"In the tradition of the best immersive journalism." -A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically
A bold examination of how Paleolithic wisdom could solve our 21st century problems
Jessica Carew Kraft, an urban wife and mom of two, was firmly rooted in the modern world, complete with a high-powered career in tech and the sneaking suspicion that her lifestyle was preventing her and her family from truly thriving. Determined to find a better way, Jessica quit her job and set out to learn about "rewilding" from people who reject the comforts and convenience of civilization by using ancient tools and skills to survive. Along the way, she learned how to turn sticks into fire, stones into axes, and bones into tools for harvesting wild food--and found an entire community walking the path back from our technology-focused, anxiety-ridden way of life to a simpler, more human experience.
Weaving deep research and reportage with her own personal journey, Jessica tells the remarkable story of the potential benefits rewilding has for us and our planet, and questions what it truly means to be a human in today's world. For readers of A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century and Hunt, Gather, Parent, Why We Need to Be Wild is a thought-provoking, unforgettable narrative that illuminates how we survived in the past, how we live now, and how each of us can choose to thrive in the years ahead.
"Kraft shows us how we could all benefit from being a little less civilized." --Tiffany Shlain, author of 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week
"This book is in the tradition of the best immersive journalism, in which the author tries on a lifestyle that offers unforeseen benefits, amidst difficulty, and then discovers that she can't go back to the way she used to live. It will get many of us thinking about whether we also need to immerse ourselves in more Stone Age living to thrive in the coming era of massive change." -- A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically
"An engrossing, illuminating, and personal journey into how humans have become so disconnected from nature, and how to rewild ourselves back to health." -- James Nestor, author of Breath and Deep
"This is the life-changing magic of going wild--Kraft shows us how we could all benefit from being a little less civilized." -- Tiffany Shlain, acclaimed filmmaker, Webby Awards founder and author of 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day A Week
Jessica Carew Kraft is an independent journalist trained in anthropology, with degrees from the University of London, Yale University, and Swarthmore College. Her reporting on health, culture, tech, and education has been published in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Forbes, the San Francisco Chronicle, Politico, NBC News, KQED, and many other outlets. In midlife, she became a naturalist and wild food forager. She lives with her two daughters and like-minded neighbors of various species in the forest of the Sierra Foothills.