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Man vs. Wild: Survival Techniques from the Most Dangerous Places on Earth
In Man vs. Wild , Bear Grylls demonstrates all manner of survival techniques when faced with nature's extremes--from crossing piranha-infested rivers to fighting off grizzly bears. He shows us how, armed with the correct know-how and a determination to stay alive, all of us have the potential to beat the elements in even the bleakest of situations. Bear Grylls is the ultimate modern-day adventurer. He spent three years with the British Special Forces (21 SAS), only leaving when a near-fatal parachuting accident broke his back in three places. Just two years later, Grylls followed his childhood dream and became one of the youngest climbers ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He is the host of the Discovery Channel series Man vs. Wild , where viewers tune in to watch Grylls show what it takes to find your way out of the most inhospitable places on earth with little more than the clothes on your back. Now, in his book, he shows his millions of fans worldwide how to do what he does in an utterly entertaining crash course in surviving every kind of hard ecosystem--mountain, sub-zero terrain, jungle, desert, and the sea. Grylls takes readers on a journey to the corners of the earth and recreates disaster scenarios such as being stranded on a desert island or lost in the snowy Arctic. Perfect for armchair adventurers and extreme sports buffs alike, Man vs. Wild is destined to become a classic in adventure literature. Prepare to learn how to ... Snack on maggotsDig yourself a shelter from the snowSuck the fluid from fish eyeballsSkin a snake and eat itUse your own urine to cool yourself downLive without your cell phone "When disaster strikes and we find ourselves alone in an unknown and hostile environment, why do some people survive and others perish Almost all of the most extraordinary tales of survival seem to involve an indefinable Ingredient X, which can only be understood as having its source in that mysterious entity, the `human spirit.'"
--Bear Grylls, Man vs. Wild
--Bear Grylls, Man vs. Wild
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
21 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Bear Grylls
316 books969 followersBear Grylls has become known around the world as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. His journey to this acclaim started in the UK on the Isle of Wight, where his late father taught him to climb and sail. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Bear went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, serving with 21 SAS. It was here that he perfected many of the skills that his fans all over the world enjoy watching him pit against mother-nature. Despite a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa, where he broke his back in three places, and after enduring months in military rehabilitation, Bear went on to become one of the youngest ever climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Bear went on to star in Discovery Channel's Emmy nominated Man Vs Wild and Born Survivor TV series, which has become one of the most watched shows on the planet. Off screen, Bear has lead record-breaking expeditions, from Antarctica to the Arctic, which in turn have raised over £2.5million for children around the world. In recognition of his expertise and service, Bear was appointed as the youngest ever Chief Scout to 28 million Scouts worldwide, awarded an honorary commission as a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy, and has authored 10 books, including To My Sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 6, 2016
This book is more detailed than Survive! by Les Stroud, the host of Survivorman television show. Both books are well written but they serve different purposes. This book is more extreme, as if the author considers the experience an adventure to make more challenging each time.
However, I read this book because of the important details about snow environments. (These comments would also apply to any other region. I am using this as an example). Besides explaining how to travel in snow, he shows many more options of snow structures. He includes important details such as not building the entrance on the lee side (counter intuitive because our natural choice would be to have the entrance out of the wind.) But the lee side will have a lot more snowdrift and make exiting more difficult. He also explains building fires inside a snow cave, having adequate ventilation, having emergency poles already buried in the wall to be able to create another ventilation shaft quickly, and 20-minute emergency structures.
He shows how to melt snow on a stake to make water (snow heated in a cup will evaporate because most of the snow is air). He explains how to ice fish without tools by building a fire on the ice to make a hole and filling it with spruce boughs so it does not freeze at night. You also then have a water supply that does not need to be melted from snow.
He explains how to keep dry by shaking snow off before you enter the cave so it does not melt. He tells you if you fall through the ice to take off your clothes, roll them in powdery snow to dry them out and then put them back on. If it is really cold, let the clothes freeze off your body and then smash them to get rid of the water. Then put them back on and keep moving until body heat dries them out.
