BreakPoint

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Recommended Reading list from some of the smartest people I know

Technically I do not know most of you but I pretend I do. Smiley Wink

 

As many of you know I am a crazy prepper preoccupied with preparing for the next disaster. The ransome-ware attach that started last Friday and persisted got me thinking about if I have enough of the right types of books to be able to preserve technology in the hopes of putting back together again post-TEOTWAWKI.

 

I was thinking as I drove home yesterday that I only know the high-level ideas involved in purifying silicon and the dirty little details are beyond me. Yes I studied material science and electrical engineering and have books to help me calculate the junction voltage given a specified amount of dopant but I would have to re-invent the wheel to purify my own silicon crystals.

 

So this prompts me to ask YOU...

 

Imagine a cyber attack takes down the grid and you find yourself living more than a days journey from the nearest technical library...

 

What books would you recommend be acquired now that would help then?

 

The recommended books do not have to be technical. Any book that you think should be on your book shelf is just fine.

 

Ben 

 

Retired Senior Automation Systems Architect with Data Science Automation LabVIEW Champion Knight of NI and Prepper LinkedIn Profile YouTube Channel
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 26
(12,332 Views)

Hi Ben!

 

One of my all time favorites is the Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers, although I haven't read a new one.  Mine is from 190x something.  Tons of details about a level of technology potentially achievable with a hammer and an 00 screwdriver.

 

Thomas Glover Pocket Reference - highly recommended.

 

College level Physics, Chemistry, EE, Mat. Eng., Calculus, Algebra.  Selected  grade school books as well, to get the basics.

 

Radio Amateur's Handbook, plumber's handbook, machinist's handbook, local comm frequency database

 

Merck Manual, Physican's Desk Reference, Nurse's Drug Guide

 

Boy Scout's Fieldbook, Handbook is ok too but not as useful.

 

Repair manuals for all available vehicles

 

Field guide to edible plants in your area or likely travel destinations

 

Owner's manuals for all firearms

 

Farmer's Almanac

 

US, State Constitutions - not commenting on as currently exorcised [sic], just potentially useful

 

Street maps, topo maps, atlas.  If you can find infrastructure maps (sewer, water, electrical distribution), I expect those could be very useful, or at least informative.

 

Selected works of great literature, as well as some popular titles.

 

I am sure I missed some, not at home to check the bookshelf 😉  Best of luck to us all.  I figure if I get as far as having the kids worrying about re-starting a chip foundry, I have done more than my job.

 

Matt

Message 2 of 26
(12,261 Views)

Thank you Matt!

 


@Matthew_Williams wrote:

Hi Ben!

 

...

 local comm frequency database

 

...

 

Boy Scout's Fieldbook, ...

 

 

US, State Constitutions - not commenting on as currently exorcised [sic], just potentially useful

 

... topo maps, atlas.  If you can find infrastructure maps (sewer, water, electrical distribution), I expect those could be very useful, or at least informative.

 

...

 

I am sure I missed some, not at home to check the bookshelf 😉  Best of luck to us all.  I figure if I get as far as having the kids worrying about re-starting a chip foundry, I have done more than my job.

 

Matt


While I have most of those,you listed some that I do not have yet.

 

Re: US Constitution

 

I carry one of those in my pocket and I have a pile that I give away. Nothing beats being able to find the appropriate passage when the discussion get deep.

 

Take care!

 

Ben

Retired Senior Automation Systems Architect with Data Science Automation LabVIEW Champion Knight of NI and Prepper LinkedIn Profile YouTube Channel
0 Kudos
Message 3 of 26
(12,244 Views)

Normally I'd have nothing to add to this, but I recently saw an article on Hack a day on an old book put out by John Deere on how to farm, cultivate, and maintain John Deere equipment.

 

The Operation, Care, and Repair of Farm Machinery

 

Much of that old equipment is broken, but many of the concepts of equipment repair and maintenance is probably applicable.  In a time before the internet that book must have been flying off the shelves.

Message 4 of 26
(12,242 Views)

A solid edition of "The Bluejacket's Manual" or "The Bluejackets' Manual"  

Don't get into the old fight about the position of the apostrophe.  It moves get over it


"Should be" isn't "Is" -Jay
Message 5 of 26
(12,227 Views)

I was in a used book store years ago when another customer asked if they had a book on tying knots. The clerk said no but I interjected... I had spotted the Bluejacket manual on another shelf.

 

Spoiler
That was clearly a case where you had to "read the book to find out what was in the book."

That is another book that I do not own and I think has changed since I was in. 

