Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier Paperback – Illustrated, 18 Aug. 2014

after watching the program on sky discovery [ON THE LAST FRONTIER] I had to find out if there had been a book written ad was so pleased to find itit was a very good read

Fantastic product

Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier by Tom Kizzia is an crazy and true story about a man, Papa Pilgrim who controled his family with an iron fist. This book is the story of the "Pilgrim" family who setup there lives in the wilderness town of McCarthy, Alaska which used to be a mining outpost. The profiles the other people within the small community and they lived within the largest state park in the United States.The family was led by Robert "Papa Pilgrim" Hale, his wife Country Rose, and their 15 children who attempted to live an old-fashioned, piously Christian life. But there was more simmering under the surface. Papa Pilgrim distrusted his neighbors and especially the federal government. This simple man of faith carried a long, strange, and troubled history: the violent death of his first wife, whom he married when she was 16, and who also happened to be the daughter of Texas governor John Connally; his drug-fueled past and raging outbursts; a contentious relationship with his neighbors in the New Mexico wilderness, who accused Hale of casual disregard for laws that didn't suit his interests (especially the ones related to "Thou shalt not steal"); and worst of all, a dominion over his children that hinted at the most vile forms of abuse.This was an amazing book and I would definitely recommend it to others.Thank you for reading my review.

A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska FrontierTruth is many times, much stranger than fiction. Very true in the case of Pilgrim's Wilderness by Tom Kizzia. I've always thought that I was born too late - when I was younger, I often daydreamed of a cabin in the middle of the woods and self sufficiency. (Instead I got a job as a living history museum interpreter and played Little House in the Big Woods for many years.) When Papa Pilgrim showed up in the remote town of McCarthy, Alaska with his wife and fifteen children in tow, the residents, although initially wary of newcomers, welcomed them to their community. Pilgrim seemed to want nothing more than to live in peace and practice his Christian values on his newly purchased plot of land within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Initially everyone enjoys the 'old-timey' nature of the family, their music and Christian values. But that original welcome soon starts to show cracks and eventually divides the town. Pilgrim decides to bulldoze a road through the park, the spark that ignites his 'war' with the National Park Service. The actions of the family don't always match the preaching done by Papa. Papa is a master manipulator, able to twist the scriptures to suit his purpose. And Papa? Well, he's twisted as well. The outward appearance of the family belies the terror he inflicts on his wife and children. (The children range from late twenties to a newborn.) Things escalate, not just with the NPS, but within the cabin housing the Pilgrims. The older children begin to question their lives, their faith and their Papa...... Kizzia is an Alaskan journalist and covered the story as it unfolded. In Pilgrim's Wilderness, he has expanded on those articles with interviews from townsfolk, detractors and supporters, with Pilgrim himself and later with some other family members. He investigates, digs further and uncovers and exposes the man who was born Robert Hale. Again, truth is stranger that fiction - some of it just had me shaking my head in disbelief. Kizzia has a family cabin in McCarthy as well. His familiarity with the area and the issues truly enhanced his account. Although there are some disturbing (okay a lot disturbing) parts of the story, Kizzia handles it all in a fair and true manner, without delving into lurid or tabloid like descriptions. I was riveted from first page - Kizzia opens the book with a gut wrenching, white knuckle prologue -to last, caught up in the story of the madness that was Papa Pilgrim and the fate of his family. (And after the last page was turned - I headed to the computer to follow up) Pilgrim's Wilderness also explores the politics of land use, from many points of view. Pilgrim's Wilderness has been labeled true crime, not a genre I really like. However this book is an exception. Five stars for this reader.

I have long been fascinated with Alaska as the true last frontier of America. I became interested in McCarthy, Alaska, after watching an episode of The Edge of Alaska. Even though it was a reality show, parts of it were informative, including living a more simplistic, off the grid lifestyle in Alaska This particular book brings much more authentic history into play as well as bringing forth the tragic story of a family gone totally off the trails in an attempt to find God and the meaning of life at the hands of a maniacal father. I wish nothing but the best for the remaining members of the family and pray they find peace. Both the historical nature of this book as well as the story telling of the family are well worth the read.

Kudos to Tom Kizzia for creating a fascinating, yet, horrific true story from his investigative reporting that reads like something from a top rated crime novelist. Mr. Kizzia keeps the story rolling from the very early years of the Hale clan until the final chapter with pace and crisp writing. My only "criticism" of this book is that once I began reading it, I realized pretty quickly I was going to read it right through until the end, hence, I was very tired the next day!!This book came to my attention as it was highly recommended by a national magazine I subscribe to as the 2013 "read of the summer"--I couldn't agree more.

The book was laid out against a wide tableau of the the Alaskan experience - the moutains, the people, the weather, the political climate (which was ever changing) and the neighborhood experience. I enjoyed the writer's approach and he presented a rather different overall perspective that no other writer, perhaps, could have brought to this subject since he was, for all practical purposes, a "local."I recall reading about the family and their antics (for lack of a better word) with the park service. Having been raised in the Black Hills of SD and having lived next door to Yellowstone National Park for the past 30 years, I am well familiar with the on going rigidity and (sometimes) tunnel vision of the park service and the forest service. Which is not to say that I am coming down on the side of the Pilgrims. I believe a fair balance could have been struck in all of this had both sides been more open to negotiation along the way.That, of course, is the larger story. The story within that backdrop, the dark side of the family and all of the weirdness and bizarre behavior of many of the family members, was well chronicled by the author and I believe he presented as balanced a description of what went on as he could, given his access to all parties which was sometimes good and sometimes not so good.The book is a clear and sometimes startling view into a family in which one person controls so much of the other members' behavior. Although it is difficult for most of us to really conceive of such things happening, it is really not so hard to envision such a life, given the surroundings.I would recommend the book. It is not a barn burner nor a hold on to your seat for a wild ride kind of thing. Just a good solid read by an author who is confident of his writing ability and also his ability to research such a book to an exhausting degree to make sure he has as much of the facts as are available.

A captivating and delightfully bizarre little piece of local history that I knew nothing about. I was thoroughly engrossed...and creeped out.

I read this before a trip to McCarthy AK, where I met many of the people mentioned in the book (not anyone in the Pilgrim family) and heard their first-hand accounts, which match Kizzia's reporting. Very well written, and draws you in to two aspects of the Pilgrim's life - the battle with NPS, and the very dark stuff that I won't spoil here. As a follow up, I recommend "Out of the Wilderness" by Elishaba Doerksen, which is a first hand account from one of the Pilgrim children.