Sounds extreme, but this author shows through pictures what he describes. He has fallen through ice at least 4 times. He also gives examples of people who have fallen off an ice floe, then kept alive by walking for the next 12 hours around the floe until his body heat dried his clothes.
So his advice comes from real experience.
Each chapter is equally thorough. I would read Survive! to get an overview of basic survival methods for general knowledge. But if I knew that I was going to be in an extreme environment, I would read that section of his book that applied to it.
Knowledge makes a big difference. Our teenage daughter went on a winter camping trip with temperatures colder than -50 F. She was not able to light a fire because the snow was so deep. When she came home, her first comment was that she had been too hot. Fortunately she was dressed in layers and able to cool down. But never did she get cold. Applying knowledge of how heat is produced in her body and in the environment and how it is retained and lost in her body, in a shelter, in the wind, etc. made her trip a success. She understood and used the principles of radiation, convection and conduction in heat transfer to maximize the heat in her environment while sleeping in a 4-season tent for a week.
This was her second winter camping trip. Knowledge made the difference.
There is a lot to be learned from this book. No detail was omitted. I take from the book what works for me. I can go ice fishing and eat fish. Maybe even raw. But scorpions and termites... I'd rather not... But I have eaten some bad tasting things on survival trips; I had no idea that so much nutrition in places that we pass by daily. There are color photographs of everything that he lists both edible and poisonous. He explains the best way to eat each item, whether raw or dried or cooked.
I would rather know this information and not have to use it, than need it and not know it.
This book is worth reading.
However, I read this book because of the important details about snow environments. (These comments would also apply to any other region. I am using this as an example). Besides explaining how to travel in snow, he shows many more options of snow structures. He includes important details such as not building the entrance on the lee side (counter intuitive because our natural choice would be to have the entrance out of the wind.) But the lee side will have a lot more snowdrift and make exiting more difficult. He also explains building fires inside a snow cave, having adequate ventilation, having emergency poles already buried in the wall to be able to create another ventilation shaft quickly, and 20-minute emergency structures.
He shows how to melt snow on a stake to make water (snow heated in a cup will evaporate because most of the snow is air). He explains how to ice fish without tools by building a fire on the ice to make a hole and filling it with spruce boughs so it does not freeze at night. You also then have a water supply that does not need to be melted from snow.
He explains how to keep dry by shaking snow off before you enter the cave so it does not melt. He tells you if you fall through the ice to take off your clothes, roll them in powdery snow to dry them out and then put them back on. If it is really cold, let the clothes freeze off your body and then smash them to get rid of the water. Then put them back on and keep moving until body heat dries them out.
Sounds extreme, but this author shows through pictures what he describes. He has fallen through ice at least 4 times. He also gives examples of people who have fallen off an ice floe, then kept alive by walking for the next 12 hours around the floe until his body heat dried his clothes.
So his advice comes from real experience.
Each chapter is equally thorough. I would read Survive! to get an overview of basic survival methods for general knowledge. But if I knew that I was going to be in an extreme environment, I would read that section of his book that applied to it.
Knowledge makes a big difference. Our teenage daughter went on a winter camping trip with temperatures colder than -50 F. She was not able to light a fire because the snow was so deep. When she came home, her first comment was that she had been too hot. Fortunately she was dressed in layers and able to cool down. But never did she get cold. Applying knowledge of how heat is produced in her body and in the environment and how it is retained and lost in her body, in a shelter, in the wind, etc. made her trip a success. She understood and used the principles of radiation, convection and conduction in heat transfer to maximize the heat in her environment while sleeping in a 4-season tent for a week.
This was her second winter camping trip. Knowledge made the difference.
