Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is 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 New York Times bestsellerIn 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in … 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.
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An intensely interesting biography of an introverted man.
Finkel tells the story of Christopher Knight, who lived alone in the woods for 27 years, reportedly uttering only one syllable in the time between his abandonment of society and his capture.
The Stranger in the Woods is reminiscent of Into the Wild — both Knight and McCandless introverts who longed to explore nature in solitude.
Knight, however, resorted to constant theft for nearly all of his 27 years in the woods, stealing batteries, frozen food, propane tanks, clothes, and other goods from a nearby town. He robbed some locations repeatedly every year, and terrified some families.
Apart from his theft (which eventually caused his arrest and forced him to abandon his longtime refuge in the woods), Knight’s feat is nothing short of incredible. Finkel, a journalist, interviewed several people in response to Knight’s capture and story, and many reported a complete disbelief in Knight’s — or anyone’s — ability to survive alone in the Maine woods for such a long time without contracting a serious illness, needing a hospital or doctor, or freezing in the winter.
While I don’t admire Knight on the same level or plain that I do McCandless, his story remains an interesting one that I’m happy to have read about.
A quick, engaging, memorable read.
“…sometime in the 1990s, he encountered a hiker walking in the woods. “What did you say?” asks Vance. “I said, ‘Hi,’” Knight replies. Other than that single syllable, he insists, he had not spoken with or touched another human being, until this evening, for twenty-seven years.”
Dang, that’s some solitude right there. After no identifiable antecedent, Christopher Knight walked into the woods of Maine at the age of twenty years old and never looked back. In an effort to support his lifestyle, he burglarized unoccupied vacation cabins for food and supplies, racking up over 1,000 incidents of burglaries and becoming a well-known and well-feared ghost of the area of Pond Lake. Journalist: Michael Finkel built enough rapport with Knight to complete interviews with him which resulted in a GQ article and then this book. In The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit, Mr. Finkel discusses Knight’s upbringing, his exit from civilization, his lifestyle of “aloneness”, the town’s response to having a hermit in their backyard, the true crime element, and my personal favorite: the act of solitude itself with the reasons why people from past to present in varying cultures voluntarily engage in it. I enjoyed learning about this subject through the perspective and detailed research of a quality journalist. Never once does Mr. Finkel justify Knight’s criminal behaviors or advocate for them to be overlooked or rationalized. Both Christopher Knight and Mr. Finkel hold Knight responsible for his actions, as does the judicial system, so don’t let an assumption to the opposite dissuade you from reading this book. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
“Modern life seems set up so that we can avoid loneliness at all costs, but maybe it’s worthwhile to face it occasionally. The further we push aloneness away, the less we are able to cope with it, and the more terrifying it gets. Some philosophers believe that loneliness is the only true feeling there is. We live orphaned on a tiny rock in the immense vastness of space, with no hint of even the simplest form of life anywhere around us for billions upon billions of miles, alone beyond all imagining. We live locked in our own heads and can never entirely know the experience of another person. Even if we’re surrounded by family and friends, we journey into death completely alone.”
A can’t-put-it-down true tale about a young man, who after taking a multi-state trip, decides he wants to live off the grid. His many, many years of living in the woods is extraordinary. Highly recommend to all readers.
Finkel takes us into the woods and into the life and psyche of the extraordinary Christopher Knight. If you’re from Maine, you’ve probably heard of the hermit of the northern woods. I had not and was blown away by Knight’s story– 28 years alone, yikes!
What a great story. Also very well written
This is a very interesting true story that you won’t want to put down. To think this guy lived 27 years as a hermit before being found is amazing! Highly recommend.
this book was intriguing. This guy probably did what other people think about doing. just amazing and different from anything I have ever read.
Although probably not a book I’d pick up more than once, I enjoyed “The Stranger In The Woods”. It was an interesting story and allowed the reader to glimpse into the life of a hermit. I particularly enjoyed the honesty with which the story was told.
I found the book unexpectedly compelling and riveting. The story of Christopher Knight, so well told by Michael Finkel, grasps at something primal inside the reader that we might not even have realized existed. It’s more than a story about a man who lived twenty-seven years completely isolated and alone. It’s also a story about what human beings need and desire, and how different that might be for each of us. It’s about the healing aspects of solitude, as well as those of connection. I found myself doing a great deal of philosophical pondering as I read the book, and I haven’t done that in a while. Good to exercise that muscle.
Fascinating true story of someone who inexplicably chooses to leave the world he knows behind. He survives living in the Maine woods for years until he is finally discovered.
Amazing this story was never in the news. A great read
I found this book entertaining, but not in the classical sense. I had a hard time believing that this guy lived for all those years, SO CLOSE to civilization, and never being seen. I agree with another reviewer that this guy was a regular thief, as he took things from people’s homes all during the time he was hiding out. I also find it hard to believe that he got away with it for decades! I don’t know…when you think about living through real winters in a make-shift shelter with no heat for all that time, it seems like it would be impossible to do. Anyway, it’s entertaining.
This book kept me interested throughout. A remarkable true tale.
Baffling, intriguing, maddening portrait of a true hermit. At the same time, the author showed sensitivity toward his subject, along with a desire to understand the hermit’s motivation. A unique story.
If you’ve ever watched the outdoor reality show Alone…you’ll get a kick out of this book. Imagine if those contestants were allowed to break into cabins and steal stuff but not get caught or found in their shelter…for nearly 30 years!
True story of a real hermit.
Pretty amazing story. Sad and remarkable.
Interesting story
Beautifully written and reads like a novel
A very interesting story, chosen by my book club. This TRUE story, lead to a great night of discussion.