 

 

Ben

Retired Senior Automation Systems Architect with Data Science Automation LabVIEW Champion Knight of NI and Prepper LinkedIn Profile YouTube Channel
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 26
(12,224 Views)

I take a slightly different approach to the problem as illustrated.

 

In an (essentially) post-apocalyptic world, the ability to interpret the intentions and emotions of other people becomes incredibly important as the creation of a situation where resources (intellectual and physical) become extremely scarce (and valuable), people start acting differently.  The ability to read people (through both facial expressions and body language) becomes an essential survival tool.  The following seems to be popular, even though I have not read it myself.

 

What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People

Message 7 of 26
(12,192 Views)

@Ben wrote:

I was in a used book store years ago when another customer asked if they had a book on tying knots. The clerk said no but I interjected... I had spotted the Bluejacket manual on another shelf.

 

Spoiler
That was clearly a case where you had to "read the book to find out what was in the book."

That is another book that I do not own and I think has changed since I was in. 

 

 

Ben


And, while we're on the subject,. The SeeBee combat handbook has some practical advice that might be useful when you want to emulate R.E.M.

 

Kudos for that utube link


"Should be" isn't "Is" -Jay
Message 8 of 26
(12,184 Views)

Interesting mental exercise. I'm going to do two things. First, semi-necro this thread. Second, take it a slightly different direction. Most post apocalyptic scenarios always focus on immediate survival and scrounging the left-overs of society. I never see them address many generations after the fall when all of the existing supplies have been depleted and/or failed. It's not sustainable because you've just lost 99% of your very specific tribal knowledge on how to actually make/repair things. I'm going to focus on rebuilding society with an in-depth DIY style handbooks on the following (not specific because I don't know ANY of this... case-in-point):

  1. Agriculture and the science behind efficiently growing some of our best crops. Care and use of livestock.
  2. Medicine creation and the chemistry behind some of the most important medicines like antibiotics and vaccines.
  3. Medical diagnosis, human physiology, and a surgical book
  4. Metallurgy, foundry, mining
  5. Glass making and working
  6. Cement creation and building
  7. Paper making. New record keeping will be incredibly important.
  8. Simple engines. Possibly steam engines as a short term solution
  9. Manufacturing processes and theory behind important simple electrical equipment like motors, generators, solar cells, batteries, relays, and transistors.
  10. Oil refinery
  11. Chemistry and manufacturing processes behind some of our most used materials (like common plastics)

I'm realizing I just listed everything that happened during the industrial revolution and a few of the other big leaps in human society.

 

Side note: This was inspired by this image, which somehow surfaced in my mind while looking at this post.

Josh
Software is never really finished, it's just an acceptable level of broken
Message 9 of 26
(11,993 Views)

@JW-JnJ wrote:

Interesting mental exercise. I'm going to do two things. First, semi-necro this thread. Second, take it a slightly different direction. Most post apocalyptic scenarios always focus on immediate survival and scrounging the left-overs of society. I never see them address many generations after the fall when all of the existing supplies have been depleted and/or failed. It's not sustainable because you've just lost 99% of your very specific tribal knowledge on how to actually make/repair things. I'm going to focus on rebuilding society with an in-depth DIY style handbooks on the following (not specific because I don't know ANY of this... case-in-point):

  1. Agriculture and the science behind efficiently growing some of our best crops. Care and use of livestock.
  2. Medicine creation and the chemistry behind some of the most important medicines like antibiotics and vaccines.
  3. Medical diagnosis, human physiology, and a surgical book
  4. Metallurgy, foundry, mining
  5. Glass making and working
  6. Cement creation and building
  7. Paper making. New record keeping will be incredibly important.
  8. Simple engines. Possibly steam engines as a short term solution
  9. Manufacturing processes and theory behind important simple electrical equipment like motors, generators, solar cells, batteries, relays, and transistors.
  10. Oil refinery
  11. Chemistry and manufacturing processes behind some of our most used materials (like common plastics)

I'm realizing I just listed everything that happened during the industrial revolution and a few of the other big leaps in human society.

 

Side note: This was inspired by this image, which somehow surfaced in my mind while looking at this post.


Strongly agree!

 

In addition to Mark's reference fro mechanical engineers this stack is waiting to be added to our library.

 

 

 

I have a target recovery tech level of about 1850. Going beyond that level requires teams of specialists working together. While I do have the books to help those teams get up to speed, beyond 1850 is more than a single person can handle alone.

 

Ben

Retired Senior Automation Systems Architect with Data Science Automation LabVIEW Champion Knight of NI and Prepper LinkedIn Profile YouTube Channel
Message 10 of 26
(11,977 Views)