Woodcraft Paperback – June 20, 2015

Rarely does a book come along that completely captures me as this one does. Written nearly 100 years ago, many will be rather shocked by how relevant it is and how much there is to learn. As a lover of the outdoors, an Eagle Scout, and aspiring woodsman, there are so many things to learn from this book that have been lost to time or ignorance. The beautiful simplicity of the prose is a perfect complement to the simplicity of the camping lifestyle advocated by Nessmuk. Though, certainly, some things have changed (we no longer cut down trees for the many purposes described), most have not. The principals, most of the methods described, and the ideas found within this piece are timeless. This book is a MUST for any outdoor enthusiast, and it should form the foundation of all literature and knowledge of the outdoors.

Cool glance into the history of camping for recreation. A little dated in the language but the philosophy is what this book is all about. If you like books by Jack London you will enjoy this memoir style camping book.The book combines instructional techniques with personal stories and scenarios around those techniques. It covers canoeing, camping, cooking, fishing and hunting and what it was like to brave the wilderness before all of the modern gear that is available to us now. People don't realize how unnecessary all the cumbersome amenities of modern life are when on an extended trek through the bush. All you need it the right knowledge and attitude and even the simplest pieces of gear like a belt knife will seem like versatile multitools.Great read for young scouts or anyone looking to expand their knowledge of the natural world.

I'm torn with this book. Getting into it, I knew it was written with a more proper tone of english, as it was written by an author from the late 1800's. Please understand. This is not a survival/bushcrafting manual in the slightest. If you're looking for that, I suggest starting off with "Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival". While an interesting read, it has been horribly formatted, and the worst thing about the book is the "Illustrations" which it boasts on the cover of the book. The images are so horribly compressed, they're barely passible for proper images, and more ink smudges. The pixels on the images are very clearly visible, and are illustrations more of the story, not of diagrams or more useful information. The entire book just feels unrefined and poorly laid out, and could perhaps have been edited down a few more times. Its a quick read (only 93 pages) but for five bucks, I guess its an average read for people who thoroughly enjoy more basic and rustic ways of living.

This book most definitely exceeded my expectations. A quick note to some, however...if you are looking for a fun book to mostly page through to look at illustrations, and to just read a bit here and there, this isn’t the book for you. This book is a joy to read, funny at times, and on the whole entertaining, but to be appreciated, it requires you to sit down and read its pages. While this book is over one hundred years old, it is amazing how so much of it is so directly applicable to today. Yes, many of the things discussed in the book are outdated, but the heart and soul of the work are as fresh today as when it was written. In this literary treasure, George W. Sears, aka “Nessmuk”, grants us modern readers a window into a bygone age of our American heritage. He describes some of his outdoor adventures which took place in a part of America which no longer exists as it did for him in the late nineteenth century. This aspect of the book reminds me in a way of Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. At the same time, the conservationist in Sears speaks to us of a fish and game conservation ethic which easily pairs with the writings of Aldo Leopold. Perhaps one of the more surprising aspects of this book is Sears’ treating of the subject of go-light wilderness gear principles, which feels to be quite ahead of its time. As an aside, many years ago, a dear mentor of mine in the ways of the outdoors made a humorous reference to something he had once read in a book regarding a lightweight canoe outfit. For twenty-some years I wondered where that reference came from, and if I’d ever be able to find it. When I read this book, I finally discovered that passage!

I loved the book. Could I find info elsewhere that would fit today's available equipment better? Definitely. Would this book tell me what I need to know in a grid down you're stuck with what you have or what you can make yourself situation? Definitely. I liked the style and the old wood lore. Some of it looked like my old Boy Scout Handbook, which I wish I could get my hands on. I am so glad I bought it. It has made me rethink just what I need for a wilderness adventure. His 20 pounds for an adventure hits the mark for today's go-bag goal. Ultra-light backpackers could learn a lot from Mr. Nessmuk.His tales about campfire making brought back fond memories of counseling at some church camps in the redwoods where everything was dripping wet in the mornings. I taught city kids how to build a decent fire with one match and keep it at a safe, usable level so we didn't need a redwood tree to keep it going, and how we needed to put it out cold before we left camp or hit the sack at night. Nessmuk shared some good stuff in a way I can relate to. I enjoyed it immensely.