Best Photograpy Equipment & Techniques
Now, Brandon is back with the Humans of New York book that his loyal followers have been waiting for: Humans of New York: Stories . “As the quotes grew longer, and the interviews deeper, Stanton developed a signature storytelling style―one that blends the lure of urban voyeurism with an eye for the extraordinary detail in seemingly ordinary subjects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"~~~~~~~~~It appears Amazon posted my review under both books Humans of New York and HONY Stories. If you are deciding on whether or not to buy the book, consider the following, which Brandon posted on the HONY facebook page: "I want to take a quick opportunity to remind everyone that HONY is advertisement free and almost entirely financed by book sales. By purchasing a book, you can help HONY continue to grow in a way that remains focused on telling people’s stories--- and nothing else."
"I've purchased all three Humans of New York books and have loved them all, but in Humans of New York - Stories, it all comes together. Even something went unspeakably wrong and against all odds the book was garbage (it isn't) you STILL should buy it, if for nothing more than to cast a vote of support for the JOY, LOVE, and EMPATHY that HONY provides."
"It makes a great coffee table book and everybody that has come over has picked this up and started reading it."
"An amazing collection of photos and personal stories."
"I follow the Facebook page but there's something about holding a tangible book and reading through all the stories in 2 nights that make it better."
"Love this book."
"In the midst of ISIS, corruption, American elections, tanking economy and a degree of narcissism that boggles the mind... another great bit of sanity, sharing, true storytelling and remembering what it is to be human."
Now an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Humans of New York began in the summer of 2010, when photographer Brandon Stanton set out to create a photographic census of New York City. The Top 5 Humans of New York Brandon Stanton's thousands of not-quite-candid street portraits of New Yorkers (and accompanying captions, usually from the subjects themselves) have made his Humans of New York blog both poignant and extremely popular--as well as garnering him recognition as one of Time magazine's "30 People Under 30 Changing the World." This book of the same title collects 400 of his best portraits, telling small stories that are outsized in their humor, candor, and humanity. Normally I'm a bit downtrodden if I'm unable to interview a subject, but I thought her 'brush-off' was the perfect complement to the photo. I found these kids in the Lower East Side, making the most of a hot summer day. But his shyness ended up coming through beautifully, creating a portrait of the relationship between mother and son.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Over the past 40 years I have been traveling around the US and the globe I have been doing this in my mine and sometimes by interviewing the people I meet."
"They had no clue where it came from till I called and asked how they liked the book."
"Everything about this book is amazing."
"I see so many photographs everyday but just don't have what it takes to approach random strangers without feeling creepy."
"Now in addition to looking at their photographs, I’m thinking about the people that Brandon Stanton captured through his camera lens. (1) There’s the elderly lady with soft silver hair and a beautiful smile whose caption says, “Every time I force myself to go outside, something wonderful happens.” Great advice! After looking at it, you’ll know for certain that there are no uninteresting people and that Stanton is a gifted photographer who’s found his niche."
"That's what I got when I bought Humans of New York, which I think is the most exciting and one of the best photography books I've ever seen. When Stanton labels a photo, he gets it just right with a few words, or he let's the subject explain him or herself, such as the pretty girl with an attitude and fabulous hair, who says: "I'm going to let you take my photo because you seem like a genuine person."
"I was just disappointed at a plastic semi- see through cover with the title."
"I can see that he will enjoy this book for many years to come, and hopefully, make up his own stories and tell them to me."
Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005-2016 is the photographer's follow-up to her two landmark books, Annie Leibovitz: Photographs, 1970-1990 and A Photographer's Life, 1990-2005 . "Whether she's photographing the famous and powerful - or simply the woman next door - Annie always captures something unexpected and deeply personal. "Annie Leibovitz is one of the most aesthetically gifted photographers alive. "— Paul Roth, director of the Ryerson Image Centre. "— Sherri Geldin, director of the Wexner Center for the Arts. "Iconic is an overused word, but it feels apt when describing the globally recognisable, influential, and compelling images of photographer Annie Leibovitz. Now, in a luxurious new compendium, her last decade of work is showcased in all its glory... This is Leibovitz in excelsis: movie and music stars, politicians and power brokers; the inevitable nudes - Lady Gaga splayed over a bed, and a rather simian Jeff Koons admiring himself in a mirror; as well as a panoply of less familiar characters and still-lifes from her Pilgrimage series of objects and places with historical resonance. In her new book, the Hollywood glitz gives way to more contemplative pictures of artists, painters and musicians. "Breathtaking... Leibovitz has produced compelling images that are a subtle combination of staged and relaxed. "Witty, personal and always unique, Leibovitz has a career of capturing iconic people... A majestic who's who of the last decade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She captured people and their personal spaces that gives you a sense of who they are."
