SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10


but John Wilson is a bit annoying, 24 Apr 2008
Get past Wilson's gurning, mugging puss and you have an excellent reference book. This book will teach you everything you need to know about rigs, hooks and knots. It is clearly set out with good clear photographs and instructions so it is useful for beginners and intermediates alike.

Read this book on the train and practice at home during February & March when the shore fishing in this country is shocking. Just knowing two or three of the knots and rigs in this book will improve your fishing no end. Good knots do not break. You'll keep more fish and have more confidence in your casting.

The second section of the book concerns bait. What to look for and how to hook and present it. Again a couple of tips learned and practiced will enhance your fishing no end. You will learn what to look for in the tackle shop (and on the beach) so you won't look like a novice when you open up your worms in the tackle shop and say "that's great" as the tackle dealer hands you four day old lug that are about to blow.

A quality book from a quality publication house. Look out for more Anger's Mail titles. Please note that I have found some of the fish specific titles a bit dated but there are, none the less, full of great advise.


The Sea Angler's Step by Step Guid to Bait and Rigs, 07 Jan 2008
Iv only been into sea fishing for about 6 months. Almost everything suggested in this book has been printed in monthly sea fishing magazines.

This is a useful book to keep and will tell you how to make rigs and present bait.

eliminate the confusion!, 23 Mar 2004
If you are new to sea fishing then this book will help you through the minefield of technical names and jargon. It will show you how to make simple and effective rigs which do catch fish, believe me i am a serious match fisherman! it then explains the various types of sea baits and their usages how to hook worms etc.....bait presentation is just as important as the rig you are using. This book certainly helped me no end when i started back beach fishing 4 years ago, it will give you the confidence to go into your tackle shop and not look like a complete novice, and also save you money in the long run.

The Sea Angler's Step-by-step Guide to Bait and Rigs, 16 Mar 2004
I have only had this book for a few days and only being a beginner to the world of Sea Angling i have found it very useful. It has show me things that you would never know unless you belong to a club, instead of bying rigs it shows you how to build your own therefore saving money. it also shows how to keep your bait fresh and re-usable for your next fishing trip, that also saves money. All in all a very cheap but valuble book for the beginner to Sea Angling.

Essential purchase, 07 Dec 2003
Have you bought loads of sea angling books in the hope that at least one will contain some simple pictures and explanations of bait preparation and presentation rather than just showing you a picture of a ready baited rig? Not found one yet? Then this book is for you. Excellent purchase.

Here, for a change, is a fish tale that actually does honour to the author. In fact The Old Man and the Sea revived Ernest Hemingway's career, which was foundering under the weight of such post-war stinkers as Across the River and into the Trees. It also led directly to his receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1954 (an award Hemingway gladly accepted, despite his earlier observation that "no son of a bitch that ever won the Nobel Prize ever wrote anything worth reading afterwards"). A half century later, it's still easy to see why. This tale of an aged Cuban fisherman going head-to-head (or hand-to-fin) with a magnificent marlin encapsulates Hemingway's favourite motifs of physical and moral challenge. Yet Santiago is too old and infirm to partake of the gun-toting machismo that disfigured much of the author's later work:

"The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords."

Hemingway's style, too, reverts to those superb snapshots of perception that won him his initial fame:

Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved and swung in the light sea as though the ocean were making love with something under a yellow blanket, his small line was taken by a dolphin. He saw it first when it jumped in the air, true gold in the last of the sun and bending and flapping wildly in the air.

If a younger Hemingway had written this novella, Santiago most likely would have towed the enormous fish back to port and posed for a triumphal photograph--just as the author delighted in doing, circa 1935. Instead his prize gets devoured by a school of sharks. Returning with little more than a skeleton, he takes to his bed and, in the very last line, cements his identification with his creator:

"The old man was dreaming about the lions."

Perhaps there's some allegory of art and experience floating around in there somewhere--but The Old Man and the Sea was, in any case, the last great catch of Hemingway's career. --James MarcusHere, for a change, is a fish tale that actually does honour to the author. In fact The Old Man and the Sea revived Ernest Hemingway's career, which was foundering under the weight of such post-war stinkers as Across the River and into the Trees. It also led directly to his receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1954 (an award Hemingway gladly accepted, despite his earlier observation that "no son of a bitch that ever won the Nobel Prize ever wrote anything worth reading afterwards"). A half century later, it's still easy to see why. This tale of an aged Cuban fisherman going head-to-head (or hand-to-fin) with a magnificent marlin encapsulates Hemingway's favourite motifs of physical and moral challenge. Yet Santiago is too old and infirm to partake of the gun-toting machismo that disfigured much of the author's later work:

"The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords."

Hemingway's style, too, reverts to those superb snapshots of perception that won him his initial fame:

Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved and swung in the light sea as though the ocean were making love with something under a yellow blanket, his small line was taken by a dolphin. He saw it first when it jumped in the air, true gold in the last of the sun and bending and flapping wildly in the air.

