The Encyclopedia of Country Living

This is less a survival book and more an entire pre-industrial life skill set bound between two covers, and Jim treats it as a heirloom. Emery wrote the first edition by hand, mimeographed it, and mailed it to subscribers from a farm in Idaho. Five decades and many revisions later, this is still the go-to reference for everyone from new homesteaders to long-term preppers thinking past the 30-day window. Need to know how to make soap from scratch? In here. Render lard? In here. Plan a year of meals from a half-acre garden? In here. Slaughter a chicken, cure bacon, milk a goat, can tomatoes, save seed, build a chicken coop? In here, in here, in here, in here, in here, in here. The breadth is staggering and the tone is warm — Emery talks to you like a friend who has done all of this for fifty years and wants you to succeed. Pair this with the SAS Handbook and Bushcraft 101 and you've covered the triangle: wilderness skills, household skills, and farm skills. Five worms. Jim's most-recommended book to anyone who's ever said "I'd love to live off the land someday."