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The Ultimate Survival Manual (Outdoor Life): 333 Skills that Will Get You Out Alive
Whether you’re lost in the woods, facing an armed insurrection, or preparing for a hurricane, the experts at Outdoor Life magazine are the people you want on your side. This book is the one you need if you want to protect your family, save yourself, and prevail over any danger.Your Go-To Guide for Surviving Anything
GET READY, GET SET, SURVIVE!
You're lost in the woods without food or water. Confronted by an armed assailant in the dead of night. Forced to outrun a deadly tornado. Don't worry - The Ultimate Survival Manual has you covered.
Out in the Wild From navigating with a compass to fending off a mountain lion, learn to prevail in the forests, deserts, and open oceans like an expert outdoorsman.
During a Disaster Whether it's a towering tsunami or a blazing wildfire, bad things happen every day. Know what to do when the going gets tough.
In an Urban Crisis Arm yourself with the latest self-defense moves, weapons tips, and home-protection tactics, plus crucial strategies for handling bad guys and bad situations at home and abroad.
GET READY, GET SET, SURVIVE!
You're lost in the woods without food or water. Confronted by an armed assailant in the dead of night. Forced to outrun a deadly tornado. Don't worry - The Ultimate Survival Manual has you covered.
Out in the Wild From navigating with a compass to fending off a mountain lion, learn to prevail in the forests, deserts, and open oceans like an expert outdoorsman.
During a Disaster Whether it's a towering tsunami or a blazing wildfire, bad things happen every day. Know what to do when the going gets tough.
In an Urban Crisis Arm yourself with the latest self-defense moves, weapons tips, and home-protection tactics, plus crucial strategies for handling bad guys and bad situations at home and abroad.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
17 people are currently reading
1069 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 14, 2012
Great Book! My only disappointment was that my E-ARC was missing pages so I didn’t get the entire manuscript.
Rich Johnson has written an entertaining and informative guide to survival. I’m big on survival information and I know that not everyone is. This is an important book because we are in an environment that is unstable. You don’t have to go out in the wilderness to be in a situation that requires survival techniques. There’s a chance that there is a large amount of information in this book you will never need. However, the one technique that you learn that later saves yours or someone else’s life is invaluable.
This is a short book and each segment is brief. Keep it in your bathroom and learn a trick or two every time you sit down. On page one, I learned something. Okay maybe learned is not the right word but I realized there was something I hadn’t thought of. Rich recommends that you keep an emergency bag in your office or place of work that includes rugged clothing, socks and a pair of tennis shoes. The bag is available if you need to leave your work in a hurry and are not dressed for an emergency. I would, almost, have thought it unnecessary but I guarantee that one day you wear the tight skirt or new dress shoes is the day that the weather turns and you have to evacuate or a shooter comes into the area and you have to flee.
It’s a scary and dangerous world out there. I just think this book is an inexpensive way to protect yourself.
Rich Johnson has written an entertaining and informative guide to survival. I’m big on survival information and I know that not everyone is. This is an important book because we are in an environment that is unstable. You don’t have to go out in the wilderness to be in a situation that requires survival techniques. There’s a chance that there is a large amount of information in this book you will never need. However, the one technique that you learn that later saves yours or someone else’s life is invaluable.
This is a short book and each segment is brief. Keep it in your bathroom and learn a trick or two every time you sit down. On page one, I learned something. Okay maybe learned is not the right word but I realized there was something I hadn’t thought of. Rich recommends that you keep an emergency bag in your office or place of work that includes rugged clothing, socks and a pair of tennis shoes. The bag is available if you need to leave your work in a hurry and are not dressed for an emergency. I would, almost, have thought it unnecessary but I guarantee that one day you wear the tight skirt or new dress shoes is the day that the weather turns and you have to evacuate or a shooter comes into the area and you have to flee.
It’s a scary and dangerous world out there. I just think this book is an inexpensive way to protect yourself.