If a younger Hemingway had written this novella, Santiago most likely would have towed the enormous fish back to port and posed for a triumphal photograph--just as the author delighted in doing, circa 1935. Instead his prize gets devoured by a school of sharks. Returning with little more than a skeleton, he takes to his bed and, in the very last line, cements his identification with his creator:

"The old man was dreaming about the lions."

Perhaps there's some allegory of art and experience floating around in there somewhere--but The Old Man and the Sea was, in any case, the last great catch of Hemingway's career. --James Marcus

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10


but John Wilson is a bit annoying, 24 Apr 2008
Get past Wilson's gurning, mugging puss and you have an excellent reference book. This book will teach you everything you need to know about rigs, hooks and knots. It is clearly set out with good clear photographs and instructions so it is useful for beginners and intermediates alike.

Read this book on the train and practice at home during February & March when the shore fishing in this country is shocking. Just knowing two or three of the knots and rigs in this book will improve your fishing no end. Good knots do not break. You'll keep more fish and have more confidence in your casting.

The second section of the book concerns bait. What to look for and how to hook and present it. Again a couple of tips learned and practiced will enhance your fishing no end. You will learn what to look for in the tackle shop (and on the beach) so you won't look like a novice when you open up your worms in the tackle shop and say "that's great" as the tackle dealer hands you four day old lug that are about to blow.

A quality book from a quality publication house. Look out for more Anger's Mail titles. Please note that I have found some of the fish specific titles a bit dated but there are, none the less, full of great advise.


The Sea Angler's Step by Step Guid to Bait and Rigs, 07 Jan 2008
Iv only been into sea fishing for about 6 months. Almost everything suggested in this book has been printed in monthly sea fishing magazines.

This is a useful book to keep and will tell you how to make rigs and present bait.

eliminate the confusion!, 23 Mar 2004
If you are new to sea fishing then this book will help you through the minefield of technical names and jargon. It will show you how to make simple and effective rigs which do catch fish, believe me i am a serious match fisherman! it then explains the various types of sea baits and their usages how to hook worms etc.....bait presentation is just as important as the rig you are using. This book certainly helped me no end when i started back beach fishing 4 years ago, it will give you the confidence to go into your tackle shop and not look like a complete novice, and also save you money in the long run.

The Sea Angler's Step-by-step Guide to Bait and Rigs, 16 Mar 2004
I have only had this book for a few days and only being a beginner to the world of Sea Angling i have found it very useful. It has show me things that you would never know unless you belong to a club, instead of bying rigs it shows you how to build your own therefore saving money. it also shows how to keep your bait fresh and re-usable for your next fishing trip, that also saves money. All in all a very cheap but valuble book for the beginner to Sea Angling.

Essential purchase, 07 Dec 2003
Have you bought loads of sea angling books in the hope that at least one will contain some simple pictures and explanations of bait preparation and presentation rather than just showing you a picture of a ready baited rig? Not found one yet? Then this book is for you. Excellent purchase.

Worst book I have ever read..., 13 Nov 2008
I had to study this text for my GCSE for exam questions...what a bad book to choose! It is boring and I don't see Nobel Prize winning stuff here! This is for people with a real interest in literature because you have to go too deep to find the meaning of the story. As you can imagine, I was not motivated during my exam...

Old Man And The Pile Of Crap, 10 Jul 2008
Perhaps the most over-rated book of all time. A book that boasts absolutly no substance and is sure to kill anyone who has even the slightest slither of personality. For me this book exemplifies everything wrong with the critical world; distinctly average and even poor books and films etc. are hailed as materpieces due to the alledged 'body of thourght' behind them. I can assure you there is no 'thought' here, at least none above the mundane and enfantile.
I am fully aware of the 'messages' such as 'material gain is worthless', however these values are extremly rudimentary and are learnt as a child. Essentially, 'The old man and the sea' tells us nothing that we didn't already know and, perhaps more impotantly, is just a crap story.
This stole nearly 3 months of entertaining, if only mildly, english lessons away from me. During that 3 month period I would describe this book as 'the bain of my existence'. To summerise:
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, unless your hobbies include watching hours upon hours of riveting box assembly and/or cutting yourself in the face with very long sharp knives, in which case this is the book for you.


By Tom K


The Old Man And The Sea - Dreary, Boring twaddle., 27 Mar 2008
I appreciate the deeper meanings of this book, but ultimately get distracted by the very absurdity of the book. There are nearly 100 pages about an old man on a boat by himself who talks to his own hand. The story is well-written and laced with the simplistic prose Hemingway is known for, but so much time is spent rambling, the story gets bogged down with pointless chitchat.

This story does show 'victory in defeat', but is so dreary it becomes unbearable.

Inspiring, 28 Dec 2007
The Old Man and the Sea is one of the best short stories I have ever read. Despite its short length, it somehow manages to take the reader on the same emotional journey as a full length novel.

The 'old man' of the title is a Cuban fisherman and the story is mostly concerned with his efforts to catch an 18 foot long fish despite the odds being stacked against him. It doesn't sound like a fascinating subject, but it becomes representative of the very human condition. The writing is perfect, no words wasted, and I found myself on the edge of my seat with tension.

The fisherman's determination and refusal to let his spirit be dampened down is inspiring and refreshing, and anyone who has undergone an endurance test of some kind, physical or emotional, will be able to relate to it.