There is a lot to be learned from this book. No detail was omitted. I take from the book what works for me. I can go ice fishing and eat fish. Maybe even raw. But scorpions and termites... I'd rather not... But I have eaten some bad tasting things on survival trips; I had no idea that so much nutrition in places that we pass by daily. There are color photographs of everything that he lists both edible and poisonous. He explains the best way to eat each item, whether raw or dried or cooked.
I would rather know this information and not have to use it, than need it and not know it.
This book is worth reading.
February 21, 2016
Bērnībā man bija tāda `Jauno tūristu rokasgrāmata`, kuru neskaitāmas reizes biju pārlasījis, iepazīstoties ar dažnedažādākajām lietām, kuras varētu būt noderīgas, piemēram, pārgājienos ar teltīm un dzīvei dabā. Bērs Grils savā izdzīvošanas grāmatā šo manu tieksmi spēt būt pašpietiekamam pacēlis jaunā līmenī. Skaidrs, ka pamatlietas par izdzīvošanu ārkārtas apstākļos būtu jāzina ikvienam, jo nekad nevaram zināt, kad vieni paši tiksim izskaloti vientuļā salā.
Grāmatā atrodami ļoti daudz un izsmeļoši padomi izdzīvošanai piecos mūsu planētas skarbākajos apgabalos - kalnos, aukstajos apgabalos, džungļos, tuksnešos un jūrā. Tāpat doti arī vispārīgi padomi, kas noderēs ikvienā situācijā. Visu lasīju ar interesi, bet jāatzīst, ka daudz ko nespēšu atcerēties, jo informācijas apjoms bijis milzīgs (piemēram, kādas daļas no kādiem augiem kuros planētas apgabalos ir ēdamas un kādā veidā). Jātic vien autoram - šī teksta gabalus vēlams pārlasīt atkal un atkal, arvien nostiprinot šo informāciju atmiņā. Bet neiztikt arī bez praktiskajiem eksperimentiem.
Esmu nolēmis apgūt mezglu siešanas tehniku, iemācoties pāris noderīgus mezglu siešanas veidus. Tāpat jau sen esmu gribējis mēģināt iegūt uguni bez sērkoku palīdzības. Atgādiniet man to ik pa laikam, lai neaizmirstu!
Grāmatā atrodami ļoti daudz un izsmeļoši padomi izdzīvošanai piecos mūsu planētas skarbākajos apgabalos - kalnos, aukstajos apgabalos, džungļos, tuksnešos un jūrā. Tāpat doti arī vispārīgi padomi, kas noderēs ikvienā situācijā. Visu lasīju ar interesi, bet jāatzīst, ka daudz ko nespēšu atcerēties, jo informācijas apjoms bijis milzīgs (piemēram, kādas daļas no kādiem augiem kuros planētas apgabalos ir ēdamas un kādā veidā). Jātic vien autoram - šī teksta gabalus vēlams pārlasīt atkal un atkal, arvien nostiprinot šo informāciju atmiņā. Bet neiztikt arī bez praktiskajiem eksperimentiem.
Esmu nolēmis apgūt mezglu siešanas tehniku, iemācoties pāris noderīgus mezglu siešanas veidus. Tāpat jau sen esmu gribējis mēģināt iegūt uguni bez sērkoku palīdzības. Atgādiniet man to ik pa laikam, lai neaizmirstu!
December 10, 2008
Never heard of this guy before [we don't have cable TV] but apparently he has a show on Discovery channel regarding wilderness adventures. As someone whose idea of danger is reading WHILE walking to the subway station, I can't say that I'll be using his tips for staying oriented when lost in the desert, killing and eating non-poisonous snakes, etc. X 10,000 soon, but it was a fairly entertaining read.
Not a great writer, but clearly conveys his own tremendous enthusiasm for what he's doing. Reading students' comments on ratemyprofessors.com about myself and my colleagues, and reflecting on my own experiences reading/listening to others, I've become increasingly convinced that this is at least half the battle. If you sincerely believe it's important and exciting, then even if reader/listener doesn't start out with the same degree of intrinsic interest in the topic you can get them motivated to learn more about it.
