The Last American Man Reviews

• Fascinating book about an extraordinary but troubled man

  
  By A3TBRX7J528IY5 on 2002-06-18
  Some years ago I read a magazine article about Eustace Conway and found his story captivating. Thus I was eager to read this book when I learned of its publication. I won't summarize his life - the Reviews above do so sufficiently to capture almost anyone's interest - but let me urge others who post reviews to remember you are reviewing the book, not Eustace Conway. I'd give him 5 stars - or 10 - for many qualties, but surely not for his troubled personal relationships. But Elizabeth Gilbert has done a wonderful - definitely 5 star - job in telling his story. She knows him very well (and clearly likes him), has talked at length with a great many of his friends and with his parents and siblings, and she loves the lifestyle ideal he seeks to propagate. She also writes in a wonderfully engaging, personal style. I can't imagine anyone who reads the first couple of pages not being totally hooked.
  
  

• North Carolina Icon

  
  By A3EFM8YIFC7TRB on 2005-10-26
  I am from NC and had a chance to meet Eustace at Merlefest, the bluegrass festival that he attends every year (In his teepee). He seemed very laid back, appreciative and polite in person. At the time, I had only heard of him through a few friends that read this book, but I had not read the book myself. I was extremely curious about his life and views after meeting him and read the book about him, "The Last American Man".
  
  This is a great book, because it is the type of book that will stay with you a long time (I read it three months ago and I still think about it frequently). Eustace is a fascinating person, with views on materialism and nature that could only be considered eccentric in today's culture. He believes that most of us would be happier if we release ourselves from our materialism and live in nature, surving off our knowledge of the wilderness. He is amazing in that he starts his own camp, Turtle Island in which he teaches kids and adults who want to work with him about the art of surviving in the wilderness. His knowledge of hunting and farming is astounding. He often studied Native American cultures growing up (In Gaston County) and used this knowledge from very early on. He adopts many values and skills of the Native Americans and applies it. He also faces challenges that most of us just dream about (Hiking the entire AT, and riding a horse from coast to coast with his brother).
  
  The book is not only a riveting story about Eustace's wanting to start a movement to Native American values, but also captures character flaws which often leave Eustace isolated and feeling unfufilled. He has difficulty having relationships with women, and getting along with those that work with him. Through it all, though, we are still in awe of his drive to take a stand and at least try to influence other people to adopt at least some of his values or lifestyle.
  
  I am an avid outdoorsman, but would be the first to admit that it would be difficult to live and survive in the wilderness under primitive condidtions day after day. I suppose I, like most other people, have been spoiled with todays comforts. I know I will not adopt his lifestyle, but because of this book I go to bed at night sometimes just dreaming about what it would be like!
  
  

• Honest, Thought-Provoking, Funny & Fascinating

  
  By AUZ8ZG4AB8HC2 on 2002-09-23
  Eustace Conway is a "one-of-a-kind" man, and this book is a truly fascinating read. More than that, the book's written in a unique way. The author, Elizabeth Gilbert, is a character in this story as well. Although Eustace is in the spotlight, we're very aware of the person casting that light, and she does so with a gift for timing, phrasing, observation and humor. She is not an invisible biographer. Her thoughts and opinions are woven throughout. I'm not used to this style, but I came to love it. Elizabeth is the perfect guide on the "Getting to know Eustace" journey. Sit back and enjoy! And when you're done, follow Eustace's advice, and Get Out and Do!
  
  

• Interesting, but a narcissist

  
  By on 2002-06-06
  Yes, Eustace Conway has spent a long time honing his skills, and living "green" is great for the planet - I'm all for it. But it's key to understand that Conway's quest has always been about seeking validation from a cold, distant father. This drives him to do just about everything he does, from carefully crafting his charismatic, perfect, self-proclaimed "Man of Destiny" self- image, to pronouncing his grandiose mission to lead Americans back to nature.

  Narcissists want a lot of attention, good or bad, to make up for some lack of it in childhood. Conway is the classic example: preoccupied with grandiose philosophies and projects, presuming his own genius, taking no financial responsibility (he gets daddy to buy the land), constant over-busyness, claims of spiritual specialness, and fear of loneliness - even while his intolerant perfectionism and cold-heartedness drive away the very people whose company he desperately wants. His constant state of anxiety drives him to self-medicate with alcohol. It's the classic narcissistic cycle.

  Interesting read, but keep his narcissism in mind.
  
  

• A fantastic, thought provoking book.

  
  By on 2003-12-01
  I can't decide whether to write a review of the book, or criticize my fellow reviewers, so I think I will do both. I bought this book, read it in four hours, gave it to my husband who then couldn't put it down, and then wrestled it away from him and re-read it. It is that compelling.

