Books

Dear Shadow Tribe,

Here are my top picks for preparedness, survival, and resistance related books. There are no blind recommendations, as I own and/or have read all books on this list. Most are available on Amazon, but a few may be out-of-print (check used book stores and eBay). Using my Amazon and other affiliate links helps support this website at no extra cost to you. Thank You!

Cade Shadowlight ☠

 

Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America by Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness). My #1 recommendation for general preparedness and survival. Clear, faith-friendly, no-nonsense guide to short- and long-term preparedness by an author with rock-solid credentials: 20-year military career (Green Beret, Pentagon), post-military career in national security, volunteer fire fighter, Boy Scout leader. pastor, and over a decade living an off-grid, neo-pioneering life. Highly recommended! 

 

The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse by Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre Real-world lessons from Argentina’s 2001 collapse. If you want to know what an actual economic SHTF looks like on the street, this is it.

 

ACEP First Aid Manual, 5th Edition. Current, authoritative first-aid knowledge from the American College of Emergency Physicians. Every household needs this, prepper or not. And study it before you need it!

 

The Survival Medicine Handbook by Dr. Joe Alton & Nurse Amy Alton.  The go-to medical reference when 911 doesn’t answer. Pair it with the ACEP manual above for an absolutely essential addition to your library.

 

SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition by John “Lofty” Wiseman.  The ultimate all-environment (urban, rural, wilderness) survival handbook. Highly recommended!

 

Nuclear War Survival: A One Hour Crash Course by SouthernPrepper1.  Quick, practical nuclear survival basics. Read it in an evening, sleep better forever.

 

Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson H. Kearny (2022 edition).  The government-commissioned Cold-War classic, still the gold standard for civil-defense DIY. 

 

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. (Because being broke is its own kind of disaster.) Timeless parables that teach rock-solid personal finance principles: pay yourself first, live below your means, make your money work for you. Financial collapse is the most likely SHTF most people will ever face.

 

Total Resistance - The classic study on resistance & underground operations, by Swiss Major H. von Dach. Often recommended by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), a former Special Forces officer.

Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) - Another great resource for resistance and underground operations. Also recommended by both Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness) and Bear of Bear Independent.

Human Factors Considerations of Undergrounds in Insurgencies: Second Edition - This manual is by the US Army Special Operations Command in 1966, and is focused "on the contemporary threat of Maoist insurgencies, particularly in Southeast Asia, and also draws extensively on World War II resistance movements in Europe. Much of this information is still relevant" in today's situations.

Unrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy America, by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui (both officers in the Chinese military). This is literally the handbook the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been using in its (so far very successful) cold war against America and the West. Not only does it expose their tactics, but reveals to us pointers we can use against our enemies, be they the CCP or our own Western Elites.

Retreat Security and Small Unit Tactics, by David Kobler (SouthernPrepper1) and Mark Goodwin - This book "will give you the tools you need to put together a basic security plan for your homestead, neighborhood, or group retreat to keep the wolves at bay.

 

The Art of War, by Sun Tze - This classic military study covers various aspects of warfare, including tactics, intelligence gathering, leadership, and the importance of adaptability.

Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them) - If you don’t understand communist revolutions, you aren’t ready for what’s coming. This is not a book about ideology or politics. Instead, it reveals that communism, socialism, Marxism, and fascism are not philosophies but tactics - tactics that are specifically designed to unleash terror on everyday people and revoke their human rights to life, liberty, and property. These are the forces of unhumanity. This is what they do. Unhumans steals their playbook, breaks apart their strategies piece by piece, and lays out the tactics of what it takes to fight back and win, using real-world examples. 

American Patriot's Bible, The Word of God and the Shaping of America, the NKJV  - Two things being attacked in today's world: Biblical teachings and real history. This study Bible addresses both. One of my favorite translations, the New King James Version is literal, accurate, and easy-to-read for most modern folks. The American Patriot's Bible "shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible." Lot's of articles and study notes showing the importance of God and the Bible to our nation's founding and subsequent history. Highly recommended! 

 

The Scriptures, by the Institute for Scripture Research (translators). A recent literal translation of the Bible that restores the names of God. Quotations and allusions from the Old Testament are in bold type in the New Testament, and are accompanied by the text references, aiding your understanding of the original contexts. 

