Staying Alive

Staying Alive: A Southern African Survival Handbook by Ron Reid-Daly is a practical and highly regarded guide to survival in the demanding environments of Southern Africa. Published in 1990, this handbook draws on Reid-Daly’s extensive military and bushcraft experience, offering readers a detailed and field-tested approach to wilderness survival, navigation, tracking, and self-sufficiency. Best known as the founder of the Selous Scouts, Reid-Daly brings firsthand expertise to a subject deeply rooted in the realities of the African bush.

Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, adventurers, conservationists, and military history collectors alike, Staying Alive: A Southern African Survival Handbook covers a wide range of essential survival skills. Topics include finding water, building shelter, identifying edible plants, dealing with dangerous wildlife, firecraft, tracking, and emergency preparedness in remote terrain. The book’s straightforward style and practical focus make it both accessible and informative, whether used as a field reference or read as an insight into survival methods adapted specifically for Southern African conditions.

What distinguishes Staying Alive is its regional specificity. Rather than offering generalized wilderness advice, Reid-Daly tailors his guidance to the climate, geography, and environmental challenges unique to Southern Africa. His knowledge of bush survival and tracking techniques reflects decades of experience operating in rugged terrain, giving the book an authenticity that continues to appeal to readers interested in African outdoor life and historical military expertise.

This 1990 edition of Staying Alive: A Southern African Survival Handbook remains a sought-after title among collectors of survival literature and Southern African history. Combining practical instruction with firsthand insight, it stands as both a valuable outdoor manual and a fascinating historical publication from one of the region’s most controversial and influential military figures.