Reading The Stranger in the Woods left me feeling lonely and wrestling through solitude. In this alone, Finkel is successful. He also seems to demonstrate a thick connection to his elusive and rough subject. He seems able to spark something within Knight previously unconnected with. Particularly of note though, is Finkel's breadth in reporting. He covers hermits through the centuries, the concept of solitude, and the nitty gritty complexities of Knight's life. I would have liked to have seen a lot less repetition, but, other than that, really enjoyed this read.

Camping 2017 book 1/?

Interesting view of life in isolation

Great true story of a modern day hermit. Quick read

Makes me jealous.

Finkel slowly and patiently gained enough access to this reclusive private "hermit" to let readers peer into the solitary world he occupied in the woods of Maine. Finkel adds just enough research on solitude and hermitage in history, on Aspberger's, and other contexts relevant to the story to deepen our understanding of why a young man would completely withdraw from society at the age of 20, and stay hidden and solitary for nearly three decades. A gripping read.

What I just read felt like notes for a book rather than the actual book. The story is fascinating, but the author could have stuck to describing the camp and Knight’s day to day life, making it a far more credible piece of work. It should have remained an article, as it fell astoundingly short as a book.