Joined: May 11, 2008 Posts: 13 Location: Rural North Florida
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIBRARY
Hello All,
Starting to make preperations to be self sufficent, if/when the time comes. Just found these boards and have found so much useful info, it is awesome!
Just starting to build a reference library, What 5 Books are MUST HAVES for survival in the worst of times?
In one post I think I found one I just have to have, would you agree?
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
-The Holy Bible, or the Quoran, depending on your location. This is needed to understand the people around you who predominantly follow a religion, and the core philosophy of their value system.
-a dictionary. If you don't understand what you are reading in the rest of the library, the books don't have a great deal of value. I also like to think it contains all the other books.
-Fannie Farmers cookbook, or any cookbook you like will suffice. As with the dictionary, its one of the best reference guides around.
-The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Being able to relax and enjoy a good story is important. If you don't have that as an option, what exactly are you trying to survive for? _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
Quote:
-The Holy Bible, or the Quoran, depending on your location. This is needed to understand the people around you who predominantly follow a religion, and the core philosophy of their value system.
The Bible is a composition of many books (50+), including New Testament, so just choosing the Bible shouldn't count. So, if you're going to stick with the 5 book rule, go with the Quran.
If you're building a library based on the prospect of worst of times, then go with the books you'll need in the future. Perhaps a large, inclusive (say from algebra to differential equations or at least calc) mathematics book. Farmer's Almanac. Dictionary as recommended above. Maybe something to do with woodworking, repairs, or storage of food. _________________ Riches are not from abundance of worldly goods, but from a contented mind.
Last edited by 3aidlillahi on Sun May 11, 2008 4:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 9376 Location: Village of Idiots
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
The 5 books I have found most useful so far have been:
"Permaculture: a designers manual" by Bill Mollison
"How to Grow More Vegetables"by John Jeavons
"One Circle" by David Duhon and Cindy Gebhardt
"The Encyclopedia of Country Living" by Carla Emery
"The Green Pharmacy" by James Duke
Note: these are not my favorite books of literature! _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 1678 Location: Self-Exile to the "Planning for the Future" forum
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
Carla Emery's Encyclopedia to Country Living
Seed to Seed Susan Ashworth
Food and Life: Yearbook in Agriculture 1939 published by the US Department of Agriculture
Root Cellaring by Bubel
And there is a tie for the last spot either
the original "Stocking Up" by Stoner or "Putting Food By" by Hertzberg, Vaughan and Greene (I have the second edition... Unlike Stocking up I have never had the opportunity to compare editions. _________________ I can tell your fancy I can tell your plain
You give something up for ev'rything you gain
Since ev'ry pleasure's got an edge of pain
Pay for your ticket and don't complain.
-Bobby D.
Joined: Aug 03, 2006 Posts: 2652 Location: Memphis Dojo
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
Heineken wrote:
Hasn't this thread been done before? Or something very similar?
I've been here too long.
No no, it's cool. I love this kind of thing.
Here are today's five:
1. "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds", by Charles Mackay (just in case you didn't know how stupid people can be for very long periods of time)
2. "Walden", by Henry David Thoreau (a classic on the trouble with the modern world, and the potential within the human mind for freedom and original thought)
3. "The Road", by Cormac McCarthy (this book is like a triple donut to put on your doomer bat in the on-deck circle. No matter how bad things get, I don't think they will ever get as bad as in this book)
4. "Where There is No Doctor", by David Werner (free download here)
5. "Overshoot", by William Catton (it's an eye opener) _________________
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 5709 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
fastpack wrote:
What 5 Books are MUST HAVES for survival in the worst of times?
But what is your situation?
What are the situations you forsee?
Do you live in town or country, have money or no?
Do you have any experience or facilities on which Country Living can expand?
I agree with others in one respect, without prior research, planning, and most importantly action, the only book to crack open for the first time in the worst times is your chosen prayer book.
There aren't that many...
_________________ ...ladies and gentlemen, we're not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality.
--Gekko.
"I hope my own children never have to fight a war,"
--GHW Bush, Naval Aviator
Joined: Nov 15, 2007 Posts: 162 Location: US East Coast
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
I have only one (or two) suggestion
The Voyager's Handbook by Beth A. Leonard
and/or
Nigel Calder's Cruising Handbook: A Compendium for Coastal and Offshore Sailors
Now these are books for long distance sailors/live aboards. My thought in suggesting these is that cruisers are people who want a first world life style but know how to budget. They budget everything.
Fuel, water, electricity, food - you name it. Cooking, first aid, its here.
When your boat is your world, you tend to be self sufficient. And you learn how to fix stuff. Both of these people are excellent. Nigel is a little more on the "how things work" while Beth is a little more "What works." _________________ When going through hell, keep going! - Winston Churchill
Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the the cheapest of pleasures, costs nothing, and conveys much. - Erastus Wiman
Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 1211 Location: Nez Perce Nation
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
Ludi, your list is the most practical and useful for the low energy world that will be our future. Good for you.
My solution has been to own hundreds of books, many on your list or similar, but also general reference books plus some good literature including all of Shakespeare. _________________ "Modern Agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food."
-- Albert Bartlett
"It will be a dark time, But for those who survive, I suspect it will be rather exciting."
-- James Lovelock
Joined: Nov 16, 2007 Posts: 196 Location: Rural Western Idaho
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: Starting a Library (late) What 5 Books MUST BE IN MY LIB
DomusAlbion wrote:
Ludi, your list is the most practical and useful for the low energy world that will be our future. Good for you.
My solution has been to own hundreds of books, many on your list or similar, but also general reference books plus some good literature including all of Shakespeare.
Ludi -
Everyone loves the Carla Emery book. Except me. I just could not stand her personality ... so I can't stand her book. I don't know ... one of those things like knowing someone in your past with a certain name -- and that person was a jerk -- so that name was always tainted for you. You know what I mean. Not rational, but real. (True confessions time, I guess.)
A couple of others you mention I know of. The others I will look into.
Domus,
I am pretty much on your page, except that I would add I think it is critically important to own a wide variety of books for future generations to read. Not just reference books (e.g."How to Grow a Carrot") and what YOU would consider "good literature" (e.g. "MacBeth".)
For me it is important to have lots of kinds of literature -- tons of it. Because what I might consider "good literature" might not be what someone else would enjoy, learn from, etc.
Personally (true confession time again, I guess), I'm not a big Shakespeare fan. I learned more from reading The Velveteen Rabbit than from anything Shakespeare ever wrote -- maybe because I enjoyed it more.
My point is, to each his own -- and therefore the more books one can have available for self and future generations, the better.
Lumpy _________________ "Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."
-- Dean Karnazes, runner and author of Ultramarathon Man
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