The Fascinating Tale of Christopher Thomas Knight, The Recluse Who Hid in the Woods of Maine for 27 Years

Journalist Michael Finkel recounts his encounters with the notorious Maine recluse, Christopher Thomas Knight (aka the North Pond Hermit) in the fascinating GQ article “The Strange & Curious Tale of the Last True Hermit.” Knight walked into the Maine woods in 1986, at the age of 20, and lived in seclusion for the next 27 years. During that time he lived in a simple camp and stole all the supplies he needed from nearby homes and camps. He was arrested in 2013 in the act of stealing supplies from a campground. In the article Finkel describes his letter correspondence with Knight, and his subsequent face-to-face meetings with the recluse at a Maine prison.

photo by Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal/AP Photo