Best bushcraft book ever ?

[falling rain]

I didn't organise a poll but rather thought about inviting people's opinions because I don't know all the buscraft books out there so couldn't list them all in a poll, and besides there are probably too many for a poll.

So the question is........... what in your opinion is the best Buscraft or related IE primitive living skills etc book out there on the market (or out of print) I mean the one that covers general skills rather than just one specific skill.............say tracking or plants for example.

Lots of people say Mors K's book is the best and THE bible. I think it's truly excellent but for me Richard Graves Bushcraft - a serious guide to survival and camping just pips it.
I've had my copy for about 7 years now and refer to it regularly. There's a great section on knots and whipping (ooh er missus, not that kind of whipping thank you at the back) and little snippets that I've never seen in other books like how to light 2 fires with just one match, wick making, for example...........great stuff
There are copies here for sensible prices http://www.abebooks.co.uk/search/sortby/3/an/Richard+Graves+/tn/+Bushcraft unlike a few copies on amazon going for ridiculous prices http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss...words=BUSHCRAFT+RICHARD+GRAVES&Go.x=8&Go.y=10
I believe it's also available to download for free as a PDF now too, as someone posted a while back.
That's my favourite anyway, but I have of course not read ,em all. I'd say I have most of the most frequently mentioned ones on here though - kephart - mears (bushcraft and outdoor survival handbook) - kochanski - Richard Graves - Gregory J Davenport - lofty wiseman etc.

So what's your favourite?

 

[KAE1]

I am not really a 'bushcrafter, as such, more a fieldsportsman with a passion for Nature, therefore I only have two 'Bushcraft' books.
1. Outdoor Survival Guide by Hugh Mcmanners- mixed views on this, the author seems to consider holly, ash and hazel as 'softwoods' and in the fish section pike are classed as 'dangerous' fish? otherwise not bad.
2. Bushcraft Survival by Ray Mears - I thought this was a survival book but its just a book version of the TV series. Again not bad as an enjoyable read.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I don't have a favourite as such, but I have favourite bits from each of the twenty or so outdoors/bushcraft/survival skills books I do have. They all have their good points and not so good points. It depends on what you are looking for at the time. I use them all to 'dip into' as and when I need to check something out.

Eric

 

[jojo]

I don't really have a favourite. I have a few of the common culprits, and there are good bits in most of them.
Having said that, I quite like "Wildwood Wisdom" by Ellsworth Jaeger, and tend to look in there first when I searching for something.

 

[leon-1]

"Wildwood Wisdom" by Ellsworth Jaeger.

I agree a very good book written with a bit of humor as the sketches tend to bring a little smile to my face.

Probably not the best book, but still very informative is 98.6 Degrees by Cody Lundin. Cody was one of Mors's students and sent him a signed copy. Mors signed it and gave it to someone that shares his other name.

I enjoyed Eddie Mcgee's No Need To Die (I read my brothers edition of it), I have never owned a copy of Mors's Bushcraft, but once again I have read it and found it to be a very good read.

I remember the days of Paladin press, they had ones like the SAS Survival Guide and Combat Survival. Neither of these hold as much information as the LRRP Precis which I have never seen a copy of on civvy street and probably never will.

To be honest I don't think there is a definitive guide, most books hold some merit and some are real gems for the little pieces of information that they contain that can be found nowhere else.

 

[Stuart]

I didn't organise a poll but rather thought about inviting people's opinions because I don't know all the buscraft books out there so couldn't list them all in a poll, and besides there are probably too many for a poll.

So the question is........... what in your opinion is the best Buscraft or related IE primitive living skills etc book out there on the market (or out of print) I mean the one that covers general skills rather than just one specific skill.............say tracking or plants for example.

Lots of people say Mors K's book is the best and THE bible. I think it's truly excellent but for me Richard Graves Bushcraft - a serious guide to survival and camping just pips it.
I've had my copy for about 7 years now and refer to it regularly. There's a great section on knots and whipping (ooh er missus, not that kind of whipping thank you at the back) and little snippets that I've never seen in other books like how to light 2 fires with just one match, wick making, for example...........great stuff
There are copies here for sensible prices http://www.abebooks.co.uk/search/sortby/3/an/Richard+Graves+/tn/+Bushcraft unlike a few copies on amazon going for ridiculous prices http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss...words=BUSHCRAFT+RICHARD+GRAVES&Go.x=8&Go.y=10
I believe it's also available to download for free as a PDF now too, as someone posted a while back.
That's my favourite anyway, but I have of course not read ,em all. I'd say I have most of the most frequently mentioned ones on here though - kephart - mears (bushcraft and outdoor survival handbook) - kochanski - Richard Graves - Gregory J Davenport - lofty wiseman etc.

So what's your favourite?

A very good choice!

Richard graves and Mors Kochanski, the great grandfather and grandfather respectivly, of Bushcraft as we know it today.