Not a great writer, but clearly conveys his own tremendous enthusiasm for what he's doing. Reading students' comments on ratemyprofessors.com about myself and my colleagues, and reflecting on my own experiences reading/listening to others, I've become increasingly convinced that this is at least half the battle. If you sincerely believe it's important and exciting, then even if reader/listener doesn't start out with the same degree of intrinsic interest in the topic you can get them motivated to learn more about it.
September 16, 2013
I learned some very interesting things I could do to get water and survive in all different areas of the world. I liked how this book was put together with easy to understand diagrams and pictures on building fires and different ways to find shelter in different terrains and circumstances. I've watched his show and I am amazed on his knowledge of survival. I hope I never have to live off bugs to survive but atleast now I know which ones taste the best raw. LOL!
February 15, 2013
Introduction is the best part of the book, and it's always fun to read survival books. Bear's philosophy in the introduction is beautiful, poetic, and inspiring.
August 7, 2008
Based on the TV Series - Born Survivor - gives you hints on how to survive on different conditions: desert, jungle, mountains, sea. If you've seen the TV show you'll recall plenty of the situations described in this book. Nevertheless it's quite interesting to learn simple but useful techniques on making a shelter, finding food, water, orientation. I particularly enjoyed the desert scenario where one must always keep in mind if the action about to be taken is worth the water you loose.
Whatever the case, always remember the rule of 3s: 3 hours without decent protection from extreme heat or cold; 3 days without water; 3 weeks without food. So set your priorities straight!
Whatever the case, always remember the rule of 3s: 3 hours without decent protection from extreme heat or cold; 3 days without water; 3 weeks without food. So set your priorities straight!
Want to read
July 2, 2008Mmm... full color Bear photos...
August 21, 2024
Absolutely lit my inner man survival fire. Am now bear's no.1 stan. Recommend to anyone with an unlit survival fire this will really make you shine bright like a diamond
September 19, 2018
In my opinion, it reads more like a textbook then anything else. I found it to have TONS of great, practical information about survival situations.
The text is fairly small, and there is a LOT of detailed descriptions of various scenarios and envirmoments that you may someday have to survive in. I found it to be unlike his show in that it is NOT reckless and does NOT demonstrate improper survival techniques. There is a LOT of QUALITY information on survival in this book, along with great color photographs and some Bear anecdotes scattered throughout. I own several other survival books, and this one isn't my favorite, but it definitely has it's place as a valuable resource amongst them. Worth checkin' out if you're into survival type stuff and/or into Bear Grylls. I bought my copy "used," which, if you're unsure like I was, is a safe bet.
Not just marketing hype or poorly written, actually very good!
The text is fairly small, and there is a LOT of detailed descriptions of various scenarios and envirmoments that you may someday have to survive in. I found it to be unlike his show in that it is NOT reckless and does NOT demonstrate improper survival techniques. There is a LOT of QUALITY information on survival in this book, along with great color photographs and some Bear anecdotes scattered throughout. I own several other survival books, and this one isn't my favorite, but it definitely has it's place as a valuable resource amongst them. Worth checkin' out if you're into survival type stuff and/or into Bear Grylls. I bought my copy "used," which, if you're unsure like I was, is a safe bet.
Not just marketing hype or poorly written, actually very good!
November 3, 2011
The category this book fits into on the bingo board is a book about survival.
I decided to read this book because i like watching the TV series and cause it shows more in the book than the TV series on how to survive in the wild.
what i liked about the book was its tips on what amazing things you can make in the forests,bushes etc
with just the supplies you have in the forest,bushes etc.I also liked the way he expresses himself by traveling over many obstacles throughout the book.
what i didn't like about the book was it was a bit long and took me several days to read it.
I would recommend this book to travelers who wanting to know how to survive in wild alone and people who are wanting to follow in the same footsteps as Bear Grylls.