  Elizabeth Gilbert is supremely talented, able to spin a yarn, laugh at herself, and deliver razor sharp character assessments in a few short sentences. Despite the opinions of some of the critics on this board, she is not in love with Eustace Conway. She does not fawn over this remarkable man, ever.

  Instead, she tells Eustace's story with clarity and grace, never losing site of the metaphor she engages in comparing this man's story to the history of the American male, and America in general. Eustace's talent for self promotion seems to rub people the wrong way, even in his own family, but it is this very talent that has enabled Eustace to purchase his land and live his life according to his beliefs.

  As for Eustace being deplorable, unlikable, despicable. etc... I had to ask myself if I had read the same book as these folks. I think the word they must be looking for is conflicted. Never did I see any examples of cruelty, anger or hatred in Eustace's behavior. What I did read about was a lot of candy-assed weenies who didn't like being told what to do, people who need to have their every completed task validated with a compliment, people Eustace eventually tires of, and thankfully so. Frankly, I found Gilbert too understanding of these punks, and a bit hard on Eustace. So much for her being in love with him.

  As for those who call Eustace a hypocrite, please. This man lived in a tipi for 17 years, lives now with no electricity or running water, and built his homestead with his bare hands and no nails. He is the first to admit he drives a truck, uses plastic buckets and appreciates the power of a chain saw. He never says otherwise, and even if he did, would it make his other accomplishments less valid? Oh yeah, I guess so. The worst thing you can do nowadays is be a hypocrite, right? That negates every accomplishment, invalidates every honor.

  As for the claims that thousands live in rural Tennessee, etc... more naturally than Eustace, yeah right. This man is a blacksmith, plows his fields with horses, makes clothes out of buckskin, makes jars from clay found in riverbeds, catches skins and eats rattlesnakes, set two endurance ride records, on and on. I daresay maybe a handful of people live like him, if that many, and they are paid to be 'historical interpreters' at Jamestown and the likes. At the end of the day they punch out and go to Starbucks.

  Lastly, the condescension surrounding Eustace's inability to find a mate, as if he is somehow so scarred and despicable he will never marry is ludicrous. If everyone who marries is somehow at a place of peace Eustace will never find because of his mixed up psyche, then the bar must be very low indeed, and Eustace is the smart one.

  What I found most interesting about this book is the way it made me take a hard look at some of the decisions I have made in my life. Only the best books do that. I encourage you to read this book and ignore the naysayers. People of heroic proportions tend to polarize everyone, and I think those who dislike this book and Eustace are jealous on some level. Jealous of his decisiveness, his character and his astounding achievements.
  
  

• Read, read, read this book!
  By on 2002-05-23
  I can't say enough good things about this book. (& yes, I accidentally put my review in for the audio cd!) A fascinating and complex subject handled with the perfect amount of admiration, objective analysis and humor. Eustace Conway's fervent attempt to lead Americans back to nature by setting an example - even if he tends to be so busy promoting that lifestyle that he doesn't always get to live it! - makes for a compelling read. I respect and admire not only his passion for what he believes in, as well as allowing so much of his character - good and difficult - to be made accessible to Elizabeth Gilbert. You might not be moved to go live out in the woods ala Conway, but this book will make you stop, think and evaluate your life. (Now if only he could sort out that whole girl thang...!!!)

  Just a side comment on someone else's review: Narcissistic, ok, but I definitely didn't get that he self-medicated with alcohol. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth says he should loosen up a bit more. And yes, he had his Dad lend him the money to buy the land before it was too late, but nearly killed himself working to pay it back in record time.

  As for Ms. Gilbert, I was so impressed that, midway through reading this, I purchased her novel "Stern Men" and look forward to reading her future work. I also hope she writes the follow-up in 20, 30 years or so! I could go on and on but I'll shut up and say, thank you Elizabeth, thank you Eustace for a gripping, inspiring story so well written.
  
  

• So much potential, so poorly realized
  By on 2002-07-01
  I heard all of the buzz about this book and really looked forward to a good read. However, there were a few times in every chapter when I wanted to pitch the book in the trash can and read something else. The problem is not the subject, the arrogant and sometimes immature Eustace Conway. The problem the writer, the arrogant and sometimes immature Elizabeth Gilbert. She can't keep irrelevant information about herself out of the book. She opens with an anecdote about her early 20s, when she went to find herself on a Wyoming ranch. That's fine -- she connects the story to her meeting with Eustace and the overall theme (never fleshed out) about finding oneself in the wild. But later we find out about her childhood affections for the Wizard of Oz and her tendencies to think about the sex lives of everyone she meets. Who cares? She inserts little comments about the characters here and there ("Would it have killed him to yield one goddamn centimeter in all his life?" and "Welcome to the South, Professor" -- ugh).

