Journalist Michael Finkel does a good job of relating the extraordinary story of Chris Knight, who vanished into the woods of Maine in 1986 and created a camp where he lived, undiscovered, until he was caught stealing food in 2013. Finkel became fascinated by Knight's story and attempted to befriend the North Pond Hermit, as he had become known. Friendship may not be the best description of the men's relationship, but a level of trust was established and Finkel was able to build up a good picture of how Knight spent the 27 ‘missing’ years. The author never really managed to understand what drove Knight to walk away from society, aged just 20, but he tells the story accurately and backs it up with evidence that he has gathered, together with some research into the lives of others who have chosen the solitary life. The book makes us ponder the pressures that society places on us; how that society deals with people who have chosen a different path and both the negative and positive effects of solitude on humans. A good read.
