The Stranger In The Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
For readers and listeners of Jon Krakauer and The Lost City of Z, a remarkable tale of survival and solitude – the true story of a man who lived alone in a tent in the Maine woods, never talking to another person and surviving by stealing supplies from nearby cabins for 27 years.
In 1986, 20-year-old Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even in winter, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store food and water, to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothes, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed, but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of the why and how of his secluded life – as well as the challenges he has faced returning to the world. A riveting story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way – and succeeded.
Another random book I found just by searching my Libby app 🤣
While this isn’t one of my typical kind of reads, I must say that it was super interesting!
First of all, the narrator was FANTASTIC, so listening to it was a very wise choice.
I’m not sure I’d love it as much if I would have read it in print.
This book is a true story about a man, Christopher Knight (no relation to the Brady Bunch actor of the same name🤣) who lived on his own in the woods for 27 friggin years.
Which sounds like a complete NIGHTMARE to me!
I am 10000 percent an extrovert AND a Southern “indoorsy” type of gal….so living out in the Maine wildnerness where it is FRIGID in winter PLUS not having a single PERSON to talk to or interact with sounds like my own personal version of HELL.
And the man did it for TWENTY SEVEN YEARS, yall.
27!
No social interaction, no physical contact, no indoor plumbing, no heating or central air….
NO THANK YOU.
Because I can not even IMAGINE doing what this man did, I WAS intrigued to hear his story.
Why did he do it?
How did he survive?
This book is not only based on the real life interviews the author had with Mr Knight, but also addresses the psychology and science of “hermits”….it also includes history of famous hermits as well as literature recommendations that are about the joys and turmoils of pure solitude.
I told my husband–who is as much of an introvert as I am an extrovert–he should totally read this as I think he could probably relate to this man WAY better than I could.
I think my husband could probably live like this for a short while–but as much as he loves quiet and being alone, he probably would get quite lonesome after a few days or so.
Ok. Maybe a week. Or maybe a month 🤣
No big take aways or impacts from reading this book for me, but it was a good read and I found hearing this man’s story quite intriguing and informational.