# What survival/prepping books influenced you for life?



## Ripley (Oct 17, 2014)

The very first survival book I remember reading was "Little Mouse on the Prairie" by Stephen Cosgrove. It's still in my book case, I read it when I was about eight. I remember how impressed I was that the little country mouse prepped while the rest made fun of her. When the snow hit, she let them come in to her cozy little cottage and had enough for all.

Next would be The Stand, and later it was Swan Song. 

My kids have both read Cell because I want something to click in them. Books are a good way to make that light bulb start shining, hopefully it will work on mine.


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## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

As a kid I would probably say Swiss Family Robinson and Robin Crusoe books (and tv shows) were big influences. Various Jack London books I read in middleschool and a farther stretch would be Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451. 

Both Bradberry and Orwell's books introduced me to the political settings that can lead to or be caused from a SHTF scenario. 

I personally haven't got my daughters into reading anything along these lines (besides Call of the Wild); but it is something that should be thought of. Would be GREAT roadtrip books to read on the way to camping 

(EDIT: Ripley - love the name and quote! Game over man.. game over!)


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## Notsoyoung (Dec 2, 2013)

The first "What if the SHTF" book that I can remember reading, and the one that got me seriously thinking "What if?", was Lucifer's Hammer.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour.
Last of the Breed - A novel by Louis L'Amour


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Although technically not a "prepper book", Atlas Shrugged is a huge influence on my life.


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## Ripley (Oct 17, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas, and I look forward to getting more. I can't wait to get my nose out of college books so I can get back to reading for fun.


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## DerBiermeister (Aug 15, 2014)

Alas Babylon


Read it some 55 years ago, and just finished reading it again


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## CornerStone (Aug 17, 2014)

Cannibal Reign was a big one for me. To me it was a very realistic book and encompassed a lot of things and I am very happy that I have read the book.


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## A J (Oct 16, 2014)

I first read "To Build a Fire" by Jack London when I was in 4th/5th grade. 

Since I was always hiking/camping/trapping/hunting as a kid, it really had a huge influence on me.

Of course being around my grandfather and dad (both VERY VERY capable outdoorsmen) I learned a LOT via osmosis, I wish I could sit with my granddad again and really concentrate on the meaning behind some of the stories.

AJ


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## specknowsbest (Jan 5, 2014)

Believe it or not, a book called Hatchet I read as a kid. Not really a "Prepper" book by any means, but it presented a not too unrealistic scenario of a teen who ended up getting stranded out in the middle of the woods up north with nothing but a hatchet and what he could scavenge. It drove home the point of how much one actually needs to know basic survival skills in the event that something happens. The book is probably the main reason as to why I enjoy survival stuffs so much.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

"Mysterious Island" by Jules Verne. Baloonists escaping from a civil war prison camp are storm tossed unto a desert island. Primitive survival. Great book.


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## stealthprepper (Oct 22, 2014)

specknowsbest said:


> Believe it or not, a book called Hatchet I read as a kid. Not really a "Prepper" book by any means, but it presented a not too unrealistic scenario of a teen who ended up getting stranded out in the middle of the woods up north with nothing but a hatchet and what he could scavenge. It drove home the point of how much one actually needs to know basic survival skills in the event that something happens. The book is probably the main reason as to why I enjoy survival stuffs so much.


The Hatchet was a first for me as well. Recently read the Economic Collapse Chronicles by Mark Goodwin. He inspired me to write my first prepper novel, The Chaos Agenda.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

+1 for hatchet.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

My introduction wasn't really about prepping, per se, but more along the lines of why it might be a good idea ... the "Enemies Foreign And Domestic" series by Matt Bracken.

http://enemiesforeignanddomestic.com/


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

I second "Alas, Babylon". "The Big Sky" by A.B. Guthrie, Jr.is way up there in the influence level.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

I just finished "going home" and "surviving home" while they read like a commercial at times for certain brand names of things amd it was linear it introduced me to some things i wasnt aware of like emp proofing just how well a solar set up can be and enclosed hammocks. Enjoyed it enough to mention it.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

Books? Yeah. Tunnel in the Sky and Lucifer's Hammer are great. Also Starship Troopers and Time Enough for Love. All are either about prepping or have shtf-important thing to say. And most definitely Farnham's Freehold. That book has a prepper main character.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Hemi45 said:


> My introduction wasn't really about prepping, per se, but more along the lines of why it might be a good idea ... the "Enemies Foreign And Domestic" series by Matt Bracken.
> 
> Enemies Foreign and Domestic Web Site


Read his entire Enemies trilogy. Awesome books.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Not a prepper book exactly, more political and history. I was already a firearms enthusiast growing up, but this book really got me into the political side of the history of Gun Control in America.

Unintended Consequences by John Ross
Unintended Consequences: John Ross, T. J. Mullin: 9781888118049: Amazon.com: Books
Unintended Consequences (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Foxfire (Nov 9, 2012)

Out of the ashes series. Patriots. 
Not my first but really enjoyed the Foxfire series of book.
Lot of information in those books. 

Edward


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

Picked up lucifers hammer for a go over. Nice suggestions here.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Lucifer's Hammer... came out when I was young, scared the sheeple right out of me.


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## mrbasics (Nov 10, 2014)

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen was one of my favorite kid books. http://books.google.com/books?id=U5...Q&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=hatchet&f=false


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

The Bible. Genesis 41:30 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. Sunday school strikes again.


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## 7515 (Aug 31, 2014)

Anarchist cookbook in high school


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

No books for me as far as prepping and survival. But Swiss family Robinson the movie, probably did help.


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