Book Review: The Stranger in the Woods

Fascinating! Unique! Thought-provoking! This non-fiction book swept me into its tale and into the life and mindset of a wholly alien personality. While I hope and dream of more opportunities to fill my emotional tank and meet my inner needs for socialization, Michael Finkel shares the story of an individual who went to great extremes to avoid social interaction, meeting his intensely foreign need to be alone. I continue to think about the issues and ideas arising from this biography, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit.

The back cover copy reads: "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 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, as well as a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded."

I was thoroughly intrigued by this modern-day hermit. Even walking a few days (literally walking, while listening) in Knight's shoes left me confounded by his choices. I recall a silence test I had to take once for passage into a particular group (Black Arrow, for any Salvation Army readers). Going 24 hours without speaking to another individual made me more than uncomfortable - it was almost an impossibility for me. Of course, I was at camp, among people, attempting to hold my tongue. I cannot fathom what it would be like to isolate to the point of no contact with another human being for decades.

Finkel addresses all the appropriate questions: Was Knight autistic? psychologically disturbed? did his conscience prick at the crimes he committed for survival? It is clear, he would have continued to subsist in that manner if not caught and arrested. Even now, he continues to struggle with his reintegration into society. Was his lifestyle better than our constant rat race in pursuit of wealth, information, security, and purpose? Uncomfortable with eye contact and the myriad of nuances in conversation, Knight much preferred communing with nature instead of people. As I concluded the book, I almost wished I could assist to give this man back the most basic things he required - isolation and privacy. The author contemplated offering to purchase a stretch of land for Knight, but didn't pursue it in the end. After all, what Knight really wants most of all is simply to be left ... alone.