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One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey Audiobook
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(4.01) - 1,055 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
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 Richard 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 Proenneke's journals, and with first-hand knowledge of his subject and the setting, Sam Keith has woven a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.
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"This is absolutely amazing. This man was incredible. The book is essentially a collection of his journal entries while living in Twin Rivers, Alaska from roughly 1968 onward. He built his own cabin and had food flown in and he hunted and fished and cut his own wood. Something very primal and beautiful was touched when I read this. Proenneke lived in complete harmony with nature, he had a gift, he reminds us that we can co-exist peacefully with the natural world."
— Jer (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“One Man’s Wilderness is the best modern piece of prose about Alaska, the one that gives the truest picture of what living in the bush today is like for the lone individual.”
— Anchorage Daily News -
Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring.
— Library Journal
One Man's Wilderness Listener Reviews
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" This is a wonderful book about one man, his incredible determination and his quest for solitude. "
— Kathy, 2/15/2014 -
" This book was very good. It was about a man named Richard Prenikey and he lived in the Alaskin wild for a graet number of years. He built a cabin wit only hand tools and his know how of the land and wood working. HE lived alone and had one other man bring thim supplys once or maby twice a month . "
— Alex, 2/11/2014 -
" I loved this book - what a brave, creative and special person Dick Proenneke was!! "
— Rita, 2/7/2014 -
" This is one of the most honest and satisfying books I have ever read. If only I didn't have a family to provide for and a bum knee and a severe hatred of mosquitoes - the base man inside of me would love to follow in Dick Proenneke's footsteps and unplug from the societal machine that ensnares me to live an honest, full life of real work and true fulfillment in the mountains of Alaska. "
— Curtis, 2/6/2014 -
" a romantic tribute to Dick Proenneke. Dude worked to live. "
— Derek, 2/2/2014 -
" ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT!!! "
— Kevin, 1/28/2014 -
" I think my seeing the bps documentary with the real film footage first helped my enjoyment of this book because I could visualize everything he talked about. But, I loved reading the words too. "
— Martha, 1/23/2014 -
" Marvelous book. Dick Proenneke is an inspiration. He sees and describes things with complete clarity. A man who knows and appreciates the wilderness and all that it entails, good and bad, and that everything has it's place and purpose. If you don't get a chance to read this book, at least see his documentary "Alone in the Wilderness". NOT to be confused with "Into the Wild"!!! There is simply no comparison between that naive, idealistic kid and this wise, realistic man! "
— Allison, 1/15/2014 -
" I :heart: Dick Proenneke. He reminds us all to enjoy the simplicity of nature in her own right and reminds me of my dear, sweet grandfather in the process. "
— Sianna, 1/11/2014 -
" You should watch "Alone in the Wilderness" (an old special you might have seen in school or on PBS) before reading this book, so that you can get Pronneke's voice in your head as you read. This was a slow read for me but I really enjoyed it. "
— Rob, 12/30/2013 -
" The prose is well, simple. The cabin, stories and pictures are fantastic. I wish I could find this Alaska. "
— Jennifer, 11/12/2013 -
" Dick Proenneke, my hero. The man was a machine, built an amazing log cabin in the heart of Alaska in like 10 days. Just ridiculously awesome. His "Reflections" chapter near the end is very poignant. "
— Adam, 11/11/2013 -
" I read this with my son. He loved the show on PBS. It is a great read that provides much more detail than the PBS show provides. "
— Justin, 11/11/2013 -
" I loved reading this journal of Dick Proenneke's (first) year in the wilds of Alaska. He details the work he did to build a cabin and create a home, and his adventures hiking and canoeing and exploring. I wish I could live two lives so one of them could be like his. "
— Janis, 8/30/2013 -
" I think this is more of a guy book. The best chapters were the last two. Other than that a lot of the book is just him explaining in detail how he makes his cabin, tools etc... "
