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Books, websites and channels
A selection of what we consulted to write this site, with the good and the bad of each source. Always cross-check: this world is full of alarmist content made to sell.
Books
The Unthinkable — Amanda Ripley
A journalist investigates who survives disasters and why: denial, freezing, and the panic that almost never comes. The best book on the mental side. Revised edition 2024.
Deep Survival — Laurence Gonzales
Why some people survive wilderness accidents and others don't. Strongly focused on decision-making.
Just in Case — Kathy Harrison
One of the most recommended introductions to home and family preparedness: practical and drama-free.
SAS Survival Handbook — John "Lofty" Wiseman
A wilderness survival classic. Useful as a skills reference; less applicable to urban emergencies.
Where There Is No Doctor — David Werner
A health manual for places without access to doctors, used worldwide. The publisher, Hesperian, offers it to read for free on its website in many languages.
Expert websites
- The Prepared (theprepared.com): the most rigorous reference. Tests gear, consults professionals and explains the why.
- The Survival Mom (thesurvivalmom.com): very practical for families, especially on water and pantry.
- TruePrepper (trueprepper.com): thorough guides and gear reviews; lots of commercial links.
- Ready.gov: FEMA's site. Basic but reliable.
- Your country's emergency management agency and national weather service, for local warnings and risks.
YouTube channels
The most popular, according to TruePrepper. Popular doesn't mean rigorous: look for channels that explain and test, and be wary of titles announcing an imminent collapse every week.
- City Prepping: urban preparedness and the gray man concept.
- The Provident Prepper: families, food and water storage, cold-weather tips.
- PrepMedic: a paramedic teaches first aid and bleeding control.
- Sensible Prepper: gear reviews and practical tips.
- Canadian Prepper: very popular, but often alarmist in tone. Take it calmly.
TikTok and social media
There are useful creators, like Housewife Prepper for practical household tips or SafePrep, who explains concepts with humor. But social media has well-known traps:
- Aesthetics: camera-perfect pantries nobody rotates or uses.
- Gear before skills.
- Fear as a sales pitch and sponsored products.
Before copying something you saw online, ask three questions: can I maintain it? Have I tested it? Who can I help with it?
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them, BESTPREP earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We only recommend what we would recommend anyway.