Overall, a beautiful piece of prose and worth reading even if you do not normally enjoy short stories.

Am I missing something???, 21 Nov 2007
I bought this in a bid to expand my knowledge of great literature. I am also reading books such as The Great Gatsby, Les Mis and Don Quixote. I hope with all my might that these are more thrilling to read.

During my school years The Old Man and the Sea was much referred to, and I went away with the impression that it was an incredible piece of literature.

And so now I find myself having read the prize-winning piece, and wondering what I missed. What makes this novella so good? It was a real chore for me to read - the hardest 99 pages I think I have ever read. Not because of the languiage - THAT, I understood. But because nothing happens!

What have others seen in this book that I have missed? I would hate to read the books that lost out on the prize to this one.

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10


but John Wilson is a bit annoying, 24 Apr 2008
Get past Wilson's gurning, mugging puss and you have an excellent reference book. This book will teach you everything you need to know about rigs, hooks and knots. It is clearly set out with good clear photographs and instructions so it is useful for beginners and intermediates alike.

Read this book on the train and practice at home during February & March when the shore fishing in this country is shocking. Just knowing two or three of the knots and rigs in this book will improve your fishing no end. Good knots do not break. You'll keep more fish and have more confidence in your casting.

The second section of the book concerns bait. What to look for and how to hook and present it. Again a couple of tips learned and practiced will enhance your fishing no end. You will learn what to look for in the tackle shop (and on the beach) so you won't look like a novice when you open up your worms in the tackle shop and say "that's great" as the tackle dealer hands you four day old lug that are about to blow.

A quality book from a quality publication house. Look out for more Anger's Mail titles. Please note that I have found some of the fish specific titles a bit dated but there are, none the less, full of great advise.


The Sea Angler's Step by Step Guid to Bait and Rigs, 07 Jan 2008
Iv only been into sea fishing for about 6 months. Almost everything suggested in this book has been printed in monthly sea fishing magazines.

This is a useful book to keep and will tell you how to make rigs and present bait.

eliminate the confusion!, 23 Mar 2004
If you are new to sea fishing then this book will help you through the minefield of technical names and jargon. It will show you how to make simple and effective rigs which do catch fish, believe me i am a serious match fisherman! it then explains the various types of sea baits and their usages how to hook worms etc.....bait presentation is just as important as the rig you are using. This book certainly helped me no end when i started back beach fishing 4 years ago, it will give you the confidence to go into your tackle shop and not look like a complete novice, and also save you money in the long run.

The Sea Angler's Step-by-step Guide to Bait and Rigs, 16 Mar 2004
I have only had this book for a few days and only being a beginner to the world of Sea Angling i have found it very useful. It has show me things that you would never know unless you belong to a club, instead of bying rigs it shows you how to build your own therefore saving money. it also shows how to keep your bait fresh and re-usable for your next fishing trip, that also saves money. All in all a very cheap but valuble book for the beginner to Sea Angling.

Essential purchase, 07 Dec 2003
Have you bought loads of sea angling books in the hope that at least one will contain some simple pictures and explanations of bait preparation and presentation rather than just showing you a picture of a ready baited rig? Not found one yet? Then this book is for you. Excellent purchase.

Worst book I have ever read..., 13 Nov 2008
I had to study this text for my GCSE for exam questions...what a bad book to choose! It is boring and I don't see Nobel Prize winning stuff here! This is for people with a real interest in literature because you have to go too deep to find the meaning of the story. As you can imagine, I was not motivated during my exam...

Old Man And The Pile Of Crap, 10 Jul 2008
Perhaps the most over-rated book of all time. A book that boasts absolutly no substance and is sure to kill anyone who has even the slightest slither of personality. For me this book exemplifies everything wrong with the critical world; distinctly average and even poor books and films etc. are hailed as materpieces due to the alledged 'body of thourght' behind them. I can assure you there is no 'thought' here, at least none above the mundane and enfantile.
I am fully aware of the 'messages' such as 'material gain is worthless', however these values are extremly rudimentary and are learnt as a child. Essentially, 'The old man and the sea' tells us nothing that we didn't already know and, perhaps more impotantly, is just a crap story.
This stole nearly 3 months of entertaining, if only mildly, english lessons away from me. During that 3 month period I would describe this book as 'the bain of my existence'. To summerise:
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, unless your hobbies include watching hours upon hours of riveting box assembly and/or cutting yourself in the face with very long sharp knives, in which case this is the book for you.


By Tom K


The Old Man And The Sea - Dreary, Boring twaddle., 27 Mar 2008
I appreciate the deeper meanings of this book, but ultimately get distracted by the very absurdity of the book. There are nearly 100 pages about an old man on a boat by himself who talks to his own hand. The story is well-written and laced with the simplistic prose Hemingway is known for, but so much time is spent rambling, the story gets bogged down with pointless chitchat.

This story does show 'victory in defeat', but is so dreary it becomes unbearable.

Inspiring, 28 Dec 2007
The Old Man and the Sea is one of the best short stories I have ever read. Despite its short length, it somehow manages to take the reader on the same emotional journey as a full length novel.

