Alone in the Wilderness

by Joseph Knowles

This volume was published in 1914 and tells the story of one man's personal experiences of survival in the Canadian wilderness.

Contains illustrations, made by the author, on birch bark using burnt sticks from his fires, together with photographs taken before and after his experiences.



I. An Idea and a Birthday
II. The First Days in the Wilderness
III. My First Adventure
IV. The Rescue of the Fawn
V. Trapping a Bear
VI. The Mental Versus the Physical
VII. Wilderness Neighbors
VIII. Fever and the Battle of the Moose
IX. Animal Studies
X. Killing a Deer with the Hands
XI. Wilderness Adventures
XII. More Wilderness Adventures
XIII. The World and the Wilderness
XIV. Trapping and Woodcraft
XV. The Value of the Experiment
XVI. Concerning the Boy Scouts
XVII. Nature and Art
XVIII. The Inside Story of the Canadian Trip

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure

364 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2010

Reviews

[Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more of an account of what it would be like to live in the wilderness. It started out like that, but since the author was invested in downplaying the difficulties of outdoor living, there was very little tension to his stories. The later half consisted of an argument for the Wilderness Movement, that has some logical fallacies, but was interesting in understanding the prevailing (but probably Straw Man) arguments against outdoor activity around the turn of the last century.

[lyle stoltman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read

My first kindle book. Like reading about survival skills before we had technology of today. He blasts people for having too many luxuries in 1913, if only he knew what we have in 2015.

[Brian_From_Neenah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some great adventure. But reads like your grandpa is telling tales from the past. Lots of gaps and minimal detail make it a 3 star read...

[Michael Pepe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book details the author's "nature experiment." The challenges and ingenuity of the man who entered the Maine woods with nothing (only wearing a loincloth) and intending to remain there for two months. Mr. Knowles is quite preachy about the ills of modern society and what can be gained by returning to a lifestyle in sync with nature. He foresaw a growth in the "back to nature" movement, which to his liking would best be described as off, off, off-grid. Undoubtedly, he would be dismayed by 21st century lifestyles enmeshed with the many strands of digital technology.

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made you think, what more can a book do.

He did a great thing to show us a different way of thinking..that less may be more. He made you ask could I do that. How would my thinking change.

[John C. Close 111 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative.

well written with a fair amount reflective thought. would recommend to any outdoorsman ....and even one with a troubled soul.

[Sally Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too rabidly preachy & I researched Joe Knowles, who was thought to have been a fake. Some good wilderness lore, even if the thing was a hoax.