Ray Mears' New Book

[woodsorrel]

Hi Everyone!

I believe Ray Mears' latest book, Out on the Land: Bushcraft Skills from the Northern Forest, is out on Kindle today in the United States. The hard-cover edition is out October 11.

If anyone has read the Kindle edition or the hard-cover (if it is available in the UK), care to give us a quick review/preview?

Thanks! Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere. I looked.

- Woodsorrel

 

[Mesquite]

I had a skim of it yesterday.

It seems to be very good and is now on my Santa list.

Here's the thread about it where more folk say what they think of it.

 

[woodsorrel]

Thank you, Mesquite!

- Woodsorrel

 

[NoName]

It is very nice!
A lot of photos though. Even more text / info would be preffered by me

 

[Treemonk]

The book reminds me of RM's book Bushcraft, the big folio sized edition. Lots of lovely pictures makes it more of a coffee table reference and inspiration book than a field guide. I'm not sure how that is going to translate into kindle format

 

[nuggets]

how do you carve a `kindle` out in the bush ??

 

[Macaroon]

how do you carve a `kindle` out in the bush ??

With a Light Sabre?

 

[woodsorrel]

how do you carve a `kindle` out in the bush ??

Kindling axe?

- Woodsorrel

 

[Tiley]

Kindling axe?

- Woodsorrel

Now that made me smile!

It is a lovely book - informative and with legion beautiful photographs. I both like and dislike the coffee table format: it is lovely to handle and look at but makes it impossible as a field guide or 'book to carry'. I hope that they will do what they did with the earlier "Bushcraft" book and produce a smaller, soft-back version that lends itself to use in the field. I know that, when out and about, the information should be stored away or filed in your catalogue of experience but the anthropological information, celebrating the Sami people and their lives in this harsh but beautiful environment, would be something worth reading when in the hut or shelter.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I have yet to find a book bigger than a Collins Gem that I would want to carry with me and if something isn't written as a field guide, it doesn't matter how small it is printed, its never going to work well for that purpose. So the big size with large clear easy to see pictures seems a good format to me. As said, very like the first printing of Bushcraft both in content quality and level of information. For my money this makes it the best Mears book in years. A friend has a copy and I will probably end up borrowing it at some point and will then decide whether I really need it or not. At this point I don't know whether there is enough information in there that would be new to me that it would be worth getting. It was nearly all aimed at Boreal forest, which is nice since it keeps it focused.

 

[woodsorrel]

Thank you for your terrific review, Tiley and I appreciate your thoughts C_Claycomb!

- Woodsorrel

 

[hog]

Just wondering how it could be much different from his other coffee table book, 'Bushcraft'.

 

[Tiley]

Just wondering how it could be much different from his other coffee table book, 'Bushcraft'.

Think 'Bushcraft' without the jungle-y and African bits but a lot more snow and ice.

 

[forestwalker]

I like it. Informative, well illustrated.

 

[Arya]

This is on my wish list , but I just paid my bills and need to wait a few weeks (or sell a kidney) before I can order it

 

[Modchop]

Think 'Bushcraft' without the jungle-y and African bits but a lot more snow and ice.

I couldn't have put it better myself!

 

[scarfell]

This is on my wish list , but I just paid my bills and need to wait a few weeks (or sell a kidney) before I can order it

Amazon


(ignore these random extra words coz original message too short)

 

[didicoy]

My boy is going to see Ray and get him to sign the book. Would this add any value to the book my boy asks?

 

[Tiley]

My boy is going to see Ray and get him to sign the book. Would this add any value to the book my boy asks?

Not in the short term. When your son has grown up, the print run(s) have ended and Mr Mears has passed on, then there might well be a hike in the value of it. By then, of course, he will have used it and referred to it so much that it might not be in a fit state to be sold!

 

[scarfell]

Signed copies of his books do sell for more than RRP; but only a few quid to a tenner.

Meeting someone you respect for their work is far more valuable imo


...although i do find it ironic that he got into bushcraft through a lack of money, and said many times he doesnt believe in expensive gear, but the stuff sold by woodlore is massivly expensive and mostly rebranded take their 21£ thermos for eg, 3.5£ at asda