"Visually chronicles a decade."
"I'm a huge fan of Annie Leibovitz - seen her speak and have all of her other books."
"The best money spent on book this year...dont think."
"A stunning collection of photographs,"
"Perfect condition!"
"Person I bought it for was very elated."
Best Color Photography
Completely revised and updated throughout, Bryan Peterson's classic guide to creativity helps photographers visualize their work, and the world, in a whole new light by developing their photographic vision. His trademark use of color and strong, graphic composition have garnered him many photographic awards, including the Art Director Club's Gold Award and honors from Communication Arts and Print magazines.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When i was reading the book it all seemed so basic and I thought I wasted my money, but after reading the book, and applying each lesson individually when taking pictures I can confidently say the book helped me grow as a photographer!"
"Interesting read, strong writing and great examples."
"The book prompted me to view things and people differently."
"I have all of Bryan Peterson's books."
"I am reading it through the second time now."
"This book has opened my thinking to different ways of composing, and in general really helped me to see the bigger picture while shooting."
"Concepts are easy to follow."
"Very informative."
Best Darkroom & Photo Processing
Since Lightroom 1.0 first launched, Scott’s Kelby’s The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers has been the world’s #1 bestselling Lightroom book (it has been translated into a dozen different languages), and in this latest version for Lightroom 6, Scott uses his same award-winning, step-by-step, plain-English style and layout to make learning Lightroom easy and fun. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: “Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?” You’ll see Scott’s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 6 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow. Scott is a photographer, designer, and award-winning author of more than 60 books, including Photoshop for Lightroom Users, Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers Using Photoshop, Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image, The Adobe Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, and The Digital Photography Book, parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Arabic, Swedish, Turkish, Hebrew, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious ASP International Award, presented annually by the American Society of Photographers for “…contributions in a special or significant way to the ideals of Professional Photography as an art and a science.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For example, tonality is one of the key steps in post processing images and the author provides enough detail so that you will not only be able to follow his instructions for dealing with the sample images, but also to understand how the process works. For long-time users of Lightroom, there are a few new functions, and Lightroom is so user friendly that the operation of some of the new functions, like panoramas and HDR, will be intuitive and not require explanation, so that those long-time users might think they don't need this kind of introduction. Experienced users may also find something they didn't know in this book."
"Here's the summary if you're in a hurry: Pros: -Easy to read but very good and detailed information. -Well laid out and organized. -Word searching in the digital version makes finding things a breeze. -A full photo shoot (for the cover of the book) is laid out and described, including the Photoshop editing. It is laid out in the order of things you would encounter if you were a first time user new to the program and to organizing your images. It works for me and I would especially recommend his books to beginners as they have a lot of information in small chunks. The beginning is dedicated to good organizational practices which I partially followed from the last edition. I used to be very casual about my hard drives and use them for a lot of stuff and lost pictures several times. There are a LOT of small tips, which makes reading through the book worthwhile even for those who have used Lightroom before. I found this book full of good ideas and techniques easily explained."
"Lightroom is primarily for professionals who make a lot of photos per day like the author Scott Kelby."
"Very good book for someone who switched from another program to Lightroom 6."
"I cannot find any reference for Window diagrams and this is disappointing as the little blue pull down boxes shown throughout Chapter One do not exist on Windows LR and this would be too confusing to my students."
