Books

Here you will find a list of books, fiction and non, that pertain to readiness in various ways. These are all resources that I have personally found to be helpful and that I feel are worthwhile reading and/or additions to your own personal libraries. Where possible, I feel that it's a good idea to buy the print versions of these books rather than the electronic ones because, in a situation where you have no electricity, an e-book/e-reader isn't going to be much use to you. In the interest of saving money, I almost always buy my books used and have found the used book section of Amazon as well as ThriftBooks to be extremely helpful and budget-friendly. 

A HANDY GUIDE FULL OF HOW-TO TIPS AND SAGE ADVICE FROM GRANDFATHERS
 
As members of the Greatest Generation, our grandfathers were not only defined by the Depression but also by their heroic service to the country in World War II. Courageous, responsible, and involved, they understand sacrifice, hard work, and how to do whatever is necessary to take care of their loved ones. They also know how to have a rollicking good time.

Sensible, fun, and inspiring, How to Build a Fire offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of grandfathers near and far by sharing their practical skills and sweet stories on how to be stronger, smarter, richer, and happier. Inside are more than one hundred essential step-by-step tips for fixing, leading, prospering, playing, and hosting, including how to
 
• buck up and be brave in the face of adversity
• play hard and break in a baseball mitt
• bait a hook and catch a big fish 
• look dapper and tie a perfect tie 
• get a raise and earn more
• write a love letter and kindle romance
• change a flat tire and save the day 
• stand up and give a sparkling toast 
• play the harmonica and make your own music
 
Loaded with charming illustrations, good humor, and warm nostalgia, How to Build a Fire is the perfect handbook for guys or gals of any age. The first of its kind, this collection of our grandfathers’ hard-earned wisdom will help you build confidence and get back to what’s really important in life.

“Waste not, want not” with this guide to saving money, taking heart, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Nowadays, many of us “outsource” basic tasks. Food is instant, ready-made, and processed with unhealthy additives. Dry cleaners press shirts, delivery guys bring pizza, gardeners tend flowers, and, yes, tailors sew on those pesky buttons. But life can be much simpler, sweeter, and richer–and a lot more fun, too! As your grandmother might say, now is not the time to be careless with your money, and it actually pays to learn how to do things yourself!

Practical and empowering, How to Sew a Button collects the treasured wisdom of nanas, bubbies, and grandmas from all across the country–as well as modern-day experts–and shares more than one hundred step-by-step essential tips for cooking, cleaning, gardening, and entertaining, including how to

• polish your image by shining your own shoes
• grow your own vegetables (and stash your bounty for the winter)
• sweeten your day by making your own jam
• use baking soda and vinegar to clean your house without toxic chemicals
• feel beautiful by perfecting your posture
• roll your own piecrust and find a slice of heaven
• fold a fitted sheet to crisp perfection
• waltz without stepping on any toes

Complete with helpful illustrations and brimming with nostalgic charm, How to Sew a Button provides calm and comfort in uncertain times. By doing things yourself, with care and attention, you and your loved ones will feel the pleasing rewards of a job well done.


Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide. Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast-food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead.


From the creator of TheSurvivalMom.com comes this first-of-its-kind guidebook for all the “prepper” moms keen to increase their family's level of preparedness for emergencies and crises of all shapes and sizes. Publisher’s Weekly calls Lisa Bedford’s Survival Mom an “impressively comprehensive manual,” saying, “suburban mom Bedford helps readers learn about, prepare for, and respond to all manner of disasters. . . . From 'Instant Survival Tip' sidebars to a list of 'Lessons from the Great Depression'. . . Bedford's matter-of-fact yet supportive tone will keep the willies at bay.”

Storey's Basic Country Skills by John and Martha Storey
Whether you live on a small suburban lot or have a many acres in the country, this inspiring collection will empower you to increase your self-sufficiently and embrace a more independent lifestyle. A variety of authors share their specialized knowledge and provide practical instructions for basic country skills like preserving vegetables, developing water systems, keeping farm animals, and renovating barns. From sharpening an axe to baking your own bread, you’ll be amazed at the many ways learning traditional skills can enrich your life. 


Birmingham, Alabama, has lost all power. Its streets are jammed with cars that won’t start, its airport engulfed in flames from burning planes. All communications—cell phones, computers, even radios—are silent. Every home and business is dark. Is it a natural disaster . . . a terrorist attack . . . or something far worse?
This book is a work of fiction by Christian author Terri Blackstock, however I have found it to be incredibly useful as a way of showing what it would be like if the world was suddenly without electricity for a long stretch of time. I actually have taken notes while reading this, writing down things that I need to know how to do (laundry, cooking, preserving meat, filtering water, etc) and items that I need to/would like to have in my emergency food storage stash (lanterns and lantern fuel, cooking implements, rolling carts/garbage cans for hauling purposes, etc) as well as helpful tips for how to act in an emergency situation. Be warned that this is a suspense/murder mystery novel, but since the author is an evangelical Christian the details of the murders are extremely limited. The bulk of the story deals with the ways in which a family of six, two parents and their four children, and their neighbors deal with the very serious circumstances in which they now find themselves. I found the writing to be good and the story to be engaging as well, which is always a bonus when you're reading something like this. If you read it and you enjoy it, it's part one of a three part series.


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