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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
adventurous
relaxing
medium-paced
I don't have much to add to the goodreads blurb. Ken Smith is not a misanthrope; he seems to enjoy company and people well enough, but he hates modern British working-class life (a reasonable thing to hate) and loves being in nature, and likes doing things his own way, and so here he is, a hermit in the Scottish highlands. The book is lovely. It left me thinking about the similarities and differences between Ken's philosophy of living in nature and that of indigenous people - one big difference being that most indigenous people put a high value on community. But many of his ideas about stewardship and reciprocity seem familiar from indigenous writers.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5 Stars
In this book Ken shares the story of his life. From his working-class origins in Derbyshire, to the formative years he spent travelling in the Yukon and finally how he came to be the Hermit of Loch Treig. Looking back through decades of diary entries, Ken reflects upon the reasons he turned his back on society, the vulnerability of old age and the awe and wonder of a life lived in nature.
The Way of the Hermit is a humorous, and life-affirming memoir. It allows you to imagine an alternative life but of course most of us will quickly dismiss the thought but not Ken his strength of character & resilience really shone through despite many setbacks along the way. I also thought it heart warming how as he has aged others have rallied to support his lifestyle making trips out to him etc. a very thought provoking read.
In this book Ken shares the story of his life. From his working-class origins in Derbyshire, to the formative years he spent travelling in the Yukon and finally how he came to be the Hermit of Loch Treig. Looking back through decades of diary entries, Ken reflects upon the reasons he turned his back on society, the vulnerability of old age and the awe and wonder of a life lived in nature.
The Way of the Hermit is a humorous, and life-affirming memoir. It allows you to imagine an alternative life but of course most of us will quickly dismiss the thought but not Ken his strength of character & resilience really shone through despite many setbacks along the way. I also thought it heart warming how as he has aged others have rallied to support his lifestyle making trips out to him etc. a very thought provoking read.
inspiring
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
The Way of the Hermit is the witty, fascinating and riveting autobiography about Ken Smith's experiences living at Loch Treig in the Scottish Highlands without running water or electricity for forty years. His reliance on the land, common sense and reading nature signs are learned and brilliant. He describes his life before Loch Treig including his childhood collecting bits of nature, spooky experiences, fascinating jobs, his horrendous industrial accident, Yukon and Northern Canadian adventures, dealing with deep grief, foraging for food, being attuned to nature sounds, log-pile management, wild animals, living with ticks (I have Lyme...you don't want it), neighbours and how he built his cabin.
Smith is deeply reflective and doesn't worry about the small stuff. His writing style is conversational and a pleasure to read. This book is also a bit of an insightful social commentary packed with wisdom and insight into human nature. One of the many ideas which stood out to me most is that it is not the hermit who is "weird" but rather living on-grid full of debt like sheep caving to the whims of the government. In his view being a hermit means choosing to meet people on his own terms and controlling his days as much as possible. Another profound description which resonated with me is living where you are meant to be, comfortable and at peace with indescribable well-being. I have had the fortune to discover such a place with a deep connection to a country other than where I was born and raised. The feeling is beyond description!
As a nature fiend, this book really connected with me on so many levels. Though not a "hermit", I am happiest fully immersed in nature and can understand Smith's passion for living the lifestyle and thereby learning multitudinous life lessons. His descriptions are stunning and his lifestyle while a hermit (he is now in his 70s) was clearly worth sacrifices and hard work, as all things worth pursuing are. The adventures he had! I'm thankful he wrote them so people such as me can enjoy them.
If you hanker for peace in all of its forms, do read this inspiring book with gorgeous wilderness descriptions and compelling anecdotes.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this wonderful, wonderful book.
Smith is deeply reflective and doesn't worry about the small stuff. His writing style is conversational and a pleasure to read. This book is also a bit of an insightful social commentary packed with wisdom and insight into human nature. One of the many ideas which stood out to me most is that it is not the hermit who is "weird" but rather living on-grid full of debt like sheep caving to the whims of the government. In his view being a hermit means choosing to meet people on his own terms and controlling his days as much as possible. Another profound description which resonated with me is living where you are meant to be, comfortable and at peace with indescribable well-being. I have had the fortune to discover such a place with a deep connection to a country other than where I was born and raised. The feeling is beyond description!
As a nature fiend, this book really connected with me on so many levels. Though not a "hermit", I am happiest fully immersed in nature and can understand Smith's passion for living the lifestyle and thereby learning multitudinous life lessons. His descriptions are stunning and his lifestyle while a hermit (he is now in his 70s) was clearly worth sacrifices and hard work, as all things worth pursuing are. The adventures he had! I'm thankful he wrote them so people such as me can enjoy them.
If you hanker for peace in all of its forms, do read this inspiring book with gorgeous wilderness descriptions and compelling anecdotes.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this wonderful, wonderful book.
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Brilliantly written, this book really encapsulated the essence of the Scottish wilderness.
I loved reading about Ken’s life.
Most of all, I loved that I picked up this book from Fort William on the day Eva and I finished the West Highland Way. This was such a beautiful read after that experience. I had the best time.
I will remember to always make time for nature - I love it and need that connection. I promise to myself to not put off my bucket list items: life is for living, and I will live it. As Ken wrote: go and do it now.
I loved reading about Ken’s life.
Most of all, I loved that I picked up this book from Fort William on the day Eva and I finished the West Highland Way. This was such a beautiful read after that experience. I had the best time.
I will remember to always make time for nature - I love it and need that connection. I promise to myself to not put off my bucket list items: life is for living, and I will live it. As Ken wrote: go and do it now.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced