SAS Survival Handbook

Here’s another great resource for the armchair novelist.

This military handbook has all the information a character might need to survive in many different terrains. From shelter to food, wound dressing to vehicle maintenance, it covers a vast array of subjects and even has sections on urban survival and terrorism added to the later editions.

It’s a great reference for designing characters who understand the challenges of survival, as well as ignorant ones who don’t have a clue, and is full of wonderful setting details and story ideas to inspire a writer. 

There is no doubt that this book belongs on my list.

As a young child I browsed this book constantly, fantasizing about using some of the many techniques and contraptions depicted in it. This book is jam-packed with useful information on wilderness survival in various climates. For instance, you’ll find information on survival at sea and in the desert.

Although the illustrations are a bit dated and sometimes unclear, it continues to be one of the most popular survival books in the world for a reason. It is the classic survival book. Something that I really like about this book… show more.