Recommended Books: There are numerous books out there. These are just some of my favorites- ones I’ve found particularly helpful for learning skills and plants. It also includes Tom Brown Jr.’s books that teach spiritual skills. Also I’m in a group that has created a website with tons of resources. More books, videos, articles…Instead of adding all the content I put on there, I’ll just give the link so you can visit yourself: www.centralfire.us
BOOKS:
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to Wilderness Survival
This book focuses on survival- all the basics you need to take care of your needs in the wilderness. There are detailed drawings and descriptions with each skill.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to Living with the Earth
This book focuses on more long-term skills needed to live and thrive in the wilderness.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to Nature Observation and Tracking
This field guide teaches many observation skills, has exercises to practice and has a thorough introduction to tracking including identification through pressure releases.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants
Tom’s plant book focuses on specific plants and not only shares their edible and medicinal uses, but shares a respect and understanding of each plants’character.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to Nature and Survival for Children
This book introduces all the basic survival skills and includes many methods for teaching children as well as activities.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide City and Suburban Survival
This guide focuses on survival in our homes and neighborhoods. An important book to prepare for many situations that could arise when problems from natural disasters or other problems, take away the necessities in your home.
Tom Brown Jr. Field Guide to The Forgotten Wilderness
This charming book helps us really see the world around us. When we can observe and appreciate the tiny things in our own backyard, we can open our eyes more fully to the grand vistas around us.
Tom Brown Jr. Art and Science of Tracking
This is an amazing book on the intricacies and skills of tracking.
Tom Brown Jr. Grandfather
If you want to really understand the Vision of Grandfather and his people, this is a must to read. When you see the depth of his spiritual life and commitment, you’ll understand the importance of these skills and have a new understanding of the prophecies his people shared.
Tom Brown Jr. The Tracker
This was Tom’s first book and our introduction to Grandfather and his teachings and how Tom and Rick were taught.
Tom Brown Jr. The Search
More stories of Tom’s continuing experiences as he learns the skills.
Tom Brown Jr. The Vision
in this book Tom begins to share more of the spiritual teachings of Grandfather through his experiences as a child and young man.
Tom Brown Jr. The Quest
This is a continuation of The Vision- together, The Vision Quest.
Tom Brown Jr. The Journey
This book focuses further on the spiritual skills.
Tom Brown Jr. Awakening Spirits
In this book, Tom shares a great deal of what is taught in the Philosophy 1 class at the Tracker School. It is more difficult learning it from a book, but with patience and diligence, the spiritual skills can open up for you.
Tom Brown Jr. The Way of the Scout
This book contains stories of Tom and Rick’s adventures as they learn the skills of the ancient scouts.
Samuel Thayer The Forager’s Harvest
There many things to like about the Thayer plant books. First, he is obviously teaching from a place of experience and he shares his wisdom. He focuses on specific plants in each book, providing detailed information about how and when to harvest, photographs of various stages and when they are ready to harvest, as well as how to prepare and use. Outstanding books.
Samuel Thayer Nature’s Garden
Another set of plants with the same great information.
Samuel Thayer, Incredible Wild Edibles
Another set of plants.
Steve Brill Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants
This is a classic and has good solid information. Detailed drawings.
Pojar and Mackinnon Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast
I love this book! If you’re in this region, it’s a must have. Its focus isn’t on the edible or medicinal qualities, although it does include some historic uses, including utilitarian uses, but is good for finding plants not found in many other books.
Janice Schofield Discovering Wild Plants
Nancy Turner Food Plants of Interior First Peoples
Nancy Turner Food Plants of the Coastal First Peoples
Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies
Gregory Tilford Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West
Eleanor Viereck, Alaska’s Wilderness Medicine
Michael Moore Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West
This is one of my favorite medicinal plant books. It provides everything you need to know, including preparations and doses, to safely try medicinal plants.
Scott Kloos Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants
This is another excellent medicinal plant book for the region. It has detailed information and great photographs. It also, more than any book except Tom Brown’s, teaches a genuine respect for the plants and focuses on how to help and sustain them.
Hilary Stewart Indian Fishing
This is an amazing collection of archaeological information and historic information on a wide range of primitive fishing skills. Many photographs of artifacts.
Hilary Stewart Cedar
Cedar helped the indigenous peoples in so many ways. This book is an amazing journey into the contributions of this single species. Many photographs, historic information and descriptions.
Hilary Stewart Stone, Bone, Antler and Shell Artifacts of the NW Coast
I wanted this for a long time and finally splurged on the out of print book. There are not photographs, but the detailed drawings of many artifacts and their uses gives you great insight into how these tools were made and used.
Nabokov and Easton Native American Architecture
I haven’t found anything remotely close to this book for understanding a wide variety of Native American architecture. There are various styles from all regions and with enough information, if you have some basic understanding of primitive construction, that you can build them yourself.
Eddie Starnater 9 Step Knapping (video)
Can’t praise this video enough. It really makes flintknapping accessible to everyone. When I moved from working glass for practice, to trying to knap stone, I was frustrated with so much waste and damage to the stone and not feeling like I was really understanding why I failed. This video will help you immediately see results and helps you understand how to work with the stone so you can learn a great deal on your own after this initial introduction. I keep hoping for a follow-up video to address common mistakes!
Mark Elbroch Mammal Tracks and Signs
Donald and Lillian Stokes Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior
Paul Rezendes, Tracking and the Art of Seeing
Bart Blankenship Earth Knack Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century
Paul Campbell Survival Skills of Native California
Paul Campbell The Universal Tool Kit, Out of Africa to California
Jon Young, What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World