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Wild Food
Ray Mears has travelled the world to see how native people manage to live on just what nature provides. What's always frustrated him is not knowing how our own ancestors fed themselves--and what we could learn about our own diet. We know they were hunter-gatherers, but noone has been able to tell what they ate day to day. How did they find their calories, week in week out throughout the year? What were their staple foods? Where did they get their vitamins? How did they ensure their bodies received enough variety? In this book and the BBC TV series it inspired, Mears travels back ten thousand years to a time before farming to learn how our ancestors found, prepared and cooked their food. This extraordinary journey reveals many new possibilities--many of the same food sources are still there for us if only we know where to look. Through Ray Mears' knowledge of the countryside and the research conducted specially for this book with archaeo-botanist Gordon Hillman, we learn many new, useful and often surprising things about the amazingly rich natural larder that still surrounds us.--Book jacket flap
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 5, 2022
Clear descriptions of foods which might have been used by Mesolithic people in Britain, with a few later arrivals and practical tips on gathering and cooking them. The best part is the voice of experience which comes through many sections, for example noting that other sources say something is edible, but on trying, it isn't!
July 6, 2013
This is a book I’ve wanted to read for some time, since watching the television programme of the same name that this accompanies; featuring stunning cinematography and the bushcraft know-how of Ray Mears in collaboration with the specialist knowledge of my colleague Gordon Hillman. I have to start out by echoing what other reviewers have pointed out and saying that I have the hardback edition of this book and it definitely could have used better editing. Words run into each other, typos, the occasional sentence that drops out… This should have been picked up on.
The book is divided into two main sections, the first in which hunting and foraging strategies from the mesolithic are debated, with Mears and Hillman drawing upon extant hunter-gatherer knowledge, archaeological site remains, and conducting experimental archaeology in order to find out more about how certain resources may have been used. This is what I find really fascinating. I’ve discovered an interest in the stone age since I spent a whole summer a couple of years ago studying the era to fill a gap in my historical knowledge, and to me it’s such an enigma. Written records begin in the bronze age, and with writing our knowledge and understanding of our ancestors expands enormously. The stone age has no written records, we cannot hear the voices of these people or read their thoughts, and the era is absolutely vast, from the time homo sapiens evolved in Africa circa 200,000 BCE, to the bronze age and the advent of writing circa 2500 BCE. That’s 195500 years longer than from the bronze age to present day. I want to know what these people thought, how they survived, and how they lived their lives! There are intriguing hints about stone age people; beautiful cave paintings, mysterious burial customs, the strange symbols of the neolithic Vinča culture which might just be an as yet undeciphered form of proto-writing. And yet the main focus of these peoples’ lives must have been the day-to-day struggle for survival, the search for food. With such importance on food, I particularly wanted to read this book. Ray Mears and Gordon Hillman’s experiments reveal so much about such an opaque era, and for that reason they are fascinating and illuminating, as well as ultimately inconclusive since there is so much we simply don’t know.
The second section of the book comprises an index of British flora, their seasonality, edibility, and food preparation. Naturally, this section was not as readable as the first, and not intended for consistent reading, rather for dipping in and out of. One final mention must go to the beautiful photography that illustrates the food and experiments that Mears and Hillman explore.
A lovely book that definitely needed better editing, and by its very nature cannot answer all the questions it sets out to explore, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
7 out of 10
The book is divided into two main sections, the first in which hunting and foraging strategies from the mesolithic are debated, with Mears and Hillman drawing upon extant hunter-gatherer knowledge, archaeological site remains, and conducting experimental archaeology in order to find out more about how certain resources may have been used. This is what I find really fascinating. I’ve discovered an interest in the stone age since I spent a whole summer a couple of years ago studying the era to fill a gap in my historical knowledge, and to me it’s such an enigma. Written records begin in the bronze age, and with writing our knowledge and understanding of our ancestors expands enormously. The stone age has no written records, we cannot hear the voices of these people or read their thoughts, and the era is absolutely vast, from the time homo sapiens evolved in Africa circa 200,000 BCE, to the bronze age and the advent of writing circa 2500 BCE. That’s 195500 years longer than from the bronze age to present day. I want to know what these people thought, how they survived, and how they lived their lives! There are intriguing hints about stone age people; beautiful cave paintings, mysterious burial customs, the strange symbols of the neolithic Vinča culture which might just be an as yet undeciphered form of proto-writing. And yet the main focus of these peoples’ lives must have been the day-to-day struggle for survival, the search for food. With such importance on food, I particularly wanted to read this book. Ray Mears and Gordon Hillman’s experiments reveal so much about such an opaque era, and for that reason they are fascinating and illuminating, as well as ultimately inconclusive since there is so much we simply don’t know.
The second section of the book comprises an index of British flora, their seasonality, edibility, and food preparation. Naturally, this section was not as readable as the first, and not intended for consistent reading, rather for dipping in and out of. One final mention must go to the beautiful photography that illustrates the food and experiments that Mears and Hillman explore.
A lovely book that definitely needed better editing, and by its very nature cannot answer all the questions it sets out to explore, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
7 out of 10
January 11, 2010
I’ve got the hardback edition, although a paperback has subsequently been published. I only hope they spent more time editing the text for the paperback, because the hardback text is littered with sentences that don’t end and words that run into each other. It doesn’t make for easy reading at times. The photos are good, though, and a real plus point.
The book is divided into two sections. In the first, Ray Mears looks at existing hunter gatherer communities and tries to extrapolate what life might have been life for Mesolithic people in Britain, and what foods they might have eaten. There is very little archaeological evidence from the period, but Ray recreates some of the technology that they might have had available and used for hunting or processing food. There are chapters on foraging, hunting and fungi.
