Laurel Bennett

Her Gift, The Duchess

Alan Bennett

In 1968, at the age of fifty-two, Richard (Dick) Proenneke constructed a log cabin on the edge of a remote wilderness lake in southwest Alaska and lived there alone for thirty years. This story became widely known in 1973 when author Sam Keith published the book One Man's Wilderness-an Alaskan Odyssey, based on Proenneke's journals and photography. Thousands have been inspired by Dick's lifestyle, craftsmanship, and wilderness skills, but few know much of the man himself. Park rangers and volunteers serving as interpretive guides at his cabin today are often asked by visitors: "What was Dick really like when he was living here?" That question can be answered by the bush pilots, fishing and hunting guides, local friends, and past and present National Park Service staff who knew and interacted with him over the thirty years that he lived at Twin Lakes. Reflections on a man in his wilderness is a lively collection of memories, experiences, and stories by those who knew Dick during the years he lived at Twin Lakes in what is now Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. It's a fitting tribute to Dick on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth.

Laurel Bennett

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