June 3, 2012
If you're reading this review that means you must be alive. Congratulations! You are already following the Number One Rule for survival - Staying Alive! In his book The Ultimate Survival Manual Rich Johnson offers a comprehensive guide that will prepare you for all those pesky eventualities such as being mauled by a bear, finding yourself in a workplace shooting or making it through a mud slide.
Packed into four big chapters - Essentials, Wilderness, Disaster, Urban - this short yet informative guide gives knowledgeable advice on many likely, or not so likely, situations you could one day be faced with. What I immediately liked about this book was the humorous undertone. No harm in keeping the spirits up with some jokes when faced by a hungry bear, right?
Though obviously, when lives are at risk, the most important thing is to know what to do, or what not to do (playing McGuyer is usually not a good idea). Complemented with photos and illustrations, there is plenty of background information included too (who would have thought that not all bears are equally scary). Additionally you'll find case studies as well as life-threatening situations which the author himself lived through. The result is a well balanced mix of insights into survival techniques for pretty much every harmful and dangerous situation that can put a life at risk.
In short: Know what's happening. Prioritize. Devise a plan. Go to work. But first read this book!
Packed into four big chapters - Essentials, Wilderness, Disaster, Urban - this short yet informative guide gives knowledgeable advice on many likely, or not so likely, situations you could one day be faced with. What I immediately liked about this book was the humorous undertone. No harm in keeping the spirits up with some jokes when faced by a hungry bear, right?
Though obviously, when lives are at risk, the most important thing is to know what to do, or what not to do (playing McGuyer is usually not a good idea). Complemented with photos and illustrations, there is plenty of background information included too (who would have thought that not all bears are equally scary). Additionally you'll find case studies as well as life-threatening situations which the author himself lived through. The result is a well balanced mix of insights into survival techniques for pretty much every harmful and dangerous situation that can put a life at risk.
In short: Know what's happening. Prioritize. Devise a plan. Go to work. But first read this book!
July 18, 2012
The Ultimate Survival Manual by Rich Johnson
The book will come in very handy to anyone. Included are survival skills in the wilderness, disasters, and urban. The inclusion of urban interested me. I had not realized this would in a survival manual though I know survival skills for urban living.
This title is packed full of wonderful pictures and hints for rough situations. It includes an essentials list for home, work and on the road for preparedness. The manual includes many handy tips from how to filter water while lost in the wilderness, how to start a fire in the snow, to helping someone struck by lightning or dealing with downed power lines in a car, and how to throw a knife or defend yourself with keys.
This manual is full of useful information that can be used in daily life but that will better prepare many of us for those situations that we think may never happen to us, but one day do.
The book will come in very handy to anyone. Included are survival skills in the wilderness, disasters, and urban. The inclusion of urban interested me. I had not realized this would in a survival manual though I know survival skills for urban living.
This title is packed full of wonderful pictures and hints for rough situations. It includes an essentials list for home, work and on the road for preparedness. The manual includes many handy tips from how to filter water while lost in the wilderness, how to start a fire in the snow, to helping someone struck by lightning or dealing with downed power lines in a car, and how to throw a knife or defend yourself with keys.
This manual is full of useful information that can be used in daily life but that will better prepare many of us for those situations that we think may never happen to us, but one day do.
May 11, 2012
An amazing compilation of 333 survival skills that you may need if you are in a sticky Wilderness, Disaster, or Urban situation. The in-color illustrations and diagrams are excellent for each skill being taught and are fun to peruse even for us couch potatoes and dreamers of adventure. For writers of adventure or mystery stories and novels, this book is a reference must!
The how-to instructions are limited to one page or less for each skill so may not be as detailed as some would-be adventurers might need if in an actual survival situation, but with this book in hand, smart, daring, and desperate-to-survive folks will be well on their way to getting home safely once more.
The how-to instructions are limited to one page or less for each skill so may not be as detailed as some would-be adventurers might need if in an actual survival situation, but with this book in hand, smart, daring, and desperate-to-survive folks will be well on their way to getting home safely once more.
