To make his survival possible, he developed skills that enabled him to move stealthily among the residents of North and Little ponds. Knight lived an extreme lifestyle and worried about getting caught. The author believes that Knight is “practically incapable of lying,” but he doesn’t provide enough evidence to support that. Most residents of North Pond think Knight’s claims of never using a fire to heat his camp, that he never got sick or needed medical care, that he had no contact with his family (who never reported him missing) and that he spent every night in his camp, even through life-threatening winter conditions, are flat-out lies. Since Knight supposedly lived alone and had practically no contact with people during his many years in the woods, his version of the “truth” of his experience – and his alone – is all we have.įinkel unreservedly believes Knight, but he acknowledges that not everyone is sold on Knight’s story. Finkel exchanged handwritten letters with Knight while he was jailed and had nine jail visits with him. This story, for the most part, comes completely from Knight himself. That is a fascinating and, at times, disturbing tale.
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.While we never really find out what compelled Knight to walk into the woods in 1986, we do learn about what life was like for him and how he made it work for all those years. 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. 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. 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 would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. 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. 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.
0 kommentar(er)
