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Primitive Technology: The complete guide to making things in the wild from scratch
Disconnect from digital and reconnect with your inner caveman If there were ever a book to make you switch off the TV, unplug the gaming console and reconnect with nature, Primitive Technology is it. It will teach you the everyday skills that both the expert and the novice will need to craft resources from scratch from your natural surroundings and truly experience the wilderness. Author Primitive Technology, one of the world's most authoritative figures, has been going into the bush bare-handed for over 25 years, learning his craft from no master and developing a unique and alien approach to bushcraft not seen anywhere else. For the first time, John Plant imparts his much sought-after knowledge to show us the fundamental skills needed to build a shelter, from lighting a fire and creating an axe head to crafting a spear and making a kiln. Using step-by-step instructions and practical illustrations, this is a must-have book for anyone who wants to learn a new skill, get outdoors and reconnect with nature like never before.
- GenresNature
192 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2019
1 person is currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 27, 2020
It's been almost a year since I've finished this book, but I've been meaning to write a review this entire time. I'll also use this opportunity to subtract one more star from the rating.
I've picked this book up because I liked John Plant's Youtube channel, Primitive Technology - I assume that's the case with most of the book's buyers. I expected this book to be a good companion to that channel, and to serve as a summary and an offline guide to some of the useful tech.
The cover is really pretty, visually and to the touch. Looks really well done and enticing. And that is the only good thing about this disaster of a book.
The visual quality is just atrocious. You'd get the exact same result if you went over the videos, copy-pasted crappy screenshots into a word document, and pasted a few lines from subtitles as image commentary. My favourite parts are the big photos, blown up to take full 2 pages - in at least one case they show Plant's hands, but the thing you're actually supposed to be looking at is in the gutter and can't be seen at all.
There are a few complex guides that could really use more detailed explanations, notes, or close up images - you get none.
Last but definitely not least, there are absolutely no supplemental materials of any sort. And this is the sort of book where are so many good options! If he elected to include some basic knots, or some advanced knots he recommends to hold up roofing beams for instance, the book's utility would be greatly improved, and it wouldn't even be that hard to add. But no.
Don't buy this; don't gift this to anyone. Maybe go and watch his YT channel instead.
I've picked this book up because I liked John Plant's Youtube channel, Primitive Technology - I assume that's the case with most of the book's buyers. I expected this book to be a good companion to that channel, and to serve as a summary and an offline guide to some of the useful tech.
The cover is really pretty, visually and to the touch. Looks really well done and enticing. And that is the only good thing about this disaster of a book.
The visual quality is just atrocious. You'd get the exact same result if you went over the videos, copy-pasted crappy screenshots into a word document, and pasted a few lines from subtitles as image commentary. My favourite parts are the big photos, blown up to take full 2 pages - in at least one case they show Plant's hands, but the thing you're actually supposed to be looking at is in the gutter and can't be seen at all.
There are a few complex guides that could really use more detailed explanations, notes, or close up images - you get none.
Last but definitely not least, there are absolutely no supplemental materials of any sort. And this is the sort of book where are so many good options! If he elected to include some basic knots, or some advanced knots he recommends to hold up roofing beams for instance, the book's utility would be greatly improved, and it wouldn't even be that hard to add. But no.
Don't buy this; don't gift this to anyone. Maybe go and watch his YT channel instead.
Displaying 1 of 1 review