The 'old man' of the title is a Cuban fisherman and the story is mostly concerned with his efforts to catch an 18 foot long fish despite the odds being stacked against him. It doesn't sound like a fascinating subject, but it becomes representative of the very human condition. The writing is perfect, no words wasted, and I found myself on the edge of my seat with tension.

The fisherman's determination and refusal to let his spirit be dampened down is inspiring and refreshing, and anyone who has undergone an endurance test of some kind, physical or emotional, will be able to relate to it.

Overall, a beautiful piece of prose and worth reading even if you do not normally enjoy short stories.

Am I missing something???, 21 Nov 2007
I bought this in a bid to expand my knowledge of great literature. I am also reading books such as The Great Gatsby, Les Mis and Don Quixote. I hope with all my might that these are more thrilling to read.

During my school years The Old Man and the Sea was much referred to, and I went away with the impression that it was an incredible piece of literature.

And so now I find myself having read the prize-winning piece, and wondering what I missed. What makes this novella so good? It was a real chore for me to read - the hardest 99 pages I think I have ever read. Not because of the languiage - THAT, I understood. But because nothing happens!

What have others seen in this book that I have missed? I would hate to read the books that lost out on the prize to this one.

Fishing might actually be fun...no, honest., 29 Jun 2007
I don't know the first thing about fishing and am really not that interested in it, but I bought this for my dad and thought I'd just skim a few pages before wrapping it. I ended up reading the whole thing. It's beautifully illustrated and really well written, making an otherwise dull pastime seem almost worth participating in. Actually I think I might go with my dad next time he goes fishing. It's not too technical but full of what I assume is good advice. And I really liked all the non-technical pages like 'Ghosts' which demonstrate the author's love for fishing and confirm it's really not about the number of fish you catch.

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10


but John Wilson is a bit annoying, 24 Apr 2008
Get past Wilson's gurning, mugging puss and you have an excellent reference book. This book will teach you everything you need to know about rigs, hooks and knots. It is clearly set out with good clear photographs and instructions so it is useful for beginners and intermediates alike.

Read this book on the train and practice at home during February & March when the shore fishing in this country is shocking. Just knowing two or three of the knots and rigs in this book will improve your fishing no end. Good knots do not break. You'll keep more fish and have more confidence in your casting.

The second section of the book concerns bait. What to look for and how to hook and present it. Again a couple of tips learned and practiced will enhance your fishing no end. You will learn what to look for in the tackle shop (and on the beach) so you won't look like a novice when you open up your worms in the tackle shop and say "that's great" as the tackle dealer hands you four day old lug that are about to blow.

A quality book from a quality publication house. Look out for more Anger's Mail titles. Please note that I have found some of the fish specific titles a bit dated but there are, none the less, full of great advise.


The Sea Angler's Step by Step Guid to Bait and Rigs, 07 Jan 2008
Iv only been into sea fishing for about 6 months. Almost everything suggested in this book has been printed in monthly sea fishing magazines.

This is a useful book to keep and will tell you how to make rigs and present bait.

eliminate the confusion!, 23 Mar 2004
If you are new to sea fishing then this book will help you through the minefield of technical names and jargon. It will show you how to make simple and effective rigs which do catch fish, believe me i am a serious match fisherman! it then explains the various types of sea baits and their usages how to hook worms etc.....bait presentation is just as important as the rig you are using. This book certainly helped me no end when i started back beach fishing 4 years ago, it will give you the confidence to go into your tackle shop and not look like a complete novice, and also save you money in the long run.

The Sea Angler's Step-by-step Guide to Bait and Rigs, 16 Mar 2004
I have only had this book for a few days and only being a beginner to the world of Sea Angling i have found it very useful. It has show me things that you would never know unless you belong to a club, instead of bying rigs it shows you how to build your own therefore saving money. it also shows how to keep your bait fresh and re-usable for your next fishing trip, that also saves money. All in all a very cheap but valuble book for the beginner to Sea Angling.

Essential purchase, 07 Dec 2003
Have you bought loads of sea angling books in the hope that at least one will contain some simple pictures and explanations of bait preparation and presentation rather than just showing you a picture of a ready baited rig? Not found one yet? Then this book is for you. Excellent purchase.

Worst book I have ever read..., 13 Nov 2008
I had to study this text for my GCSE for exam questions...what a bad book to choose! It is boring and I don't see Nobel Prize winning stuff here! This is for people with a real interest in literature because you have to go too deep to find the meaning of the story. As you can imagine, I was not motivated during my exam...

Old Man And The Pile Of Crap, 10 Jul 2008
Perhaps the most over-rated book of all time. A book that boasts absolutly no substance and is sure to kill anyone who has even the slightest slither of personality. For me this book exemplifies everything wrong with the critical world; distinctly average and even poor books and films etc. are hailed as materpieces due to the alledged 'body of thourght' behind them. I can assure you there is no 'thought' here, at least none above the mundane and enfantile.
I am fully aware of the 'messages' such as 'material gain is worthless', however these values are extremly rudimentary and are learnt as a child. Essentially, 'The old man and the sea' tells us nothing that we didn't already know and, perhaps more impotantly, is just a crap story.
This stole nearly 3 months of entertaining, if only mildly, english lessons away from me. During that 3 month period I would describe this book as 'the bain of my existence'. To summerise:
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, unless your hobbies include watching hours upon hours of riveting box assembly and/or cutting yourself in the face with very long sharp knives, in which case this is the book for you.