Graves 'Bushcraft' and Kochanski's 'Northern bushcraft' could easily be considered the pre-eminent titles of any bushcraft library, and they share an interesting link.

Although Richard graves book 'Bushcraft - a serious guide to survival and camping' was first published in 1972 it actually quite a bit older than that. It was originally published as ten separate booklets, which were only collected together and published as 'Bushcraft' book the year after Mr graves died in 1971

Mors Kochanski's 'Northern bushcraft' was first published in 1987. Similarly to graves 'bushcraft' however, much of the content had been published in separate instalments many years before. Appearing as a series of separate articles in the magazine 'Alberta Wilderness Arts and Recreation' (of which Mors kochanski was an editor along with Don Bright and Tom Roycroft) from 1975 to 1979

At some point between 1979 and 1987 Mors kochanski was approached by the publisher Grant Kennedy, who had a copy of the ten bushcraft books by Richard graves. He asked Mors Kochanski if he would draw upon his vast experience of the Canadian Bush to write a similar book but for the Northern hemisphere (Richard graves bushcraft is written for the Australian bush) and so 'Northern Bushcraft' was born!

As I suppose was the intention, the two books therefore compliment each other.

My personal favourite between the two, if i had to choose is Kochanski's 'northern bushcraft'. Not just because it deals with my native hemisphere, but because it wins in terms of quality over quantity and deals with the core skills in such incredible depth.

richard graves chooses to cover a vast array of skills (some extremely advanced) but gives each skill comparatively little description, in some places being quite vague.

An example is correct knife use, Graves makes no mention of it in his books at all, whilst dedicating 31 pages to creating tools for measuring time, angles, direction and latitude from the sun and stars. Clearly not a book intended for the beginner.

Kochanski however dedicates 26 pages to the use and maintenance of the knife, an example of how important he deems this knowledge to be, in relation to everything else.

It is my opinion then that the first book an aspiring Bushcrafter should buy, is 'northern bushcraft'. When he has studied and mastered everything between its covers that person will have a solid foundation on which to build the rest of their knowledge of life in the bush.

They should then proceed to buy a copy of Graves 'Bushcraft', with those two books they may never need to buy another!

 

[nobby]

I think the best read is Nessmuk but how relevant it is to the UK today is debatable. Mind you, much the same can be said for most books of this nature and a lot depends on how far you'll go to suspend reality.

 

[Miggers]

Whilst its not an out and out bushcraft title I do have a particular fondness for Survival Advantage by Andrew Lane. I find it is more relevant to the UK than some of the others I have. The author has a dry sense of humour that I like!

Miggers

 

[falling rain]

A very good choice!

Richard graves and Mors Kochanski, the great grandfather and grandfather respectivly, of Bushcraft as we know it today.

Graves 'Bushcraft' and Kochanski's 'Northern bushcraft' could easily be considered the pre-eminent titles of any bushcraft library, and they share an interesting link.

Although Richard graves book 'Bushcraft - a serious guide to survival and camping' was first published in 1972 it actually quite a bit older than that. It was originally published as ten separate booklets, which were only collected together and published as 'Bushcraft' book the year after Mr graves died in 1971

Mors Kochanski's 'Northern bushcraft' was first published in 1987. Similarly to graves 'bushcraft' however, much of the content had been published in separate instalments many years before. Appearing as a series of separate articles in the magazine 'Alberta Wilderness Arts and Recreation' (of which Mors kochanski was an editor along with Don Bright and Tom Roycroft) from 1975 to 1979

At some point between 1979 and 1987 Mors kochanski was approached by the publisher Grant Kennedy, who had a copy of the ten bushcraft books by Richard graves. He asked Mors Kochanski if he would draw upon his vast experience of the Canadian Bush to write a similar book but for the Northern hemisphere (Richard graves bushcraft is written for the Australian bush) and so 'Northern Bushcraft' was born!

As I suppose was the intention, the two books therefore compliment each other.

My personal favourite between the two, if i had to choose is Kochanski's 'northern bushcraft'. Not just because it deals with my native hemisphere, but because it wins in terms of quality over quantity and deals with the core skills in such incredible depth.

richard graves chooses to cover a vast array of skills (some extremely advanced) but gives each skill comparatively little description, in some places being quite vague.

An example is correct knife use, Graves makes no mention of it in his books at all, whilst dedicating 31 pages to creating tools for measuring time, angles, direction and latitude from the sun and stars. Clearly not a book intended for the beginner.

Kochanski however dedicates 26 pages to the use and maintenance of the knife, an example of how important he deems this knowledge to be, in relation to everything else.

It is my opinion then that the first book an aspiring Bushcrafter should buy, is 'northern bushcraft'. When he has studied and mastered everything between its covers that person will have a solid foundation on which to build the rest of their knowledge of life in the bush.

