When Technology Fails by Matthew Stein (2008, Paperback, Revised)

I ran into this book in the library. It had been misplaced on the shelf and was in with a bunch of dogtraining books. I picked it up, leafed through it, and checked it out. It's very readable, full of diagrams, charts, gadjets, etc. Covers tons of topics, in detail, telling you and illustrating how to make or do it: building green homes, energy and electricity, metal casting, using fibers to make clothes, making various glues, building a make-shift shelter, making and firing primitive pottery, emergency first aid and home medicines, cures for toenail fungus, eating right, gardening... on and on. I loved it sooo much, I went and hunted for it online, found a revised edition, and bought it immediately. (Incidentally, I used the recipe for the anti-fungal medicine, and it fixed my toenail right up within a month!) Awesome! I'm tempted to buy several copies for friends who would love it too, for the holidays. It's about how to live, how to survive, and it's a fantastic book! I think everyone should have a copy of it.