Best Digital Photo & Video Editing
Since Lightroom 1.0 first launched, Scott’s Kelby’s The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers has been the world’s #1 bestselling Lightroom book (it has been translated into a dozen different languages), and in this latest version for Lightroom 6, Scott uses his same award-winning, step-by-step, plain-English style and layout to make learning Lightroom easy and fun. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: “Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?” You’ll see Scott’s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 6 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow. Scott is a photographer, designer, and award-winning author of more than 60 books, including Photoshop for Lightroom Users, Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers Using Photoshop, Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image, The Adobe Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, and The Digital Photography Book, parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Arabic, Swedish, Turkish, Hebrew, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious ASP International Award, presented annually by the American Society of Photographers for “…contributions in a special or significant way to the ideals of Professional Photography as an art and a science.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For example, tonality is one of the key steps in post processing images and the author provides enough detail so that you will not only be able to follow his instructions for dealing with the sample images, but also to understand how the process works. For long-time users of Lightroom, there are a few new functions, and Lightroom is so user friendly that the operation of some of the new functions, like panoramas and HDR, will be intuitive and not require explanation, so that those long-time users might think they don't need this kind of introduction. Experienced users may also find something they didn't know in this book."
"Here's the summary if you're in a hurry: Pros: -Easy to read but very good and detailed information. -Well laid out and organized. -Word searching in the digital version makes finding things a breeze. -A full photo shoot (for the cover of the book) is laid out and described, including the Photoshop editing. It is laid out in the order of things you would encounter if you were a first time user new to the program and to organizing your images. It works for me and I would especially recommend his books to beginners as they have a lot of information in small chunks. The beginning is dedicated to good organizational practices which I partially followed from the last edition. I used to be very casual about my hard drives and use them for a lot of stuff and lost pictures several times. There are a LOT of small tips, which makes reading through the book worthwhile even for those who have used Lightroom before. I found this book full of good ideas and techniques easily explained."
"Lightroom is primarily for professionals who make a lot of photos per day like the author Scott Kelby."
"Very good book for someone who switched from another program to Lightroom 6."
"I cannot find any reference for Window diagrams and this is disappointing as the little blue pull down boxes shown throughout Chapter One do not exist on Windows LR and this would be too confusing to my students."
Best Photography Equipment
Understanding Exposure has taught generations of photographers how to shoot the images they want by demystifying the complex concepts of exposure in photography. BRYAN PETERSON is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, best-selling author, and founder of The Bryan Peterson School of Photography at www.bpsop.com.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Buy this book first."
"Since it was first published, Understanding Exposure has provided a friendly, easy, and accessible way for everyone to learn to use their cameras to create beautiful images. I've been in the photography business for almost two decades and this book has always been my first recommendation (more than any classes or any other book) when pressed for help with cameras. It's for a very good reason that the book has been so successful over the last decade - Peterson makes it easy to put away the camera manual and get the most important basics down to start taking consistently good images."
"He talks around it for the whole book like it's some magical thing but I had to go to Wikipedia to get an understanding of the what the triangle is and how to use it in a practical way. Try searching Wikipedia for "Exposure Value" or "Law of Reciprocity" under the "Science of Photography"."
"I picked up my first camera and this book at the same time."
"This book completely revamped my passion for photography and improved my photos tremendously."
"I bought this latest version for my daughter, the only real difference is the last chapter deals with flash usage."
"If you are used to your camera's Auto-something feature, forget about it, because this will really change the way you will set up exposures, leveraging your creativity."
"Easy read and very informative without being overly wordy."
Best Flash Photography
NEW: Updated November 2017 to include the Nikon D850 and Sony a7R III! With access to over 20 HOURS of online video, this book helps you choose the best equipment for your budget and style of photography. In this book, award-winning author and photographer Tony Northrup explains explains what all your camera, flash, lens, and tripod features do, as well as which are worth paying for and which you can simply skip. Tony provides information specific to your style of photography, whether you're a casual photographer or you're serious about portraits, landscapes, sports, wildlife, weddings, or even macro. For the casual reader, Tony provides quick recommendations to allow you to get the best gear for your budget, without spending days researching. If you love camera gear, you'll be able to dive into 200 pages of detailed information covering Nikon, Canon, Sony, Micro Four-Thirds, Olympus, Samsung, Leica, Fujifilm, Pentax, Tamron, Sigma, Yongnuo, Godox, and many other manufacturers. You can learn more about Tony by liking his Facebook photography page at http://www.facebook.com/NorthrupPhotography, following him on Twitter (@TonyNorthrup), viewing his photography portfolio at www.northrupphotography.com, or emailing him at tony@northrup.org.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book was last revised in 2016, and while newer equipment is not featured, it is still up to date enough to be useful."
