Best True Survival Stories

1.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster 4.26 avg rating — 550,986 ratings
2.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption 4.39 avg rating — 989,211 ratings
3.
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage 4.46 avg rating — 155,697 ratings
4.
Into the Wild
Into the Wild 4.02 avg rating — 1,165,663 ratings
5.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex 4.16 avg rating — 115,978 ratings
6.
Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival
Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival 4.23 avg rating — 63,069 ratings
7.
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors 4.14 avg rating — 80,874 ratings
8.
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea 4.14 avg rating — 20,353 ratings
9.
Night
Night 4.38 avg rating — 1,334,229 ratings
10.
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea 4.12 avg rating — 117,723 ratings
11.
Miracle in the Andes
Miracle in the Andes 4.36 avg rating — 25,682 ratings
12.
Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival
Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival
by: Dean King
4.07 avg rating — 12,042 ratings
13.
Papillon
Papillon 4.23 avg rating — 74,114 ratings
14.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Between a Rock and a Hard Place 3.84 avg rating — 23,288 ratings
15.
The Diary of a Young Girl
The Diary of a Young Girl 4.20 avg rating — 4,073,270 ratings
16.
In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors
In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors 4.33 avg rating — 23,191 ratings
17.
Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 4.34 avg rating — 99,167 ratings
18.
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom 4.24 avg rating — 21,395 ratings
19.
Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki 4.16 avg rating — 24,591 ratings
20.
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why 3.94 avg rating — 14,161 ratings
21.
Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World
Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World 4.06 avg rating — 12,693 ratings
22.
Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II 3.87 avg rating — 46,528 ratings
23.
The Children's Blizzard
The Children's Blizzard 3.89 avg rating — 12,892 ratings
24.
438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea
438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea 4.34 avg rating — 14,442 ratings
25.
A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1)
A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1) 4.14 avg rating — 455,053 ratings
26.
Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II
Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II 3.98 avg rating — 12,184 ratings
27.
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom 4.47 avg rating — 348,518 ratings
28.
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust 4.43 avg rating — 46,755 ratings
29.
Survive the Savage Sea
Survive the Savage Sea 4.11 avg rating — 992 ratings
30.
Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival
Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival 4.03 avg rating — 9,339 ratings
31.
A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember 4.09 avg rating — 27,693 ratings
32.
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea 4.30 avg rating — 5,613 ratings
33.
Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West
Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West 4.01 avg rating — 70,870 ratings
34.
We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance 4.08 avg rating — 10,341 ratings
35.
As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Escape from a Siberian Labour Camp and His 3-Year Trek to Freedom
As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Escape from a Siberian Labour Camp and His 3-Year Trek to Freedom 4.09 avg rating — 2,691 ratings
36.
South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance
South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance 4.20 avg rating — 11,072 ratings
37.
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania 4.13 avg rating — 157,309 ratings
38.
North to the Night : A Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic
North to the Night : A Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic 4.27 avg rating — 1,394 ratings
39.
102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers
102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers
by: Jim Dwyer
4.30 avg rating — 12,178 ratings
40.
The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition 4.34 avg rating — 21,553 ratings
41.
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey 4.21 avg rating — 74,675 ratings
42.
4,000 Days: My Life and Survival in a Bangkok Prison
4,000 Days: My Life and Survival in a Bangkok Prison 4.12 avg rating — 6,195 ratings
43.
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
by: Loung Ung
4.35 avg rating — 52,425 ratings
44.
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 4.39 avg rating — 9,767 ratings
45.
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident 3.99 avg rating — 25,503 ratings
46.
The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest 3.99 avg rating — 17,901 ratings
47.
Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara
Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara 4.06 avg rating — 535 ratings
48.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Island of the Blue Dolphins 3.88 avg rating — 345,769 ratings
49.
Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival
Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival 3.65 avg rating — 6,448 ratings
50.
Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters
Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters 3.87 avg rating — 1,616 ratings
51.
Four Against the Wilderness: The True Story of a Father & His Three Teenage Children Shipwrecked Off the Coast of Alaska in Winter
Four Against the Wilderness: The True Story of a Father & His Three Teenage Children Shipwrecked Off the Coast of Alaska in Winter 4.25 avg rating — 155 ratings
52.
A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II
A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II 4.38 avg rating — 27,208 ratings
53.
The Blood Red Sea
The Blood Red Sea 4.57 avg rating — 46 ratings
54.
117 Days Adrift
117 Days Adrift 4.07 avg rating — 272 ratings
55.
Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure
Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure 4.32 avg rating — 1,059 ratings
55.
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin 3.89 avg rating — 215,185 ratings
57.
Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic
Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic 4.31 avg rating — 776 ratings
58.
Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath
Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath 4.20 avg rating — 3,190 ratings
59.
At the Mercy of the Sea: The True Story of Three Sailors in a Caribbean Hurricane
At the Mercy of the Sea: The True Story of Three Sailors in a Caribbean Hurricane 4.19 avg rating — 513 ratings
60.
The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945
The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945 4.25 avg rating — 79,660 ratings
61.
Desperate Journeys, Abandoned Souls: True Stories of Castaways and Other Survivors
Desperate Journeys, Abandoned Souls: True Stories of Castaways and Other Survivors 3.94 avg rating — 330 ratings
62.
Rescue in the Pacific: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in a Force 12 Storm
Rescue in the Pacific: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in a Force 12 Storm 3.99 avg rating — 108 ratings
62.
A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary
A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary
by: Anonymous
4.29 avg rating — 17,076 ratings
64.
When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge
When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge 4.18 avg rating — 4,944 ratings
65.
Castaway
Castaway 3.75 avg rating — 856 ratings
66.
Overboard!: A True Blue-water Odyssey of Disaster and Survival
Overboard!: A True Blue-water Odyssey of Disaster and Survival 4.27 avg rating — 1,044 ratings
67.
33 Men
33 Men 3.87 avg rating — 1,708 ratings
68.
Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail
Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail 4.06 avg rating — 24,448 ratings
69.
Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle For Survival at the South Pole
Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle For Survival at the South Pole 3.99 avg rating — 3,877 ratings
70.
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History 4.05 avg rating — 70,019 ratings
71.
Sinking of the Eastland
Sinking of the Eastland 4.04 avg rating — 381 ratings
72.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail 4.07 avg rating — 850,502 ratings
73.
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban 4.16 avg rating — 612,712 ratings
74.
Young Men and Fire
Young Men and Fire 4.04 avg rating — 7,072 ratings
75.
Lost
Lost 4.13 avg rating — 981 ratings
76.
Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest
Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest 3.61 avg rating — 7,924 ratings
77.
Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee - A Look Inside North Korea
Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee - A Look Inside North Korea 4.33 avg rating — 9,246 ratings
78.
Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II
Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II 4.27 avg rating — 11,421 ratings
79.
An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor
An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor 4.50 avg rating — 2,261 ratings
80.
A House in the Sky
A House in the Sky 4.28 avg rating — 70,665 ratings
81.
Dancing with Death: An Inspiring Real-Life Story of Epic Travel Adventure
Dancing with Death: An Inspiring Real-Life Story of Epic Travel Adventure 4.12 avg rating — 219 ratings
82.
To Sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire
To Sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire 4.40 avg rating — 1,984 ratings
83.
The Man Who Sank Titanic: The Troubled Life of Quartermaster Robert Hichens
The Man Who Sank Titanic: The Troubled Life of Quartermaster Robert Hichens 3.57 avg rating — 54 ratings
84.
Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived
Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived 3.98 avg rating — 2,566 ratings
85.
Firehouse
Firehouse 4.05 avg rating — 1,601 ratings
86.
Burnt
Burnt 4.60 avg rating — 10 ratings
87.
A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca
A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca 4.11 avg rating — 3,688 ratings
88.
The Journals of Lewis and Clark
The Journals of Lewis and Clark 4.12 avg rating — 5,347 ratings
89.
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride 4.25 avg rating — 35,226 ratings
90.
And I Alone Survived
And I Alone Survived 4.12 avg rating — 298 ratings
91.
How to Survive the Titanic: or, The Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay
How to Survive the Titanic: or, The Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay 3.48 avg rating — 829 ratings
91.
The Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Victory
The Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Victory 4.16 avg rating — 384 ratings
93.
The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty
The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty 3.95 avg rating — 5,241 ratings
94.
The Mapmaker's Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon
The Mapmaker's Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon 3.63 avg rating — 1,815 ratings
95.
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl―A National Book Award Winner
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl―A National Book Award Winner 4.06 avg rating — 60,125 ratings
96.
When I Fell From the Sky
When I Fell From the Sky 3.74 avg rating — 3,663 ratings
97.
The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story of Survival During the War in the Far East
The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story of Survival During the War in the Far East 4.53 avg rating — 5,332 ratings
98.
Wreck of the Medusa: The Tragic Story of the Death Raft
Wreck of the Medusa: The Tragic Story of the Death Raft 3.86 avg rating — 465 ratings
99.
The Hours
The Hours 3.96 avg rating — 146,855 ratings
100.
66 Days Adrift: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Open Sea
66 Days Adrift: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Open Sea 3.82 avg rating — 201 ratings
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