  She needs an editor, too. She tends to insert unnecessary italics. And she tends write in fragments. Which is really annoying. And kind of jarring.

  Worst of all, the story never lives up to its potential. Things happen, blah blah blah, but they are never strongly tied to the theme of American masculinity. And for as much time as Gilbert spends with Eustace, she always seems like a city girl admiring the outsider. Eustace is perfect, according to her; and even when he's not acting perfect, when he's a driven self-promoter, he's following an archetype, and thus still perfect.

  This book gets three stars from me because there are some really good moments in there (the scene early on when Eustace kills the deer -- a way of showing, with all the gore, what it means to live in the outdoors). But people who are sticklers for good profiles and good journalism should prepare for disappointment.
  
  

• Another American Male
  By A21O8MW3R606RA on 2002-07-09
  Ok, ok I take issue with the title. Being married to an avid outdoorsman, committed and wonderful husband and father, resourceful, talented and extremely soul-full and mature American man left me wondering about the proclamation Elizabeth has for Eustace Conway. Speeding through the out of doors across the country in record time, skinning animals and eating roadkill, mistreating loved ones, and teaching without self-reflection does not a man make. But, I enjoyed the insight Elizabeth understood and relayed about how we project our need for the expression of our Wild Men onto Eustace and people like him who are merely human beings. Eustace is another bright and searching, creative man who has been cast under Saturn's shadow and unable to see his own light. I hope he finds it the way others find it in him, and need to find it in themselves.
  Found the book chock-full of great characters, her delivery is precise and deep as an objective witness without ever becoming sloppy sentimental. This is not the courageous story of an independent, mature American man, but the poignant story of an entangled, co-dependent American Family ~ the tragedy, the comedy, the drama and the survival. Bless the Conways and all of us who are struggling to love each other in spite of our humanity.
  
  
• Interesting premise, but in the end lacks punch
  By A3J43V14O3XYTF on 2002-12-16
  Elizabeth Gilbert starts out her book The Last American Man with a bang, summing up the adventurous accomplishments of Eustace Conway. At seven, he could hunt down chipmunks by accurately flinging a knife. At twelve, he went into the woods and survived on his own for a week. At 18 he conquered the mighty Mississippi in a canoe and the following year it was the Appalachian Trail. Conway is the subject of Gilbert's telling of the "last American man;" rather, the last person in this country to live off the land with Davy Crockett-styled energy.
  The first few chapters certainly set the stage for an exciting and interesting story, yet in the end the reader is left angry at Conway as he is anything but American.

  The book begins by outlining Conway's goal in life, which is quite different than the typical 21st century Internet-savvy American. Simply, he wants to "snap his countrymen out of their sleepwalk." Conway wants to do this by reintroducing Americans to the concept of revelatory communion with the frontier. This communion comes in the form of visits to local high schools, and particularly in people coming to stay with Conway on his land in North Carolina. Unfortunately Conway is not too successful in accomplishing his goal, as he drives away most that are initially interested in the frontier plans.

  Before describing the actual apprenticeship program, Gilbert sets up the credibility of Conway as the 21st century Davy Crockett. These moments are the most interesting in the book -- descriptions of Conway in college at Appalachian State are humorous, and the adventures that he finds later in life are amazing. In particular, Conway's horseback voyage across America is quite interesting.

  In the end though, the book shines a light on the fact that Eustace Conway is about as un-American as they come. He does not embody the ideals that many of the great American leaders held. Conway is a selfish and egotistical man that is more interested in his own welfare than the original goal he set out to accomplish. Even Gilbert, who is a close friend of Conway's, admits to his vanity and says that he should loosen up. Conway admits that his frontier image is an act and that he would prefer to live a simple life alone in the woods. Instead, he has commercialized and glamourized his life accomplishments, becoming what he strived to fight in the first place. Conway is a confused man with serious emotional problems (which are explored in detail throughout the chapters about his childhood).

  The adventures of Conway are interesting, but the book is absent of any real lesson or insight. If it is Davy Crockett adventure that you seek, rent the movie or get the biography. I do not recommend this book to those looking for portrayal of the last American man, as its merits cannot stand ground based solely on the interesting storyline.
  
  

• just terrible
  By A2U3XDYBZSPZ82 on 2002-10-27
  This book is written as if it were for a women's magazine.The text is full of cuteness. The subjectis presented as a true wilderness dweller, but in reality he is nothing of the sort. Last American Man ? There are thousands of people who live far closer to nature than Conway in the hills of West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and even in NY's Adirondacks. This guy goes in and out all the time. He is far from authentic. There is almost nothing in the book that gives the reader a feel for lonely wilderness living. Gilbert has either been hookwinked or she's in love with Conway. The book is disjointed, poorly written and, worst of all, burdened with Gilbert, Gilbert, Gilbert, and her observations are trite. The book is a perfect example of why it is best to read a chapter before buying. A waste of time and money.
  
