# the ten best books to have



## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

other than the bible and a canning book what other books would you have if you could only have them and the good book?
1. Bible 
2. Ball Canning Book or other
3.
4.
5.
6.
ect.


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## IndigoLight (Apr 15, 2010)

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
The Encyclopedia of Country Living 
Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It by James Wesley Rawles
Where There Is No Doctor by David Werner
Where There Is No Dentist by Murray Dickson
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills by Abigail R. Gehring
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1 / 4 Acre by Brett L. Markham
Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times by Steve Solomon
Lord of the Rings or some other good AND thick  book for good reading and entertainment


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## efbjr (Oct 20, 2008)

stayingthegame said:


> other than the bible and a canning book what other books would you have if you could only have them and the good book?
> 1. Bible
> 2. Ball Canning Book or other
> 3.
> ...


A good encyclopedia set...in book form, not electronic media.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

IMO a large dictionary and thesaurus are great assets, no need to revert to the 1500-word-vocabulary limitations of a parrot just because of a little thing called The Apocalypse...


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Nuclear War Survival Skills Cresson Kearny
SAS Survival Handbook John "Lofty" Wiseman
Ship's Medicine Chest and Medical Aid at Sea US Government
Where There Is No Dentist Murry Dickson
Where There Is No Doctor David Werner
Magic And Medicine Of Plants Readers Digest
The Guide To Self-Sufficiency John Seymour
Back to Basics Readers Digest


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

JDY, do you have a favorite edition of "Ship's Medicine Chest"? I have the 1978 version which relies a lot on calling via radio for advice and diagnosis. Maybe later versions promote medevacs. 

Before I buy another, I would like to know if one is more "hands on." 

I like the Wilderness Medicine Books by Forgey, esp Edition #1 (1980?) which are very hands on written for foreign and mountaineering expeditions and remote cabins.


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I have the 2003 version. And it really relies on radio and satellite communications for a lot of things.

I'd recommend (and have) some additional resources that cover the things SMC doesn't. Emergency War Surgery is one. Where There Is No Doctor, & Where There Is No Dentist suppliment the Ship's Medicine Chest.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

The_Blob said:


> IMO a large dictionary and thesaurus are great assets, no need to revert to the 1500-word-vocabulary limitations of a parrot just because of a little thing called The Apocalypse...


THANK YOU!!!:congrat: Agreed.

The Bible and "Lord of the Rings" are both good choices. I know little of medicine, so I will defer to the recommendations of others on that topic.

I would add to that:

"Meditations" - Marcus Aurelius
"Theory of Relativity" - Albert Einstein
"Republic" - Plato
Collected works of Edgar Allen Poe
Collected works of William Shakespeare
"Essay on Understanding" - John Locke

I'm quite certain that there are others which I am forgetting at the moment due to sleep deprivation.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I agree with many here - lots of good stuff! I would also add:

The Federalist Papers
The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates

I tend to think that books for post-SHTF fall into two categories: "reference for daily living", and "knowledge to keep for future generations". The Bible and all the reference books (medical, agricultural, etc.) that folks have listed fall into the reference category. The books Turtle listed and the above two here are in the second category. We are stewards to the knowledge we have available to us now, and I believe we have an obligation to preserve that for future generations.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

goshengirl said:


> I agree with many here - lots of good stuff! I would also add:
> 
> The Federalist Papers
> The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates
> ...


Well said, and I agree completely! I tend to focus too much on the "classics", leaving off many important documents of our own country's history. I suppose a copy of the Constitution (to include amendments) should be a no-brainer.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

The_Blob said:


> IMO a large dictionary and thesaurus are great assets, no need to revert to the 1500-word-vocabulary limitations of a parrot just because of a little thing called The Apocalypse...


Amen to that Blob! If things were to HTF, I'd like to be able to be an educator to my younger sibilings, and my future children and grandchildren. This is why I am collecting my mini library and staying on top of my game with my education! I love being a book worm.


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## Homegrowngirl (Apr 19, 2011)

The foxfire series. They are good books of knowledge on homesteading. Been trying to find a complete set myself, but a little spendy for my budget.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Gardening at a Glance by Tanya Denckla
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Emery
The Book of Virtues by William Bennett 
Cultural Literacy by Hirch 
Where There is No Doctor
Where There is No Dentist


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