Anybody have or read this basics book?

**shortstack** · 04-16-2009, 09:07 PM

I'm thinking about buying this book. Anybody have or read it?
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Complete-Traditional-Skills/dp/1602392331/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239914672&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition (9781602392335): Abigail R. Gehring: Books[/ame]

**lovestoread** · 04-16-2009, 09:22 PM

I have it although i believe it is an older version....

**shortstack** · 04-16-2009, 09:23 PM

Do you like it and is it worth the money?
Andrea

Originally Posted by lovestoread

I have it although i believe it is an older version....

**Pemberleyan** · 04-16-2009, 09:55 PM

I have the first edition and it is a good book, with lots of basic information on a wide variety of topics. I don't know about the edition you listed.

**Debbie-cat** · 04-16-2009, 10:31 PM

I borrowed it from our library a while back and it was awesome! Even my hubby who doesn't read books much...only newspapers... couldn't put it down and wanted to keep renewing it. Needless to say we can only renew books so much here but now we are watching for it at Goodwill and will be looking at garage sales this summer for it. It is a great book!

QM · 04-16-2009, 10:43 PM

No. I checked my local library online and they don't have it. Oh well.

**lovestoread** · 04-17-2009, 07:23 AM

yes, I got mine during the Y2k thing and loved reading it ..... I mainly used it for the gardening info, but wanted it in case I needed it for any of the other pieces of wonderful info in case of SHTF , but that being said, my most fave is the Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery.....wonderful.......

**Momto2Boyz** · 04-17-2009, 07:27 AM

Thanks for info on both those books. I'll have to check out our library for them!

**Jeanna** · 04-17-2009, 08:09 AM

I have the older version of this book also. To me it is for a complete novice. I would go with the Carla Emery book myself. It has so much information. I would call it something like the homesteaders bible.

**jmd5294** · 04-17-2009, 08:16 AM

I've glanced through that book, but found Carla Emery's "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" and also Storey's "Basic Country Skills" better, more complete books.

If I had to choose one, it would be Carla Emery's book. I'd be willing to be that the book you're looking at got a lot of information from Carla Emery's book.

**baxjul** · 04-17-2009, 08:16 AM

I have it and I refer to it often!

**Denvergirlie** · 04-17-2009, 08:43 AM

John Seymours Self Sufficient Life is a great book as well.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Self-sufficient-Life-How-Live/dp/0789493322/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239972253&sr=8-3"]Amazon.com: The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It (9780789493323): John Seymour: Books[/ame]

I also like that his book is a hardcover, it's just a bit more sturdy that Carla's book which is only issued now in paperback. However, Emery's book is bigger, ie more pages, but also has stuff like receipes in it as well.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Country-Living-Carla-Emery/dp/1570615535/ref=pd_sim_b_4"]Amazon.com: The Encyclopedia of Country Living (9781570615535): Carla Emery: Books[/ame]

We personally have John Seyomour's book as well as Carla Emery's book and feel that we are covered with everything.

I do not like Storey's book, but that's because of the type they used when printing the book, it makes for hard reading, plus it's oversized and wouldn't fit into our bookshelf very nicely.

Carla's book is a classic, pretty much defined as the industry leader. But Seymours book has lots of glossy photos which I find useful as I can learn more visually from them at the same time as reading the material.

I've looked at the Back to Basics book, but don't remember it very well. It's solid, but the universal US concensus would point you towards Emery (died in 2005 but revised editions have continued to be released) and then Seymour (died in 2004, not certain if any revised editions are in the works).

**PurpleSnowflake** · 04-17-2009, 12:01 PM

I have it and it's a good book.

I also have all the other books mentioned in this thread (I slowly aquired a large collection of homesteading books) and they are all good.

All of them touch on similar topics, but they are ALL different. The OP's book has alot of color pictures in it which I like!

**Kazoo** · 04-17-2009, 12:36 PM

Can the advice in the "country" books be transferred for those living in cities? Or does anyone know of any city-specific books?

**Jill B.** · 04-21-2009, 02:00 PM

i went and borrowed the Back to Basics book from my library this weekend and I like it a lot. I have the Encyclopedia of country Living. I am going to look for the Self sufficient Life at the library. Not sure if I will buy both of the ones I don't have but I will need to be prepared. Thanks for the 3 suggestions.