What do you think?
Rate this book
National Geographic Complete Survival Manual
National Geographic Complete Survival Manual is the most comprehensive, authoritative, and user-friendly reference of its kind—and the only one with firsthand advice from the experts at National Geographic and four of the top organizations of emergency preparedness. Beginning with the basics of survival, the book then focuses on how to survive in six of the world’s most hazardous environments—from building a snow fort if you’re lost in a blizzard, to surviving a rattlesnake bite in the desert, to navigating safely through the dense rainforest.
The manual also offers essential instructions for weathering eight different natural disasters, from hurricanes and tornadoes to earthquakes and forest fires, including an entire chapter on home-based survival. Plus, ten National Geographic explorers, photographers, and scientists, candidly share their own near-death stories and how they lived to tell them.
Each chapter is full of detailed, custom-drawn illustrations that lay out how-tos in easy to follow steps. Bulleted lists, first-person stories, a glossary, cross-referencing, an appendix, and an index round out the reference features. With 200 color photographs and maps, and a durable, waterproof cover, this vital reference is a necessity for families, seniors, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who needs to know what to do in a real emergency situation.
The manual also offers essential instructions for weathering eight different natural disasters, from hurricanes and tornadoes to earthquakes and forest fires, including an entire chapter on home-based survival. Plus, ten National Geographic explorers, photographers, and scientists, candidly share their own near-death stories and how they lived to tell them.
Each chapter is full of detailed, custom-drawn illustrations that lay out how-tos in easy to follow steps. Bulleted lists, first-person stories, a glossary, cross-referencing, an appendix, and an index round out the reference features. With 200 color photographs and maps, and a durable, waterproof cover, this vital reference is a necessity for families, seniors, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who needs to know what to do in a real emergency situation.
398 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 2009
30 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 23, 2018
The Complete Survival Manual is a collection of techniques and skills necessary to Survive in the Wild. Printed by National Geographic, this book is displayed in beautiful technicolor. As in the previous books on this subject that I have read, this book begins by emphasizing preparedness. If you are prepared for something to happen, it won’t surprise you, and if you are not surprised, then you are less likely to die out in the wild. Having the right mindset is paramount as well.
The book divides the techniques by region. Take going to sea for example. You should know where you are going, and how to identify edible fish and so on. It is also essential to secure a source of potable water. Throughout the book are stories of survival against all odds. These narrative accounts are really inspiring and interesting. It even contains information on how to prepare for Natural Disasters. Say a Tornado is bearing down on your house. Well, in that case, it would probably be too late to read this book, but there is a section on what to do.
The book divides the techniques by region. Take going to sea for example. You should know where you are going, and how to identify edible fish and so on. It is also essential to secure a source of potable water. Throughout the book are stories of survival against all odds. These narrative accounts are really inspiring and interesting. It even contains information on how to prepare for Natural Disasters. Say a Tornado is bearing down on your house. Well, in that case, it would probably be too late to read this book, but there is a section on what to do.
December 14, 2016
Field guides aren't exactly page turners, but I rate this one highly for two reasons. First, it's especially concise and practical. It would be worthy as the one book to grab for any unknown scenario. Second, the personal stories at the end of each chapter are engaging and bring a realism to all the practical know how.
August 9, 2019
I go camping and hiking all the time, and this type of learning, I think, is just so cool! My dad taught me a lot, and this is like icing on the cake! Or the camera to my dangerous animal encounters--so amazing!
November 19, 2023
This was actually quite readable, though its strength is as a reference.
Read
November 19, 2015Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society.
Reviewed by: Kelly Cundiff
Reference Type: Handbook
Call Number: 613.69
ISBN 13: 978-1-4262-0389-3
Content/Scope: This is a handbook that covers basic survival needs. It discusses different types of environments and the things you might need to know if you were going camping or were stranded by accident. It provides tips for ways to build shelter, ways to provide necessary first aid, and ways to identify what is safe to eat.
Accuracy/Authority: The National Geographic Society is a reputable publishing company that verifies any facts printed. However, they have included a disclaimer to keep them from being held responsible were someone to use these tips and encounter difficulty or tragedy.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is organized in chapters by the different environments. They provided specific information about food and shelters for a desert as opposed to what would work for temperate forest. The final chapters cover how to survive natural disasters if you are not in the safety of you home.
Relation to other works: This is typical to other survival books, however, the library does not currently have an authoritative source on survival skills.
Accessibility/Diversity: This book is written for teens and adults, so it is appropriate for a high school library. It is easy to read with images and text boxes to catch the reader’s eye. It is appropriate for all students.
Cost: $29.95
Professional Review: Books in Print. (2014). Annotations Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society. Retrieved November 19 from http://www.booksinprint.com.libsrv.wk...
Reviewed by: Kelly Cundiff
Reference Type: Handbook
Call Number: 613.69
ISBN 13: 978-1-4262-0389-3
Content/Scope: This is a handbook that covers basic survival needs. It discusses different types of environments and the things you might need to know if you were going camping or were stranded by accident. It provides tips for ways to build shelter, ways to provide necessary first aid, and ways to identify what is safe to eat.