  
• Read Thoreau...
  By on 2003-06-09
  I heard about The Last American Man on NPR - and picked up the paperback last week in an airport somewhere. I have always been thoughtful of and concerned about modern humanity's plight of increased technology and decreased humanity. Coupled with our Post-Modern Relativism, we are fast becoming what Lewis called "men without chests". When I heard of Eustace Conway, I was intrigued that perhaps he was on to something. Perhaps the very nature of technological advancement and dependency breeds this flaccid kind of existence. So I read The Last American Man with both fear and hope. Fear that Eustace Conway's opinion of modern man would be correct and that I would have to entertain the possibility that the proper response would mean giving up a comfortable suburban life. Hopeful that there would be an answer to our current crisis. And while I recommend reading this book - both because it reminds us of what Whitman and Thoreau told us a hundred and fifty years ago and because Eustace Conway's story is a compelling and utterly human one - I came away convinced that despite his hopes for and claims to the contrary, Eustace has not found the answer - or even correctly identified the problem.

  Elizabeth Gilbert as an author is merely satisfactory. She is an apologist for Eustace's hopes and dreams but is brutally honest in her assessment of him as a person and as a leader.

  If you get the chance, read The Last American Man.
  
  

• awful
  By A2FE306DVLQ7VJ on 2003-12-13
  It's too bad that Eustace Conway's story had to be told by Elizabeth Gilbert. She's totally immature as a writer, and she doesn't know how to maintain any sort of distance from her subject. Last American Man reads like you'd expect it would, coming from a city gal who has a little romp in the woods with an outdoorsman. She is completely clueless. She retells Eustace's stories without skepticism. She quotes liberally from the work of Richard Slotkin, a hip scholar -- perhaps to bring some heft to this otherwise lightweight work. I travelled to Boone, N.C., shortly after the book came out and talked to folks who knew Eustace, had him in a class, etc. They thought the book was a laughable piece of trash, too -- a not-very-accurate picture of the man, and certainly not an accurate picture of that corner of Appalachia. Don't waste your time. (I notice that most of the reviewers here focus more on whether they like Eustace as a person, and not whether the book is any good. Which it's not.)
  
  
• Interesting subject... poorly told
  By A25RTOSF7QYAPM on 2005-07-03
  I just finished reading "The Last American Man," and agree with some of the other reviewers. It is an intersting story to begin with, how Eustace wants to live off the land and how he achieves his goals (no one can deny that he's done an amazing amount with his life), but it seems that as he gets older Eustace loses sight of his initial intentions. He seems instead to get frustrated with how hard it is to continue his lifestyle because he believes he can't trust other people. It seems to me, however, that he's unwilling to try and trust people, and he comes across as being very hard to please as well. But part of that I think is Gilbert's fault.
  
  I didn't like Gilbert's writing style at all, her voice was very young and immature, and it got annoying quickly (kind of like a high school girl over-analyzing her crush of the moment). Eustace's life, accomplishments, and personality would have been done a lot more justice if told by someone like Tim Cahill or Jon Krakauer, and he probably would have come across as a nicer person.
  
  Overall, though, I did find the story interesting if you can get over Gilbert's writing style.
  
  
• A classic American documentary...
  By A3GW6AE961SMGG on 2003-01-06
  This is one of the best books I have ever read. I cannot say enough good things about this book.
  On the surface, this is an outstanding biographical account of a man who "left it all" and went to live in the mountains. But the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, manages to include just about every aspect of life in the story. She has put together a story which covers: pursuing impossible challenges, achieving your dreams, parent-child relationships, disfunctional families, male-female relationships, why women desire men that are the opposite of what the women really want and need, alcohol abuse, the eco/back-to-nature movement, and adventures in the great outdoors.
  Gilbert accomplishes this by combining her writing skills, life experience, humor, and personal acquaintance with the subject, Eustace Conway. Her style includes a dash of Tom Wolfe and even Hunter S. Thompson. It is an added bonus that she provides a female perspective in an area that is a male domain. What is particularly remarkable is that the story is true, and Gilbert has packed it all into a short work of non-fiction.
  Upon reading this work, I was dying to meet Gilbert and Conway, and discuss a million questions and issues with them. I will leave it up to other readers to formulate their own list.
  
  
• Broken
  By on 2004-03-11
  Read within these pages the effects of extreme mental and emotional abuse upon a child and the way it plays out as an adult. Eustace is a broken human. His unfortunate treatment at the hands of his father seriously crippled him. People who have suffered like Eustace are often over-achieving, perfectionists; unable to maintain relations with others; either oblivious to the needs of others or slavishly catering to the whims of others and they almost always come to closley resemble the abuser.

