JWR of Survival Blog has released 5 years worth of his blog archives in a searchable form on CD.
Although many are not applicable to UK survival the majority are applicable anywhere.
If you are interested you can find the CD available to purchase from Lulu.com.
It’s also available for the Amazon Kindle, £7.07.
I have a Kindle and am gradually building up survival literature on it. If I have to bug out on foot it will go in my backpack easily. I prefer “real” books but they just aren’t an option for carrying, I have far more essential items filling my bag. One charge lasts about a month and I have a solar charger which can run it and several other gadgets, none of which are, in my opinion, as potentially valuable as the Kindle. It holds about 3,500 books: what size van would you need for the paper versions and what would they do to your fuel consumption?!?
In this case there are no real books so a CD for PC or a Kindle like system are your options. I have not decided on mine yet.
However, where you have choices I’m suggesting that you get critical books in paper.
1) You don’t want all your eggs (books) in one basket.
2) It is difficult to share books so in the event of a serious accident a first aid book can be shared, disassembled even, to get information out.
3) Books don’t go blank when you are up to your arms in some minor surgery.
Sure they are heavy but so is six months worth of food for one person.
Personally, Kindle (or equiv) with books on plus paper books for key areas. Whatever you can afford, have room for, want.
Yes, I do have an extensive “paper” library with many subjects covered but am trying to duplicate as much of the information as possible onto the Kindle (plus ipod, netbook, laptop). It’s just so portable in a way books are not, so for me it’s a desirable item for my survival kit. Of course, if we have to, or are able to, stay put then I have both options but for leaving in a hurry on foot the books will be left behind.
My objection is that JWR wants $20 for something that effectively costs less than $1. He seems to make a very comfortable income off what he does.
You are correct Skvez, which is how he can sit at his ranch surrounded by enough “survival kit” to supply an army. Depending on your point of view Rawles can be seen as a rip-off merchant or an astute businessman. Either way the archives contain a wealth of knowledge, though whether it’s worth £7 to me I’m not sure, especially as so much is aimed at an american audience.
Moosedog,
As will my library if push comes to shove. I think we are doing the same things.
Skvez/Moosedog,
We all have to earn a living and £7 for what is in there is worth it imo. It’s the cost of two cheap paperbacks and there is a lot of data still applicable to the UK. If you want to you could go to his site and D/L it all for free anyway. The £7 is for the format and having the work done for you.
Skean Dhude: I agree that there is a lot of information applicable to the UK but I get put off by the american obsession with firearms. In my opinion they have no place in a survival scenario. Please consider:
Against an enemy force: as soon as you discharge your weapon you have given away your position and will most likely be met with a hail of bullets, rocks, bottles, molotov cocktails, whatever they have to hand.
When hunting: any animal or bird you don’t cleanly hit with your first shot will run, or fly, away. So if you didn’t bag your game first time you’ll be going hungry for a while.
The only practical purpose I can see for having firearms is for defending your position, however taking in to account the high number of deaths and injuries due to accidents I’d say guns are more trouble than they’re worth.
I know I could just ignore the posts I don’t like but I’d probably end up throwing the Kindle at my dog in frustration and he’d think it was a great game!
Moosedog,
Fair enough. To each their own. I think they do have an important place even in the UK.
1) Enemy force. Well that is what magazines are for.
2) Prey escaping. That is what practise is for. You don’t want to be missing after spending time stalking or waiting for something to eat to arrive. If you use a bow, crossbow, air rifle, rifle, shotgun or stones. You always have that problem. You can suppress an air rifle,rifle or shotgun easily enough so that only the immediate area can hear it.
3) If they were not any good at defending your position why does every defensive structure have slots for guns?
4) Don’t do that. Just don’t search for firearm related posts.
Weapons have been used for centuries to kill food. It even happens here in the UK although we don’t have the land for the samelevel as the US. It isn’t going to stop and will increase in a survival situation.