By Tom K


The Old Man And The Sea - Dreary, Boring twaddle., 27 Mar 2008
I appreciate the deeper meanings of this book, but ultimately get distracted by the very absurdity of the book. There are nearly 100 pages about an old man on a boat by himself who talks to his own hand. The story is well-written and laced with the simplistic prose Hemingway is known for, but so much time is spent rambling, the story gets bogged down with pointless chitchat.

This story does show 'victory in defeat', but is so dreary it becomes unbearable.

Inspiring, 28 Dec 2007
The Old Man and the Sea is one of the best short stories I have ever read. Despite its short length, it somehow manages to take the reader on the same emotional journey as a full length novel.

The 'old man' of the title is a Cuban fisherman and the story is mostly concerned with his efforts to catch an 18 foot long fish despite the odds being stacked against him. It doesn't sound like a fascinating subject, but it becomes representative of the very human condition. The writing is perfect, no words wasted, and I found myself on the edge of my seat with tension.

The fisherman's determination and refusal to let his spirit be dampened down is inspiring and refreshing, and anyone who has undergone an endurance test of some kind, physical or emotional, will be able to relate to it.

Overall, a beautiful piece of prose and worth reading even if you do not normally enjoy short stories.

Am I missing something???, 21 Nov 2007
I bought this in a bid to expand my knowledge of great literature. I am also reading books such as The Great Gatsby, Les Mis and Don Quixote. I hope with all my might that these are more thrilling to read.

During my school years The Old Man and the Sea was much referred to, and I went away with the impression that it was an incredible piece of literature.

And so now I find myself having read the prize-winning piece, and wondering what I missed. What makes this novella so good? It was a real chore for me to read - the hardest 99 pages I think I have ever read. Not because of the languiage - THAT, I understood. But because nothing happens!

What have others seen in this book that I have missed? I would hate to read the books that lost out on the prize to this one.

Fishing might actually be fun...no, honest., 29 Jun 2007
I don't know the first thing about fishing and am really not that interested in it, but I bought this for my dad and thought I'd just skim a few pages before wrapping it. I ended up reading the whole thing. It's beautifully illustrated and really well written, making an otherwise dull pastime seem almost worth participating in. Actually I think I might go with my dad next time he goes fishing. It's not too technical but full of what I assume is good advice. And I really liked all the non-technical pages like 'Ghosts' which demonstrate the author's love for fishing and confirm it's really not about the number of fish you catch.

What took you so long?, 16 Nov 2008
Chris writes about his rediscovery of sea fishing, having left it as a boy and spent most of his life fishing rivers and lakes. As a sea angler myself, I can't understand why he didn't go back to sea fishing before! We are all familiar with Chris from his appearances on television and other books on fishing, and this book is no less charming than his previous work. When Chris writes, you are there with him and you can share every sparkle on the water, distant swoop of a gull and the murmur and suck of a quiet sea. Chris brings the delicate touch of his freshwater style to sea fishing, so I wonder how he would deal with the rough and tumble of sea fishing in rougher places? He wisely keeps away from that! I would give Chris a five except for one thing. Why the obsession with keeping away from the rest of mankind? No wonder more sociable nations think us a strange lot in England.

Blank Pages, 26 Oct 2008
Although I enjoyed the book as I have all Chris Yates's books. I was disapointed to find a large number of blank pages. WHY?

The Passionate Angler, 27 Sep 2008
Maurice Wiggin's book, The Passionate Angler inspired the world-class BBC series, A Passion for Angling, in which Chris Yates starred. The success of this film catapulted this quiet, modest man into the limelight, and into the homes of anglers and non-anglers alike. It opened up a whole new world of exploration for him, and when Penguin/Hamish Hamilton published 'How to Fish' in 2006, it became an overnight success.

'Out of the Blue' published by Hamish Hamilton on the 4th September, 2008, has outstripped our book shop sales of 'How to Fish' by almost 90% so far, with the leather-bound special edition achieving rapid sales. Out of the Blue is already on its 2nd print run, which might come as a surprise to people who previously saw Chris as a coarse fisherman, because this wonderful new book is about sea fishing; bass in particular.

It's not an instructional book; it's a journey through the hot summers of school holidays spent rock-pooling with his brother; of becoming stranded on rocks and almost being washed out to sea; of his return and rediscovery of childhood haunts, and the thrill of catching, then releasing his beautiful bass to the mysterious depths of the ocean.

Chris's mastery of prose is unrivalled in the world of angling, and those who have previously read his books will not be disappointed by this latest gem. When asked recently which was his favourite book, he replied, 'this one.' It is certainly his latest passion but it goes beyond that, because in an interview with Charlotte Cross of Lantern Radio, North Devon, he expressed concern over the commercial fishing of bass, and warned of its potential demise.

