The Way of the Hermit is partly nomadic memoir of a man with a need to go elsewhere and experience other things. Gradually Smith, and his story, winds down to a desire for home….a home for a man who cherishes solitude, wilderness, and the gifts of the earth, He wants to be part of true nature, not just reside in it. As a true introvert myself it sounds so very inviting, but one must be prepared for everything the planet can throw at you and Smith handles these trials quite well. In the second half of the book he shares his knowledge of how to work with the earth to sustain a life…and a good life it is.
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The Way of the Hermit is a fascinating non fiction tale that kept me incredibly engaged. I felt like I was right there alongside Ken Smith, and it was a joyful read.

I enjoyed the cadence of this book and I found the writing style to be engaging and informative. I did find myself wondering that if Smith hadn't done all this in the 20th century would he have been able to do it now, and that was a bittersweet feeling. I found this book inspiring regardless and I hope to see more from Smith down the line. 4/5

The Way of the Hermit tells the story of Ken Smith. While the title may sound like it belongs to a philosophical treatise, the book is really the autobiography of a recluse, with some practical advice for living off the grid thrown in.

It’s a well written story, told in a conversational style, and co-authored by BBC commentator Will Millard. The book chronicles the journey Ken Smith took from working class roots in the village of Whatstandwell, England to his life off the grid in a remote cottage on Loch Treig in Scotland, north of Glasgow.

In 1963, at the age of 15 Smith got his first job. It went like this - his parents got a sheepdog. With the tiny home he shared with his parents, brothers and sister, a dog was the last thing Smith thought they needed, and not something he wanted to share the tiny home with. The dog was the thing that spurred the teenager to start looking for a job that would take him away from home, and he found it in the Forestry Commission planting trees in northern Scotland. That first job embodied Smith’s love for the outdoors. From there he took a job in a nursery in Scotland planting trees before being convinced by his brother to return home and take a job in the building trades.

It was back home, in the neighboring town of Ripley were, in 1974, Smith’s life was completely upended. After a night out he was walking toward home when he was set upon by a gang of youths, shoved through the window of the local bakery and beaten senseless. He was left, he says, “in a crumpled puddle of blood and glass”.

Somehow, he made it home. Though he had several cuts and bruises and a headache, he believed the injuries were superficial. But the headache grew worse, and, trying to rise out of bed three days later he collapsed onto the floor, unable to move or speak. Rushed to the hospital, he lost consciousness and lay in a coma for 23 days. After four brain operations and dedicated physical therapy from the hospital nurses he eventually regained his memory, restored the ability to talk and to write, and learned to walk again. He was in the hospital for 49 days and out of work for 10 months.

Following his recovery his mother died of a heart attack. At 31, Smith decided it was time to leave it all behind, at least for a while. This time he headed to Canada. From May through early winter he and his friend Roy camped and wandered around the Canadian Rockies. He returned home only to learn that his father had passed away in his absence.

Depressed and despondent, Smith spent three and a half years working construction before he set off once again, this time alone, for the Canadian backwoods. All of his remote travel was deepening his experience as an outdoorsman and sharpening his ability to fend for himself and survive on his own in the wild. It was preparing him for his next step - finding his place in the woods of northern Scotland.

After returning home from Canada again Smith decided to strike out to find a place he could call his own in a remote area of the UK. Being familiar with the Scottish highlands from his early jobs he naturally headed in that direction.

He eventually found himself at Loch Treig, a long, narrow glacial lake, and he felt at home. He no longer felt the need to wander. “One late summer’s day”, he says, “I stood on the banks of Treig and I just knew that this was it. This was the place.”

It was here, in a small patch of woods off the lake, and after arranging a deal (and a job helping with deer hunts) with the owner of the large estate on which the woods sat, that Smith built a cabin and settled down. Nine miles from the nearest neighbor and completely off the grid, he made his home.

The rest of the story is full of Smith’s advice on building a cabin by hand, on creating a garden and setting it up to sustain a person (though he does not wholly depend on his garden), and on all the various plants he’s managed to make “wine” from.

By the book’s end Smith is in his 70s struggling with health issues and again in need of hospital stays, this time from a battle with cancer, from which he recovers.

Throughout his life Smith has kept journals and taken photos to chronicle his life. He draws on these to tell his story. In the early 2020’s he somehow came to the attention of a Lizzie McKenzie, who put together a documentary film about him that aired on BBC Scotland. From there this book was born. Originally published last year in the UK, the book is now available in the States.

There’s enough left out that one wonders. Why was he set upon by that gang? Why was his reaction to run away from everything? Why are the snippets of writing from his diary so different than the writing style of the book - how much is his and how much Millard’s? But it’s a good read and an interesting life story, and whether such questions matter is really up to each reader to decide for themselves.

RATING: Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - An easy to read and interesting biography of a working-class man whose life took a turn after a nasty incident, and who became a hermit. I read an advanced review copy provided through NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, the book’s publisher.

