Book Review: Working in the Wild: Land Rover's Manual for Africa

The Wilderness Edge for Rovers, January 22, 2006
By J. Preston (San Juan Mountains) -

This review is from: Working in the Wild: Land Rover's Manual for Africa (Paperback)

This book is going for over $30.00 a copy on a certain auction site.

I bought it here, on Amazon, for much less. I am reviewing the New Revised Enlarged edition.

I have worked in Africa. Working in Africa was my first introduction to the extraordinary capabilities of Land Rovers.

I now live in the rugged San Juan mountains of Southwest Colorado and find that it is a much more challenging wilderness environment than Africa.

I own a Range Rover instead of the 110 Defender which this volume mostly references.

However, despite the difference in locations and vehicles, I found this book to be very useful.

It is full of tips and tricks that even I didn't know of in my 35 years of wilderness experience.

However, it is not a book for every outdoor enthusiast. If you don't own a "Rover" (or an old Chevy 4X4) most of the book is not likely to be much of assistance to you. If you are a novice at four wheeling, or, worse, someone with enough experience to think that you know a lot about the wilderness (without ever having been stranded for weeks at a time) then this book is not for you.

I wrote that comment because a lot of which is in this book may seem obvious or simple. After you've been stranded on the Serengetti for three weeks, or, in sub zero temperatures at 14,000 feet because you overlooked something simple or obvious, then, you will know that nothing about wilderness survivial, or, coming back home, is simple or obvious.

Examples of some of the things I found helpful even though I own a Range Rover instead of a Defender, and, even though I live in mountains in Colorado instead of Africa:

"Section 3.J Emergency Action - Improvised Repairs for Breakdowns

Engine seized - It is likely that the engine will have seized on one cylinder only. Remove the piston (force will be needed, the conrod and the pushrods (to keep the valves closed). Blank off the oil lead holes on the crankshaft journal with the bearing shells secured with a worm-drive clip or strong wire. (For diesels, place a pipe over the injector pipe to divert fuel to a can). . . .

Radiator or joint leak: Block holes with silicon rubber sealer or chewing gum. Close off leaking capillary tubes by crimping with pliers. Put in sealing compound: i.e. Radweld, porridge oats (oatmeal) or even raw eggs or raw maize meal (cornmeal). . . . .

Wading: The maximum advisable fording depth is approximately 0.5 metres (a foot and a half). Before negotiating a deep water crossing ensure that the clutch housing drain plug is in position, and if the water depth exceeds 0.5 metres removing the fan belt will eliminate the risk of the cooling fan spraying water over the ignition system and air cleaner. If, for various reasons, it is not possible to remove the fan belt, a sheet of plastic or other water resistant material draped in front of the radiator grille to prevent any water from passing through will reduce the risk of saturation of the ignition system."

As I mentioned - this book is not for everyone. It is for people engaged in serious encounters with the wilderness in which the smallest edge may mean the difference between life and death.

5.0 out of 5 stars perfect in line w/ land rover traditionalists, August 7, 2009
By D. Yuan

let's be honest, land rover isn't what is used to be. the new land rovers are super high tech machines overly bloated with luxury. they may be the most technologically advanced off-roaders out there, but they are nothing like the old *traditional* land rovers. those old landys were very basic and simple mechanical machines, and with the diesel engine you can run them around the wilderness of africa and south america with just a toolbox and no worries. what w/ all the electronic stuff, there is no way that you (or at least i) would trust to take those new land rovers out as field vehicles. this book is written for and about the old traditional land rovers. buy it and read it for fun, and you'll love it if you're an old skool land rover enthusiast. if you HAPPEN to be someone who would actually use the old series rovers, defenders, or even the series 1 discoveries as field vehicles in africa (yes, really in africa), then this book would actually be of use in terms of choosing the right vehicle, equipment, service parts and spares, maintenance protocols, etc. i suspect there's very few people who would fall into that category. if you're into the new electronic and computerized land rovers, then this book may not be for you