The Way of the Hermit by Ken Smith is an interesting, insightful, autobiographical, journey of his life story. I was drawn to the book by my fascination with the Scottish Highlands. As you read his journey, you'll find that the "simple life" we envision of living off the land and his self-proclaimed "hermit" life can be grueling as well as fulfilling. Hunting, fishing, gardening, and just enjoying the sights and sounds of nature seems romantic until you learn of the limitations and realities of the whims of mother nature. That's not to say that it isn't a wonderful way to live your years on this earth.
Mr. Smith gives the reader a peek into his childhood and takes you on his journey from Scotland to Canada and back again. The ebb and flow of nature and the benefits and costs of living such a life.
The book will make you reflect upon your own choices. Make you feel grateful as well as wistful for what could have been if you made different choices. I laughed and cried...which for me makes for a magical reading experience.
Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing, and the author for the opportunity to read the book.

You can tell Ken Smith is an intelligent, patient man. I do love how he writes, but I had a hard time wanting to stay engaged with this story. It was enlightening in some parts, and felt dragged out in others.

I really enjoyed this story about the life of a man who has lived off the grid in a wood in Scotland for 40 years. His life story is interesting and his experiences were inspiring to me. I did realize a movie was also made, and after reading, I hope to watch it!

Humans fascinate me. I love humans (most of the time); their uniqueness, their individuality. I love the oddballs and the off-the-walls. I love to read stories by and about the "weirdos" and the outcasts who broke the mold, whether fiction or nonfiction.

Ken Smith is certifiably odd, shunning the "real world" (rather, the 9-5 working grind to the grave) for hard-sought peace among nature. I felt this autobiography had a good mix of philosophy and reality to express the full picture of Smith's life and why he chose to go rogue.

If I have one complaint, it is that much of the book serves as a manual on how to escape the "real world" oneself, with step-by-steps of his building, hunting, gardening, brewing, etc. For anyone looking to follow in his footsteps, sure, this is fine--great even! But for me, it was a tad tedious. At times I would have rather just read his journals and forgotten the commentary.

Ken Smith is quite a character. I would love to settle in with a cuppa' and listen to a few of his yarns. But alas, I s'pose I'll have to settle for his book...

Ken Smith's autobiographical The Way of the Hermit: My Incredible 40 Years Living in the Wilderness (Hanover Square Press  2024) is a once-in-a-lifetime peek into the world of a man who enjoys a life most would shun. Ken Smith starts the book with an explanation of his philosophy, his lifestyle, what persuaded him to adopt the lifestyle that he lives to this day, and more, all as a preamble to the timeline of events in his life that led him to become a hermit in Loch Treig in the Scottish Highlands:

"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."

He begins with his humble working class beginnings in Derbyshire, how he had planned to pursue nomadic journeys through the rough backcountry of first Canada and then the British Isles while figuring out what he wanted to do as an adult, but decided survival was not about money but satisfaction with life.

"Protest at the direction of society is probably the biggest influence on the decision to go hermit full-time"

After much wandering and testing of himself, Ken Smith ends up off the grid in a wood cabin on the estate of a royal Scottish landowner. He shares how he does that, the problems with tiny bugs like leeches, ticks, and more, as well as the larger ones that seem less difficult to overcome. He walks everywhere, with no car, no phone, no money for transportation, and that has its own set of problems and joys. Through his experiences, this back-to-nature world which is his passion comes to life for the reader. Ken Smith tests himself at every turn, never believing he "can't",  even when things don't work out, believing that failure has opened another door for him. The longer he survives, the greater his zeal to escape the domestication of the civilized world. He calls this:

"...Collective memories of a life very well lived."

Ken Smith’s story has been turned into a movie as well, The Hermit of Treig (that is available though difficult to find).  By the time I finished this book, it had been added to my short list of favorite books. It is highly recommended for those who love a challenge, seek the ultimate test of themselves vs. Nature. I give this an enthusiastic 5/5.

Marvelous. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think.

The moment I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. I have fallen in love with the Scottish Highlands and want to go there as often as possible. Furthermore, I saw a great documentary about Ken Smith last year and was charmed by his personality, so I wanted to get to know him better. But I was surprised how beautifully written and even profound this volume turned out to be.

The first part is a pretty classic autobiography, describing Smith's fortunes from birth to the time he began his life in the hut near Loch Treig. I knew the main facts from the documentary, but this detailed story moved me deeply. I found it so disturbing that although he was a young, intelligent and industrious man, he had no chance of finding employment other than grueling, poorly paid physical labor (in his own words, “I’d rather be freezing cold, hungry, poor and free; than freezing cold, hungry, poor and trapped”) - I guess because of his background and lack of education. Of course, it was because of these circumstances that he ended up living a much happier and more fulfilling life than most highly educated professionals, so by no means did I feel sorry for him - it just made me sad that our world can still be such an unfair, backward place.

I loved his adventures in the Canadian wilderness - I would gladly read a separate book devoted solely to his travels there. But here it is just an introduction to the main part of the story: what life as a modern hermit really looks like.

He describes in detail every possible aspect of it - from building a wooden house, to tending a garden (“You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying a few kind words to the things that grow in your garden. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything”), to fishing, to being prepared for the worst weather. It may sound boring, but he somehow makes it fascinating. From each chapter you learn not only survival strategies (“Above all, your level of risk needs to be managed as much as possible, and that starts with shutting up the voice that says, ‘It won’t happen to me.’ It bloody well will”), but also his philosophy, and it is enlightening. He does not try to preach, he is a very humble and straightforward person, but time and again I found myself inspired by his words.

His story may be sobering for us city dwellers who dream of getting off the grid - he is not shy about the challenges and dangers he faces on a daily basis. I am sure this kind of life is not for everyone. But somehow it makes me feel better to know that it is possible and that he is happy there, on the slopes of Treig.

Many thanks to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a NetGalley approved read.
I really loved this and will buy a physical copy as soon as I can! This man's life is amazing and I hope he lives to 102 and gives me several more books on plants, grafting, recipes, hunting, bird watching and a photo album from his life! I wanna know it all! The journal entries are great and he's lived through some amazing things. From various injuries and illnesses, and in some amazingly remote places! I ached for his bravery to live as he wished and was terrified for him at the same time! He has lots of amazing advice too! What a great read! Highly recommend!! I'm gonna look for his BBC special now!