{"title":"Michelle Dowd","description":"\u003cp\u003eMichelle Dowd is a captivating author whose works delve into the heart of personal experience and exploration. Her debut book, \u003cem\u003eForager\u003c\/em\u003e, is a standout in the Biography \u0026amp; Memoir category, offering readers an intimate glimpse into her unique life journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eForager\u003c\/em\u003e, Dowd poignantly recounts her upbringing in a survivalist community, a narrative rich with vivid memories and introspection. Her storytelling weaves together elements of survival, resilience, and personal growth, engaging readers with both its honesty and depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMichelle Dowd's writing is characterised by its authenticity and lyrical prose, making her works not only informative but also deeply moving. Her ability to transform personal stories into universal themes of hope and discovery makes her a compelling voice in contemporary literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the works of Michelle Dowd to discover a world where memoir intricately blends with emotional insight and experiential wisdom.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"forager-by-michelle-dowd-9781643755779","title":"Forager","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA moving, heart-breaking, and lyrical true story of the author's escape from an apocalyptic cult—and the survival skills that led to her freedom.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003ci\u003eMy family prepared me for the end of the world, but I know how to survive on what the earth yields.\u003c\/i\u003e\n\nAs a child, Michelle Dowd grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest. She was born into an ultra-religious cult—or the Field as they called it—started in the 1930s by her grandfather, a mercurial, domineering, and charismatic man who convinced generations of young male followers that he would live 500 years and ascend to the heavens when doomsday came. \u003ci\u003eComfort and care are sins\u003c\/i\u003e, Michelle is told. As a result, she was forced to learn the skills necessary to battle hunger, thirst, and cold; she learned to trust animals more than humans; and most importantly, she learned how to survive in the natural world.\n\nAt the Field, a young Michelle lives a life of abuse, poverty, and isolation, as she obeys her family's rigorous religious and patriarchal rules—which are so extreme that Michelle is convinced her mother would sacrifice her, like Abraham and Isaac, if instructed by God. She often wears the same clothes for months at a time; she is often ill and always hungry for both love and food. She is taught not to trust Outsiders, and especially not Quitters, nor her own body and its warnings.\n\nBut as Michelle gets older, she realizes she has the strength to break free. \u003ci\u003eFocus on what will sustain, not satiate you\u003c\/i\u003e, she tells herself. \u003ci\u003eUse everything. Waste nothing. Get to know the intricacies of the land, like the intricacies of your body.\u003c\/i\u003e And so she does.\n\nUsing stories of individual edible plants and their uses to anchor each chapter, \u003ci\u003eForager\u003c\/i\u003e is both a searing coming-of-age story and a meditation on the ways in which understanding nature can lead to freedom, even joy.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46843668496620,"sku":"9781643755779","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/6462123482773.jpg?v=1758806931"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/michelle-dowd.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}