October 29, 2017
These are ridiculous tips. A lot is common knowledge, and the others are incomplete.
August 9, 2017
The illustrations make the book entertaining. Although the information is useful, I do not believe this is my favorite wilderness survival book.
January 1, 2018
The follow on read if you enjoyed the Worst Case Scenario books growing up - plenty of helpful points.
January 14, 2019
Great for beginners, but isn't that informative
June 6, 2020
I thought this may be handy for a go bag, it is not. It is an interesting read though.
March 3, 2024
Great book. Lots of information in an emergency. I borrowed a copy from my library but plan to purchase one in the near future. Strongly recommend especially in current times.
May 17, 2012
I received this book to review through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for it.
Review:
First off before I say anything else, I want to express that I am really critical of Survival Books before I purchase them. I as an average citizen should be able to reference the book and be able to survive by following the content inside. I do not feel that I would safely be able to keep not only myself alive but those around me with this book. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on The Ultimate Survival Manual.
The Good
The Layout- The layout of this book was great. I really liked the comic book style survival stories, it was really unique to see and I think it helps the reader better understand how the people in those situations survived.
The Diagrams- I loved how they used real photos. I read a ton of Survival Books and nothing irks me more when you see hand drawn diagrams. Sure with those you can get the basic gist, but you miss all the details that a color photograph can bring to the table.
The Bad
To much Information- I know that your thinking isn't to much better than to little? In this instance I'd rather have less information but more in depth, over what it actually contains which is to much variety and not enough detail. It's like condensing an entire encyclopedia into a Reader's Digest version. Just did not work at all. I think the reader could seriously put someones life in jeopardy if they only followed the steps within these pages. Case in point treating shock. It tells you to check the minimalist of details and no real information on how to rectify the situation. If your in a survival situation that information is just not going to cut it.
My biggest issue with The Ultimate Survival Manual, is I really honestly feel that it was written for those who live vicariously through TV Shows and Books and not as a serious survival guide that will help keep people alive. I think if it was written as a Tips and Tricks Guide these negatives wouldn't even be popping up. To call yourself a Ultimate Survival Guide though, I just expect much, much more. A survival Guide to me is something I should be able to rely on to help aid in my Survival. I cannot confidently do that with this book.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I did learn a couple new non survival based tips and tricks that were awesome. I would suggest reading this book ONLY if you want just a basic guide to shove on your shelves. If you are a serious survival enthusiast I would say to skip this. The Book was certainly entertaining and fun to read but don't expect more than that. I will be giving The Ultimate Survival Manual by Rich Johnson ★★★.
Review:
First off before I say anything else, I want to express that I am really critical of Survival Books before I purchase them. I as an average citizen should be able to reference the book and be able to survive by following the content inside. I do not feel that I would safely be able to keep not only myself alive but those around me with this book. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on The Ultimate Survival Manual.
The Good
The Layout- The layout of this book was great. I really liked the comic book style survival stories, it was really unique to see and I think it helps the reader better understand how the people in those situations survived.
The Diagrams- I loved how they used real photos. I read a ton of Survival Books and nothing irks me more when you see hand drawn diagrams. Sure with those you can get the basic gist, but you miss all the details that a color photograph can bring to the table.
The Bad
To much Information- I know that your thinking isn't to much better than to little? In this instance I'd rather have less information but more in depth, over what it actually contains which is to much variety and not enough detail. It's like condensing an entire encyclopedia into a Reader's Digest version. Just did not work at all. I think the reader could seriously put someones life in jeopardy if they only followed the steps within these pages. Case in point treating shock. It tells you to check the minimalist of details and no real information on how to rectify the situation. If your in a survival situation that information is just not going to cut it.