Out of the Blue is an evocatively written book - read it and you'll smell the sea, feel the warm sun on your back and hear the waves crashing against the rocks. Your eyes will search an imaginary horizon for a glimpse of the magnificent bass, and who knows, it may stir readers enough to take a closer look at what is happening to the fish stocks in our coastal waters.

Above all, read and enjoy Chris's latest mastercast; I did, and if for some reason you can't go down to the sea right now, read 'Out of the Blue,' for it will surely take you there.

(Look out for the special edition due to be published by Mayer Benham in December 2008. Just 50 copies of this special book will be produced. Visit River Reads to find out more. Also available: signed copies of Catching the Impossible by the celebrated film-maker Hugh Miles. Starring Martin Bowler & Bernard Cribbins, this latest masterpiece is a must for anglers and nature-lovers alike.)

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is a book that should definitely be read, or for any other reason this book contains information that could save your life.

SAS Survival, 26 Jan 2008
For the price this book is well worth the money. It is a reliable guide to survival in the great out doors. The ammount of knowledge I have accumalated from this small book is amazing. The author, John Wiseman of the SAS greats is enough to make you want to buy it.

Survive- anywhere., 18 Jan 2008
No need for a long review here. This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that's an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. Eventually, the author became a survival instructor to the SAS, so you can be sure that this guy knows his stuff.

The book covers all you'd ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea. Here's few of the many topics the book covers:

-food, what you can and can't eat
-animal tracking with numerous pics
-color pics of edible plants
-pictures of traps and how to trap things
-how to handle animals you've killed for food
-how to make a camp and various shelters
-knot tying pics
-first aid
-color pics of medicinal plants
-picures of dangerous/poisonous critters
-things to have in a survival kit

A very handy resource for anybody who enjoys outdoor/wilderness activities, it's just a darn good thing to have around in case of emergencies- or even just to look at the pictures! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that is interfering with your outdoor activities.


A great little book for the beginner and useful for the experienced, 11 Dec 2008
I bought this book a while back in a compilation with the course fishing. And thanks to this little gem of a book, I still happily fish today 15yrs on! Yes, the graphics are dated, but its carries good knowledge that I taught me to fish! A shame I spilled my coffee over it some years back on a night beach fishing trip!

A bit old fashioned, 10 Dec 2008
A bit basic and old fashioned by today's standards but then it was written over 40 years ago and a lot has changed in that time. Not very informative about how to find the fish which is the most important bit really. I'm afraid I threw it away after a couple of weeks.

Sea Fishing Properly Explained, 16 Aug 2008
Clear concise information for anyone new to the sport of Sea Fishing. This book provides brief details of the fish you are likely to catch and guidance on where and when, as well as suggested baits and rigs. I and many others I have spoken with, found this book extremely useful in pointing us in the right direction when we started fishing.

Top book for novices, 03 Aug 2008
i bought this book 3 years ago with no knowlage of fishing at all! bought a rod and reel using the guidelines in the book and went fishing, every time i went fishing i took it with me (it stinks of fish now).3 years later and i still have the book in my bag as i travel all over the uk fishing totaly hooked!! (pardon the pun)
it is a book perfect for the novice, with detailed information on whare to catch, rigs to use, bait to use and what time of year to fish for each species, and whether or not you can eat it. when you first pick it up it feels about 30 years old with all the pictures hand drawn in black felt tip! but that just means you can stick it in your bag not worry about it getting tatty!!
so my verdict is if you want to learn how to sea fish (and why wouldnt you)than get this book!

Easy read, 31 Jul 2008
Jack aged 15 wrote this review:
Fishing is my favourite hobby, and this book was easy to read and understand.
It has good pictures along with hints and tips and there is a good section on tying knots which I have now learnt how to tie and have helped when I have been fishing.
A really good point is that the sentences are not too long but still remain informative.
It also shows you what different fish look like and would help identify a fish if you caught one.
I think this book would be good for ages 11 and upwards and for girls as well as boys. I also think that it is a good read for experienced fishermen too.
I rate this book 9/10


but John Wilson is a bit annoying, 24 Apr 2008
Get past Wilson's gurning, mugging puss and you have an excellent reference book. This book will teach you everything you need to know about rigs, hooks and knots. It is clearly set out with good clear photographs and instructions so it is useful for beginners and intermediates alike.

Read this book on the train and practice at home during February & March when the shore fishing in this country is shocking. Just knowing two or three of the knots and rigs in this book will improve your fishing no end. Good knots do not break. You'll keep more fish and have more confidence in your casting.

The second section of the book concerns bait. What to look for and how to hook and present it. Again a couple of tips learned and practiced will enhance your fishing no end. You will learn what to look for in the tackle shop (and on the beach) so you won't look like a novice when you open up your worms in the tackle shop and say "that's great" as the tackle dealer hands you four day old lug that are about to blow.

A quality book from a quality publication house. Look out for more Anger's Mail titles. Please note that I have found some of the fish specific titles a bit dated but there are, none the less, full of great advise.


The Sea Angler's Step by Step Guid to Bait and Rigs, 07 Jan 2008
Iv only been into sea fishing for about 6 months. Almost everything suggested in this book has been printed in monthly sea fishing magazines.

