Survival/living in the wilderness

[Johnny Carson Whit]

Can anybody recommend any fiction of this type?

[Kell]

I don't know if it would be quite your thing, but Savages by Shirley Conran is excellent. A group of corporate wives are left in hiding on a hostil island after their husbands are massacred. They have to learn to survive each other as much as their situation. It really is a fantastic read, but I think perhaps geared more towards women than men. I've read it multiple times and will certainly read it again - I love it that much!

[pickle]

I read this years ago Castaway by Lucy Irvine. This is the story of Lucy who agrees to marry a man much older than herself and live on a remote Island in the Torres Strait between New Guinea and Australia and the problems that arise. It was quite good, I think better than the subsequent film adaptation.

[Johnny Carson Whit]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies, not quite what I had in mind I was thinking more kind of man lives with wolves in the middle of nowhere type thing, but worth consideration on the back of a recommendation

[Nollaig]

What about this? I haven't read it, and I have heard mixed reviews on here but it might be worth checking out.

[Johnny Carson Whit]

What about this? I haven't read it, and I have heard mixed reviews on here but it might be worth checking out.

 

Thats the stuff, that link also gave me a name I have been racking my brain for all day Jack London!

[Ceinwenn]

Or what about this?

[BookJumper]

I remember reading a novel about a boy raised by a pack of wolves (and no, it wasn't The Jungle Book ) when I was younger, I'll do my best to recover the title for you.

[BigWords]

The "Natty" Bumppo books (James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales) may be of some interest to you also.

[chesilbeach]

I immediately thought of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, but thinking about it further, I wondered if you minded children's books? The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver is set in (I'm not very good with historic periods) pre-historic times, about a boy who needs to use his survival skills on his journeys, and although he comes into contact with other humans and clans, there is a lot of it which follows his day to day life and how he uses his knowledge of nature to survive. I love them, and am eagerly waiting for next month when the last one (book 6) comes out in paperback.

 

ETA: Just remembered The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney as well. It's one I keep meaning to get myself, but hasn't made it on to my book shelf yet.

Edited March 11, 2010 by chesilbeach

[chrysalis_stage]

Just noticed you asked for fiction not non-fiction ah well here are some non-fiction if you want to read about some truthful encounters.

 

I recently bought my boyfriend who is interested in similar things a book called One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey by Sam Keith (Author), Richard Proenneke (Author)

 

Would Walden and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau be suitable, I have that on my bookshelf?

 

Blurb: The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation' In 1845 Henry David Thoreau left his home town of Concord, Massachusetts to begin a new life alone, in a rough hut he built himself a mile and a half away on the north-west shore of Walden Pond. Walden is Thoreau's classic autobiographical account of this experiment in solitary living, his refusal to play by the rules of hard work and the accumulation of wealth and above all the freedom it gave him to adapt his living to the natural world around him.

 

And another book I am reading is Finding Your Way without a Map or compass by Harold Gatty....any of these what you are looking for?

 

Also Call of the Wild by Guy Grieve?

 

As for fiction I would say those already mentioned Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver are great although aimed at YA I know plenty of adults who have read and enjoyed like many books aimed at YA. A boy with a wolf for a best friend. I've read the first three myself and loved them.

Edited March 11, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[ned]

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - Stephen King

Nation - Terry Pratchett

[Kreader]

No one mentioned Wiliam Golding's Lord of the Flies. I enjoyed Jules Vernes's The Mystery Island, talk about necessity being the mother or all inventions!

Edited March 11, 2010 by Kreader

[chesilbeach]

No one mentioned Wiliam Golding's Lord of the Flies.

 

There might be a reason for that - I can't remember many people liking it!

[Kreader]

True:blush:

[Johnny Carson Whit]

Yea I was waiting for and dreading someone mentioning Lord of the flies. I thought it would have been one of the first suggestions, i'm impressed!

[Johnny Carson Whit]

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - Stephen King

Nation - Terry Pratchett

 

I was not aware of this SK book.

 

I'm going to need recommendations for a book to keep all my recommendations in soon.

[Kreader]

No one mentioned Tarzan or Jungle Book either.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Kreader

[~Andrea~]

No one mentioned Wiliam Golding's Lord of the Flies.

 

There might be a reason for that - I can't remember many people liking it!

 

I liked it

[Tui]

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson is fantastic!! It's not so much surviving in the wild, as surviving after a near-fatal accident. You probably know of the film.

[Eck]

Anything by Jack London.

[Ruth]

Well, there's Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which is supposed to be a good read. I have it on my tbr, but haven't started it yet.

 

Although on second thoughts, it's non-fiction and isn't really about survival, as the person who it's written about died. (This isn't a spoiler, as it tells you this on the back of the book and within the first few pages). It's about Chris McCandless, who gave his savings to charity, burnt all the money in his wallet and set off to explore the wilds of Alaska. A film was made of it too, but the general consensus is that the film is not up to much.

 

P.S. I loved Lord of the Flies! I didn't like it first time round because I was made to read it at school, but I thoroughly enjoyed it when I read it later, of my own accord. I realise I'm in the minority here though!

[Johnny Carson Whit]

It's about Chris McCandless, who gave his savings to charity, burnt all the money in his wallet and set off to explore the wilds of Alaska.

 

Man I would LOVE to do that One for my list!

[arewenearlythere]

Well, there's Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer...it's non-fiction and isn't really about survival, as the person who it's written about died. (This isn't a spoiler, as it tells you this on the back of the book and within the first few pages). It's about Chris McCandless, who gave his savings to charity, burnt all the money in his wallet and set off to explore the wilds of Alaska. A film was made of it too, but the general consensus is that the film is not up to much.

 

I watched that movie and found the soundtrack to be the best thing about it, love a bit of Eddie Vedder! If the book is even better than the movie than I must recommend!

 

In terms of fiction there's an old book called Man Plus about adapting humans for survival in the Martian atmosphere, an otherworldly suggestion for you

[lexiepiper]

I have to say, having read the book and watched the film, I found the Into The Wild film to be much better