  Big Eustace was a denizen of the office and the classroom- liked to write out long equations and ramble on to hear the sound of his own voice, so little Eustace subcociously chose a path 180 degrees away from father and becomes a creature of the forest but ended up rambling in his classroom just the same, just a different subject.
  To me this was an eminently sad tale of a boy going to any length for father's notice and approval. Neither of which came at least by the conclusion of this book.
  Eutace-walk away.
  
  

• Couldn't even finish it
  By A1E349F9GECTT9 on 2004-12-28
  It takes real talent to ruin such a fascinating life. Certainly Eustace Conway is a great subject for a biography, and given his unusual skills and apparently irresistably personal manner with others, I was floored by how dull and quaint Gilbert made it all seem. Why this was nominated for any award at all is beyond me. The three pages of positive reviews at the head of the book are either taken out of context, or based more on hype than an actual reading of the book.
  
  I really think Gilbert misjudged her audience with this book. If you are going to pick this up to read, you probably have some idea what Conway is about already, and you probably agree with his ideals to some extent. Gilbert, however, comes off as a very NYC-centric city writer who is trying very hard to understand what makes this crazy backwoodsy guy tick.
  
  There is no story-telling here, no attempt to engage the reader, just a cold and largely condescending analysis of Conway's life. Gilbert spends whole chapters musing on what motivates the fellow, when it is completely obvious from the first few pages. She shows a real lack of confidence in her reader's abilities, constantly reminding him/her of things that have already explained (such as always restating that Conway's mother as "his mother" rather than only using her name). In her "jaunty" asides and wry comments, Gilbert herself comes off as phony and self-centerd, often spending whole paragraphs on her own life and obsessions (one being the contemplation of strangers' sex lives, apparently).
  
  If the audience for the book were urban, urbane and jaded New York folks, it would work perfectly. But if you're someone with a real interest in Conway's style of outdoorsmanship, pick up "The Tracker" by Tom Brown instead of this.
  
  
• National Book Award Finalist? That's a joke. A flawed Peter Pan
  By A1R3CBETCUOMG5 on 2007-03-23
  Mentally ill homeless people live for decades in conditions not much different than the subject of this book (on the ground in all weather, dumpster diving, unable to sustain close, or any, relationships). The author does not draw distinctions between the vast range and expressions of resourcefulness that are largely the venue of Men today, with the path chosen by someone who still plays Peter Pan. I won't criticize the subject of the book. I simply didn't find him particularly compelling.
  
  As a character study, this book is no better than many of the sloppy rock star biographies out there. It reads like a long magazine article, appropriate while killing time between flights and that's about it. While the story has some interesting moments it doesn't deliver. It is not the fault of the subject, who I don't in any way regard the "The Last American Male." One hopes that the author had tongue firmly planted in cheek. It should be "The Lost American Male."
  
  
  
• Egotist Writing About Another Egotist
  By AN0J15L5XIPPG on 2007-04-27
  Ack! Once again, Elizabeth Gilbert drips her cutesy, cloying, self-obsessed prose all over an otherwise fine book, and destroys its integrity and lasting literary value.
  I was immediately hooked by Eustace's story, and it's a good thing too, or else I would have not been able to stomach Gilbert's immediate need to inform us that she had slept with Eustace's brother, Judson.
  I don't know of any other talented, contemporary writer who so dramatically undermines their own ability to tell a compelling story by muscling into their reporting whenever and however possible.
  
  Eustace is a grand subject -- and winds up being a memorable tragic hero for becoming every bit the cold despot his father is/was. In the long passages when Gilbert manages to keep herself out of the narrative, it's a great read. However, when she re-appears at the end like the perky, drunk, babbling cheerleader who just won't leave the party, she kills the momentum, destroys the emotional power of Eustace's story, and concludes the whole effort with the literary equivalent of a Valley Girl drawling, "oh my gawd, this guy is SO. HOT!"
  
  Blech, blech, blech. So Elizabeth, did you get him into bed, or what? We know you're dying to tell us.
  
  
• Sad Story
  By on 2003-09-23
  The book is well written although a bit excessive in the repetitive discussion of family relationships. Its strength is in immersing the reader in vivid descriptions of our natural surroundings.
  While I enjoyed the writing, I wonder if the book was ready to be written. It presents a portrait of a brilliant, skilled, obsessive failure of a man who, as of its ending, has missed the essential lessons of life. He fails to learn that he is not responsible for the universe, he cannot control what happens in the world, and basing his life on striving to satisfy false certainties blocks the openness that could let him love and find fulfillment.
  I wish the author had the patience to wait and watch long enough to see if Eustace will find the wisdom to live the peaceful life she described to him in the final chapter. If he ever does, that would allow for a book that doesn't show us a failed genius but that offers a lesson in what a successful life can look like. It would show us an emotionally violent man growing into a peaceful man. I would have been willing to wait for that book.
  
