Something about survival in the wilderness

I don’t generally like a lot of nonfiction – it’s usually too dry and drawn out for me. But I do love me some narrative nonfiction, which is just nonfiction that reads a lot like a fiction novel in that there are essentially main characters and they flow through a normal story arc. And to add, I love me a good survival story. Here are a handful that really fit your prompt quite well. Don’t get caught up on the fact that they’re nonfiction – they’re mostly a ton of fun.

**Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival by Peter Stark** – this is very early America, attempting to establish a trading post in Oregon – starting off on the East coast. Hard times and hard people. Fascinating read and gives a lot of insight into what it took to settle America and gives good insight into our relationship with the early Indians.

**Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing** – this is about the doomed Shackleton expedition to be the first to cross Antarctica on foot (sled). This is probably my favorite non-fiction book I’ve ever read. Lansing read through all the diaries and journals of the men and created this book – it’s straight up amazing. Happens right at the beginning of WWI.

**The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard** – after Teddy Roosevelt’s failed attempt at a third presidential term (that used to be allowed…) and after a failed assassination attempt (he was shot in the chest), Roosevelt decided to go explore a totally uncharted part of the Amazon rainforest, because that’s just how badass of a person he was. It’s great and Roosevelt was the manliest man to ever man.

**Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer** – this is about one of the deadliest seasons ever on Everest. I believe it occurred in 1997. Jon Krakauer was a part of the doomed expedition and just so happens to be a pretty great author so was able to write this pretty wild first hand account. It’s great.

Edit: OK I can add one more since you prefer fiction…

**The Terror by Dan Simmons** – this is like horror / historical fiction mixed into one. It’s about the Franklin Expedition which was a group of English explorers looking for the Northwest Passage in 1847. The explorers, the expedition and many of the things that happened to the men in the book are all 100% based on fact. Simmons then took some liberty with things….something is hunting them. That part is fiction but it’s cool to get a heavy dose of non-fiction mixed in. There’s also a show on Hulu that’s really quite great that you can watch after reading – highly recommend both but read the book first. It pairs well with Endurance in that they are both Arctic survival but they’re set in different times and places and obviously one is largely fictional.

Joe simpson – touching the void

Small Game by Blair Braverman is exactly what you’re looking for.