I decided to read this book because i like watching the TV series and cause it shows more in the book than the TV series on how to survive in the wild.
what i liked about the book was its tips on what amazing things you can make in the forests,bushes etc
with just the supplies you have in the forest,bushes etc.I also liked the way he expresses himself by traveling over many obstacles throughout the book.
what i didn't like about the book was it was a bit long and took me several days to read it.
I would recommend this book to travelers who wanting to know how to survive in wild alone and people who are wanting to follow in the same footsteps as Bear Grylls.
April 19, 2010
Bear is great. After watching several seasons of Man vs. Wild, i found out he was an author. This is the first book of his i have read. Many of the techniques discussed he demonstrated during the shows so it was redundant, however there was several adaptations of shelters and fires that were new. I am looking forward to reading more of a story book from Bear rather than a survival guide, but he sure knows what it takes to survive.
May 20, 2016
This guy is a showman, and he is not a survival expert. He does everything for shock value. The book has some good survival info in it, but I've got tons of other books that have the same information in them. He didn't break any new ground about survival. I find Cody Lundin, and Creek Stewart much more knowledgeable. Id trust both them with my life, but I wouldn't Bear Grylls.
May 7, 2017
Another awesome advices from my favourite survivalist. It gives you inspiration and the will to start to wander in the nature, to go for a walk and to think wilder.
I wasn't able to remember all of the technics but as BG mentioned in the book that takes just learning. Constant reading and repeating, remembering. Although, I think I have some basics rooted in my mind.
I wasn't able to remember all of the technics but as BG mentioned in the book that takes just learning. Constant reading and repeating, remembering. Although, I think I have some basics rooted in my mind.
June 15, 2009
Do not attempt to start a fire without matches. Have a lighter or matches at all costs! Otherwise you are out of luck.
Many other cool things in here as well. A survival textbook.
Even though people say Bear's show is a crock, the dude was SAS and those dudes rock it.
Many other cool things in here as well. A survival textbook.
Even though people say Bear's show is a crock, the dude was SAS and those dudes rock it.
June 3, 2012
I think this was really helpful and I am trying to etch this entire book into my brain just in case. It tells me about almost every aspect about what you need to do in these situations and it was fun to read too.
June 5, 2012
This was an excellent and extensive look into the most important survival techniques taught by the master, Bear Grylls. The best thing about this book was that it was filled with so much of Bear's personality that I really felt his voice, and as a fan of Bear and his show, that was a plus.
February 20, 2014
Some great tips if you ever end up in a survival situation. Some parts need to be more detailed to be useful, such as the lists of edible plants in various environments. But I suppose they have a page limit to contend with. More research would be needed to really know how to survive.
March 5, 2008
This is the perfect companion to the television series. Although this is an excellent read, and the writing is very good, I prefer the television series as Edward is just so yummy to look at!!!
July 8, 2008
Bear Grylls is crazy! His show is fascinating & his book includes alot of what he shows/does on the show. Good book for the manly-man!
February 26, 2010
Very informative and thorough. As an admirer and fan of Grylls and an outdoorsmen myself, I was eager to pick up this book and it didn't dissapoint.
December 25, 2010
omg this is sooooooo spine chilling, he once stuck a tube up his butt to get water in him. He also peed in rattle snake skin and drank it.:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
May 11, 2011
Bear Grylls is so yummy! I did learn a lot from this book. Best chapter was all the different types of shelters.
June 4, 2011
" Discovery, you now have your money maker"
-Karam Saleh :)
-Karam Saleh :)
January 14, 2012
Great stuff, particularly knots and fire.
April 6, 2012
pure awesome.
June 8, 2018
--Anatomy
October 18, 2015
I read this and now feel prepared for the apocalypse.
September 11, 2016
Ничего сверхъестественного и супер нового.
Read
May 13, 2019I liked the book there was lots of information if you happen to get stranded in the wildernesses of almost any continent on earth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews