The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

by Finkel, Michael
ISBN: 9781101911532
4.5 (2)
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Overview

A National Geographic Best Book of the Year

National Bestseller

Many people dream of escaping modern life. Most will never act on it--but in 1986, twenty-year-old Christopher Knight did just that when he left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not have a conversation with another person for the next twenty-seven years.

Drawing on extensive interviews with Knight himself, journalist Michael Finkel shows how Knight lived in a tent in a secluded encampment, developing ingenious ways to store provisions and stave off frostbite during the winters. A former alarm technician, he stealthily broke into nearby cottages for food, books, and supplies, taking only what he needed but sowing unease in a community plagued by his mysterious burglaries. Since returning to the world, he has faced unique challenges--and compelled us to reexamine our assumptions about what makes a good life. By turns riveting and thought-provoking, The Stranger in the Woods gives us a deeply moving portrait of a man determined to live his own way.

  • Format: TradePaperback
  • Author: Finkel, Michael
  • ISBN: 9781101911532
  • Condition: Used
  • Dimensions: 7.90 x 0.60
  • Number Of Pages: 224
  • Publication Year: 2018

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  • Strange Enough to Be Fiction

    Kristen B. - 1 year 7 months ago

    If you read the synopsis of this book and are a bit wary, just know that I was too. A hermit in the woods who lived off stolen items screams to me nothing to see here; move along. But I was encouraged to pick it up, and Im so happy I finally did. This story is absolutely fascinating. The North Pond Hermit lived alone for 27 years never speaking more than a hi to a single hiker and lived off goods he stole from cabins. Failed and shunned journalist, Michael Finkel, started correspondence with the jailed hermit in an attempt to figure out what made him tick. Christopher Thomas Knight was not crazy. He was not a criminal mastermind. He was not an environmental activist. He was just a man that walked into the woods one day and decided to never go back to society. He knew it was wrong to steal, but he did what he had to in order to survive. The Stranger in the Woods is a true story that really delves deep into how Christopher Knight lived in solitude for 27 years and explores his mental wellbeing. Id highly recommend it for lovers of fiction and nonfiction, alike, as this story is just strange enough to be fiction.

    HPB Staff Review

  • Strange but true

    Jade L. - 6 years 8 months ago

    I have to admit, I did judge this book by its cover! It looked like a true crime book, and as a reader who usually favors mystery or true crime, this book had me hooked. It's a very quick read, and the author, Michael Finkel, does a great job at drawing you in from the first page. It seems he went to great lengths to get access to Chris Knight, a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for almost thirty years. I still want to know more!

    HPB Staff Review