They should then proceed to buy a copy of Graves 'Bushcraft', with those two books they may never need to buy another!

Well said stuart and thanks for the background info.

I agree there's not a lot between them and they are both have excellent points in their favours. I love the 'how to make a sun clock' in Graves book, and in my opinion the way Graves describes and has diagrams/pictures of his drill on the bit about bow drilling is exactly how I've found it to be the easiest. He says the drill should be 9" - 11" and fairly pointed to a sharpish point which I totally agree with and have found to be easiest.
Mors K advocates a more rounded tip at both ends, but I've found the drill just binds as the surface area at the bearing block end is too large. Whichever way works for you I suppose. But as Stuart says both top class books for our interests.

 

[Stuart]

I too prefer the pointy spindle method described in 'bushcraft', the two books do complement each other wonderfully, what one lacks, the other has

 

[Bootstrap Bob]

I don't really have a favourite. I have a few of the common culprits, and there are good bits in most of them.
Having said that, I quite like "Wildwood Wisdom" by Ellsworth Jaeger, and tend to look in there first when I searching for something.

Me too, I really enjoyed reading this book. Having said that I am almost through Mors' book and like that too but WW has a few more entertaining bits in it.

 

[rabsyboy]

Hmmm - mine are;

Food for free - Richard mabey - but thats pretty standard - there's a pocket version now, with more illustrations and a shellfish section too.

Bushcraft by Ray mears

Got a Primitive living book - forgot the title - its got sections on EVERYTHING - including tanning hides, harvesting sinew for cordage, pottery, flint knapping - the lot. And its full of illustrations.

The no need to die book by eddie mcgee is terrible - I can't believe people actually rate it.
There are no "sections" just random notes here and there, lots of his own scribbles for illustrations (if you're going to illustrate your own book, at least be able to draw and take more than 1 minute on each picture).

But worse of all, he says you can eat conkers(!).

It reads like an old school exercise book full of doodles and reminiscences.


The SAS survival guide seems to have everything in it, but it doesn't get into any depth on any subject, but handy to have on you in an emergency. I keep mine on a book shelf just in case

 

[Wayland]

I'm with you on Graves, possibly because it was my first, I bought it when it was first published and It's a bit dog eared now.

I think the knife example is characteristic of the reason I like it. So many books go over and over the same things that it is nice to have a wider range of subjects covered, even if it is in less detail.

I do take your point about it not being for beginners though, but I'm not sure a book is the best place for beginners to start anyway.

 

[JURA]

I agree a very good book written with a bit of humor as the sketches tend to bring a little smile to my face.

Probably not the best book, but still very informative is 98.6 Degrees by Cody Lundin. Cody was one of Mors's students and sent him a signed copy. Mors signed it and gave it to someone that shares his other name.

I enjoyed Eddie Mcgee's No Need To Die (I read my brothers edition of it), I have never owned a copy of Mors's Bushcraft, but once again I have read it and found it to be a very good read.

I remember the days of Paladin press, they had ones like the SAS Survival Guide and Combat Survival. Neither of these hold as much information as the LRRP Precis which I have never seen a copy of on civvy street and probably never will.

To be honest I don't think there is a definitive guide, most books hold some merit and some are real gems for the little pieces of information that they contain that can be found nowhere else.

What is LRRP Precis Leon ?

 

[Ahjno]

What is LRRP Precis Leon ?

Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol
What Precis precise means ... dunno ...

Leon,

 

[-Switch-]

Another vote here for 'Woodcraft' by ''Nessmuk''.
I've read it a few times now and it's always enjoyable. I particularly like the old style of writing (it was written in the late 19th century), it adds a certain romanticism to the text. It's not the most informative book, and not entirely relevant to British woodland or the modern hobby, but it's by far the most enjoyable bushcraft type book I've read. The author describes things and educates by often breaking into short stories based on his own experiences - something that many bushcraft books either lack or focus too strongly on.

An excellent read and highly recommended.

 

[Hoodoo]

I'll vote for Horace Kephart's Camping and Woodcraft.

 

[Womble]

I'll vote for Horace Kephart's Camping and Woodcraft.

I like this as well, a book that's easy to dip into at random and find something interesting. I also - because it was my first - enjoy reading the Coffee table version of Bushcraft by Raymondo.

 

[spamel]

Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol
What Precis precise means ... dunno ...

Leon,

A precis is what I was handed during my apprenticeship, basically a book containing all of the information on that subject, sometimes with a bit more in depth info aswell. This is probably a training manual.

Graves' Bushcraft book is pretty damned good, as is Kochanskis Bushcraft book, and I think that if any of Mears' books should make it onto the list, it would be his first book, The Survival Handbook. It is by far thebest, and would benefit from a reprint.

 

[JonnyP]

Five go on an adventure, by Enid Blyton......