Christopher Knight was 20 years old when he walked, almost empty-handed, into the woods of Maine. He was never reported missing by his family and lived for 25 years as a local rumour, the myth of the ‘North Pond Hermit’ until his arrest for committing over one thousand burglaries. Pleading guilty to his crimes, Knight shared little of the reasons for his actions leading to speculation, intrigue, and diverse opinion. Some considered him nothing more than a common criminal, breaking into holiday residences for food and items to support his survival. These people felt anxiety caused by an unknown fringe-dweller lurking on the outskirts of their community. Others considered him someone to be left to live his life his own way, with his own code. They viewed him as someone who had never hurt anyone, destroyed property, or taken more than he needed. The story of Christopher Knight is compelling.

What does the author do well in this book?

Michael Finkel published “A Stranger in the Woods” in 2017.

Sharing the delicate approach needed to research this story, Finkel creates a feeling of how it feels to be on the outskirts of society. Ironically, the sense of being an outcast (even self-imposed) and having to be incredibly calculated in your every move, was demonstrated in the relationship between Finkel and Knight himself.

It was clear that Knight was reluctant to engage Finkel fully, even if he softened somewhat over time. Even more so, Knight’s family saw his research as an intrusion into their very private lives and he seemed unwelcome despite good intent.

Finkel does a great job of presenting multiple sides of the morality argument related to Knight’s actions and whilst acknowledging the criminal nature of the thefts involved, there is still reason to admire the commitment, planning, calculation, and discipline Knight displayed. I’m not sure many others could survive Maine winters without wood heating just to ensure he didn’t generate any smoke that could lead to his detection.

Concepts to explore.

The beauty of silence

“Eventually, he was down to uttering just five words, and only to guards: yes; no; please; thank you.”

- Michael Finkel regarding Christopher Knight’s disposition in prison.

In 25 years, Knight did not speak a single word to another human being. This commitment to silence and creation of his new world among the trees, was something that one would expect to break when facing the noisy, chaotic world of prison. Knight found a way to maintain his silence as best he could, without being rude.

Maintaining Your Values… Even When You Are Doing the Wrong Thing

Despite committing over one thousand burglaries, I couldn’t help but come away with a strong sense of Knight being a values-driven person. Yes, the burglaries were wrong. Yes, he had other alternatives. However, even within the community he was stealing from, there were people who sensed his purpose and left things hanging on door handles for him (he never took them, concerned that they may be traps).

Here are some examples that shows Knight was no ordinary thief:

1. If he was stealing hand-held computer games, he always waited until they were several versions out of date and unlikely to be used by children anymore.
2. He took care not to damage property. For instance, when stealing a single mattress, he removed a cabin door at the hinges. He then re-attached the door after getting the mattress outside.

Discipline

It takes incredible discipline to not leave a single footprint in 25 years. Fattening yourself up pre-winter so you can hibernate like a bear during the coldest period of the year. To rise at 2am every day to prevent your body from freezing through the night.

I cannot cite another example of discipline to this degree.

Using this book.

This book is an enjoyable, easy read. It can be completed in one sitting and poses questions about our own lives within a “busy” society that are worth contemplating. I recommend reading this book during the peak of winter, just to get full effect!