"I believe in 2016 and 2017 a lot of gears hit the market as well, I believe Tony should update the book with the latest gears available."
"I was going to buy a flash unit that was 8x more expensive than the one I actually bought because of the recommendation this book made."
"He provides a fair and seemingly unbiased approach with plenty of great insight into the inevitable "Canon versus Nikon" debate, as well as every other major manufacturer's products. Tony provides extensive hyperlinks throughout the text to both Amazon's offers on certain products, and to the manufacturer's site or other retailers for additional product information. The Manfroto carbon tripod Manfrotto MK293C4-A0RC2 4 Section Carbon Tripod Kit with Quick Release Ball Head (Black)_item just replaced the more expensive Gitzo on my got-to-have list."
"This book is an excellent start for gear recommendations, although each version is outdated very quick, as anyone can imagine."
"This book is comprehensive enough to get anyone started in the current world of creative photography, as it exends beyond point and shoot vacation and memory recording."
"I have their other books as well, which I highly recommend to everyone who is trying to learn photography ( and no they don't pay me to write this review,lol)."
"Definitely buy this book before you buy a DSLR camera."
Best Photography Handbooks & Manuals
The newest edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. Telescopes for Recreational Astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work. [Review of earlier edition:] Excellent introductory text ... completely revised... it is lushly illustrated in color throughout. [Review of earlier edition:] If an amateur astronomer could afford one book, this would be the one to get ... one of the most attractive practical astronomy works ever produced. [Review of earlier edition:] Lively, accessible style; is comprehensive; and is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of photographs, diagrams, and charts... highly recommended for any library. [Review of earlier edition:] Few books capture the spirit of the hobby so well -- the pleasures and the pitfalls of the equipment you might need, and the simple joy of watching the universe go by. I recommend this book for anyone who is contemplating buying a telescope, has one but does not quite know how to use it, or wants to learn more about accessories and fun activities to supplement his or her stargazing. If you teach observational astronomy, run a public observatory, or conduct community stargazing classes, put this magazine down and order it right now ... [Review of earlier edition:] This book is an indispensable tool for any serious naturalist who wants to understand and experience the full expanse of the world and universe around us. I fondly remember haunting my favorite bookstore as a college student in the early 1990s, ogling the big, full-color astronomy texts, when I happened upon The Backyard Astronomer's Guide. Now in its third edition, Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer have completely rewritten large sections to keep in lockstep with the evolving trends. Immediately from the first chapter the authors' fluid writing style draws you in, casually introducing you to the pursuit of the night sky. As in previous editions, the flow comfortably builds with each page, easing you into progressively challenging subjects without missing a step. The text builds though each successive chapter, describing today's plethora of binoculars, telescopes, mounts, eyepieces, and other accessories. Complementing the informative text are hundreds of colour photographs and illustrations as well as a 20-page, full-colour atlas of the Milky Way that includes 10 charts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great addition to my library."
"If you have, or are interested in getting, a quality telescope this book is great."
"I Love looking at the Star's and This book help me to know which Star's I'm looking at, Name them."
"We are new to star gazing using a telescope and I wanted a book that would help us learn more about space and what we were seeing. If I were going to buy a telescope, I might start by purchasing this book prior to purchasing a telescope."
"I just love this book."
"Not quite as captivating as the original Nightwatch, but a good publication nonetheless."
"I am a beginner in astronomy as a hobby so I have looked at all the resources I thought I needed like internet sites and forums, reviews and the like. The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is the best investment a beginner in the hobby could make it should be your very first purchase even before any equipment."
"This book will serve as a reference guide for I am constantly returning to the pages to learn more exciting information about this fascinating subject of astronomy."
