Malu,
One of my very favorite books is BACK TO BASICS (Readers Digest). It looks like a big coffee table book, but it's jam packed with tons of useful and important information -- from buying land to foraging for food. I've had my copy since 1981. It's not something you'd want to carry in a bug-out bag, but it's an excellent guide for "how to learn and enjoy traditional American skills" (from the cover). I've used it for all sorts of things.

My well-worn copy of PASSPORT TO SURVIVAL by Esther Dickey is with me. I also have THE DOCTORS BOOK OF HOME REMEDIES.

I have a ton of other books...self-help books on building, repairing, growing, cooking, baking...We have been gathering our "library" for several years.

It's nice to have things on CD, but if there's no electricity, there's no CD.

Redhead