This is a useful book to keep and will tell you how to make rigs and present bait.

eliminate the confusion!, 23 Mar 2004
If you are new to sea fishing then this book will help you through the minefield of technical names and jargon. It will show you how to make simple and effective rigs which do catch fish, believe me i am a serious match fisherman! it then explains the various types of sea baits and their usages how to hook worms etc.....bait presentation is just as important as the rig you are using. This book certainly helped me no end when i started back beach fishing 4 years ago, it will give you the confidence to go into your tackle shop and not look like a complete novice, and also save you money in the long run.

The Sea Angler's Step-by-step Guide to Bait and Rigs, 16 Mar 2004
I have only had this book for a few days and only being a beginner to the world of Sea Angling i have found it very useful. It has show me things that you would never know unless you belong to a club, instead of bying rigs it shows you how to build your own therefore saving money. it also shows how to keep your bait fresh and re-usable for your next fishing trip, that also saves money. All in all a very cheap but valuble book for the beginner to Sea Angling.

Essential purchase, 07 Dec 2003
Have you bought loads of sea angling books in the hope that at least one will contain some simple pictures and explanations of bait preparation and presentation rather than just showing you a picture of a ready baited rig? Not found one yet? Then this book is for you. Excellent purchase.

Worst book I have ever read..., 13 Nov 2008
I had to study this text for my GCSE for exam questions...what a bad book to choose! It is boring and I don't see Nobel Prize winning stuff here! This is for people with a real interest in literature because you have to go too deep to find the meaning of the story. As you can imagine, I was not motivated during my exam...

Old Man And The Pile Of Crap, 10 Jul 2008
Perhaps the most over-rated book of all time. A book that boasts absolutly no substance and is sure to kill anyone who has even the slightest slither of personality. For me this book exemplifies everything wrong with the critical world; distinctly average and even poor books and films etc. are hailed as materpieces due to the alledged 'body of thourght' behind them. I can assure you there is no 'thought' here, at least none above the mundane and enfantile.
I am fully aware of the 'messages' such as 'material gain is worthless', however these values are extremly rudimentary and are learnt as a child. Essentially, 'The old man and the sea' tells us nothing that we didn't already know and, perhaps more impotantly, is just a crap story.
This stole nearly 3 months of entertaining, if only mildly, english lessons away from me. During that 3 month period I would describe this book as 'the bain of my existence'. To summerise:
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, unless your hobbies include watching hours upon hours of riveting box assembly and/or cutting yourself in the face with very long sharp knives, in which case this is the book for you.


By Tom K


The Old Man And The Sea - Dreary, Boring twaddle., 27 Mar 2008
I appreciate the deeper meanings of this book, but ultimately get distracted by the very absurdity of the book. There are nearly 100 pages about an old man on a boat by himself who talks to his own hand. The story is well-written and laced with the simplistic prose Hemingway is known for, but so much time is spent rambling, the story gets bogged down with pointless chitchat.

This story does show 'victory in defeat', but is so dreary it becomes unbearable.

Inspiring, 28 Dec 2007
The Old Man and the Sea is one of the best short stories I have ever read. Despite its short length, it somehow manages to take the reader on the same emotional journey as a full length novel.

The 'old man' of the title is a Cuban fisherman and the story is mostly concerned with his efforts to catch an 18 foot long fish despite the odds being stacked against him. It doesn't sound like a fascinating subject, but it becomes representative of the very human condition. The writing is perfect, no words wasted, and I found myself on the edge of my seat with tension.

The fisherman's determination and refusal to let his spirit be dampened down is inspiring and refreshing, and anyone who has undergone an endurance test of some kind, physical or emotional, will be able to relate to it.

Overall, a beautiful piece of prose and worth reading even if you do not normally enjoy short stories.

Am I missing something???, 21 Nov 2007
I bought this in a bid to expand my knowledge of great literature. I am also reading books such as The Great Gatsby, Les Mis and Don Quixote. I hope with all my might that these are more thrilling to read.

During my school years The Old Man and the Sea was much referred to, and I went away with the impression that it was an incredible piece of literature.

And so now I find myself having read the prize-winning piece, and wondering what I missed. What makes this novella so good? It was a real chore for me to read - the hardest 99 pages I think I have ever read. Not because of the languiage - THAT, I understood. But because nothing happens!

What have others seen in this book that I have missed? I would hate to read the books that lost out on the prize to this one.

Fishing might actually be fun...no, honest., 29 Jun 2007
I don't know the first thing about fishing and am really not that interested in it, but I bought this for my dad and thought I'd just skim a few pages before wrapping it. I ended up reading the whole thing. It's beautifully illustrated and really well written, making an otherwise dull pastime seem almost worth participating in. Actually I think I might go with my dad next time he goes fishing. It's not too technical but full of what I assume is good advice. And I really liked all the non-technical pages like 'Ghosts' which demonstrate the author's love for fishing and confirm it's really not about the number of fish you catch.