Best Photography Lighting
It provides invaluable information on how to light the most difficult subjects, such as surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and portraits. All new chapter titled "Setting Up Your New Studio" A re-vamped and expanded chapter 8 now titled "Making Portraits" New appendix of reliable photo gear sources Over 100 new photographs and informational sidebars Updated information about advances in flash equipment, LED panels and fluorescent lights. has over twenty years of experience as a commercial photographer specializing in portraits, still life, photomontage, and digital manipulation. He has been honored with awards from Communication Arts, Graphis, HOW Magazine, and Adobe, who have also included his work on a Photoshop 'extras' disc to inspire other photographers. Paul has written and produced educational and training material in a variety of fields including law, public safety, history, science, and the environment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is a bit technical and I will need to read it again... slowly... so that I can digest everything. But the level of detail is a good thing and totally worth the effort if you truly want to understand lighting for photography. It covers photographing different types of subjects... reflective, clear, black, white, etc. In addition to explaining the science of why you need to light a certain type of subject a certain way to produce a certain result, it includes photos to illustrate these points. PROS: - Detailed explanations that help you understand the science of lighting."
"I am a self-taught photographer wanting to learn more about how to craft studio light."
"There are a few minor errors when the authors push their understanding of physics a bit too far, but those do not detract significantly from the overall excellence of the book."
"This book is fabulous!!"
"This is a no nonsense, no girlie picture, book about the concepts of lighting."
"If you have to read just one book about lighting in your life, this is it - it's all you're ever going to need, seriously."
"My studio lighting teacher required this for her class and when I found the first chapter was a good walk through with the physics of light, I knew it was no ordinary photography book."
"Excellent technical resource."
Best Photography Reference
Understanding Exposure has taught generations of photographers how to shoot the images they want by demystifying the complex concepts of exposure in photography. BRYAN PETERSON is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, best-selling author, and founder of The Bryan Peterson School of Photography at www.bpsop.com.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Buy this book first."
"Since it was first published, Understanding Exposure has provided a friendly, easy, and accessible way for everyone to learn to use their cameras to create beautiful images. I've been in the photography business for almost two decades and this book has always been my first recommendation (more than any classes or any other book) when pressed for help with cameras. It's for a very good reason that the book has been so successful over the last decade - Peterson makes it easy to put away the camera manual and get the most important basics down to start taking consistently good images."
"I picked up my first camera and this book at the same time."
"This book completely revamped my passion for photography and improved my photos tremendously."
"I bought this latest version for my daughter, the only real difference is the last chapter deals with flash usage."
"If you are used to your camera's Auto-something feature, forget about it, because this will really change the way you will set up exposures, leveraging your creativity."
"Easy read and very informative without being overly wordy."
"It had been 30 years since I picked up a DSLR and this book was perfect to refresh memory and get me going again."
Best Nude Photography
With the first centerfold image of the radiant Marilyn Monroe, Hugh M. Hefner masterminded a cultural icon: Playboy 's Playmate of the Month. Robert Coover is author of The Public Burning .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not Only do i love it, my good friend/ model Chelsea Arns playmate miss march 2015 is on it, which love to work with.."
"Some white space in the middle so the pictures don't get "caught" in the creese."
"Pictures of Gorgeous Nude Women from every issue of every month from 1953 to Feb 2016, tastefully done in bright full color on excellent quality photo paper!"
"I've seen all of the issues from December, 1953 foward as Playboy has offered them on CD Roms, hard drives, and now an archive website where you can read every word ever printed in Playboy. I don't know if it was because of my age in the Sixtys or how Playboy promoted the Playmates but I felt like I knew at least something about each Playmate's personality. If you are or were a fan of Playboy for any period of years during their almost 64 years of publishing, "The Complete Centerfolds" brings back many happy memories of experiencing Playboy and the Playboy world."
"After the despised decision to discontinue centerfolds in the nude it is all the more to the credit that a book like this should have come out."
"Fully nude full color crisp Playboy Centerfolds one per page."
"Amazing history here in the form of beautiful nude women..."
Best Sports Photography
Sports Illustrated has polled its basketball experts, including Jack McCallum, Chris Ballard, Alexander Wolff, Lee Jenkins, Ian Thomsen, Chris Mannix, and Mark Bechtel, to determine the Top 10 in more than 20 categories. Sports Illustrated (SI) , the most respected voice in sports journalism, is a multimedia sports brand that takes the consumer into the heart and soul of sports.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good book with lots of great pictures of these players, but I wish they would go more in depth with their explanations of each pick. And they have a section on great defenders without a mention of Ben Wallace?"