War of the Flea: The Classic Study of Guerrilla Warfare, by Robert Taber - This book "began a revolution in conventional military thought that has dramatically impacted the way armed conflicts have been fought since the book’s initial publication in 1965."

U.S. Army Guerrilla Warfare Handbook - The official manual designed to provide guidance in special forces and unconventional warfare operations for commanders and staff at all levels.  

Guerrillas in the Mist: A Battlefield Guide to Clandestine Warfare, by Bob Newman -basic fieldcraft; mines and booby traps; tunnel construction and strategy; ambushes; urban and nocturnal tactics; interrogation, indoctrination and exploitation; psyops; and more. 

The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli. The Left and the Elites are much better at politics than our side. That is because we generally want to be left alone and to leave others alone in turn. They want to control. Politics is a battleground we must master. Machiavelli teaches us to wield power ruthlessly when necessary, a skill we can’t afford to ignore.

The Discourses on Livy, by Niccolò Machiavelli. In his other political masterpiece, Machiavelli analyzes the history of ancient Rome - based on Livy's History of Rome - to explore political structures, governance, and the conditions for a successful republic. Remember, the United States was founded as a Republic.

On War, by Carl von Clausewitz. The classic treatise on strategy reveals war and politics as a contest of wills. For the resistance, it’s a playbook for outmaneuvering a stronger foe.

United We Stand: Building Your Emergency Preparedness Network, by David Kobler (aka SouthernPrepper1). Our strength lies in liberty, but survival demands alliances. Building networks is difficult for many of us, since our side tends to be highly individualistic and mistrustful of others. Kobler, a seasoned prepper and veteran, offers practical steps to build trust and networks without compromising independence 

The Evil Twins of Technocracy and Transhumanism, by Patrick M. Wood, exposes technocracy as the Elites’ blueprint for domination, and transhumanism as the literal existential threat it is.

Technocracy: The Hard Road to World Order, by Patrick M. Wood, maps the elites' endgame, arming us with knowledge to fight back.

 

Free Report: Understanding the Threats: Technocracy, by Cade Shadowlight. A great introduction, if I may humbly say so, to the most powerful tool of the Elites and Deep State. Highly recommended for a solid understanding of the modern dystopian threats we face.

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, by Charles Petzold. Technocracy and AI are the tools being used against us. Petzold demystifies the machines, giving us the tools to understand and subvert their control. Highly recommended if you want a solid understanding of AI, software, and technology.

 

Vegetable Gardening Illustrated, by Sunset. Great guide to gardening. Also includes berries and herbs, in addition to vegetables. 

 

Vegetable Gardeners Handbook, by The Old Farmer's Almanac. My personal favorite gardening book. 

 

Plant Science for Gardeners: Essentials for Growing Better Plants, by Robert Pavlis. "When you understand what plants need and why, every garden decision becomes logical rather than guesswork. This knowledge prevents costly mistakes and maximizes plant health and productivity."

 

Suggestions From My Readers Like You (Thank You!)

Gardening When it Really Counts, by Steve Solomon. Recommended by Bendy: "Probably need some help on getting logistics, specifically food, squared away. Serious basics when you can't buy supplies."

Cold Times: How to Prepare for the Mini Ice Age, by Dr. Anita Bailey. Also recommended by Bendy: "gardens, livestock, medicine, storing up, building, etc etc."

The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics In Afghanistan, by Lester Grau. Recommended by Skyler the Weird: "Insurgency from the perspective of the Soviet Occupiers. The Soviets discovered the Afghans didn't care to have a Dictatorship of the Proletariat just as we discovered they weren't interested in a Democracy with Rainbow Flags later on."

The Geneva Bible - Recommended by SecessionIsTheAnswer: "This is the true patriots bible, ritten by men of God fleeing from persecution by bloody Queen Mary to Switzerland. There a team of dedicated individuals painstakingly translated into English, the Bible with all related notes & other information relating to the translations. This was printed and provided to all us serfs to read at home. Prior to this, only priests were allowed a copy of the Bible. Later King James commissioned the KJV of the Bible - wanting to re-establish in the Bible that priests and the ‘King’ are superior to the common man/serf. While the NKJV makes some improvements, the Geneva Bible was written as a direct communication between God and you. No priest or other 3rd party is required!" Available on Amazon and at https://genevabible.com/

Additional suggestions?  Please leave them in the comments section below!