A Year In The Woods

Summary:

A memoir of one Norwegian man’s year of micro-adventures, spending one night alone in the woods each month.

Review:

I’ve long been a fan of memoirs, especially when they deal with topics that I am also interested in, such as camping and time outdoors. In this book, the author, who is also a nature writer and novelist, chronicles his year of spending one night each month solo camping in the forest near his home in Oslo, Norway.

The main takeaway from the book is that nearly all of us that live in Western cities have access to wooded areas and spending time away from the conveniences and hustle of life doesn’t have to mean traveling far. If it’s legal in your area, it could mean driving to a nearby patch of forest, hiking in a few miles, and camping for the night.

He spends quite a lot of time sharing his observations about how the natural landscape changes throughout the seasons and can accomplish this by using the same unmarked camping spot next to a bog in the woods. This allowed him to become familiar with the flora and fauna in the area, which provides the foundation for noticing the evolution of their existence or experience throughout the seasons.

He also has lots of philosophical or psychological thoughts that he unpacks about life, society, nature, relationships, and more. It’s a wonderful reflection of what spending time alone with your thoughts - especially in the woods - can produce internally.

There were times when the narrative felt more like a nature essay than anything else, but I rather enjoyed learning about the lifecycle of mayflies or the way trout feed at different times of the year. It was all rather cozy.

I don’t know that I’ll re-read this one, but it was worth a read if you’re into nature, camping, or the idea of micro-adventures for mental health.