My biggest issue with The Ultimate Survival Manual, is I really honestly feel that it was written for those who live vicariously through TV Shows and Books and not as a serious survival guide that will help keep people alive. I think if it was written as a Tips and Tricks Guide these negatives wouldn't even be popping up. To call yourself a Ultimate Survival Guide though, I just expect much, much more. A survival Guide to me is something I should be able to rely on to help aid in my Survival. I cannot confidently do that with this book.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I did learn a couple new non survival based tips and tricks that were awesome. I would suggest reading this book ONLY if you want just a basic guide to shove on your shelves. If you are a serious survival enthusiast I would say to skip this. The Book was certainly entertaining and fun to read but don't expect more than that. I will be giving The Ultimate Survival Manual by Rich Johnson ★★★.
September 10, 2012
I have read a few preparedness/survival manuals and must say this is an excellent one. The layout is clean which, added to the logical order, makes the book easy to read. The author stresses a small number of basic rules and shows a sense of humor (Rule #1 for survival: Stay alive.). Survival in an urban environment is not something found in all survival manuals but the truth is that in the US many of us would be faced with exactly that situation; this is one of three sections including Wilderness and Disaster. I'm especially pleased that Ultimate Survival doesn't foster the "don't trust anyone" mindset of some such manuals. In fact, Rule #4 is "Live with integrity" which the authors say involves caring about others. In addition to providing case studies and instructions on how to deal with specific situations, there is appropriate general information about some disaster-causing events such as a volcano blowing or an earthquake or tsunami. All of this supports the basic tenets of this book: knows what's happening, know what's important, plan and follow through. To Outdoor Life and to Richard Johnson, I say well done. This is one manual I'd like to keep in my library.
Review also posted @ netgalley.com, amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and LibraryThing.com.
Review also posted @ netgalley.com, amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and LibraryThing.com.
September 11, 2012
www.2thepointbooks.blogspot.com
Can I tell you how stoked I am about this book? I am a bit obsessed with preparedness and survival techniques, so my family and I will be ready for when disaster strikes. And living under the Mt. Vesuvius (of Pompeii fame), makes being prepared not only practical, but very wise. The volcano is due for another eruption any time now. The Navy base I live on pushes preparedness constantly. Skills 164-166 deal with volcanic eruptions.
This manual doesn't just inform you about what to do when a disaster strikes - it delves into wild animal attacks, getting lost in the wilderness (all types of wildernesses) and so much more. What to eat in the woods, how to tell if it's going to rain, how to lightning-proof your house, how to stop a train (yeah, I know!!), eat roadkill and render the fat, how to navigate using stars. I mean, this book has it all, AND it's easy to read. There are even a few comic pages for those of you into that. Great illustrations.
Fabulous book, fabulous execution. I made my husband get this for me for Christmas! (And I got this for my siblings, too.) My kids like reading it, too!
THANK YOU NetGalley and Weldon Owen publishing for letting me review this book.
Can I tell you how stoked I am about this book? I am a bit obsessed with preparedness and survival techniques, so my family and I will be ready for when disaster strikes. And living under the Mt. Vesuvius (of Pompeii fame), makes being prepared not only practical, but very wise. The volcano is due for another eruption any time now. The Navy base I live on pushes preparedness constantly. Skills 164-166 deal with volcanic eruptions.
This manual doesn't just inform you about what to do when a disaster strikes - it delves into wild animal attacks, getting lost in the wilderness (all types of wildernesses) and so much more. What to eat in the woods, how to tell if it's going to rain, how to lightning-proof your house, how to stop a train (yeah, I know!!), eat roadkill and render the fat, how to navigate using stars. I mean, this book has it all, AND it's easy to read. There are even a few comic pages for those of you into that. Great illustrations.
Fabulous book, fabulous execution. I made my husband get this for me for Christmas! (And I got this for my siblings, too.) My kids like reading it, too!
THANK YOU NetGalley and Weldon Owen publishing for letting me review this book.
