Customer Reviews:
 taken from born survivor January 2, 2009
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have read several survival-outdoors guides but this is one is the best.
I particularly enjoyed the introduction and the first few chapters that explained the basics, ie fire and shelter .I almost makes want to try out in the local park.
There are very good illustrations and pictures and book is a nice size to make reading easy.
Most of the things described in the book can be tried with few materials and the explanations are simple to follow.
Overall a great guide ,well illustrated and easy to practice.
Enjoyable, useful, interesting light reading December 11, 2008
This is a family-friendly coffee-table book (and a good one too). Don't buy it if you want a 100% serious, highly specialist book.
It's basically a catalogue of fun, wholesome things to do. It ranges from lots of really simple things to do with children, up to a few enjoyably down-to-earth descriptions of extreme activities you maybe never knew existed. A lot of them you'll read and smile and think "People do that?!", and some you'll read and think "Actually, I want to do that... I wonder if there's anywhere nearby for next weekend".
There's also a lot of nice personal touches, amusing anecdotes, a few inspiringly down-to-earth pieces of wisdom, a large dollop of keen level-headed sportsmanship, and a moderately large dose of "look at me and my happy family" stuff that will either raise a smile or a grimace depending on your outlook on life (most probably a bit of both!).
It's a glossy mass-market book for anyone who has any interest or curiosity for this sort of thing, and it's a good, uplifting, wholesome and thoroughly satisfying one at that. It's probably not a book for serious extreme sports fans, mountaineers, adventurers, wannabe survivalists etc - it's a light, casual book to dip into.
 A lot of waffle November 14, 2008
15 out of 18 found this review helpful
This guide claims to be extreme, but is really rather pedestrian. Making kites, constructing tree houses, building a swing, PLAYING TAG - these are things I did as a kid and my mum didn't so much as bat an eyelid.
I'm quite a fan of Bear but this books smacks of a money-making exercise. Most of the photos are from his TV series "Born Survivor" as well as a few family photo album snaps. In fact, it reads like a partial autobiography.
In addition, his description of "extreme" pursuits like diving, skiing, parachuting, and rafting are superficial and lacking in detail. For instance, in his chapter on scrambling he covers the definition, grading of routes, the gear, and very little else of substance. For someone so accomplished at climbing, a list of top ten scrambles would have been so easy to add.
All in all Grylls, a bit of a lame attempt.
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