Forager is an autobiography by Michelle Dowd who was taught foraging by her mother as she was raised in a cult in California. The book is really heartbreaking, and it is a wonder that Michelle even survives her childhood as it was really difficult and punctuated with sexual abuse, hunger, and lack of parental guidance and love.

Michelle and her family are part of the inner circle of The Field, a religious organization started by her grandfather. They were very Christian in their beliefs, and strict with their interpretation of the bible. The group lives far from most people in in the Los Angeles mountains and takes on mostly boys that have had a difficult time in the “real world”. There are so many rules, many unspoken, that govern the daily lives of the cult followers. As a child, Michelle bristles at the structure, and since she is left to herself so much of the time with little formal schooling and no parental love or support, her life takes some dark turns with so much abuse.

Michelle is a strong girl, distrusting of the outside world, and even when she has some life-threatening medical issues, she deals with hospital stays on her own and with little parental interaction. As she grows up her natural instincts kick in more and more and she finds herself getting into trouble and going against the rules of the cult.

How she is able to pull herself out and survive is really a miracle, given the issues she was dealing with. In the end, she is there for her mother, who would not be getting mother of the year award. We can all learn from this book.

Forager is an interesting look at The Field, a cult that was based (mostly) in California. The book connects different aspects of foraging with snippets of memories about growing up in The Field. Overall, I found the book quite interesting and enjoyed and appreciated the author's voice throughout the narrative sections. I thought the part where she analyzed her relationship with her mother - an expert naturalist tethered to a cult - to be very interesting - it was almost a biography of her mother as told by her as a young girl with mentions of the other supporting characters of her life.

At times, the book slows to a crawl, so I sped-read through some of the less interesting anecdotes about growing up in the field, but by the end you have a well rounded understanding of the author's life and experience, and a look at her relationship with her mother. I don't live in a similar environment, either, but I feel like I have a basic understanding of the thoughts people have as they head into the wilderness to forage and survive!

While this isn't something I would typically read, I am really glad that I did. Dowd's story is well-written and is tied together with the plants that sustain her. I think it will find a readership in our library, so I will be purchasing it for the collection.

...." An inspiring and insightful tale of resilience in the face of adversity, this book is hard to put down...."

Full review to appear in BookList.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me this advance reader copy. I attended a webinar and this book was featured. All attendees received the book.
This is a quick read and simply written. The story of this poor girl stuck in a cult is frustrating and heartbreaking. The story is about self discovery and growth, I’m glad she found her way so young. I enjoyed it but didn’t love it.
3*

Forager is a beautiful mediation on family, faith, and a girl's future. Michelle Dowd's writing is akin to poetry and the inclusion of edible plants, trees, and flowers is a brilliant addition to her prose. Your books club *will* be reading this book in 20023.

One of my favorite reads ever, and I read about 400 books a year. Tragic, mesmerizing and absolutely beautifully written. While our lives look utterly different on the outside, I also related so much to Dowd and her childhood. Full review to come on our family homesteading/foraging blog closer to its March publication.

TW: sexual abuse, child abuse, violence, eating disorders, death, religious abuse, suicide