  
• Limited portrayal
  By A2PK5OMCPUBWSM on 2007-09-05
  Gilbert writes that she had "doubts about writing the book" but when someone said "wouldn't you rather make a mistake by doing something than make a mistake by not doing something?" she felt compelled to write Conway's story. And that's the sad part because had she listened to her own doubt she might have postponed writing this book until she became a little older and wiser. Although a gifted writer, I believe it would have been a different story. I can't help but think that because of her focus, Conway will be reluctant to allow another biographer such access. This is a man, who has lived an incredible life, little of which we are privileged to see in this portrayal.
  How we like, in certain intellectual circles, to tear down people--to focus only on the defect not the accomplishment, not the journey--not comprehending that life unfolds in its own beauty. Very little, unfortunately, was written about the remarkable accomplishments this man undertook and completed. Traveling down the Mississippi River, hiking across Alaska, scaling cliffs in New Zealand and living with the Navajo of New Mexico, surviving in the wilderness--all are given short shift. Instead the focus of her book is on Conway's troubled relationships with family, later with staff at Turtle Island and through out the book, in great detail, with the women he tried to bond with along the way.
  And then there's Gilbert's commentary--about politics, feminism, men's rituals, his family relationships--difficult at times to ascertain fact from tongue--in--cheek, admiration and pure condemnation. A powerful story tells itself--it doesn't need commentary. Let the readers draw their own conclusions. It sometimes felt as if Gilbert needed more pages turned out, thus the commentary--but come on--what a great story to tell, so many more things much more interesting to know . . .
  Finally, people notice different things. Some pay more attention to feelings and things, others to nature, logic, art, science. Besides choosing different information to focus on (which often says more about ourselves than others), we also have access to different information. We tend to believe as if we have all the important information there is to know about another, but we don't and so what we choose to focus on is limited by what we see. Age often, but not always, expands what we are capable of seeing. And that's my main problem with this book.
  Gilbert was young when she wrote it, most likely struggling with her own relationships, her own identity as a woman and thus the focus of her book. She repeatedly states, for example, that Conway's father was verbally abusive yet writes little concerning two extraordinary attempts of both father and son at reconciliation and yet, isn't this the more poignant story? Did she just have a deadline to meet? (And let me reveal my bias!)
  Her portrayal is of a damaged man, not a man in the process of becoming. Becoming what? I don't know but from direct quotes of his conversations with her, a man willing to reflect upon his own life. This could have been a great biography and I'm not stating Gilbert shouldn't have delved into Conway's troubled relationships. I'm simply saying it is only part of the story, filled with commentary when the story could have been presented more powerfully and more simply merely by letting the story tell itself while including the extraordinary with the ordinary.
  
  
  
• Lies and Bad Writing
  By on 2003-07-08
  I can't believe how many people gave this book five stars. The writer repeats Conway's self-glorifying tales without any attempt to establish their accuracy. She is not a writer, she is a publicist, for Conway's grandiose vision of himself. She doesn't see that he: 1)exploits naive young people to work like dogs improving HIS land, then complains that they don't have the 'guts' to stick around when they wake up and see what he is up to 2)exploits women to be the mirror of his conceit 3)blames his Dad for all his problems, which is the the acme of self pity 4) uses his own brother and the writer to further his ambition of land ownership and celebrity

  this is a badly written book about a sick man.
  
  

• Great read, great ride
  By A2WZD1VXHNJAYF on 2007-04-03
  This is the kind of book that takes you on a great ride. So much so, that when I turned the last page and saw the words "Epilogue" I felt depressed. The book is not only a great ride and a great read but it gives the mind much to chew on and digest. What a wonderful exploration of a man, a family, several generations, and a culture. I read Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love" first and found it delightful, but this book proves what an accomplished and skilled writer she really is. Buy it. Read it. Share it.
  
  
• In The Breast Of The Beast!
  By A2G0GBE62V0UFJ on 2002-07-02
  The Last American Man is worth reading. America has many similar guys today still who live to perpetuate the frontier spirit and who are certainly not pleased with the changes in the country and the environment. Eustace Conway is to be credited for his accomplishments and zeal thus far regardless of what people may criticize him for. His idealism is not new as the author points out in case examples of prior and present attempts at utopian living. Other cases could have been cited but were left out unfortunately that readers would have benefited from. Personally, I thought the book cover didn't do Conway justice and I was disappointed. I didn't care for the title of the book either. Quite frankly, the writing could have been better.The publisher could have printed interesting photos or other worthy information in the book but didn't unfortunately. The pioneer spirit lives in every American, both man, woman and child, even if only in their dreams. That strong fire in the breast of the beast will remain strong regardless of what civilization does to try to destroy itself. One main thing is worth remembering. As long as our great country (or perhaps used to be) and social experiment continues to explode in population to unreasonable, devastating proportions, and to make the environment pay the price and the people who pay the price too, then utopian dreams of trying to save what was will die an ever quickening death in a smaller and smaller world in a bigger and bigger world of globalization and massive social and economic upheaval if not also massive destruction to come.What is the answer to survival? Simple! Less population! However, the human race doesn't want to go in the right direction when less population will prove to be the only answer in time but too late probably. Trying to colonize other planets with countless future humans will only magnify the problem. While Eustace Conway and others along the way, past and present, have meritorious ideas and actions, reality is what everyone has to stare in the face. It is up to the people to speak and act strongly enough to make the needed changes occur. So far, not enough countrymen are willing to unnumb their comfortable existence to collectively make those changes. Administrations and big business only continue to perpetuate the myth of progress despite attempts to convince the population otherwise. The evidence of that fact is all around us that we witness continually. One thing I liked about the book that really needed to attempt to explain was the interior of a man which confuses so many women and psychologists and educators. There is nothing really complicated about a man at all. A man, just like a woman, seeks to feel the freedom inside and with nature against a world that tries to destroy and complicate the breast of the beast.
  
  
• He who loves Mother-Earth
  By A3DHYFPAI7GDE8 on 2007-02-26
  Eustace Conway, a man who had a dream, and fulfilled it, never forgetting his love and respect for the Earth. Not to mention, this book was written by an amazing author and woman, Elizabeth Gilbert.
  
  I have read this book a few times, because the story is truly inspiring. The account of Eustace's dreams/life is written as if the reader is the one experiencing his journey with him, and not through the pages.
  
  Recommend this book to all nature lover's, who strive to make their own dreams of living off the land, in respect, come true.
  
  
  
• A great book - definitely worth checking out!
  By A219RLJ50J5ZWU on 2002-07-30
  This is a great book, especially timely in our current age of anthrax scares and contaminated beef. I would give it 5 stars, but I don't think it is an 'all time' classic, although it is certainly very good. You can get a sense of what it is about from the reviews that are also posted here. The comments from some customers who mentioned things like "so much potential, so poorly realized" are way off base in my opinion. I think it is fine for an author to enter their own personality into a story - it gives you a context to evaluate their reporting and views on the topic at the same time as you evaluate the story. The writing in this book is definitely a kind of new journalism - perhaps 'gonzo' is the term - if you will. To me that means that the writer can take some liberties with the traditional definition of subject and reporter/author. I find the fact that Gilbert reveals her quirky desire to constantly postulate on the sex lives of people she meets amusing. Lighten up folks! One reviewer even mentioned that "she tends to insert unnecessary italics." Who gives a flyin' f**k? To me, that reviewer was clearly a classic whiner, although of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. Probably a frustrated writer. I think Gilbert had a lot of ground to cover and did so without making this into an epic 1000 page saga. I liked the overal simplicity of the book too - it went right along with Eustace and his character. She is not afraid to point out his flaws and attempt to put them into context. The section on the mule, Peter Rabbit, was hysterically funny to me as well. I went to a book reading here in North Carolina recently, and Eustace was a lot less stern than he comes across at times in the book. He was great with all the kids that came, so I guess he must be mellowing out a bit. In conclusion, this is a great book, for those who like the outdoors and for those who like personal, engaging writing. Check it out sometime.
  
  
• Liked the Book-- Disliked the Man...
  By AVZ05DSO5S2YS on 2002-10-24
  The author does a masterful job of portraying a man whom I both admire and detest; she is honest about the deplorable aspects of Eustice Conway's nature, yet she obviously is in love with him. Eustice Conway is Peter Pan with a libido, and I found myself having to put this book down, from time to time, because his excessive hubris was too much to bear.
  
  
• We are the "oddballs"!
  By A3NE8JTDIQ7K77 on 2003-09-16
  With Eustace Conway what you see is what you get. There is absolutely no pretense about him whatsoever and that, I suspect, is what leads many people to either idolize him or dislike him.

  But you see he is not the oddball, we are. Eustace Conway is a man who has realized a true connection with the natural world and laments the fact that this connection is being lost little by little everyday. To borrow his metaphor - we live in boxes, drive to work in a box with wheels and work in yet another box. This is life for most North Americans. We know roughly where our food comes from and where our waste goes but we have never really had a real connection with this reality. This knowledge is fundamental if we are to understand our planet and the current crisis it is undergoing. This is the knowledge that makes us truly human beings. Eustace Conway "walks the walk" without compromise and for those who follow him he demands no less. And this is perhaps what rubs people the wrong way - he invites us to look directly at the reality of living in nature. Not the romantic fluff that is often portrayed in literature and movies but the actual deep down reality of it, the very hard work that forces one to confront not only how harsh the natural world can be but to confront ourselves which is often much tougher. He reminds me of the old Zen master who forced his disciple's head in the water and held it under until he realized the simple value of 'breathing',something he had taken for granted and really never noticed until then. Some may question his methods but in truth these folks really do not have much of a leg to stand on because Eustace has been living this life for the better part of twenty years.

