On Your Own in the Wilderness

by Townsend Whelen, Bradford Angier, Vena Angier (Illustrator)

Good

Genres: Nonfiction

330 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

1877-1961

Reviews

[Geoffrey Benn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"On Your Own in the Wilderness," by Townsend Whelen and Bradford Angier is a classic guide to all aspects of wilderness life. The book was first published in 1958 and is based on the authors' experiences over the first half of the century - Col. Whelen as a soldier and sportsman and Angier as a homesteader in British Columbia. The book is interesting as both a historical document (Whelen advocates currently outmoded practices such as wearing cotton clothing in some situations and spraying your camp with DDT) and as a practical guide (the chapters on marksmanship/firearm selection, hunting, and land navigation are just as relevant now as they were 50 years ago). While portions of the book are quite sparse and utilitarian by nature - containing recipes, guides for constructing shelters, or ballistics data - other sections include wonderfully written descriptions of the natural world and well-argued cases for escaping the rat-race of city life. Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fellow outdoor enthusiasts.