In 1968, Richard Proenneke traded his life as an auto mechanic to move to the Twin Lakes region of the Alaskan wilderness, where he built his own log cabin nearly from scratch. Alone in the Wilderness is a fascinating account of Proenneke’s day-to-day explorations and activities and of the constant chain of nature’s events that kept him company.

Proenneke lived in his cabin for nearly 30 years, making what he needed from whatever materials were available. Living out his dream, he says, led him to be content with his own thoughts and company and not at odds with the world.