Inspiring. Truly words to live by, written by a man who has lived as a "hermit" in the wilderness for over 49 years.

The Way of the Hermit was a great read! I loved the quiet introspection of living in the wilderness.

I enjoyed reading Ken Smith’s journey of living off grid in Scotland for 40 years. I felt like his personality and voice were forefront to the story, and I agreed with much of his philosophy on life. It made me want to just get up and leave!!!

Title: The Way of the Hermit
Author: Ken Smith
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Rating: 4 out of 5

Subconsciously, I pressed myself into the loch's banks as that summer inched forward. We'd got off to a rocky beginning, but I started to see Treig in a different way. There was something about this land that told me just to hold on a while longer. It might've been just a whisper at the time, but I knew it was definitely worth heeding. I just knew that was it. This was the place.

Seventy-four-year-old Ken Smith has spent the past four decades in the Scottish Highlands. His home is a log cabin nestled near Loch Treig, known as "the lonely loch," where he lives off the land. He fishes for his supper, chops his own wood and even brews his own tipple. He is, in the truest sense of the word, a hermit.

From his working-class origins in Derbyshire, Ken always sensed that there was more to life than an empty nine to five. Then one day in 1974, an attack from a group of drunken men left him for dead. Determined to change his prospects, Ken quit his job and spent his formative years traveling in the Yukon. It was here, in the vast wilderness of northwestern Canada, that he honed his survival skills and grew closer to nature. Returning to Britain, he continued his nomadic lifestyle, wandering north and living in huts until he finally reached Loch Treig. Ken decided to lay his roots amongst the dense woodland and Highland air, and has lived there ever since.

This was a fascinating read! Despite having approximately zero interest in roughing it or surviving off the land, I was engrossed in reading about Ken’s adventures in the wilderness. The storms he survived sounded terrifying! His descriptions brought the Scottish Highlands to life, and I have nothing but admiration for this man and his life choices.

Ken Smith has lived off-grid in the Scottish Highlands for 40+ years. The Way of the Hermit is his story.

(Galley courtesy of Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.)

I enjoyed Ken Smith’s full life of living in the outdoors in the Scottish Highlands for 40 years. He was one of those original Living off the Grid people who undoubtedly inspired others. Ken starts the book by sharing his early years which culminate in his 40 years in nature in the Scottish Highlands.
His easy way of narration through the trials, adventures, mishaps and joys of living in solitude made it easy to keep picking up the book. I quickly immersed myself in his life story and appreciated the book until the end, which also arrives at the end of his life.
I enjoyed the trials of building his shelter, of keeping it from burning ( one time, not so successfully… ), gathering wood for his perpetual fire, and his trekking the good distance to town for supplies as necessary..
I admire his for choosing how to live, and executing it when daily living becomes focused on the very basics of shelter, food, and physical safety. I admire that Ken chose this life on solitary existence in the wilderness decades before it became “ a thing “.
This book was well-written, without needling to try hard.

A memoir about beating the odds, going off the grid, offering guidance on how to survive in the outdoors, and learning to be content with solitude. What about this isn't there to love?
I appreciate the chance to read this advanced reader copy from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley.

You’ll read about 78-year-old Ken Smith, the Hermit of Trieg, and his 40-year life off-grid in Scotland.

I was curious to discover if Ken chose this life or if it was chosen for him. I wanted to see what modern technology he relied on as he lived off the land and wanted to understand a little about how Ken spent his day.

This book is mostly written in Ken’s voice, sprinkled with his inspirational time in Canada and Alaska before seeking solitude, anecdotes about living alongside and his reliance on nature, and reports of his self-sustaining life.

I loved his attitude about the word ‘can’t’ and how it means that when one door closes it’s simply a conduit to another door opening. I could also understand what he meant when he said, “It’s just that I prefer to meet people on my terms, or rather, I like to be in control of my own day.” I’m much the same way. His aspirations of living to 102 “outside the conventions of mainstream society” are perhaps more admirable than achievable considering how his health is deteriorating.

I much more preferred the writing style of ‘Outsider’ by Brian Popplewell , also featuring the life of a local who chose solitude in the forest.

Regardless, I’m in awe of someone who can live like this. I don’t think I could.

I was gifted this book by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to providing a review.

This book follows Ken as he spends many years living in the wilderness. Ken learns different skills and tricks as time passes. His story starts out when he takes a trip with his friend. They decide to travel and explore nature. This trip has a deadline and the two friends will go back to normal lives once it is over. However, Ken becomes so fascinated with this way of living that he is not ready to give it up. The book follows Ken on multiple adventures while living off the land. He finds himself in some dangerous situations as well as many incredible situations. Through it all, Ken is determined to continue this way of life. For many years, Ken thrives in this way of life. He is self-sufficient for the most part and limits his trips back to civilization.

