Native American Heritage Month
A Goodreads user asked this question about The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit:
Haven't read this but not likely to. The mere fact that he stole from people that worked hard for what they had...the fact that for 27 years this community in Maine lived in fear because of these unsolved burglaries that he committed is beyond shameful. He didn't live off the grid. He lived off of other people who worked for a living. "He survived by his wits and courage" ?? No. I don't think so.
Michael Finkel Hello. I'm the journalist who wrote this book. Chris Knight -- the hermit -- is not portrayed, not for a page, as some sort of angelic hero in the boo…moreHello. I'm the journalist who wrote this book. Chris Knight -- the hermit -- is not portrayed, not for a page, as some sort of angelic hero in the book. Knight himself did not want to be portrayed that way. He confessed to 1,000 break-ins, one of the most extensive burglary cases in U.S. history. He tormented people. But -- he also never physically harmed anyone, never carried a weapon, never stole anything of great monetary value, never shattered a window or kicked down a door. He had a wildly unusual idea for how to live, and he lived in a way radically different from any other human you will ever encounter, and he has an awesome and daunting brain -- he is, I feel certain, a genius -- and he has insights into modern society and solitude and the meaning of life that you will find nowhere else. "Take the good with the bad," Knight told me, when speaking of how he should be portrayed in my book, and I did. I firmly believe that in the good are some incredible insights, and in the bad is a fascinating true-crime tale. And please note -- Knight is receiving no money from this project. A summer camp for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities (The Pine Tree Camp), from which Knight frequently stole, will instead be receiving donations.(less)
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The Stranger in the Woods
by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author)
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