July 18, 2013
www.2thepointbooks.blogspot.com
Can I tell you how stoked I am about this book? I am a bit obsessed with preparedness and survival techniques, so my family and I will be ready for when disaster strikes. And living under the Mt. Vesuvius (of Pompeii fame), makes being prepared not only practical, but very wise. The volcano is due for another eruption any time now. The Navy base I live on pushes preparedness constantly. Skills 164-166 deal with volcanic eruptions.
This manual doesn't just inform you about what to do when a disaster strikes - it delves into wild animal attacks, getting lost in the wilderness (all types of wildernesses) and so much more. What to eat in the woods, how to tell if it's going to rain, how to lightning-proof your house, how to stop a train (yeah, I know!!), eat roadkill and render the fat, how to navigate using stars. I mean, this book has it all, AND it's easy to read. There are even a few comic pages for those of you into that. Great illustrations.
Fabulous book, fabulous execution. I made my husband get this for me for Christmas! (And I got this for my siblings, too.) My kids like reading it, too!
THANK YOU NetGalley and Weldon Owen publishing for letting me review this book.
Can I tell you how stoked I am about this book? I am a bit obsessed with preparedness and survival techniques, so my family and I will be ready for when disaster strikes. And living under the Mt. Vesuvius (of Pompeii fame), makes being prepared not only practical, but very wise. The volcano is due for another eruption any time now. The Navy base I live on pushes preparedness constantly. Skills 164-166 deal with volcanic eruptions.
This manual doesn't just inform you about what to do when a disaster strikes - it delves into wild animal attacks, getting lost in the wilderness (all types of wildernesses) and so much more. What to eat in the woods, how to tell if it's going to rain, how to lightning-proof your house, how to stop a train (yeah, I know!!), eat roadkill and render the fat, how to navigate using stars. I mean, this book has it all, AND it's easy to read. There are even a few comic pages for those of you into that. Great illustrations.
Fabulous book, fabulous execution. I made my husband get this for me for Christmas! (And I got this for my siblings, too.) My kids like reading it, too!
THANK YOU NetGalley and Weldon Owen publishing for letting me review this book.
May 30, 2016
Great book on preparedness and survival. The focus is on skills and actions to escape various situations and avoid trouble, also helping loved ones or bystanders do the same. It includes preparedness basics, wilderness situations, urban survival (mostly crime situations), specific natural disasters. The book has a high visual appeal, beautiful photos, and good organization so you can read a bit at a time and choose any topic you want or just browse. The tips are usually brief but some of the more likely disasters do have a whole page dedicated to them, others are just a few lines. Many of the situations are very likely, others are probably not at all likely for most people. Overall I think this is a great book for anyone, both those who spend a lot of time outdoors and those who do not.
July 5, 2013
I found the suggestions to be occasionally interesting, but often they were incomplete and inadequate (for example, "get to a hospital" was a continuous suggestion).
An example of an inadequate suggestion: they said that if you are dying of thirst that you can drink your own urine, as long as you filter it. But there were no instructions as to what to filter it with and what is considered a good filter. And what exactly is supposed to be filtered out that is bad? If the ammonia, then how? And, if I am in the ocean, can I use my clothes as a filter?
Most of the suggestions were like this: incomplete enough to be useless to somebody like me who does not know anything at all about survival techniques.
An example of an inadequate suggestion: they said that if you are dying of thirst that you can drink your own urine, as long as you filter it. But there were no instructions as to what to filter it with and what is considered a good filter. And what exactly is supposed to be filtered out that is bad? If the ammonia, then how? And, if I am in the ocean, can I use my clothes as a filter?
Most of the suggestions were like this: incomplete enough to be useless to somebody like me who does not know anything at all about survival techniques.
October 28, 2013
I thought that this survival guide was very informative for someone who knows about the wild or would also be easy enough for someone that isn't used to being in the outdoors to learn about survival techniques. The book had many different types of survival techniques anywhere from ways to survive a bear attack from different ways to start a fire. It also tells about important gear you would want to take in order to survive many different situation. I thought that it was interesting enough to keep the reader from quitting halfway through. I would recommend this book to somebody who is interested in the outdoors and want to learn different types of survival techniques.
