Knowledge for Prepping

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BBLife

BBLife

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One of the things that I have for survival is a good library of books. Few sets of encyclopedias: Science and Technology that covers everything from the chemicals in a leaf to cause it to fall off a tree when it gets to fall to building a nuclear bomb and a set that covers History so that I know what the heck happened in the past so I don't repeat stupid things. Then there are the many books on homesteading the way out great grand parents did it as well as new techniques for things so that I can review past and present and build what really works the best. And, the classics both fiction and non-fiction. If the internet goes down, books will be a very valuable asset.
 
BBLife said:
One of the things that I have for survival is a good library of books. Few sets of encyclopedias: Science and Technology that covers everything from the chemicals in a leaf to cause it to fall off a tree when it gets to fall to building a nuclear bomb and a set that covers History so that I know what the heck happened in the past so I don't repeat stupid things. Then there are the many books on homesteading the way out great grand parents did it as well as new techniques for things so that I can review past and present and build what really works the best. And, the classics both fiction and non-fiction. If the internet goes down, books will be a very valuable asset.
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Agreed.

We live in Library PA which was named in honor of the first lending library in the area in 1833. We all the subject matter you outlined plus.

Ben
 
@BBLife First Hello there. I don't know you - yet :devil: (Heehee, really I'm not that scary 😂 everyone shhh)
There is a thread you might enjoy "What's everybody reading." If I can find it, I will try to link it - I'm not very good at that so try to give the name of the thread as well.
https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/what-is-everybody-reading.9534/Also, in certain topics there are books listed. I know Peanut has listed several in the medicinal plants category.
Lots of resources amongst us all. You are quite right - a good library is indeed an asset.
 
As a person who has a lot of books of hopefully useful knowledge, nothing replaces “boots on the ground“ experience. Put some of that knowledge to practice. Experience plus knowledge will trump words on a book. As an example of what I am talking about is that I got my wife several books on medical plants native to Alaska, and some books on edible mushroom. We spent the summer exploring Alaska collecting and consuming both. Better to do this learning when you have access to medivac and hospitals.

Ask Chris McCandless how important this is. Oh wait, never mind. :)
 
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Check out the genius in the book "Lucifers Hammer". He stored books for after the apocalypses.
Even the books from the 50's and 60's have a wealth of info about how things work and how to actually do things.
Anything you google right now would be handy to have in printed form.
I am always on the lookout at estate sales and such for good books.
Another thing I do is stock up now on unread books of various types, romance, historical novels, non fiction, science fiction. If things close down and it is unsafe to be out wandering around having a store of books will help preserve sanity.
 
The question is....do you actually READ those books and understand them? or are people just stockpiling them just in case?

When I was 10 years old I read the classrooms World Book encylypedia, cover to cover, volume by volume over the course of the school year.

Probably only remember 1% of it these days though.

But I always maintain that prepping is primarily a matter of education more than anything else.
 
My step dad bought a full set of encylpedia britannica's one year when sis and I were in school. Actually may have been before she started. I read every book cover to cover. So much information contained in them. I never had a problem finding material for a book report. Always a different topic too.
I need to inquire about those. I'd love to have them now.
 
Bacpacker said:
My step dad bought a full set of encylpedia britannica's one year when sis and I were in school. Actually may have been before she started. I read every book cover to cover. So much information contained in them. I never had a problem finding material for a book report. Always a different topic too.
I need to inquire about those. I'd love to have them now.
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Kudos to you and @Aerindel for reading to the end of the internet! (Google pretty much done in Britannica).

I invested in encyclopedia and glad I did!

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And others when I found them.

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Started to read Britannica but only got part way through the first volume but life got in the way.

Ben
 
I have a stack of books on the floor in front of the book shelves. Books don't go on the shelf unless they are keepers. In order to determine if they are keepers, I read them. There are only a couple on the shelves I've not yet read or read clear through. Even of those, I've used nearly all of them (more along the lines of medical- resource). I also have a stack of books next to my chair that are in progress. If there are only a couple pages in a book I want, I will copy and put them in a binder. I have 2 binders "Flora" and "Fauna" though I should have a third for misc. like windmills, mechanical etc. Oh, and I have very little fiction at all.
 
LadyLocust said:
I have a stack of books on the floor in front of the book shelves. Books don't go on the shelf unless they are keepers. In order to determine if they are keepers, I read them. There are only a couple on the shelves I've not yet read or read clear through. Even of those, I've used nearly all of them (more along the lines of medical- resource). I also have a stack of books next to my chair that are in progress. If there are only a couple pages in a book I want, I will copy and put them in a binder. I have 2 binders "Flora" and "Fauna" though I should have a third for misc. like windmills, mechanical etc. Oh, and I have very little fiction at all.
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No fiction? Oh my. I have tubs of reference books but also quite a few fiction or historical fiction for when I need a break from the world.
 
I was home schooled at 4 years old with encyclopedia Britannica, a bible,
and a bunch of reference books/dictionaries. I was reading and comprehending at a first year college level by the third grade. kids are info sponges, they don't know what's too advanced. SO... In fourth grade all my teachers and the soon to be jocks hated my guts. by 9th grade I was building a rocket launcher to take them all out with. Hmm. I could have been a happy, well adjusted idiot instead of an educated misanthrope...
Thanks Mom and dad! :D I might be a creep, but at least I'm not an idiot! :great:
 
montanabill said:
No fiction? Oh my. I have tubs of reference books but also quite a few fiction or historical fiction for when I need a break from the world.
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Fiction is also important--it helps your brain to look at things through someone else's eyes, giving you a different perspective.
 
Tommyice said:
Fiction is also important--it helps your brain to look at things through someone else's eyes, giving you a different perspective.
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Nothing is more important than being adaptable, and fiction is an excellent way to improve mental flexibility.
 
montanabill said:
No fiction? Oh my. I have tubs of reference books but also quite a few fiction or historical fiction for when I need a break from the world.
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There are some pieces of historical fiction I like, but I tend to veer towards biographies, autobiographies or memoirs for "lighter" reading.
 
I have the Foxfire set and haven't read any of it yet. I kind of forgot I had it, but I always have too many books to read and not enough time.

I don't like digital books, even historical. They can be manipulated, unlike the print versions. Wikipedia is almost useless b/c I can't trust the information to be accurate.
 
joel said:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Britannica-Online
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Thats great and usable right now, I also can buy the whole set on a memory stick. I am looking for a old and new set of the hard backs. Ebay and amazon sell some for varying prices, I am goin to look locally and save the shipping.
I want something that will outlast the current electrical digital memory phase we are going thru. Also see "Canticle for Liebowitz".
 
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