— Amy, 6/4/2013 -
" This book follows a 56 year old man's self imposed test to see if he can survive alone in the Alaskan wilderness. He builds his cabin from the ground up with no help and spends an entire year in Alaska. "
— Janie, 2/27/2013 -
" This book made me want to live out an Alaskan winter in a log cabin I constructed . . . . Maybe it is so I can't hear my phone ring HERE while I'm THERE. "
— Patricia, 3/28/2012 -
" Great chronicle of Richard Preonneke's adventure in Alaska, but since I had already seen the documentary, I didn't feel like I learned anything new. I expected it to be more in depth about why he decided to brave the wilderness. "
— Gina, 3/1/2012 -
" This might make an interesting companion to 'Into the Wild' or Thoreau's 'Walden.' I saw a piece about the author on PBS and was impressed by him. "
— James, 1/28/2012 -
" Not the most interesting read but the concept and what the man accomplished make this a must. "
— Shawn, 12/2/2011 -
" I have read this book many times and it never fails to hold my interest. A story about Richard Proenneke, who left modern civilization and built a cabin and lived in the Alaskan wilderness. "
— John, 8/14/2011 -
" Excellent account of a man's effort to live independently in the Alaskan Wilderness. -In reading it, it made a part of me want to leave the day job to do the same... "
— Aaron, 6/22/2011 -
" Amazing! I highly recommend the pbs documentary too. It is so interesting to follow him building his cabin by hand and then living in the wilderness alone for so many years. "
— Heather, 6/18/2011 -
" This is a fabulous book about one man's meaningful quest for a simple life well - lived. It makes the reader yearn for wilderness, simplicity, and wide open spaces. "
— Mark, 3/10/2011 -
" This book made me want to live out an Alaskan winter in a log cabin I constructed . . . . Maybe it is so I can't hear my phone ring HERE while I'm THERE. "
— Patricia, 3/1/2011 -
" I think my seeing the bps documentary with the real film footage first helped my enjoyment of this book because I could visualize everything he talked about. But, I loved reading the words too. "
— Martha, 12/4/2010 -
" My favorite book of all time. What a savage! "
— Zach, 11/23/2010 -
" Dick Proenneke's journal describes his observations and concerns during his time in the Alaskan wilderness in the 60's, punctuated by some stunning photography. If you enjoyed watching the TV series as a kid like I did, you'll enjoy this book. "
— Marcus, 10/29/2010 -
" One of the only books that I have ever read multiple times. "
— Rob, 6/29/2010 -
" Even better than the DVD. This guy was one stud! "
— Tracy, 6/18/2010 -
" Just wish I had the means and guts and time to do this. What a fun read and what a great attitude and healthy sense of hard work and appreciation for the simplest things in life. Someday! "
— James, 5/24/2010 -
" Amazing! I highly recommend the pbs documentary too. It is so interesting to follow him building his cabin by hand and then living in the wilderness alone for so many years. "
— Heather, 5/20/2010 -
" Dick Proenneke personifies for me what many of us wish we could do but either don't have the skill, confidence or courage. To be so self-reliant, so close to the beauty and hardship of nature. Amazing. Very interesting. We also have the video. "
— Linda, 2/11/2010 -
" loved this book - besides the fact that the guy has a serious complex about women, it is a really interesting story of a guy who goes to live in the wilderness by himself. "
— Annie, 2/1/2010 -
" i could so live here...if only i had been given the talent to build something "
— Kirstie, 1/24/2010
About the Authors
Sam Keith (1921–2003) was an American author whose most notable work was the 1973 bestseller One Man’s Wilderness, which he coauthored from the journals and photographs of Richard Proenneke’s solo experiences in Alaska.
Richard Proenneke (1916–2003) was a naturalist who lived alone in the high mountains of Alaska at a place called Twin Lakes. Living in a log cabin he constructed by hand, Proenneke made valuable recordings of both meteorological and natural data.
About Norman Dietz
Norman Dietz is a writer, voice-over artist, and audiobook narrator. He has won numerous Earphones Awards and was named one of the fifty “Best Voices of the Century” by AudioFile magazine. He and his late wife, Sandra, transformed an abandoned ice-cream parlor into a playhouse, which served “the world’s best hot fudge sundaes” before and after performances. The founder of Theatre in the Works, he lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.