Bradford Angier (May 13, 1910 – March 3, 1997) was an American wilderness survivalist and proponent of back-to-earth living. He authored more than 35 books on how to survive in the wild and how to live off the land according to minimalist precepts.
In 1947 Angier and his new wife, Vena (Elvena, 1914–2011), were living in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. They had long romanticized the life of
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon sim ...
and decided to move to
Hudson's Hope
Hudson's Hope is a district municipality in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, in the Peace River Regional District, British Columbia, Peace River Regional District. Having been first settled along the Peace River in 1805, it is the third-old ...
, a small town in northeastern
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, Canada, to live off the land. Once there, they found an old prospector's cabin. With the few tools and how-to books they brought with them, they were able to repair the cabin. Bradford Angier then set about learning to hunt and gather wild food.
He eventually started writing survival books. Vena Angier was artistic and hand-illustrated several of his books. The couple lived in Canada until the building of the
W.A.C. Bennett Dam during the 1960s on the Peace River near their home forced them to move. They moved to
Cambria, California
Cambria () is a seaside village in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California State Route 1 (Highway 1). The name Cambria, chosen in 1869, is the Latin name for Wales (Welsh, ...
, and built a house that was less than . For decades Bradford Angier and
Calvin Rutstrum
Calvin Rutstrum (October 26, 1895 – February 5, 1982) was an American writer who wrote fifteen books, most relating to wilderness camping experiences and techniques. Most of his books were written at his cabin on Cloud Bay, Ontario.
"His wilder ...
were the two most prominent "how to" authors on living in the wilderness.
In the 1970s the Angiers returned to Hudson's Hope. In 1972 Bradford wrote the book ''One Acre & Security'' in which he discussed how to live organically on only of land. At this time he had become popular with the back-to-earth movement and was sought out by many people wishing to emulate his lifestyle. He was sometimes referred to as "Mr. Outdoors"
[One Acre and Security: How to Live Off the Earth Without Ruining It By Bradford Angier Published 2000 Willow Creek Press ]
Bradford Angier died in 1997, a few months short of his 50th wedding anniversary.
Bibliography
* ''At Home in the Woods: Living the Life of Thoreau Today'' (1951)
* ''How To Build Your Home in The Woods'' (1952)
* ''Living Off the Country: How to Stay Alive in the Woods'' (1956)
* ''On Your Own in the Wilderness'' (1958)
* ''Wilderness Cookery'' (1961)
* ''We Like It Wild'' (1963)
* ''Home in Your Pack: The Modern Handbook of Backpacking'' (1965)
* ''Free for the Eating'' (1966)
* ''Free for the Eating (100 Wild Plants, 300 Ways to Use Them)'' (1967)
* ''Home in Your Pack: The Modern Handbook of Backpacking'' (1967)
* ''Skills for Taming the Wilds: A Handbook of Woodcraft Wisdom'' (1967)
* ''The Ghosts of Spirit River'' (1968)
* ''The Outdoorsman's Emergency Manual: Being Your Own Wilderness Doctor'' (1968)
* ''Being Your Own Wilderness Doctor: The outdoorsman's emergency manual'' (1984)
* ''How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation That Makes Starvation in the Wilderness Next to the Impossible: Originally Published As Living Off the Country'' (1969)
* ''More Free-for-the-Eating Wild Foods'' (1969)
* ''A Star to the North'' (1970)
* ''The Art and Science of Taking to the Woods'' (1970)
* ''Gourmet Cooking For Free'' (1970)
* ''Wilderness Cookery: Complete Outdoor Meals'' (1970)
* ''How to Live in the Woods on Pennies a Day'' (1971)
* ''One Acre and Security How to Live Off the Earth Without Ruining it'' (1972)
* ''Skills for Taming the Wilds: A Handbook of Woodcraft Wisdom'' (1972)
* ''Survival with Style'' (1972)
* ''Wilderness Gear You Can Make Yourself'' (1973)
* ''Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants'' (1974)
* ''The Freighter Travel Manual'' (1974)
* ''Home Book of Cooking Venison and Other Natural Meats'' (1975)
* ''Looking for Gold: The Modern Prospector's Handbook (Prospecting and Treasure Hunting)'' (1975)
* ''Color Field Guide to Common Wild Edibles'' (1976)
* ''Wilderness Wife'' (1976)
* ''Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants'' (1978)
* ''The Master Backwoodsman: Wilderness Skills and Campcraft for Ventures off the Beaten Path'' (1978)
* ''Home Cookbook of Wild Meat and Game'' (1982)
* ''Bradford Angier's Backcountry Basics: Wilderness Skills and Outdoor Know-How'' (1983)
* ''Camping-on-the-go Cookery'' (1983)
* ''The Competence Factor: Skills That Make the Difference in Outdoor Sports'' (1983)
* ''At Home in the Desert: Surviving and Thriving for a Day, a Week, or a Lifetime'' (1984)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Angier, Bradford
1910 births
1997 deaths
Survivalists
Writers from Boston
People from the Peace River Regional District
American expatriates in Canada