Andrea Hejlskov was certain of one thing: life could not continue as it was. She and her husband had become disillusioned with their jobs and the pressures of urban living, their four children were spending too much time in their bedrooms with their computers, and conversations had become as elusive as their connection to a meaningful existence. For Hejlskov and her family, life had become too complicated; no matter how fast they ran they never really got anywhere, no matter how much they worked they never had enough money. Facing a constant feeling of failure and always falling behind, the Hejlskovs chose to bolt in the other direction. On a quest to find out what really counts, they made a bold move: they sold their house and parted with most of their belongings.

In the year that followed, the family built a cabin deep in the wilds of Sweden and conducted an experiment: could they live a fulfilling life while measuring their impact on a world desperately in need of change? What was meant to be a one-year experiment became a six-year journey that fundamentally changed everything in their lives. Escape to the Wild: A Family’s Return to Simplicity is the remarkable true story of a family that drops everything to start life anew. Both a poignant memoir and passionate critique of modern life, Escape to the Wild is a reminder that we can choose to lead the life we live.