One Man's Wilderness, 50th Anniversary Edition: An Alaskan Odyssey

What a pleasure to read. Dick had guts going it alone. Also a little bit of luck in that he never needed emergency care. So well written you felt like you were right there experiencing it with him. The beauty and the hard work. He had apparently done his homework before he ventured out there to build the cabin, the fireplace and the cache function and look as perfect as it does.

Full page pictures and wonderful, descriptive storytelling.

I read this book after visiting Alaska myself. This book is so well written one feels like you are there yourself. Makes me wish I was young again. His sense of adventure and determination are to be admired.

At 50 years of age, at a time in their lives when people are sending children off to college or contemplating their retirement, Dick Proenneke moved to the extreme Alaskan wilderness and built a log cabin with materials he harvested from the surrounding area.For the next 30 years, he lived in his one-room home and extensively explored the area. He shot hundreds of color photos (some of which are featured in this book) and spools of film, capturing his time in the pristine part of the Twin Lakes region roughly 150 miles (as the crow flies) SW of Anchorage.Proenneke documented his first year in this natural world in a series of almost daily journal entries, which were collected and edited by his friend, Sam Keith. Proenneke alleged that Keith embellished his story, but the result is a highly readable account of an unprecedented personal journey. A subsequent collection, “More Readings from One Man’s Wilderness,” is descriptive without being lyrical, and serves to highlight Keith’s storytelling flair in bringing Proenneke’s unique but fairly redundant writings to dramatic life in this work.I recommend reading both books, but start with this shorter more vibrant one. Proenneke, by creating and recording his self-made life, and Keith by making this unforgettable story more accessible to the reader, created a timeless adventure story. I highly, highly recommend this thoughtful and poetic book that explores a man living in a natural world. Of note, Proenneke willed his cabin to the National Park Service, and it remains a popular tourist attraction accessible only by backcountry hiking or prop plane.

Very good book. Highly recommend

I first became aware of folk figure Richard Proenneke years back. I was fascinated that one man can spend a good chunk of his life in solitude with his natural surroundings.I finally picked up this book and took a dive into finding out how he spent his days at Twin Lakes. We, as readers, are taken back into 1960's Alaska to witness the life of Richard Proenneke."Dick" moved to Twin Lakes in his early 50's and built a log cabin from the ground up, with supplies flown in courtesy of his friend "Babe" Alsworth. One has to admire Proenneke's values and work ethic. Though my attention briefly wandered during the more technical aspects of the book (mostly about the construction of his cabin), Proenneke makes up for that with his philosophical insight and attention to detail describing other activities in his everyday life.One can find some stoic gems in Proenneke's diary entries. I believe the secret to his overall happiness revolved around being busy and finding joy in simple pleasures. From picking blueberries to kayaking down the river, Proenneke found bliss in his surroundings. So much so that he spent the next 30 years of his life at his forest dwelling.Proenneke, who was a lifelong bachelor, is somebody to admire in today's world of conformity and noise. There aren't many men like him today, especially in our modern world of consumerist delights. Reading about his first year in Twin Lakes was a rewarding read, even if I tended to get distracted during certain passages of the book.

So beautiful. The telling of the landscape, birds etc. The whole story is gorgeous. Then the building of the house , the furniture, a very simple life. Even the foods and the preparation. A very amazing true story.

What a great way to experience the wilderness with another man’s eyes! Great details, and marvelous views from the words of a great writer, and adventurer.

Great quality, it was a gift for my husband and he loved it.

Diary account of the legendary Dick Proenneke. A true tale of a stoic and humble existence in a land untouched by the modern world. An inspiring read for anyone with an interest in self reliance wilderness living and the great outdoors. His woodworking skills and mental fortitude are truly admirable. A great accompaniment to the original film he shot, chronicling his life in Alaska.

Great read. Dick Proenneke's life in the wilderness is full of poetry, respect for nature and lessons of master carpentry. His reflections about the needs of men and the speed of information and it's consequences were the wake up call we did not hear, and whose price we pay now.

Für jemanden, der mit diesem Thema etwas anfangen kann, sehr lesenswert.Die im Tagebuch geschriebene, wahre Geschichte eines außergewöhnlichen Mannes,führt einem in eine vollkommend andere Welt mit ausreichend Platz für seine eigene Vorstellungskraft und kommt ohne jegliche reißerische Elemente aus. Für jemanden der die wirkliche Natur liebt absolut empfehlenswert.

The book has literally transported me halfway across the globe and also in time. I so enjoyed every word of it. I was a pleasure to understand Dick Proenneke and realise how simple and beautiful person he was. How he built the cabin, his attention to details despite no one was going to inspect his cabin, his views about hunting unnecessarily and how he lived like he was part of the twin lakes ecosystem than an outsider, everything makes him special. A great great read.