In the second section, Gordon Hillman takes over and looks at the plants that may have been available to our hunter gatherer ancestors. The plants are grouped into families, and there are pictures of most of them, information about how they are or might have been used, and occasional personal and interesting notes. Gordon has devoted his life to wild food plants, and clearly knows a lot about the subject.
This is a reference work, and not a field guide. There are enough warnings and references to poisonous plants and potential problems to deter the unwary from heading out to sample whatever they can find in the hedgerows – and clear indications that in many cases that would be illegal.
Whilst this book would therefore be of undoubted interest to people involved in wild food collecting, it’s more of a coffee table book. The initial chapters are eminently readable, but the second section is information dense and not the kind of thing that most people would read their way through. Much better to dip in and read about these plants in small doses – which is how many of them should be enjoyed!
The book is divided into two sections. In the first, Ray Mears looks at existing hunter gatherer communities and tries to extrapolate what life might have been life for Mesolithic people in Britain, and what foods they might have eaten. There is very little archaeological evidence from the period, but Ray recreates some of the technology that they might have had available and used for hunting or processing food. There are chapters on foraging, hunting and fungi.
In the second section, Gordon Hillman takes over and looks at the plants that may have been available to our hunter gatherer ancestors. The plants are grouped into families, and there are pictures of most of them, information about how they are or might have been used, and occasional personal and interesting notes. Gordon has devoted his life to wild food plants, and clearly knows a lot about the subject.
This is a reference work, and not a field guide. There are enough warnings and references to poisonous plants and potential problems to deter the unwary from heading out to sample whatever they can find in the hedgerows – and clear indications that in many cases that would be illegal.
Whilst this book would therefore be of undoubted interest to people involved in wild food collecting, it’s more of a coffee table book. The initial chapters are eminently readable, but the second section is information dense and not the kind of thing that most people would read their way through. Much better to dip in and read about these plants in small doses – which is how many of them should be enjoyed!
September 15, 2014
Not written/edited terribly well at all..good to have a flick through I guess. Was sort of expecting a wild food type guide but this isn't really one of them - section with plants grouped by families was of some help though.
Occasionally really, really condescending / racist tone taken when writing about Australian Aboriginal/ indigenous people -
'...problems that exist with other indigenous groups around the world, which also have an instinctive desire for plentiful fat and sugar, and so are tempted by processed foods'
'and so are tempted by processed foods' ? Uh, what...?
Totally omits any sort of mention of role of poverty in shift in eating habits etc.
Also mentions setting out to explore similarities between wild food gathering in indigenous cultures & British Metholic practices but can't really make any meaningful comparisons at all, and you have statements like:
'...they have a very strong connection to their wild foods, something I was keen to explore as it may have been the case in Britain too, although we can't prove it.'
Which y'know, is irritating enough (takes this speculative tone but in such a way that authors don't want to have commited themselves to having definitely stated anything, even when stating the obvious) but so then every chapter on indigenous food-gathering basically ended with - 'these people do this; maybe British hunter-gatherers would have too? We can't prove it...but if they did, then it would have been important'....right, okay. Bleh.
Occasionally really, really condescending / racist tone taken when writing about Australian Aboriginal/ indigenous people -
'...problems that exist with other indigenous groups around the world, which also have an instinctive desire for plentiful fat and sugar, and so are tempted by processed foods'
'and so are tempted by processed foods' ? Uh, what...?
Totally omits any sort of mention of role of poverty in shift in eating habits etc.
Also mentions setting out to explore similarities between wild food gathering in indigenous cultures & British Metholic practices but can't really make any meaningful comparisons at all, and you have statements like:
'...they have a very strong connection to their wild foods, something I was keen to explore as it may have been the case in Britain too, although we can't prove it.'
Which y'know, is irritating enough (takes this speculative tone but in such a way that authors don't want to have commited themselves to having definitely stated anything, even when stating the obvious) but so then every chapter on indigenous food-gathering basically ended with - 'these people do this; maybe British hunter-gatherers would have too? We can't prove it...but if they did, then it would have been important'....right, okay. Bleh.
August 29, 2008
Combining two of my favourite things, ray mears & food.
Ray Mears is a real man in a world of insipid youths. He builds fire with his bare hands, you can drop him anyplace in the world & have him survive plus he is entirely affable & charming. I like to fantasize that ray & I live on a deserted island in a house he built out of coconut palms. He makes spoons all day while I sunbathe. It's going terribly well.
My only complaints about this book is that there aren't enough photo's of mr. mears & that the pages aren't wipe clean.Is that very wicked?
Ray Mears is a real man in a world of insipid youths. He builds fire with his bare hands, you can drop him anyplace in the world & have him survive plus he is entirely affable & charming. I like to fantasize that ray & I live on a deserted island in a house he built out of coconut palms. He makes spoons all day while I sunbathe. It's going terribly well.
My only complaints about this book is that there aren't enough photo's of mr. mears & that the pages aren't wipe clean.Is that very wicked?
March 12, 2016
I bought this as part of my research for something I was writing. I'd watched the series (and loved it, OMG, Ray and Gordon, best team ever) and the book is equally fascinating. If you've ever wondered where your hunter-gatherer ancestors got their carbs, this explores the possibilities.
*spends several weeks processing acorns*
*spends several weeks processing acorns*
January 21, 2013
peh irrelevant for here. Nothing new really. Rural Australia and rural england are poles apart. They have rural greenery and in a real emergency looting, here, we are just a long way from anywhere with the worst soil in the world. Nope I dont recommend looting by the way (for the kiddies at home)
September 24, 2008
difficult read, good to flick through
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June 6, 2009by Ray Mears AND Gordon Hillman
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews