The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Alexander Stillwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000

A comprehensive guidebook to outdoor survival , in any terrain, in any climate, in any part of the world.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-This book provides practical, serious advice. Stilwell begins with an initial chapter on preparation and equipment for any "survival" situation. The next section describes survival in differing physical terrains: desert, sea, tropics, polar regions, and mountains. Each chapter describes how to make a shelter, find food and water, start a fire, and identify and cope with dangerous indigenous animals. Clear line drawings and maps accompany many items. The information is clear and concise. The next section is devoted to surviving natural disasters from earthquakes and hurricanes to volcanoes, floods, and fires. Here, guidance is provided on how to prepare for a disaster, and actions to take indoors and out. The rest of the book contains more detailed information on first aid, finding food, making a fire, navigating, signaling, and tying knots. Again, each chapter is subdivided into succinct sections accompanied by clear charts and diagrams. Campers, scouts, hikers, or anyone interested in outdoor-survival techniques will find easy to use information here.-Jane S. Drabkin, Chinn Park Regional Library, Prince William, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

For someone planning an adventure in a remote area away from the conveniences and comforts to which one is accustomed, this could prove to be a mighty handy volume. Stilwell, who has written several books on the outdoors and gained his training in the British Army, covers subjects from preparation and equipment to information particular to foreign countries (shots required, local conditions, etc.). Chapters address such material as "Survival in the Desert" and "Rafts and River Crossings," concluding with "Ropes and Knots." The book includes many statistical tables as well as illustrations of everything from life rafts to eating utensils. It is written clearly and understandably. Recommended for public and school libraries, especially those with readers involved in outdoor adventuring.DRobert E Greenfield, formerly with Baltimore Cty. P.L.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1.00 edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585740624
• ASIN: B000KHXBH2
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,103,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not an encyclopedia, February 27, 2001

By 

Guenter Eichinger (Amberg Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques (Paperback)

If the author thinks because he includes every climate zone and briefly touches each subject makes his book an encyclopedia he is dead wrong. The information is very basic at best but includes nice drawings. Reading the section on primitive firemaking for example I doubt the author ever did it by himself (I did). He mentioned a lot of friction methods but omitted (as usual) the important details for success. If you want a real encyclopedia John Wiseman's SAS Survival Book would be a better choice.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars He Needed an Editor, March 27, 2005

By 

James R. Acker (Oslo, Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques (Paperback)

This book is pretty bad. For one thing, while the pictures are interesting (pictures always are) they are incomplete, not showing the details one would need to understand how to implement them. Examples like, on the snares, the trip mechanisms are just impossible to see and he doesn't explain them well. Put it this way...if you were lost and had this book with you, you'd starve, freeze to death, or dehydrat by the time you figured out what he was trying to tell you.

The pictures associated with finding true north using your watch and the sun for example, he has (as far as I can tell) juxtexposed the one for "if you are in the northern hemisphere" with "if you are in the southern hemisphere" which would make you go exactly wrong...either the text is wrong or the pictures.

This is like this all over in the book. There are sentences that are confusingly written, sometimes obvious sections where he just left the sentence dangle...like in "surviving natural disasters/ tornados/action/inside there is one sentence all by itself (with a bullet) "If you are in a mobile home or trailer."
That's IT!

This is a terrible book. It could even be worse than not having any book. It tries to cover too much (which I wouldn't hold against it if it had made up for it with good information, well written for generalities. The sections on navigating is unfathomable and I KNOW some techniques.

The author should have gotten an editor that could read, and they should have given the book to a novice, or even someone with some experience and gotten feedback.

There are a few tips in there that are interesting and useful. But this book really is not usable as it is.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques by Stillwell, May 22, 2005

By 

Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques (Paperback)

The work provides a plethora of survival techniques to be employed in hostile natural settings. i.e. deserts, moist zones and frigid
areas

The work explains how to construct underground shelters to withstand decreased temperatures and bad weather. Sample survival
foods are cited. i.e. Acacia, agave, baobab, date palm, amaranth,
wild gourd, carob and prickly pear. The book cautions against
the dangers of wild snakes like the venom of a mojave rattlesnake.
The author cites a number of tropical plants which are ideal for
consumption; namely, mango, nippa palm, sago palm, sugar palm ,
taro and the water lily. The work would be helpful for anyone
planning to live outdoors for any extended time period. The
information content would be invaluable for city dwellers
generally unfamiliar with comparative outdoor environments.