One Man’s Wilderness

A fun read which chronicles the real life adventure of Richard Proenneke after his time as a mechanic.  Proenneke, a former US Navy enlistee who spent time at Pearl Harbor returns home to work long hours in the shop but knows he is missing something, serenity!  The book, One Man’s Wilderness, is the actual journal entries of Proenneke during his sixteen month stay in the wilderness of Alaska.  Proenneke moves to Twin Lakes, a very rural location in Alaska where he has friends who built a house and allow him to use it until he can build his own.  Proenneke moves to the area at the end of May, just as the ice is melting from the lakes, and finds a great place to build his log cabin home.  The journal entries from Proenneke include the daily temperature, and a series of topics including: his engagements/search for wildlife, his daily work progress on the house, the depth of the ice buildup on the lake, what he cooks for breakfast, the on-going fishing challenge, or his scenic trip around the area.  Proenneke receives regular visits from his friend, Babe, who brings food and other supplies via his airplane.  This trip and living in the wilderness is a dream come true for Proenneke, whom gave up the fifty hour a week grind.  While the book is taken from the journal and photos that Proenneke wrote, he ends up living there for over thirty years, up to age 90!  While I can’t ever imagine living in a rather deserted area, in Alaska, where temperatures go below negative 40 degrees in the height of winter, eating off of the land, for the most part, I applaud Proenneke for doing so.  He is a complete hero for every Boy Scout and nature lover.  His commitment to the land, keeping it pure, is one of the messages he leaves behind to others.  A fun read and helpful reminder of how life was loved just a century ago for most.