Albatross: The true story of a woman's survival at sea by Deborah Scaling Kiley and Meg Noonan (Replica Books, 2000)
In 1982, experienced sailor Kiley (Swimming with Sharks) agreed to crew a sailboat from Maine to Florida. After a fierce storm sank the boat off the coast of North Carolina, the crew of five struggled onto an ill-equipped rubber dinghy to face hunger, cold, thirst, sharks, festering sores and hostile relations with each other. Only two of them survived.
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Jungle: A harrowing true story of survival by Yossi Ghinsberg (Boomerang, 2005)
Based on his real-life adventure, the author's story (Escape from the Amazon) of survival deals with two central themes – what does a man become once civilisation is left behind, and the struggle to survive the elements of the natural world.
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Miracle on the Mountain: A true tale of faith and survival by Mike and Mary Couillard (Avon Books, 1999)
A US Airforce colonel and his 10-year-old son (Lost on the Mountain) skied into a blizzard atop Kartalkaya Mountain in Turkey and were forced to the limits of human endurance.
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One Step Beyond by Chris Moon (Pan, 2000)
Moon (Kidnapped in the Killing Fields) has led a life of remarkable experiences, from being blown up by a land mine to surviving kidnap by the Khmer Rouge. He writes with wit and charm, passion and belief, and his tale is truly one of adventure, romance and inspiration.
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A Test of Will: One man's extraordinary story of survival by Warren Macdonald (Hardie Grant, 2005)
Macdonald (Trapped Under A Boulder), a fit and experienced hiker, set out to make the gruelling climb to the top of Australia's spectacular Mount Bowen. But what had begun as a two-day adventure suddenly turned into a nightmare when he found himself lying in a dry creek bed, both legs pinned by a giant boulder.
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Touching the Void by Joe Simpson (Vintage, 1998)
An account of the ascent of the Siula Grande peak in the Peruvian Andes. Joe Simpson and his climbing partner had achieved the summit before the first disaster struck. What happened and how they dealt with the psychological traumas that resulted is the subject of this book.
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The Worst-case Scenario Survival Handbook: Extreme edition by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht (Chronicle Books, 2005)
Whether stranded on an iceberg, being chased by a pack of wolves, spinning out on a motorcycle, held under by a huge wave while surfing, or being buried alive, this handbook is the ticket to survival.
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