July 9, 2012
Living in Oklahoma we always have to be ready for disaster. This guide is great with ideas and skills that will get you out alive. There were several things that I will never need like: step-by-step pick a lock, how to lose a tail,or protect your face during a sandstorm...I'm thinking I won't need this items. However, there were some very unique solutions like: make waterproof matches; judging where a tornado is heading; how to catch a squirrel for dinner; and how to build a outlet safe. This is a must read for any survivalist or a wanna-a-be survivalist.
May 4, 2014
This is the kind of book I would actually buy because it's a reference that you shouldn't read through in one sitting, but refer to over and over to refresh and reassess your knowledge. Truly varied in the situations it covers, it is a useful resource not only for Boy Scouts and outdoorsy folks, but for anyone who realizes that our way of life is a fragile network that can be thrown out of whack with one flat tire, and maybe we should have a backup plan for stuff that can come up, even if it doesn't.
December 28, 2014
A beautifully written, illustrated and bound book on a series of over 300 emergency situations and how to survive them. Most of the survival strategies seem well thought out. My big problem would be to remember what the book provided as a solution. I likely would not have the book or time to look up in the book, the solution.
None the less it is a lot of fun to read. And certainly recommended for those interested in survival ideas.
None the less it is a lot of fun to read. And certainly recommended for those interested in survival ideas.
December 19, 2017
Today I sped read three books on disaster. One of them had lots of pictures. Another was written by a Seal Team 6 author and then there is the Complete Idiot's Guide. This one has lots of pictures. Pictures make survival look so pretty and well easy to do. I now feel much better about my chances to surviving animals, being trapped in canyons, being stranded in the mountains, looking forward to a tsunami, not worrying about living close to Chernobyl, plus so much more.
May 31, 2013
Ever have those moments when you fully buy into the conspiracy theorists apocalypse of the moment? This is the book that will be your perfect companion. Be careful as you read it as at some point you are probably going to go into full MRE obtaining, cistern filling, bunker building panic. Enjoy >:)
October 19, 2014
I normally have a hard time reading informational text like this, but I found that this one was pretty easy to read. This book gives you 333 tips on how to survive in different situations, from the outdoors to city life. The author even shares some of his experiences and tells some survival stories of others. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn random tips and facts.
January 2, 2016
I know it might seem like a strange book to start off the new year with but, there was some very interesting and useful information in here. I learned some advice and tricks I had never heard of before. I know now that if there were ever a black out I could at least keep my phone charged hehe. But seriously, worth a look through you would be surprised at what may come in handy in the future.
August 30, 2012
I think this is a great book choice for boys. I think some of it is unrealistic advice for where we live, but funny as well. I would have to be pretty hungry to eat a snake or on my death bed to drink my own pee. I yes vote for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2013
If you are afraid of Zombie attacks, Bombs, Terrorists or what ever might happen, this book is a must read. It is a common sense guide with ideas of how to be prepared to "rough it" in case you, your family or your friends may someday have to do!
October 8, 2012
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway! It was a really fun book to read through. I didn't read through everything, but only just opened random pages to look at. Great coffee table or bathroom book! It is not super detailed, but gives a nice general idea on how to survive. I liked it.
November 12, 2013
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys knowing about the outdoors. In this book you can learn about how to survive any survival situation. You will learn how to survive a natural disaster to escaping a tsunami and much more.
January 26, 2014
Very useful and informative, especially with all the pictures. While this book does focus on survival, its relevance extends far beyond the type of die-hard preppers you see on TV. This book is useful to anyone, especially if you often find yourself in or near nature.
May 14, 2015
This is a silly little book, which, at one point, suggests that on a desert isle, in a pinch, coconut halves may be used as a bra.(#131) For better information, I imagine a military training text might be more useful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews