Help with book title please

[twisted firestarter]

When I was a kid my favourite book was called something like 'Survival' and was basically about what I would now call bushcraft. I scrounged an old St. bruno tin from my pipe smoking Dad and kept essential kit in there like matches dipped in wax, needle and thread and other useful bits. It lived in my side pocket constantly for a year or two until I discovered the world of the Raleigh Chopper Anyway I often think about that book and getting hold of a copy for my son to learn from. Anyone out there remember the title???

 

[ESpy]

I would have suggested the SAS Survival Handbook (Lofty Wiseman), but that postdates the Raleigh Chopper.

I had a Striker.

 

[g4ghb]

can you provide more info to narrow it down a little - colour of cover, type of book etc

 

[twisted firestarter]

can you provide more info to narrow it down a little - colour of cover, type of book etc

Wish I could but have annihilated many brain cells since the innocence of childhood

Seem to remember it had hand drawn illustrations and a list of things to put in the 'survival' tin. I just spoke with my brother (Moonraker) and he reckons it was about '73 and the emphasis was on using tins for keeping survival kit in.

 

[Jodie]

Yep definitely more information needed - or you could wade through the
5,389 titles in the British Library which contain 'survival' as a title or title
keyword

You could narrow it down to searching by a set of years as well although
I've not worked out how to set a range. See if you have any luck at:
http://catalogue.bl.uk/ (Click 'search the integrated catalogue).

When you had the book was it an old one, published in the 50s for example?
Was it a book aimed at children or one you pinched off an adult? Was it
fiction? Softback or hardback? A library book (or the sort of book that might
have been in a library, rather than something a bit more obscure)? Size and
colour also useful, as mentioned. Male author / female author?

I expect you'd be there all day but you could do worse than google for
survival book and browse the images!

If you can't find it then Willy Whitefeather's "Outdoor survival handbook for
kids" gets a good write up from Amazon...

... and while I was there I've just spotted the following which sounds exactly
like a science experiment book to me

Survival Navigation, Measurement and Mapping: And How to Make the
Instruments Required (Paperback) by John Locke (Editor)

 

[faff]

Wish I could but have annihilated many brain cells since the innocence of childhood

Seem to remember it had hand drawn illustrations and a list of things to put in the 'survival' tin. I just spoke with my brother (Moonraker) and he reckons it was about '73 and the emphasis was on using tins for keeping survival kit in.

rules out the SAS Survival Handbook I think that was first published in 1986

 

[John Fenna]

Survival for Young People by Anthony Greenbank?
Published by Piccolo 1975
ISBN 0 330 24444 2
GREAT BOOK!

 

[twisted firestarter]

Thanks for the help so far.

- I can't find a cover image for 'Survival for young people' so cannot say if that is or isn't the one.

- Have trawled through Google images on 'survival books' but nothing jumped out and I am very sure I would recognise it if I saw it.

- Not ready yet to trawl the 5,389 titles just yet Jodie!

I remember the book was paperback and we had it in near as damn it 1973, apart from the survival tin which contained a small mirror, compass, fishing hook/ line, blade, small candle and the bits previously mentioned, it also had a section on snaring rabbits and skinning them which I tried (once). I don't know if this will jog anyones memory or whether it will be one of those mysteries that never gets solved

 

[Tadpole]

Thanks for the help so far.

- I can't find a cover image for 'Survival for young people' so cannot say if that is or isn't the one.

- Have trawled through Google images on 'survival books' but nothing jumped out and I am very sure I would recognise it if I saw it.

- Not ready yet to trawl the 5,389 titles just yet Jodie!

I remember the book was paperback and we had it in near as damn it 1973, apart from the survival tin which contained a small mirror, compass, fishing hook/ line, blade, small candle and the bits previously mentioned, it also had a section on snaring rabbits and skinning them which I tried (once). I don't know if this will jog anyones memory or whether it will be one of those mysteries that never gets solved

when I was ten I had a book called camping and woodcraft,(it might be the otherway round not the nussmuk book) but I'm not sure if that is is, it was about making shelters and how to sharpen axes, how to catch fish with just a worm a string and a pole, how to make a stand for a plastic bowl, al lthat sort of stuff it was great fun to read (with a torch, under the bedclothes at night, ) I'm not sure if I put in to practice what I learnt from that book.

 

[kb31]

when i was at school there was a book called 'how not to die'
that was as old as the hills until some**** nicked it
it had cartoon drawings in ?

 

[John Fenna]

Survival fr Young People featured a cover showing a survival kit in a Nesquick milk shake tub with the kit in front of it with the title in Orange and green, all on a black background I will try to post a photo!

Ye Gods! it worked!
John

 

[saffy]

Survival fr Young People featured a cover showing a survival kit in a Nesquick milk shake tub with the kit in front of it with the title in Orange and green, all on a black background I will try to post a photo!

Ye Gods! it worked!
John

That's the book that started me off, great book, I still got it First few pages deal with confidence building and smashing an unopened baked bean tin into your finger I know for sure they wouldn't allow it today to be marketed for kids.

If this helps remind you if it is the same book; it details not only how to make a tin survival kit but also how to build a kit into a fountain pen.

There was also another (tamer) survival book published of the same ilk for kids.
"HOW TO SURVIVE by Brian Hildreth" Puffin Books :ISBN 01403.08563

 

[g4ghb]

I had (have still I think) that book though it has a different cover - pretty sure mine is 'blueish' if that is any help - i'll try to remember to look tonight

One of my Favarotes was a Hardy boys survival book - It had info and skills woven into short storys - lost count of the times I read that, must have known it off by hart at one stage I reccon

I had a number - i'll try to dig them out and take a piccie, it may jog your memory

 

[Wayland]

Your description sounds a like "How to Survive" my Brian Hildreth, published by Puffin Books 1976.

It was the second book I got ( right after Richard Graves - Bushcraft ) and it certainly went the tobacco tin route and was targeted at young people.

Looks like there are a few second hand copies on Amazon at the moment.

 

[twisted firestarter]

BINGO! John Fenna, that's the book. I immediately recognised it and am so excited about the prospect of buying a copy. :You_Rock_
It's funny how seeing something from so long ago can trigger so many memories, it's like finding a long lost treasure. Thanks

That's the book that started me off, great book, I still got it First few pages deal with confidence building and smashing an unopened baked bean tin into your finger I know for sure they wouldn't allow it today to be marketed for kids.

I remember smashing the bean can on my finger and impressing other kids with my bravado! in fact I did that one not so long ago to show my son and he loved it

 

[twisted firestarter]

Just ordered a copy from Amazon

I'm going to be waiting by the window for the postman

 

[Matt Weir]

Just ordered a copy from Amazon

I'm going to be waiting by the window for the postman

Me too, I hope my kids get as much out of it as you did TFS

 

[John Fenna]

Glad to be of sevice!
I loaned my original copy, bought second hand in the year it came out, and never got it back - only to find it the other month in our local second hand bookshop!
How often do you buy the same book second hand TWICE?
I have impressed many Scouts and expedition members with the bean tin thing!
John