time in the year and show you what to do and what you can use around you in the wild. Unlike other books which leave you searching for the rare bark of some tree with out telling you you are four months too late, this book is very interesting and informative. It comes highly recommended.”

“The Stone Age is the common denominator of mankind, and through experimental archeology-the relearning and replication of ancient skills-we take a step of discovery and understanding into this rich past. In this collection, drawn from the pages of the Bulletin of Primitive Technology, learn to create tools to fabricate more complex technologies; master the arts of the bow and arrow; build a shelter or fashion clothing from fibers or buckskin. Primitive Technology II: Ancestral Skills provides the guide to rediscovery of the skills and crafts that bind us all into this great human family. David Wescott is author of Camping in the Old Style and editor of Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills. Formerly education director for the Boulder Outdoor School, he has been a leading figure in wilderness education for more than thirty years. He lives with his wife in Rexburg, Idaho.”

“If you live in the northern climes you are a fool not to get this book. If you live anywhere else it will still be invaluable! Really good thorough and easy to follow instructions on axemanship, knifecraft, fire-making, shelter building, cordage & rope, bark containers, working with birch, conifers, willows, moose and snow! A bestseller in Canada, with a cult following in the US.”

“Here is a comprehensive guide to learning some valuable and age-old techniques to simplify your life and get back to basics. It’s a book of stone-age skills perfectly suited to the modern megalopolis or the concrete jungle. It shows you how to make pottery from the clay of the earth, how to make baskets from gourds and plant weavings, how to make clothing from plants and animals, and how to brew pine needle tea for your full daily dose of vitamins B and C. With easy-to-obtain natural resources (the only resources your great-great-great grandparents had) you can make the strongest glue, the richest dyes and the most soulful music. The skills and ideas in this unique book will not only have you creating unique objects in an age-old manner but will also restore to you a sense of self-fulfilment and self-worth.”

“Discover nature by using it! Learn to meet your needs for shelter, fire, water, and food. Tom’s guide gives you a direct, hands-on experience of the world around you. With this book you will discover the thrill of staying warm and comfortable without even a blanket! Experience the magic of starting a fire by friction. Learn about the edible plants of the Rocky Mountain region and the techniques to process them, plus “primitive gourmet” cooking skills.”