Developing a Well Rounded Prepping Library
Kevin Felts 12.31.18
When the topic of a prepping library comes up, what do most people talk about? Chances are the U.S. Air Force survival manual, SAS survival manual, Army Field Manual 21-76, or something from Ragnor Benson.
What if I told you those were good starts, but survival manuals should not be the end goal?
When people get into prepping they typically start with stockpiling, then may gravitate towards self-sufficiency. For example, someone may start off with stockpiling canned goods, then move towards mylar bags and freeze dried foods, then finally arrive at prepsteading, farming, and gardening.
Most people who live in the suburbs can have a small garden, maybe some laying hens, and fruit trees. This allows just about anyone to grow some of their own food.
As preppers progress from stockpiling to prepsteading, shouldn’t their library also progress?
Chances are a lot of preppers do not have a single book on gardening, homesteading, canning and preserving food… etc. Even less will have books on literature, science, and math.
If we are prepping for a complete collapse of society, shouldn’t we also stockpile books for future generations? If something were to happen today – plague, nuclear war.. etc – what types of books would the reader have on hand to teach their children, or grandchildren?
What good does it do to survive the next plague, nuclear war… if future generations do not have access to resources? This means real books made from paper and not electronic books for e-readers.
Why real books?
- A real book can be dropped, and dropped several times without damage.
- Real books do not require electricity.
The oldest book in my collection was published in 1902, and is about the Lewis and Clark expedition.
How many of the readers have some of their college books? Personally, I kept my literature books which are filled with poetry, essays, and short stories.
Do magazines have a place in a prepping library? Sure they do. Publications such as Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Outdoor Life… could play an important role in a well rounded prepping library.
Then there are books on various topics such as:
- Canning and food preservation.
- Smoking meat / making jerky.
- Carpentry.
- Livestock husbandry.
- Gardening.
- History.
- Government.
- Religion.
Some people may not be religious, or care about religion. However, there is an old saying that goes something like this – “There are no atheists in foxholes,”
Final Thoughts
In a post-plague, post-nuclear war world, there will be a survival phase were people have to survive the event, then the rebuilding phase – just like what happened during and after the Black Death of 1347 – 1351.
Shouldn’t a prepping library cover not only the survival, but also the rebuilding phase?
