Book List
With the rise of digital censorship, book bans, and potential restrictions on online information—like the recent TikTok ban discussions—physical books and printed resources could become absolutely essential for preserving knowledge. In a disaster or societal shift where the internet is inaccessible or controlled, having hard copies of survival guides, foraging manuals, and gardening references ensures you have reliable, unaltered information to sustain yourself, regardless of external restrictions
Click the categories below to see book recommendations
General Survival & Emergency Preparedness
(great for off-grid medical care, Amy is a nurse practitioner)
The Survival Medicine Handbook
– Dr. Joseph & Amy Alton
(great for off-grid medical care, Amy is a nurse practitioner)
(classic survival guide from a British SAS veteran)
SAS Survival Handbook
– John “Lofty” Wiseman
(classic survival guide from a British SAS veteran)
(practical, no-nonsense emergency preparedness guide)
When the Grid Goes Down: Disaster Preparations and Survival Gear
– Tony Nester
(practical, no-nonsense emergency preparedness guide)
Foraging, Gardening & Food Preservation
(widely respected foraging book, written by a self-taught expert)
The Forager’s Harvest
– Samuel Thayer
(widely respected foraging book, written by a self-taught expert)
(popular Black educator on foraging, TikTok & Instagram personality)
Black Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods (Upcoming)
– Alexis Nikole Nelson
(popular Black educator on foraging, TikTok & Instagram personality)
(focuses on Native food systems, growing & gathering food sustainably)
Indigenous Food Sovereignty in the United States
– Devon Mihesuah & Elizabeth Hoover
(focuses on Native food systems, growing & gathering food sustainably)
(written by a female biologist with a focus on small-scale survival gardening)
The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times
– Carol Deppe
(written by a female biologist with a focus on small-scale survival gardening)
Self-Sufficiency, Homesteading & Off-Grid Living
(A multi-volume collection of Appalachian survival skills, traditional crafts, food preservation, and homesteading wisdom—a must-have!)
The Foxfire Book Series
– Compiled by Eliot Wigginton & Appalachian Locals
(A multi-volume collection of Appalachian survival skills, traditional crafts, food preservation, and homesteading wisdom—a must-have!)
(step-by-step guide to producing food on a small-scale homestead, written by a woman homesteader)
The Backyard Homestead
– Carleen Madigan
(step-by-step guide to producing food on a small-scale homestead, written by a woman homesteader)
(memoir + practical guide by a woman who left city life for self-sufficiency)
A Handmaid’s Tale of Homesteading
– Leigh Tate
(memoir + practical guide by a woman who left city life for self-sufficiency)
(herbal knowledge from Black American traditions)
African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions
– Stephanie Rose Bird
(herbal knowledge from Black American traditions)
Medical & First Aid
(used worldwide for medical care in remote locations, includes emergency treatment guides)
Where There Is No Doctor
– David Werner
(used worldwide for medical care in remote locations, includes emergency treatment guides)
(focuses on herbal remedies and holistic health, written by a female herbalist & healer)
A Modern Woman’s Guide to Natural Healing
– Kat Maier
(focuses on herbal remedies and holistic health, written by a female herbalist & healer)
DIY, Self-Defense & Security
(self-defense and personal security insights from a former FBI consultant, focuses on intuition & avoiding danger)
The Gift of Fear
– Gavin de Becker
(self-defense and personal security insights from a former FBI consultant, focuses on intuition & avoiding danger)
(female self-defense expert’s take on situational awareness & protection strategies)
What You Don’t Know Can Kill You
– Laura DiSilverio
(female self-defense expert’s take on situational awareness & protection strategies)
(step-by-step guide on prepping a survival go-bag for any emergency)
Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag
– Creek Stewart
(step-by-step guide on prepping a survival go-bag for any emergency)