What took you so long?, 16 Nov 2008
Chris writes about his rediscovery of sea fishing, having left it as a boy and spent most of his life fishing rivers and lakes. As a sea angler myself, I can't understand why he didn't go back to sea fishing before! We are all familiar with Chris from his appearances on television and other books on fishing, and this book is no less charming than his previous work. When Chris writes, you are there with him and you can share every sparkle on the water, distant swoop of a gull and the murmur and suck of a quiet sea. Chris brings the delicate touch of his freshwater style to sea fishing, so I wonder how he would deal with the rough and tumble of sea fishing in rougher places? He wisely keeps away from that! I would give Chris a five except for one thing. Why the obsession with keeping away from the rest of mankind? No wonder more sociable nations think us a strange lot in England.

Blank Pages, 26 Oct 2008
Although I enjoyed the book as I have all Chris Yates's books. I was disapointed to find a large number of blank pages. WHY?

The Passionate Angler, 27 Sep 2008
Maurice Wiggin's book, The Passionate Angler inspired the world-class BBC series, A Passion for Angling, in which Chris Yates starred. The success of this film catapulted this quiet, modest man into the limelight, and into the homes of anglers and non-anglers alike. It opened up a whole new world of exploration for him, and when Penguin/Hamish Hamilton published 'How to Fish' in 2006, it became an overnight success.

'Out of the Blue' published by Hamish Hamilton on the 4th September, 2008, has outstripped our book shop sales of 'How to Fish' by almost 90% so far, with the leather-bound special edition achieving rapid sales. Out of the Blue is already on its 2nd print run, which might come as a surprise to people who previously saw Chris as a coarse fisherman, because this wonderful new book is about sea fishing; bass in particular.

It's not an instructional book; it's a journey through the hot summers of school holidays spent rock-pooling with his brother; of becoming stranded on rocks and almost being washed out to sea; of his return and rediscovery of childhood haunts, and the thrill of catching, then releasing his beautiful bass to the mysterious depths of the ocean.

Chris's mastery of prose is unrivalled in the world of angling, and those who have previously read his books will not be disappointed by this latest gem. When asked recently which was his favourite book, he replied, 'this one.' It is certainly his latest passion but it goes beyond that, because in an interview with Charlotte Cross of Lantern Radio, North Devon, he expressed concern over the commercial fishing of bass, and warned of its potential demise.

Out of the Blue is an evocatively written book - read it and you'll smell the sea, feel the warm sun on your back and hear the waves crashing against the rocks. Your eyes will search an imaginary horizon for a glimpse of the magnificent bass, and who knows, it may stir readers enough to take a closer look at what is happening to the fish stocks in our coastal waters.

Above all, read and enjoy Chris's latest mastercast; I did, and if for some reason you can't go down to the sea right now, read 'Out of the Blue,' for it will surely take you there.

(Look out for the special edition due to be published by Mayer Benham in December 2008. Just 50 copies of this special book will be produced. Visit River Reads to find out more. Also available: signed copies of Catching the Impossible by the celebrated film-maker Hugh Miles. Starring Martin Bowler & Bernard Cribbins, this latest masterpiece is a must for anglers and nature-lovers alike.)

John... If you are reading this...., 19 Dec 2008
Your shows are great - but do yourself a favour - get an editor who can edit. The punctuation in the book is simply awful.

Long awaited? - , 29 Nov 2008
Good that.... Long awaited eh? Well he's going to have to wait ten years from the last one isn't he!

Whatever, it'll be great, with a mug of hot, steaming, tea, jam scones and, lightly browned toast and butter, sat in front of an open, log, fire, in a comfy armchair, to read.

SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE, 01 Jan 2009
SAS Survival Guide: How to Survive Anywhere, on Land or at Sea (Collins GEM)
This is a must have book,small enough to go in pocket/handbag and take with you anywhere.
Pictures,graphics and text are plain and simple,down to earth,written by
someone who knows his stuff.
I travel a lot and this book will be with me all the time,both here and worldwide.
Well done John Wiseman.

Excellent - Especially when combined with the New DVD, 22 Nov 2008
I bought the pocket version of this book already owning the larger copy. As expected, this book is hands down the best available for genuine survival skills. The handy size means I can always keep it in the pack so if I need it it's there. However, one thing I should point out is that I bought this copy AND a copy of the New Trueways Survival Skills with John 'Lofty' Wiseman [Interactive DVD] at the same time. The DVD is simply excellent to accompany the book and actually demonstrate many of the skills and principles on screen. The ability to read in detail about necessary skills in the book when out and also watch how they're done on screen is priceless. I'd highly recommend both of these products to anyone. 10 out of 10.

Survival is for the fittest, or those who read this book. , 05 Apr 2008
This little book could save your life, seriously. Though it is obviously aimed towards people with a predilection towards outdoor pursuits such as hiking, mountain climbing, sailing (etc) it does also make a point of saying that you never know when this information may come in handy. Written by a former member of the SAS, who would be the ultimate authority in extreme survival, this book is full of practical information on how to survive anywhere in the world. It details information like how to find a source of water, or create one yourself, how to treat injuries, how to make a shelter, ways to stave off dehydration, what plant forms are edible. It is a very long list because the book is full of no-nonsense information. If you are interested in outdoor pursuits this is