"If you're a fan of the game...this is it!!"
"This is a really nice book!!"
"Bought this for my 11-year-old son, and frankly I'm tired of seeing it all over the house, as he keeps re-reading it 8 months after it was purchased."
"Beautiful pictures, bought this for a gift for grandson, I am sure he will love it."
"Just the right amount of written content,along with the great action photos of past and present players, for our 14 year old son."
"Bought as a gift - I thought it a beautiful coffee table book."
"Beautiful Book."
Best Northeast US Travel Guides
Now, Brandon is back with the Humans of New York book that his loyal followers have been waiting for: Humans of New York: Stories . “As the quotes grew longer, and the interviews deeper, Stanton developed a signature storytelling style―one that blends the lure of urban voyeurism with an eye for the extraordinary detail in seemingly ordinary subjects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"~~~~~~~~~It appears Amazon posted my review under both books Humans of New York and HONY Stories. If you are deciding on whether or not to buy the book, consider the following, which Brandon posted on the HONY facebook page: "I want to take a quick opportunity to remind everyone that HONY is advertisement free and almost entirely financed by book sales. By purchasing a book, you can help HONY continue to grow in a way that remains focused on telling people’s stories--- and nothing else."
"I've purchased all three Humans of New York books and have loved them all, but in Humans of New York - Stories, it all comes together. Even something went unspeakably wrong and against all odds the book was garbage (it isn't) you STILL should buy it, if for nothing more than to cast a vote of support for the JOY, LOVE, and EMPATHY that HONY provides."
"It makes a great coffee table book and everybody that has come over has picked this up and started reading it."
"An amazing collection of photos and personal stories."
"I follow the Facebook page but there's something about holding a tangible book and reading through all the stories in 2 nights that make it better."
"Love this book."
"In the midst of ISIS, corruption, American elections, tanking economy and a degree of narcissism that boggles the mind... another great bit of sanity, sharing, true storytelling and remembering what it is to be human."
Best New England US Travel Books
Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. MICHAEL FINKEL is the author of True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa , which was adapted into a 2015 major motion picture.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not only is this story of Chris Knight one of the most compelling that I have read in some time, but the lengths that you went to, to research his venture into the woods of Maine, to understand him, to get to know him, clearly better than anyone else has, and to represent him with such dignity, astounds me. While some, especially those whose homes were burgled, might still never understand what would cause a person to want to live in such extreme conditions let alone in solitude, far removed from the ‘regular’ world, after reading the book, while I will never spend a night, let alone an hour in the woods, what drew Knight makes sense to me now. It’s not to say that after reading THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS that every reader will feel compelled to pick up and leave their jobs, families, and the comfort of modern society behind, but it sure does offer food for thought."
"I wanted to read this book as the Maine woods have been a part of my life and I was unfamiliar with this story until I saw this book. I realized from the start that at the core of this story was an important topic I already have been worrying about that I feel American society either is unaware of or is purposefully ignoring: the neuro-atypical person and the challenge of how they will live (not thriving but suffering) in modern America. Knight was content and found peace in living that life until he was caught with the help of sophisticated surveillance equipment while robbing food from a nonprofit camp for disabled children (including kids on the Autism Spectrum). The heartbreaking part of this story is that the suffering that Knight endured was due to square pegs not fitting in the round holes of modern American society, his relief and contendedness was found living in isolation in nature, but this is not really allowed in America, and when possible it's only available to those who are able to financially support themselves due to an inheritance or some income stream that they are lucky to find that meshes with their talents and abilities. But this book provides more food for thought, for me at least, than just Knight's hermit years story. I hope this book is a catalyst for Americans to think about this issue, with the rising rates of Autism and mental illness, we have more people this decade than ever before who are not fitting in with the mandatory American public school system and who are not fitting in to work jobs as adults enough to support themselves independently let alone the issue of if a person is happy or content."
"Many of us dream of secluding from the busyness of modern living—the fast-paced, noisy, cyclical nature in which life has become; yet many of us do not have the courage or tenacity to pursue such a dream, much less achieve this dream for the amount of time that Knight did. On a practical level, Michael Finkel has written this biographical account excellently."
"My heart goes out to Mr. Knight."