Tools are almost worthless without the requisite knowledge and skills to put them to good use. The following is a list of books I would recommend to deepen your knowledge and improve your skills.
Considering the underlying theme of this book, I would put this one near the top of my priority list: The Complete Modern Blacksmith, by Alexander G. Weygers.
You will also need manuals (a full set, operating and repair) for all of your vehicles, tools, and equipment.
The late Memsahib’s top must-have book: The Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery (get the tenth or later edition). This book is 845 pages of valuable how-to country survival knowledge. The Memsahib (1964–2009) wrote, “The first time that I butchered chickens, I used this book. When I needed 15 different ways to fix zucchini I turned to this book, when I wanted to make soap, pickles, jelly, bread from scratch, butter, and cream cheese, I found everything I needed to know in this book!”
Books Recommended by the Late Memsahib
Gardening When It Counts, by Steve Solomon
How to Survive Without a Salary: Learning How to Live the Conserver Lifestyle, by Charles Long
Small-Scale Grain Raising, by Gene Logsdon
The Family Cow, by Dirk van Loon
Raising a Calf for Beef, by Phyllis Hobson
Small-Scale Pig Raising, by Dirk van Loon
Raising Rabbits the Modern Way, by Bob Bennett
Raising Sheep the Modern Way, updated and revised edition, by Paula Simmons
Ducks and Geese in Your Backyard: A Beginner’s Guide, by Rick and Gail Luttmann
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody
Storey’s Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance, by John and Martha Storey
Boston’s Gun Bible, by Boston T. Party
Boston’s Gun Bible stands alone as the very best all-around reference for firearms owners. Not only does it cover practical rifles, pistols, and shotguns in detail, but it also has a wealth of valuable information on related subjects such as optics, practical carry, training, legal issues, and legislative issues. The new expanded and updated edition (with two hundred extra pages) is fantastic! This weighty tome is an absolute must for all gun owners. At thirty-seven dollars it isn’t cheap, but it is worth every penny. Boston’s observations and conclusions about guns are precisely researched, scientific, and relatively dispassionate. Unlike many other writers in the firearms field, Boston has consistently shown that he is willing to change his mind when presented with logical evidence. This is a book that may very well save your life or that of a loved one. It is also a highly influential book that may contribute in the long run to the restoration of our constitutional republic and firearms freedom around the world. Boston’s Gun Bible doesn’t just whine about the decline of our God-given constitutional liberties. Rather, it shows practical solutions that individual citizens can and must take to ensure the liberty of future generations. It is nothing short of a monumental work of nonfiction! Don’t just buy one. Buy two! You will soon find that you’ll need an extra copy to lend out to family members and friends. By the way, if you already have the older edition, then I strongly suggest that you buy the latest, expanded edition. This has valuable new information, so it’s well worth getting a new copy. As a published writer, I stand in awe of this important piece of nonfiction. It deserves a place of honor on the bookshelf of every freedom-loving citizen.
Survival Guns, by Mel Tappan
The Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers (2006), by John L. Plaster
Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values, by Norm Flayderman Armageddon Medicine, by Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.
Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook, by David Werner
Where There Is No Dentist, by Murray Dickson
When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival, by Matthew Stein
When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency, by Matthew Stein
Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook, by James Talmage Stevens
Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Cookin’ with Home Storage, by Peggy Layton and Vicki Tate
Nuclear War Survival Skills, by Cresson H. Kearny (available for free download)
The Alpha Strategy, by John A. Pugsley
Tappan on Survival, by Mel Tappan
Jim’s “Second Tier” List of Recommended Specialty Books
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables, by Mike Bubel
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, 3rd ed., by Abigail R. Gehring
Putting Food By, by Janet Greene
Stocking Up: The Third Edition of America’s Classic Preserving Guide, by Carol Hupping
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook, by Peggy Layton
Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times, by Steve Solomon
The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times, by Carol Deppe
All New Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew
Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, by Suzanne Ashworth
Small-Scale Grain Raising, by Gene Logsdon
The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book, by Mike Oehler
Emergency War Surgery (NATO Handbook: Third United States Revision, 2004, [or later]) , by Dr. Martin Fackler, et al.
The Merck Veterinary Manual, by Cynthia M. Kahn
Where There Is No Vet, by Bill Forse
The ARRL Operating Manual for Radio Amateurs
Outdoor Survival Skills, by Larry Dean Olsen
Essential Bushcraft, by Ray Mears
SAS Survival Handbook, by John “Lofty” Wiseman
The Survivor book series, by Kurt Saxon. Many are out of print in hard copy, but they are all available on DVD. Here, I must issue a caveat lector (“reader beware”): Mr. Saxon has some very controversial views that I do not agree with. Among other things, he is a eugenicist.
Nonfiction Books Recommended by My Readers
Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival, by Jack A. Spigarelli
Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation, by the Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante
The New Organic Grower, by Eliot Coleman
Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival
Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking
Tom Brown’s Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants
Ditch Medicine: Advanced Field Procedures for Emergencies, by Hugh Coffee
Camping & Wilderness Survival: The Ultimate Outdoors Book, by Paul Tawrell
Engineer Field Data (U.S. Army FM 5-34). Available online free of charge with registration at Army Knowledge Online (AKO), and other sites, but I recommend getting a hard copy of the latest edition, preferably with the heavy-duty plastic binding.
Just in Case, by Kathy Harrison
A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine, by Eric A. Weiss, M.D.
Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardener, by Fern Marshall Bradley (ed.)
Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook (it superseded the very outdated ST 31-91B)
Wilderness Medicine, 5th ed., by Paul S. Auerbach
Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long, by Eliot Coleman
The Modern Survival Retreat, by Ragnar Benson
The Merck Manual, by Robert S. Porter. The gold standard of medical reference books!
Last of the Mountain Men, by Harold Peterson
Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills: Naked into the Wilderness, by John McPherson. His entire Primitive series of books is excellent. Also see McPherson’s Web page, PrairieWolf.net.
LDS Preparedness Manual, by Christopher M. Parrett (ed.)
The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century, by James H. Kunstler
Principles of Personal Defense, revised ed., by Jeff Cooper
Survival Poaching, by Ragnar Benson
The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses, by Eliot Coleman
Jim’s Recommended “Be Ready to Barter” Reference Book List
Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values
Blue Book of Gun Values
A Guidebook of United States Coins: The Official Red Book (latest annual edition)
Standard Catalog of World Coins (latest annual edition)
Antique Trader: Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide
Wristwatch Annual 2014: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models, and Specifications
Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide: How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold and Jewelry with Confidence and Knowledge