Customer Reviews

National Geographic Complete Survival Manual

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Complete Survival Manual definitely covers a wide variety of survival situations and topics. I will start with the positive things about this book. First, it covers a large array of different survival terrain. It begins with two chapters on basic survival information. These first two chapters includes basic things such as building fire, edible plants, shelters, safe drinking water, etc.The first two chapter are split into:

Mind and body survival basics
Environment survival basics

Then the chapters progress into survival techniques for different terrains. The other chapters include survival techniques for:

Temperate forests
Swamps and rain forest
High mountains
Desert
Th poles and subpolar regions
Survival on the water
Home survival information
Storms and Disasters

This book also contains a very useful appendix which includes a packing check list, CPR instructions, a first aid list for injuries/illnesses, a guide to tying knots, a signal guide, a list of edible plants (with photographs, although, very small photographs), and various maps. There is also a useful index included which makes finding what you are looking for much easier. This book is also a nice size for carrying in your backpack which is s plus. On top of that, the cover is made of water-resistant material so that the book can withstand being hauled around and used in the outdoors. This is a very nice addition also. Complete Survival Manual also included an essential packing guide for each different kinds of terrain.

Now for the negatives. The information in the book is a little too general in many instances. While it covers a lot of information, it doesn't go into a lot of detail in any one of the subjects. Also, the illustrations are very small and not high quality. Many are to the point that it is difficult to see exactly what the authors are trying to demonstrate. Being a National Geographic book, I expected the illustrations to maybe be photographs or at least of a higher quality. In all fairness, it probably has more to do with the size than the quality of the drawings though. And I do understand that this book is meant to be carried with you are the trail, so it has to be kept to a smaller size, thus the illustrations have to be smaller...but this was a bit of a drawback for me. Also, it seems very pricey at $29.95, but I am sure that has to do with the water-resistant properties of the book.

So in summary, this is a good survival book for carrying with you on the trail. This may not be the only book that you want to use to learn survival techniques, as there are other books with better illustrations, but those other books are not meant to be carried along with you. I would recommend checking out multiple books on survival, learning good survival techniques, and then have this be the book that you carry along with you for a reference guide. After all, very few of us can remember all of the information that we need to know on the trail. This is a good book and will only add to your knowledge of survival, which is never a bad thing.

Bohdi Sanders, author of Wisdom of the Elders

There is a good book but not the best. I bought many books for survival situations and I can say that the best book is SAS Survival handbook by John Lofty Wisemann.

"National Geographic's Complete Survival Manual" has a lot to offer. Drawing on many sources of expertise, including its own field researchers, this book presents useful information on surviving in a variety of challenging environments, including the desert, mountains, and polar/sub-polar regions. The format is user friendly, mixing pictures, diagrams, and chunks of information. Some general imperatives on survival are addressed right up front, including the importance of remaining calm and keeping a positive attitude. The appendices include packing lists, signaling techniques, and maps of the US National Parks, where the general reader might perhaps be most apt to go astray. The personal narratives of survival included with each chapter are particularly compelling.

However, in attempting to cover a huge variety of situations, this survival manual tends to skimp on some useful detail. Some of the life-saving techniques mentioned in the book get only the barest description. Persons expecting to be at risk in some of the more extreme environments are encouraged to seek additional details before venturing out. Nothing beats hands-on experience with the life-saving techniques specific to each environment.

"The National Geographic Complete Survival Manual" is highly recommended as an introduction and general reference on survival for those who intend to venture into the wild, semi-wild, and maybe just off the beaten path.

The Complete Survival Manual is a good book to have in your wilderness survival library. Others have complained that the edible plant pictures included are too small, but it's nothing a magnifying glass can't fix. Though I like this book a lot, I would not actually call it a "complete" survival manual, because it doesn't cover improvised wilderness weapons, and you never know when you might need to defend against some animal or other such as a black bear or a grizzly. The book should have at least told how to make a good long and sturdy lunging/thrusting spear. Other than the lack of instruction on how to make defensive weapons, it is still an excellent book. I especially like the chapter on Temperate Zone survival. The book is packed full of useful information and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in camping or survival, because sometimes a camping trip can turn into a survival situation.

I love this book, although I haven't finished reading it yet.
It's more of a reference book, the kind of thing you read before going on a trip and then take it with you.
It's extremely well written and well organized.
I recommend it over watching Bear Grylls in "Man Vs. Wild" on CATV.
There are lots of tips and lots of stories.
I recommend it highly.

This book has something about everything.
It's a nice size for taking with you to read while you're out and about.
Nice short chapters too so my boys could read a couple pages a day without being "overworked".

