We love reading about ordinary people and their battles with the elements.

A well-written book can transport the reader to other times and places. While we sit in comfort we can imagine the gruelling hardships, the hostile environments and the almost insurmountable problems the survivor has to endure.

Here is a selection of some true life tales. There are some classics here as well as some books that are newer to the library. They all highlight the true strength of the human spirit and show us what humans are capable of when pushed to the limits of endurance.

Alone: Lost Overboard in the Indian Ocean. Brett Archibald
Endurance: The True Story of Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic. Alfred Lansing
Iced In: Ten Days Trapped on the Edge of Antarctica. Chris Turney
Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft across the South Seas. Thor Heyerdahl
Mind of a Survivor: What the Wild Has Taught Me about Survival and Success. Megan Hine
Naked and Marooned: One Man, One Island, One Epic Survival Story. Ed Stafford
Out of the Forest. Gregory Smith
Run the Storm: A Savage Hurricane, a Brave Crew, and the Wreck of the SS El Faro. George Foy
Touching the Void. Joe Simpson
True Grit: The Epic True Stories of Survival and Heroism that Have Shaped My Life. Bear Grylls