Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of when Dick Proenneke first broke ground and made his mark in the Alaskan wilds in 1968, this bestselling memoir features an all-new foreword by Nick Offerman plus color photographs not seen in print for over 20 years.
To live in a pristine land unchanged by man...to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed...to choose an idyllic site, cut trees, and build a log cabin...to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available...to be not at odds with the world, but content with one's own thoughts and company...
Thousands have had such dreams, but Dick Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. One Man's Wilderness is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature's events that kept him company. From Dick's journals, and with firsthand knowledge of his subject and the setting, Sam Keith has woven a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.
- Over 450,000 sold.
- Complete redesign with 75 color images throughout (many of which haven't been in print in the book for 20 years) and collectible packaging including wide flaps, emboss, and matte/gloss spots on cover.
- Every year, PBS plays, ¿Alone in the Wilderness¿ the documentary that it inspired. For some, it has become a Thanksgiving tradition much like watching ¿It's a Wonderful Life¿ or ¿A Christmas Story¿ is for many families.
- 50th Anniversary of Dick's journey in building a cabin chronicled by his journals. Book originally published in 1973.
- Dreamers who imagine building their own cabin and living off-the-grid, as well as preppers and survivalists, nature lovers from all walks of life and hardcore hunters and fisherman have all found inspiration in this iconic book.
- Others admire and are inspired by his mission is 'to do a thing to completion' -- finding his account of following his intentions, and doing so with such patience and care, deeply inspiring.
- Each year, thousands pilgrimage to his cabin at Lake Clark in Alaska and museum in Iowa.
- Sam Keith's only daughter, Laurel Keith Lies along with her husband Brian Lies, found the lost manuscript for ¿First Wilderness¿ ten years after her father passed away. It is a precursor in which Sam meets Dick. They remained good friends, trading hundreds of letters over their lifetimes, and died within a month of each other in 2003.
- Makes an excellent gift because its broad and timeless appeal is rooted in ¿that thing¿ that rings true in its pages: "Know what makes you happy and live it."
- Three of Dick¿s journals are published in their entirety, and the fourth will be published in Fall 2018.
"This book made a big splash when it debuted in 1973. Keith based the text on the journals and photography of Richard Proenneke, who, after racking up years of 50-hour work weeks, did what many of us only fantasize about: he chucked it all and went to live in the woods. . . Proenneke has become an icon for naturalists. Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring."
