I've already read, and enjoyed this book. Will re-read it now, something I rarely do

I just downloaded a copy on my Kindle.

Is that you on the quad?

I've just downloaded this and feel as if I'd just committed and typed a blasphemy < impiously irreverent> I live in a small cabin in the mountains but with most of the amenities. The reason for the shift from super suburbia to the northern wilds was both an urgent need for perspective and a deep yearning for the spiritual being dwelling within to emerge and have hopefully an impact on a dying planet. This book is wonderful! No, not exactly Thoreau but courageous and uplifting and neccessary. Another time, another species perhaps or sadly the same one who has lost its bearings. I'm looking forward to e-reading and commenting on this mans solo journey back to himself.

I've downloaded the book onto my Kindle and read the first 30% or so. Looking forward to the conversation.

still await my kindle download or my book on hold at the library, will begin asap

Yes that's me on my quad

Actually, its a very male thing, dont you think? All that vodka, and woodcutting and cigars. I came near to what he was seeking the other day . I had malaria and could do nothing much but sleep on the veranda. When I woke I watched the sunbirds in the hibiscus, and felt the cool breeze through the plants. Although I was really sick, I felt so alive and appreciative ofmy surroundings

heledd wrote:Actually, its a very male thing, dont you think? All that vodka, and woodcutting and cigars. I came near to what he was seeking the other day . I had malaria and could do nothing much but sleep on the veranda. When I woke I watched the sunbirds in the hibiscus, and felt the cool breeze through the plants. Although I was really sick, I felt so alive and appreciative ofmy surroundings

I've had malaria a couple time, nasty business, so I think you are definitely looking on the bright side ... certainly helpful to one's recovery to watch sunbirds in the hibiscus! I agree, there is lots of vodka, woodcutting and cigars in this book, a male thing perhaps (I'm guessing there may be plenty of Russian women in rural areas that are handy with an axe and can knock back the vodka).

I've read about half the book and I'm a bit skeptical about Sylvain. Is he the real article? He does respond to his environment for sure, and he seems to value his isolation and the opportunity to reflect, but he's drunk or hungover half the time and, for a hermit, he sure spends a lot of time with other people, including some considerable effort to visit far away 'neighbours'.

The most interesting aspect of the book for me has been the way he blends ideas and quotes from literature with his life experiences at the cabin. I think he does this very well and it adds a lot to the book.

Just got my copy. This is a hermit book. It is about finding the most extreme isolation possible. Lake Baikal is quite magical. It is 25 million years old and a mile deep. There are bunyips in it. Tesson takes a pile of books. Some that caught my eye are

The Sickness Unto Death by Søren Kierkegaard

On the Nature of Things by Lucretius

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

Tao te Ching by Lao Tzu

Three books by Nietzsche

Nothing by Martin Heidegger

The World as Will and Representation by Schopenhauer