I never thought I would write a book that starts with the sound of wolves. Yet that is where this story begins, and if you have ever spent a night alone with only the wind and your thoughts then you know exactly what I mean. When the howling starts in the middle of nowhere it crawls down your spine like ice water. There is no 911, no neighbor to call, and no one but you and whatever you brought with you.I am not writing this as some ex-military survival guru or a guy who thinks the world is ending tomorrow. I am writing this as a husband, a dad to three teenagers, a Montana Democrat, a lover of wild places, and someone who has seen what happens when life tilts off its normal track. Regina, my wife, says I always manage to make things sound both terrifying and funny at the same time. That is probably because I grew up out here, where the line between breathtaking beauty and bone-deep danger is thinner than you think.There is a lot of talk about survival that makes it sound like a political thing. It is not. It is a human thing. If the lights go out or the trucks stop running or you find yourself stuck in the woods after an accident, it does not matter how you voted. It matters whether you know how to think clearly, build a fire, keep your people safe, and keep yourself from losing it when the fear kicks in.This book is about what to do when the world gets small and dangerous. When the grocery stores are empty and the cell towers are down and the only sound you hear after sunset is the steady, patient howl of a predator that has been watching you since dusk. You do not need to be an expert. You need to be willing to learn, willing to practice, and willing to stay calm when panic wants to take over.I am going to walk you through everything I have learned. How to keep a roof over your head when you have no roof. How to find food and water when the shelves and faucets are dry. How to keep yourself and your family safe from wild animals and from other desperate people. And how to keep a grip on your own sanity in the middle of all that.Most of all, I want to show you that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when it matters. You do not need to be perfect. You just need to start. Because one day the night may come alive with howls, and if that day ever comes, you will be ready.