US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76 by Department of Defense
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Book Reviews of US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76
Book Review: The civilian version, and the best on the subject for regular folks
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the newer civilian version of the Army survival book that concentrates on the straightforward survival material a civilian going camping may need to know. It is written in very accessible easy to understand language, and you do not need to be an expert in order to use this information. The material includes chapters on: Navigation and compass use; Health & Hygiene in the outdoors to prevent sickness, including first aid; Hazards in the wild to watch out for;
Foods and where to find them including harvesting and identifying native plants and vegetables; How to fish and tons of unusual different ways to catch them with local materials that actually work; other food from fresh water sources; Trapping mammals, rodents, reptiles, insects, catching birds, and more including how to dress and prepare these; Cooking, preserving food in the wild; methods of fire making including without matches or lighter.
One of the most important chapters tells you how to find the most important element you need to survive. Water from Plants, digging for water, purifying found water, and building a solar water still. Other chapters include Climate and Weather, Travel, finding or building Shelter, Clothing, Health, Survival at Sea, Poisonous Snakes, signaling for help, what to do if you are lost, and much more ...
An extremely useful book for the camper to keep in their supplies. One very nice treat... the version sold here differs from the real surplus military version in that it offers color photos of the plants (original military version was black and white), and it is very comprehensive. While there are books available on edible and poisonous plants that are more specialized, the material here is very adequate for inclusion in this manual. All in all, one of the best books on the survival subject, well rounded and very detailed. I have a library of books on camping and camping emergencies. 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 be glad of its many topics. You may even want to keep a copy in the trunk of your car with your roadside tools, since you never know when you might need some help making a fire or finding water.
Oh, and remember this book has been modified for civilian use. The original title of manual FM 21-76 when it was written for the military was "Survival, Evasion, and Escape", rather than this newer version listed at Amazon that is specifically titled only "Survival". The military chapters of the original book dealing with evasion tactics and escape methods have been removed in the newer edition. If you feel you need that info too, buy an older version with the full title intact. If you are buying used, be sure to query the seller which version they have and if you are still unsure, only buy it from Amazon new.
Book Review: Awsome Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is awsome, and although some people dislike the military references (using you gun, hide from the enemy)i thought it was interesting and sometimes a bit humerous. I gave this book 5 stars because it is EXACTLY what a military survival book should be. Now, if it was written SPECIFICALY for civilians i would give a worse score becase of the military reference. The thing i disliked about this book the most was the lack of information about surviving in what i consider a "normal" envirement. It has the desert, arctic, and tropical, but i want to know how to survive in the wilderness where i live (Northern MN). I was also disappointed with the plants. I know that they were having to cover the whole world pretty much but i would have liked it better to have a few more plant descriptions as only about 4 of the plants listed live were i live. I would also have liked to have a better description of how to prepare the plant (the most tastey way possible with little supplys so that you don't end up spitting it out cause it tastes like ****.
Overall: Great for the military, entertaining and very informative for civilians but doesn't cover living/surviving in the Deciduous and Coniferous forests very well. I wouldn't recomend this to someone who wants information about edible plants as it has very little. For that i would recomend the Peterson Field Guide To Edible Plants (i own it, its very good, but i have trouble making any of the food taste good).
Book Review: I Carry a Copy of this Book in My Car
Summary: 5 Stars
Every survival book seems to cover different bases - nuclear, biological, chemical warfare, natural disasters or terrorism, wilderness living skills, etc.
It's enormously difficult for any book to be a complete guide, or it becomes too cumbersome and open-ended to be much use.
To say that some of the information in this book has been around a good long while, it's still mighty good as far as I am concerned.
I have the military version, covering evasion tactics, as well as wilderness living skills, first aid, communications, rescue, etc.
I like the illustrations - the pictures of how snares are set are the best I have seen. Snares are simple, but not to people who aren't used to using them.
I think the strength of this book is that it is straightforward. Yes, it will have weak points and other books will cover whole topics more thoroughly.
However, it is a good basic guide and could easily save your life.
Book Review: The best because...
Summary: 5 Stars
Unlike a previous review, I believe the US Army Survival Manual to be superior to other survival books. Being an Eagle Scout, I have a lot of experience with the "Official Boy Scout Handbook." It is a great resource, but a lot of the book deals with requirements to advance in rank in the scouts. This is useless to most readers. It is also heavier then the Army manual, and for backpacking trips that is a big difference. There may be some useless information in the Army manual, but lets face it, it is more interesting to read about how to make a belt out of snake hide then to know that you need 21 eagle-required merit badges to get to Eagle scout. The color photos of poisonous snakes, and edible plants also makes this guide superior to other manuals. If you want a manual that can help you in an emergency, deals with all manner of terrain, and is small enough to carry on all kinds of trips, this is the right one for you.
Book Review: If Your GPS Broke, Would You Be Able To Find Your Way?
Summary: 5 Stars
This manual is very extensive. Its range of topics include survival medicine, to creating emergency shelter in the field, to foretelling weather and how to find direction. It includes full color images of poisonous snakes and edible as well as poisonous plants to avoid.
While I haven't been in situations that tested virtually most of these methods, as many are geared toward survival in extreme circumstances, I always take this with me when I hike. I have, however, needed the info on tying knots, have used the pictures to identify snakes, and I often peruse the descriptions of first aid to keep familiar with it.
---*** THE BOTTOM LINE ***---
If you are someone who regularly spends time outdoors, even if it's just a dayhike or camping close to other people, you should really have this book that could help in many situations.