OUTDOOR SURVIVAL SKILLS
This book is arguably the inspiration of many practitioners getting into primitive skills in the 70s and 80s. Originally published in 1969. The book offers a wide range of how to do primitive skills and crafts from fire making to shelter building. This book is considered a staple for beginners who want to learn the basics of primitive living. While it does offer more advanced skills there are other options that will suit the need of an experienced primitive. Give this to the children who show interest in the outdoors or your friend who studies archeology and anthropology. I really believe this is the starter book for everyone.
Outdoor survival skills is one of the top rated primitive skills books in the world and will continue to guide people back in time. I do believe this book was a major step in the modern revival of primitive living.
About the author in my own words.
I did not know larry olsen, though without him many of the instructors i have met likely would be on a different path. This likely would have resulted in less information available for learning and less schools to choose from for learning.
Larry was a professor at BYU a college in Utah. It was there that Larry created a program to help college students who were not doing so well get back on track by taking them into the wilderness for 30 days. Eventually This program would be the inspiration for the founding of Boulder Outdoor Survival Skills by one of Larry's instructors. Larry was also the Co founder of the Anasazi Foundation a non profit in Mesa, Arizona. A wilderness therapy program that takes children and young adults who are experiencing hardship into the backcountry as a way to guide them into self awareness, self appreciation, the love of nature and the world, and to just be there for them.
You can check out the Anasazi Foundation here
Larry lived from january 23, 1939 - December 26th, 2018
This is actually a book composed of several books that John and Geri wrote put together into one book. This is a primitive living book and is very detailed in most of the subjects it contains. Most notable would be the brain tan buckskin, fire making and flint knapping. This is a great book for people wanting deeper explanations of skills, It has good pictures and not just line drawings. The Authors of the book are well respected in the primitive skills community and this book is recommended to any serious primitives. It is written in a way that the Author is talking directly to you. There is really good information about processing deer. and making hunting tools such as bows and arrows.
About the authors in my own words.
I do not really know them personally though i have talked with John a couple of times, I do know that John and Geri Mcpherson were primitive skills instructors and taught several of todays most known instructors at some point or another. They produced several videos and two books covering various primitive skills.
Geri Mcpherson lived from September 11, 1942- january 21, 2022. She met John at the rabbitstick gathering in the 80s.
John and Geri were partially responsible for me going primitive as their book was my first Primitive skills book.
-Sam Smith
Easily a favorite for flavor in Survival and Primitive skills participating in Nature is a great book for starters and the advanced alike. This book covers so many cool skills like bedroll packs and pack frames, felting with wool, quick bows and bone arrowheads, sinews, hide glue, trapping, fishing by hand, water purification, birch bark canisters, willow baskets, primitive pottery, wooden containers, cordage, stalking skills, simple stone knives, flint & steel, bowdrill and handdrill fire-starting. The skills that made this a favorate were the ones that stood out and were meant for more than just survival like twig deer, tire sandals, and log drums. The book offers information on plants and it also has a very personal feel to it. Tom really tries to tell you the story behind the skills being done and offers personal insight on a lot of subjects. It is easily one of my favorite books and i often refer back to it to refreshen my memory on subjects before I start on them. Everytime i open the book i find it hard to put it down for a while.
About the Author in my own words
Thomas Elpel is an author, botanist, survival and primitive skills instructor/practicionor, Go green guru, and so much more. Botany in a day is only one of many books Tom has written. Tom is a good friend, mentor, role model, And teacher. I spent time at his school in Montana and had some of the best experiences of my life all while learning along the way. If there were more Toms in the world it sure would be a much better place! You can checkout all Tom has to offer right here
-Sam Smith