Like Hacksaw said, a lot of these books are too generic. Its nice to know what plants I can eat in the jungle, or how to cook an alligator, but not necessary for me to know since I have not been to one, nor do I ever plan on it. I wanted to have something specific to where I am likely to be most of the time. I can only fit so much info into my brain. Like Homer Simpson I think every new thing I learn pushes something old out of my memory so there is a fine balance between "need to know" and "nice to know" information. I could not find a pocket reference book I liked.

So................I made my own.

I gathered every bit of local info on poisonous plants, Eatable plants, dangerous animals, seasonal climate/weather info and some skills(shelters that are best for where I live/hunt/hike/camp for example) complete with diagrams and pictures that I took myself while out and about. I added other things like a constellations chart and the knots and lashings that I use most etc.

Now what I have is a good little reference and memory aid specific to Canada which I got laminated and made into a little flip book about the size of a large deck of cards.

When I travel overseas I make one for the area I will be going.

Besides being really handy for those times when you forget how to tie a certain knot or what a certain type of poisonous plant may look like before you eat the berries it really was a bit of fun to work on.