This story is incredible. It shows how people thrive in different environments and situations. I give Ken so much credit for his perseverance as he maintained this way of life. I was drawn into this memoir because it gave me insight into how another person lived. I thought it was interesting to read about so many different experiences that Ken had. Through the course of the story, there were some really emotional parts. I felt like Ken made the best out of his situation. This story really makes you appreciate things because you might not realize where other people might be at in life. You never know what the person next to you might be going through. It is so important to always be considerate because everyone has their own struggles in life. I would recommend this book if you want to read a story that will help you to appreciate nature and the world that we live in.

The Way of the Hermit tells the extraordinary story of Ken Smith, the famous "Hermit of Treig" who's lived alone in the Scottish wilderness for 40 years.

The narrative takes readers through 70 years and counting of Smith's adventures, from his childhood in Derbyshire to his cabin in the Scottish Highlands. Some anecdotes that stood out to me were his run-in with a grizzly bear in the Yukon and his friendship with an injured crow. I also loved the detailed descriptions of how he built his cabin.

All in all, the book left me longing for the hermit life. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the outdoors or living closer to nature.

Thank you Netgalley and Hanover Square Press for sending me an advance copy of this book for review consideration.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Mr. Smith's incredible life story had me hooked from the start. The writing was so amazing that while I was reading I felt like I was out in the wilderness seeing what was being described. It was a bit long winded at times but for me, that made it more endearing and allowed me to sit a bit longer in a log cabin in the wilderness! There are so many lessons to be learned in Mr. Smith's stories, I feel a second reading will teach me even more. Most importantly, to choose your dream no matter what others think or say. Anything is possible and starts with one baby step. I am so happy that Mr. Smith lives his dream and shared his life with us in these words. He is a very humble, brave man who had the courage to do it his way no matter how rough the road was. Bravo to him. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

One man’s story of going from a hard working class background to living alone in the wilderness. Ken Smith has spent decades living in the Scottish wilderness and uses this book to share his experiences.

Ken sought out an independent life after being beaten by skinheads and hasn’t looked back since. He began his journey hitchhiking across America and Canada. He eventually returned to his native England and then moved to an isolated loch in Scotland. Ken has lived a solitary existence and lived solely off the land for over 40 years. He has learned a lot about self-reliance, our relationship to nature, and our connections to each other.

I didn’t really connect with this book, but did find some parts interesting. I recommend it to those who enjoy reading about a simpler life and want an insiders look at what being a hermit actually means.

Read if you like: escapism, slice of life, living off the grid stories, nature

I feel like anyone alive right now could not help but like this book. With all going on in the world who has not fantasized about leaving it all behind for some remote cabin in woods.

In first discovered this genre of book through One Man’s Wilderness which the author actually references which was like a balm to the soul. Ken’s book is much the same detailing from his early life his draw to nature and adventures throughout Canada and the Scottish Highlands before ultimately deciding to make the wilderness his permanent home.

It’s easy to hear Ken’s Scottish lilt throughout the pages and he immediately feels like an old friend. I was happy to come along with him and hear his tales of bear encounters and near death experiences while living on the land.

For me this book felt like a much needed hot cup of tea and I would recommend it to anyone who just wants to escape for a while.

This book was very interesting and well written. I admire Mr. Smith for living the life he wanted to. So many people fall short of what they would like to do.
His descriptions of the way of life that he lived were very well written and it was hard to put down! I so admire him.
Living off the land is not easy but has its rewards. I'm glad he wasn't to far from civilization.

As a librarian I would recommend this book to people of all ages, races and religion. I would like to read again someday!

What a refreshing memoir of a fascinating man who ended up choosing to live life on his own terms, alone (yet not alone!) in the Scottish Highlands. Unlike other memoirs where I read the words, but couldn't feel them, I could picture his experiences clearly. Even if you know that you could never live your life in such a way that Smith has, the book is full of insight and lessons that can be adjusted to even better the life of a person firmly placed in the middle of suburbia.

This book was definitely interesting and I enjoyed reading about his way of life. There were parts that I felt drug on and were difficult to read. Overall, it was very inspiring. it has some step-by-step features for anyone interested in that sort of lifestyle.

I hadn't heard of the author before reading the book, though I suspect most readers will have become interested in the book by previously watching and enjoying a documentary about him. It was more general interests in nature and non-mainstream lives which made the title appeal to me.

I almost decided to quit reading it during the prologue, which felt much too twee to me. A word I've never used before and had to check to make sure it meant what I thought. Yep, a little too deliberately quaint.

I'm glad I continued to read the book, but somehow feel I got both more and less than I expected. I wasn't expecting to get accurate advice on dealing with North American bears from a hermit in Scotland, or graphic details about his colon cancer. And though there are many mentions of his world view, which I largely agree with, I guess I was expecting a more focused whole. It seemed more like a collection of anecdotes (some of which I skimmed through for lack of interest) than a unified book.

The book itself is probably a 3 to me, but I'll make it 4 just in support of how he chose to live his life.

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the advance copy.