Recommended Reading: ``The Stranger in the Woods'' by Michael Finkel

The recommend book is ``The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit''
by Michael Finkel (ISBN 978-1-101-91153-2).  Information concerning it may be found here:
http://www.michaelfinkel.com/the-stranger-in-the-woods

This recommendation is similar to previous recommendations in that it recommends a biography, yet it
differs from all of my previous recommendations in that it's not related to computing in any way.  I
don't want to recommend books merely because I've put in place a schedule for myself; I've struggled
to only recommend those books I find worth reading that one may not already be familiar with.  In my
beginnings, I struggled with those bereft of common restrictions, yet that pool gradually drained; I
then abandoned that requirement; and now I'm abandoning the computing topic requirement for the last
three.  This book has been quite interesting to me, as it details a man who spent twenty-seven years
in isolation; the author has skillfully added rather thought-provoking questions to wrap around this
book and between events, such as asking if any of us have ever spent even a single day entirely away
from others; I don't believe I've and I find this fact disgusting.  This book will heighten any want
for isolation, as it's done with mine; before being aware of this book, I already wanted to spend at
least one year of my life with no communications with others, in any way, although I would likely be
sending messages one-way throughout the period; my wanting is what inspired me to purchase the book.

The book is two hundred and three pages, split across twenty-eight chapters, all of which are brief,
with some only two pages long.  The hermit's name is Christopher Thomas Knight.  The story begins by
detailing his capture and arrest in the first four chapters; the early chapters explain the author's
becoming acquainted with him, interviews with locals from which he stole food and other such things,
details of his camp and lifestyle, and details of his early life which would lead him to go into the
woods and cease contact with others.  The book is improved by historical references to various forms
of hermitry including: the Chinese ``Tao Te Ching'', Japanese hikikomori, European anchorites, Hindu
sadhus, the Christian Desert Fathers, and various hermit intellectuals.  The book has categories for
hermit types: ``protesters'' leave due to disliking what society is or has become, ``pilgrims'' have
religious reasons for isolation and are claimed to be the most common, and ``pursuers'' are referred
to as the most modern form of hermitry from those seeking isolation for creative purposes or to know
themselves better.

The later chapters cover his court precedings, more opinions on him, and his rejoining society.  The
final chapters cover the author's last interactions with him.  In all of his time, he claims to have
never fallen ill or lit a fire.  This is a profoundly interesting story.  His teeth having rotted is
perhaps the best reason to not follow in pursuit of isolation in the way he did.  I expect this book
would interest anyone who happens to be reading this recommendation.