  Elizabeth Gilbert captures his life beautifully. For sure she is in awe of this man but that does not cloud her judgement of him and her rendering of his life is done with skill and insight. Perhaps the most tragic part of this book is the recounting of Eustace's difficult chilhood under an overbearing and exacting father that constantly levelled him with verbal abuse and impossible expectations. But for me the greater tragedy still is the fact that the very elements that made Eustace who he is and allowed him to live in the wild are also what keep him from connecting deeply with everyone else in the world. I hated to see this book end and I hope Gilbert gets around to writing a follow-up one day.
  
  

• Hopefully the Last American Man
  By A1ECZFRCCOWK6S on 2003-10-17
  I would not reccomend this book to a friend. I hought the book lagged on about one topic because Eustace was so full of himself. The thing I liked least about this book was the chapters kept going on and on about nothing-it wasn't even full of good detail. I hated the way Eustace treated others and how he held himslef (better than others). The book dragged on about boring topics-and that made Eustace look even more crazy. The only valueable thing I learned was no matter how long you are out in the woods-you still won't necessaril find yourself. Being isolated is not always the best thing. The writers style was very one sided b/c she was obsessed with Eustace. She would always compliment him and stay on his side-she seemed to understand and accept his bad attitude and rude treatment towards others. But she did give a good background about Eustace even thoughit was one sided. She seemed totally obsessed with him. If I had the choice to stop in the middle of the book, I would have-but actually some of the stories Eustace told were interesting, but otherwise he bored me-b/c what else can he do in the woods besides trying to survive?
  
  
• Much Ado About Nothing
  By on 2003-11-11
  Eustace Conway is a radical minimalist who has lived independently for years in a teepee, rode a horse across the U.S. in record time and developed a school, of sorts, on his "primitive" farm, all in what proves to be a vain effort to escape the demons implanted by his abusive father.

  He is handsome, charismatic, sexually attractive to women, brilliant and sensitive to the environment, but a largely uncommunicative mental basket case. In the end, there is much more about him to pity than to admire or emulate. He cannot sustain relationships with women, his employees or siblings. He spends decades teaching others how to do without, but reveals to Elizabeth Gilbert that he wants to build his own house with "walk-in closets."

  Gilbert's breezy, well-written infatuation with the eccentric but creative Conway is ultimately unsatisfying and nearly pointless, even though he is an unforgettable character. While Conway's environmental concerns are noble, little of his knowledge or lifestyle is practicable for those who can interact within society. Who among us really believes utopia is making our own buckskin clothing, eating roadkill and using Stone Age survival techniques? And who has a personal 1,000 acre mountain retreat on which to do those things?

  The Last American Man evolved from a magazine article Gilbert wrote about Conway. Reading the book about Eustace Conway has a parallel to meeting the mountain man himself: the briefer the encounter, the more likely it is to be satisfying.
  
  

• The Evangelizing Mountain Man
  By AYYR9SQUE30ZY on 2005-05-12
  If Gilbert doesn't hook you with her first sentence, then you must be in a coma. "By the time Eustace Conway was seven years old, he could throw a knife accurately enough to nail a chipmunk to a tree." That was all it took to pull me into Conway's life, whom I'd never heard of before. The bare facts of his life are a testament to the saying, "truth is stranger than fiction." Here is a man who makes his clothes out of buckskin, sleeps in a tent for 17 years, and sets records for cross-country horse rides. Gilbert tells us about his accomplishments, but also tells us about the man: brilliant but unsuccessful with relationships, from his father to his many female friends. Conway's desire to spread the word about a simpler life has actually cost him the simpler life he once led. His endless phone calls and public speaking addresses now eat up the time he could be spending on the trail or in the field, but he feels the sacrifice is worth it if he can save us from ourselves.
  
  Gilbert's style is snappy and conversational. Sometimes we see a little too much of Gilbert in the book, but overall her style works to convey Conway's story. I was never 100% clear on whether or not she interned on Turtle Island or simply visited frequently. The organization of the story is also a little muddled, but still effective.
  
  As soon as I finished The Last American Man, I wanted to know more and was surfing the web to find out more about Turtle Island, Eustace Conway, and Elizabeth Gilbert. If you are a fan of adventure non-fiction (Jon Krakauer, for instance), give this book a try.
  
  
  

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