The Stranger in the Woods The Stranger in the Woods

The Stranger in the Woods

The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

    • 4.4 • 600 Ratings
    • $12.99
    • $12.99

Publisher Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality—not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.

“A meditation on solitude, wildness and survival.” —The Wall Street Journal

In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. 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 through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, 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 his secluded life—why did he leave? what did he learn?—as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping 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.

GENRE
Science & Nature
RELEASED
2017
March 7
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
224
Pages
PUBLISHER
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
SELLER
Penguin Random House LLC
SIZE
12.5
MB

Customer Reviews

Gooseneck96 ,

Very entertaining read

Finkel tells Knight’s story well. The ending shouldn’t surprise the reader, given the story is about a hermit that wanted to be left alone.
The small amount of context and history of hermits framed Knight well for where he may fall in the hermit spectrum.
Finkel dabbled in a few poetic romanticisms about Knight’s choices that felt off kilter.
Ultimately, a great book to read on your phone and on the go.

Leopold40 ,

Easy read. Great story.

Wonderful story on the complexity of human connection.

M_Lubo ,

Somewhat Disappointing

This is an interesting account and worth reading but I felt that it could have gone for deeper into Chris’s psychology, though I understand this information was limited because of Chris’s reluctance to open up. This was a significant limitation to the insight provided by this book.

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