The book is interesting hover not compelling. I does have useful information but nothing new and exciting.

Survival stories from National Geographic explorers and tips form four organizations on everything from navigating by the sun to bad weather warning signs make for a fine library reference: an information-packed survivalist's guide filled with pictures and quick-read lists for safety at home and outside of it. Highly recommended for any general-interest lending library.

My brother gifted me this book and I have to say , this book is awesome. The whole book is divided into chapters and organized very effectively which makes it very easy to read. The suggestions and tips for survival are written by experts in the field. I highly recommend this book.

SWEENEY, Michael, (and National Geographic Society), 2008, National Geographic Complete Survival Manual, 367 pp. National Geographic Society, 1145, 17th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-4688 U.S.A. (online at www.nationalgeographic.com/books). ISBN 978-1-4262-0429-6 (regular) ISBN 978-1-4262-0430-2 (deluxe) ISBN 978-1-4262-0389-3 (trade).The cover exhorts us to be prepared with this series of questions: "If you're lost and alone in the woods, what should you do? If killer bees attack you, what should you NOT do? If you're sheltering at home during a prolonged emergency, what pantry foods will you be glad you've stocked--and what popular items have no place on the shelf?" One presumes that the answers lie within the covers.
The book commences with this introductory statement: "Learning survival skills is an exciting but complex endeavor. National Geographic Explorers spend years learning how to survive in the wild. Preparation plays a significant role in surviving an unforeseen emergency. Even the experts occasionally find themselves in risky situations, and having a comprehensive survival manual to study and consult can help save lives. The book is divided into ten chapters, plus an appendix. The first two chapters provide basic skills. The next six chapters (Chapter 3 through Chapter 8) provide skills by temperate [sic. They meant "climatic"] zone: temperate forests, swamps and rain forests, high mountains, desert, polar and sub-polar regions and open water. The final two chapters cover survival in and around your home (Chapter 9) and storms and disasters (Chapter 10). The appendix provides additional detailed information--including National Geographic maps of each temperate zone [sic. See above] --and the index helps you quickly locate information." The complete list of chapters is: How To Use This Book; Foreword; Survival Basics: Mind And Body; Survival Basics: Environment; Survival In The Temperate Forests; Survival In Swamps And Rain Forests; Survival In High Mountains; Survival In The Desert; Survival At The Poles And Sub-polar Regions; Survival On The Water; Survival In The Home; Surviving Storms And Disasters and an Appendix.
The book is advertised as containing expert tips from: The American. Red Cross, The U.S. Army, The Boy Scouts of America and The Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. "There is survival information that includes preparation, shelter, food, water, fire, navigation, signaling, hazards and first aid for six environments [oh, so that's what is meant by "temperate zones"!]. Another part provides information on at-home safety for eight different natural disasters, from tornadoes and hurricanes to earthquakes and wildfires. Sections called "quick-read lists" highlight the essentials, from triage of injuries to good and bad sources of water. Finally "how-to illustrations" demonstrate tying foolproof knots, splinting a broken bone and signaling with fire." About themselves National Geographic says: "Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. It reaches more than 285 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and its four other magazines; the National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; radio programs; films; books; videos and DVDs; maps; and interactive media. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy." Wow, with all these resources and its exposure, wouldn't you think they'd get it right? Well perhaps like all attempts to be everything for everyone there are plenty of things to quibble about.
Being interested in plants the first alarm bells rang when I looked at the illustration on page 114. Although Dracaena sanderiana, a plant species native to tropical west Africa is known as "Lucky Bamboo" in the nursery trade, unluckily for the National Geographic picture editor named in the credits, this plant is neither lucky or a bamboo. Perhaps gleaned from Boy Scout practices, the suggestion that one might add to or otherwise interfere with a rock cairn is fraught with danger. In Australia, these may be historical surveyor's marks that are protected from interference by legislation. More alarming would be to add to one that is of Indigenous Australian origin thus causing distress to the owners and disturbing the religious affiliations of the feature. Although it does not receive the emphasis which it deserves, the admonition in the text that "rocks placed by others should be respected" is vital in these instances.There is no doubt that this book is attractively designed despite some of the text being very difficult to read in an ill-lit tent, in fact the book is pretty despite plenty of pastel text and small text on coloured backgrounds. But what is a picture of a pretty poisonous Love-in-a Mist doing on page 15? Is it meant to emphasise the "leave all plants intact" statement further up the page? Hmmmmm. Regarding the "lost and alone in the woods" scenario [not in the index] on the cover, just don't get "Woods Shock" and the "killer bees", don't panic and swat, just run like hell away- you may scream too if you think this helps.