Author Meet & Greet with Jessica Carew Kraft

Join us at Ruby’s Books for a fun family event to explore the versatile uses of blackberries!

We have an exciting lineup of activities planned where you and your family can discover the endless possibilities with blackberries. From paint and makeup to baskets, keychains, bracelets, and delicious smoothies, we’ll be utilizing all parts of the plant in creative and enjoyable ways. After the crafts, feel free to join us on a walk to Lake Natoma (should the weather allow) The event will be led by Jessica Carew Kraft, author of “Why We Need to be Wild”

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.