The Stranger in the Woods

Great read - fascinating examination of an unique person. I enjoyed the book very much. I think Finkel did a great job of telling the story of how Christopher Knight retreated to the woods for 27 years. Hoping that I get the chance to discuss this book with other readers.

My feeling after reading the book is that Knight had had enough of the societal responsibilities of the world. He chose to retreat from what society expects of people. But his choice to live off of the people who do follows society's expectations seemed to be hypocritical. I would have respected his choice to retreat if he had found ways to provide for himself. In the long run, I feel he was lazy and selfish. I am still amazed that he survived 27 winters in Maine. I am still perplexed by the fact that in 27 years he only spoke 1 word to another person. I wonder how he perceives his choices.