First Wilderness, Revised Edition - by Sam Keith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The story behind the best-selling book One Man's Wilderness and how author Sam Keith and Dick Proenneke met and forged an everlasting friendship.

"Sam, you know right well you don't want to leave this country. Don't give up on it. Me and you got to figure something out."

After serving as a US Marine during World War II and attending college on the GI Bill, Sam Keith decided to seek adventure in Alaska as a laborer on the Adak Navy base. There he befriended Dick Proenneke, whose shared love of the outdoors, hard work, and self-reliance quickly bonded an alliance between the two. Together they explored the wilds of South Central Alaska while working on the Navy base, hunting and fishing with friends and breathing in the great outdoors. Keith was ready to leave after three years of finding almost everything he sought--not realizing then how his fate was intrinsically tied to his friend's and how it would lead to writing the best-selling book One Man's Wilderness.

Sam Keith passed away in 2003. But in 2013, his son-in-law and children's book author/illustrator Brian Lies discovered in an archive box in their garage a book manuscript, originally written in 1974 after the publication of One Man's Wilderness. First Wilderness is the story of Keith's own experiences, at times harrowing, funny, and fascinating. Along with the original manuscript are photos and excerpts from his journals, letters, and notebooks, woven in to create a compelling and poignant memoir of search and discovery. Foreword by Nick Jans, one of Alaska's foremost authors and photographers, and Afterword by Keith's daughter Laurel Lies.

Review Quotes

"I love One Man's Wilderness and the inspiring account of self-discovery by Sam Keith is a great companion to that."-- "Joni, Maria's Bookshop, Durango, Colorado"

"Keith's 1972 best seller One Man's Wilderness described his good friend Dick Proenneke's solitary life in the wilds of Alaska. After Keith's death, his son-in-law found this manuscript. His memoir envelops the reader in the sights and sounds of the state's awe-inspiring weather and scenery, details the lives of the plants and animals that inhabit the places Keith visits, and expresses his joy in fishing trips. VERDICT: A beautifully written memoir of Alaska that will appeal to nature lovers, fishermen, hunters, and wilderness seekers."-- "Library Journal"

"Sam Keith is remembered for chronicling the life in the Alaska wilderness of his friend Dick Proenneke, arguably the world's most famous recluse. He did it in One Man's Wilderness, which has sold 400,000 copies since its publication in 1973. The book, along with movie footage Keith shot, was the basis for one of PBS's most popular documentaries. This book is a prequel . . . an unpublished manuscript and letters Keith wrote to his family about his own Alaska adventures."-- "Foreword Reviews"

"The synchronicity of Sam Keith and Dick Proenneke's friendship and bond through a love of the wilderness and an ability to record their adventures left us with the gift of One Man's Wilderness. Now, once again Sam's words dance across the pages, bringing the reader on their own journey into the wilderness. What a treasure for his son-in-law and daughter to find."-- "Bob Swerer, producer of Alone in the Wilderness documentary"

"Sam Keith's One Man's Wilderness fired the imaginations of many to discover Alaska's wild places, including my own journey to homestead a piece of wilderness in the Far North. Now, FIRST WILDERNESS, Keith's compelling story, comes full-circle to offer a glimpse of why dreamers continue to be drawn to Alaska's mystical wild not only to quench their thirst for adventure, but also to seek answers to define their character."-- "Roy Corral, photographer, What the Elders Have Taught Us"

"This book is a magic carpet ride back to an Alaska we can all learn from and be inspired by. Thank you, Sam Keith."-- "Kim Heacox, author of Jimmy Bluefeather"