The Stranger in the Woods – Michael Finkel

On Saturday, September 23, 2023 the Larkes hosted our discussion of The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel, which was proposed by Dick Malmquist. Carolyn recalls that we questioned the motives of the author in developing a “friendship” with the hermit. Was the author gathering information for a book all along? We talked of other keen observer/authors who included themselves in the story but did so more transparently like Bill Bryson (A Walk in the Woods) and John McPhee (Encounters with the Archdruid). We questioned if the author glamorized or elevated “the hermit” by comparing him to saints of the past or by making too much of his rather odd verbal responses. (did he really say anything that profound?). We also got into a discussion of voluntary versus non-voluntary social isolation: that some people seek solitude to gain a deeper sense of self while others may lose their minds in forced isolation (such a prisoners).

Goodreads summarizes:

Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is the true story of a man who lived alone in the Maine woods for 27 years, because he preferred to live on his own.

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. He survived by his wits, 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. This is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world.

Michael Finkel is the author of “The Art Thief,” “The Stranger in the Woods,” and “True Story,” which was adapted into a 2015 motion picture. He has reported from more than 50 countries and written for National Geographic, GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine. He lives with his family in northern Utah.