Accuracy/Authority: The National Geographic Society is a reputable publishing company that verifies any facts printed. However, they have included a disclaimer to keep them from being held responsible were someone to use these tips and encounter difficulty or tragedy.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is organized in chapters by the different environments. They provided specific information about food and shelters for a desert as opposed to what would work for temperate forest. The final chapters cover how to survive natural disasters if you are not in the safety of you home.
Relation to other works: This is typical to other survival books, however, the library does not currently have an authoritative source on survival skills.
Accessibility/Diversity: This book is written for teens and adults, so it is appropriate for a high school library. It is easy to read with images and text boxes to catch the reader’s eye. It is appropriate for all students.
Cost: $29.95
Professional Review: Books in Print. (2014). Annotations Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society. Retrieved November 19 from http://www.booksinprint.com.libsrv.wk...
April 21, 2015
Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society.
Citation by: Chris Scherer
Type of Reference: Handbook
Call Number:613.6 SWE 2009
Content/Scope: The book is a manual on how to survive in the wilderness and different environments. It has tips for build in shelters, eating plants, packing needs, first aid and clothes to wear. This would work for people preparing for camping trips or taking a class in first aid or environmental science.
Accuracy/Authority: The National Geographic Society verifies facts and only highers credible people for their writings. They have a disclaimer on the back of the title page about not being responsible for individuals using their books and not surviving or having issues.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is broken into chapters based on environments like deserts and temperate forests. Each chapter includes information on how to build shelter and find food/water in the natural environment. The last couple chapters deal with natural events such as blizzards and how to survive them outside your home.
Relation to other works: This book is a stand alone, but it is similar in content to other survival books.
Accessibility/Diversity: The book is written in an easy to read format with many tips and text boxes to add to the information. It is for teens-adults.
Cost: $29.95
Professional Review: Books in Print. (2014). Annotations
Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society.
http://www.booksinprint.com.libsrv.wk...
Citation by: Chris Scherer
Type of Reference: Handbook
Call Number:613.6 SWE 2009
Content/Scope: The book is a manual on how to survive in the wilderness and different environments. It has tips for build in shelters, eating plants, packing needs, first aid and clothes to wear. This would work for people preparing for camping trips or taking a class in first aid or environmental science.
Accuracy/Authority: The National Geographic Society verifies facts and only highers credible people for their writings. They have a disclaimer on the back of the title page about not being responsible for individuals using their books and not surviving or having issues.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is broken into chapters based on environments like deserts and temperate forests. Each chapter includes information on how to build shelter and find food/water in the natural environment. The last couple chapters deal with natural events such as blizzards and how to survive them outside your home.
Relation to other works: This book is a stand alone, but it is similar in content to other survival books.
Accessibility/Diversity: The book is written in an easy to read format with many tips and text boxes to add to the information. It is for teens-adults.
Cost: $29.95
Professional Review: Books in Print. (2014). Annotations
Sweeney, M. (2009). National geographic complete survival manual. Washington, D.C.:National Geographic Society.
http://www.booksinprint.com.libsrv.wk...
June 11, 2013
This book is the most friendly to understand and most basic survival book i have ever read. However, it only teaches the absolute basics needed for survival in each environmental settings it covers. This book ranges from temperate forest to urban storms and disasters. Each chapter is about 30 pages so it is very fast and easy to read, but because each chapter is so short it only covers the “need to know” basics. I am no survival expert myself but some of the “survival tips” they give in this book seems kind of silly. For example they advise you to drink as much water as you need and worry about getting more later. This seemed silly because i need to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated at all time but if i was on the roof of my house because of a gutter high flood where else will i get water?. Maybe it was just me but i did not understand the logic in that “survival tip”. Overall it was very fun book to read and i would recommend it to all who want to know a little more about survival.
January 23, 2016
This is a collection of basic survival information published by National Geographic. The skills are rudimentary and in most instances designed for groups with some kind of backup support. Geared toward members of expeditions it does not expand for outdoorsmen such as hunters and fishermen. There is information about surviving ing various climates and basics such as planning, shelter, and water are addressed. It is useful for the novice but some of the military survival manuals should be used in conduction with it.
April 1, 2011
Technically I didnt read the whole book... But it's more of a reference book anyway. I'll keep it handy in the case of a hurricane or something. The book assumes that you have all the supplies necessary to survive so if I'm ever in a plane crash and I land on a desert island I'm totally doomed. However, if you're on a hike and you bring the right supplies it's really helpful.
June 19, 2011
Excellent resource.
August 14, 2016
Not a survival guide like the one by Mykel Hawke. The chapter on food started off like this: Well there are plenty of things...
December 25, 2013
I enjoyed the stories of survival that went along with the advise.
June 27, 2014
Even if you don't plan to ski to the North Pole, this is an interesting, well written book. Information runs from hiking to home. I'd be very surprised if you learned nothing from this.
September 15, 2016
Super informative and gives good insight as to how people survived unfortunate situations, that can be all too common, in the wilderness
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews