Tom KizziaBesprekingen

Subtitle: A True Story of Faith and Madness in the Alaskan Frontier½

I grew up in the rural West, I love it, and I'm glad that other people find inspiration in it, too. But sometimes these places attract quite freaky and dangerous people, and this book is the story of one of the most infamous. Raised among the Dallas elite, the man who came to be known as Papa Pilgrim lived on the road for a long time before meeting his wife and having 15 (!) children. The story starts as the large family shows up in a rural corner of Alaska, near the massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park known for its glaciers, looking for land.

We learn through Kizzia's story that the family had outstayed their welcome in Mora County, New Mexico--one county north of where I grew up--because they habitually stole from neighbors, broke their fences, and generally disrespected any sense of community or law. This story details the Pilgrim clan arriving and committing the same offenses, and worse, in their new community, as their neighbors get wrapped up in the battles and have to figure out how to defeat a headstrong man that has clear mental health problems.

It's in a lot of ways a tragic story. The book demonstrates, through a years-long narrative, why everyone needs to understand how to live cooperatively within our society, even if they spend most of their time on their own. But I thought the storytelling was clear, and the author included the perspectives of many people to round it out, including the Pilgrim children.

Finished: 30/10/2020

Fundamentalism taken to the extreme.

This is a true story in the vein of "Mosquito Coast" and "Educated", except it takes place in a remote community in Alaska.½

Good book but no surprises here. Three guesses what happens when "papa pilgrim" gets "cabin fever!"

Tom Kizzia ran across the Pilgrim family when he and his wife (who was to die quite early, unfortunately) in McCarthy, Alaska, a town that time and the mining industry had abandoned and forgotten. It's remoteness, gorgeous scenery, and culture of self-reliance are perhaps what attracted both families.

Kizzia worked for a newspaper. He and his wife were transplants from the east, she working for the Sierra Club. They built a cabin close to McCarthy and so Kizzia was more or less accepted as a kindred spirit by Pilgrim who assumed Kizzia would write favorably of the preacher's battle with the Park Service.

Pilgrim had obtained land and being a "man-of-God" with a wife and fourteen children (a sign itself of insanity) decided he could do whatever he wanted, including bulldozing a road to his property through the National Park. The Park Service was not happy.

Kizzia did research into the background of the family as the battle between the Park Service (which I thought was being quite reasonable, although that the Pilgrim family was armed to the teeth and adopted a constant threatening posture which may have been part of the equation.) The family (Pilgrim insisted he should have 21 children, it being some kind of magical number with religious significance -- it's also the product of 3 and 7 but that never got my blood rushing) had migrated from New Mexico where they had begun to irritate the neighbors by being unneighborly, you know like cutting fences, and stealing stuff, that kind of thing.

Initially, the family's outwardly "pure" appearance and legend, appealed to the Alaskan community, always ready to take on the government, except when it means losing federal money. Cynics suspected Pilgrim had moved there to cash in on Alaskan oil benefit checks, about $2,000 per person, surely a procreative incentive. Congress, in its infinite wisdom, had written into the 1980 conservation law special exemptions for Alaskan frontier types, encouraging living off the land, mine creeks, and you know, shoot bears and moose.

Claiming that the Book of Ezekiel prohibited usury Pilgrim always refused to pay interest. Turns out he had all sorts of other religious rules that included sleeping with his eldest daughter and gradually other daughters, not to mention beating the shit out of his wife and children if they crossed him at all. The family knew no different as any interaction with those outside the family was punished physically.

It’s pretty much against man’s law to be a true Christian family, Papa said, because so many things in the Bible are illegal. The state uses the word “abuse,” but doesn’t Proverbs say that a father who spares the rod hates his child? If you brought some matter before the judgment of a state court instead of God’s eternal judgment, the choice to do so was already your defeat. The state would entice children to speak against their own parents and then send them off to jails and foster homes.

Things started to go to Hell for Papa when the children had too much interaction with another Christian family who moved into the area with children of similar age, that was what we might say more "conventional" and a lot less physical. Pilgrim's eldest daughters took off and the dreaded authorities got involved with prison being the outcome.

It's a fascinating story and reveals how easy it is for insular communities, be they family or larger units, to fall under the sway of individuals to their detriment.

See https://culteducation.com/information/8867-the-strange-story-of-papa-pilgrim.htm... for a detailed article on Papa Pilgrim's origin and twin brother.

Tom Kizzia is a journalist and author living in Alaska. This book is a very well written , about Papa Pilgrim, his wife and 15 children who move to Alaska in 2002..To begin they seem to be a very religious family, just wanting to live off the land.. Eventually things aren't what they seem and the story is heart breaking.. Hard to put down.. great book.

People escape to homestead in the ruggedness and isolation of the Alaskan wilderness for a variety of reasons. Almost necessarily, anyone who takes up that challenge has a certain iconoclasm instilled in his DNA. And the various like-minded folks who share the same nonconformist values are likely to live toward their fellows with a "live and let live" attitude.

But sometimes what might initially pass for mere eccentricity is actually evidence of something much, much darker.

This is the story of one such man. "Pilgrim" he called himself. The image he projected was of a father who simply wanted to raise his large family where isolation would allow "pure Christian values" to reign.

In truth, for those under his power he created a hell.

There were signals of Pilgrim's instability to those outside the family with whom he associated. But a lot of allowances are made when one's primarily values are governed by "live and let live."

Until it became overwhelmingly apparent that "live and let live" came at the cost of the devastating oppression of the vulnerable ones surrounding him.

Tom Kizzia is a reporter of the Anchorage Daily News who became involved in the story not only because of his profession but because he had personal connections to the community where Pilgrim laid down his stakes. As such, sort of a member of Pilgrim's family, Kizzia can tell this story like few others can.

"Live and let live" may be a fine philosophy is many--maybe even most--circumstances. But the lesson here is to also trust your instincts. If something doesn't seem "quite right," it probably isn't.

An incredibly well-written and heartbreaking story of one man's narcissism and violence, and the effects it had on his family, his community, and property rights in Alaska.½

Amazing. I couldn't put this down, and I still can't believe how recently this happened.

Maybe 3.75. As some have said here I was expecting a little more--although I'd only been set up with "Little House on the Prairie meets Into the Wild" so my expectations were probably not as high as those who had read "Helter Skelter meets Into the Wild" :-)

It was especially interesting after having read [b:Drop City|24724|Drop City|T.C. Boyle|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327936131s/24724.jpg|3159281]several weeks ago.

Maybe 3.75. As some have said here I was expecting a little more--although I'd only been set up with "Little House on the Prairie meets Into the Wild" so my expectations were probably not as high as those who had read "Helter Skelter meets Into the Wild" :-)

It was especially interesting after having read [b:Drop City|24724|Drop City|T.C. Boyle|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327936131s/24724.jpg|3159281]several weeks ago.

Maybe 3.75. As some have said here I was expecting a little more--although I'd only been set up with "Little House on the Prairie meets Into the Wild" so my expectations were probably not as high as those who had read "Helter Skelter meets Into the Wild" :-)

It was especially interesting after having read [b:Drop City|24724|Drop City|T.C. Boyle|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327936131s/24724.jpg|3159281]several weeks ago.

I iked the way the author broke this into different sections. Interesting read.

In the nearly abandoned copper mining town of McCarthy, Alaska, the "Pilgrim" family, Papa Pilgrim, Country Rose and their 15 children, bought the rights to an old mining claim and moved into the tumbledown shack on their new property. Papa had started life as Robert Hale, the son of well-to-do parents in Fort Worth, TX. A short and turbulent marriage to the daughter of TX Governor John Connally ended in the tragic suicide by shotgun of Robert's teen wife. Her death was suspicious but Robert was cleared of any wrongdoing. His second wife, Country Rose, and Robert lived in the mountains of New Mexico for awhile until he felt his Christian lifestyle and strict family rules made him a target of ungodly neighbors and the US government. Seeking a new frontier for his ever growing family, Papa settled on McCarthy. At first the family was welcomed by the small number of people still in McCarthy. The Pilgrim family exuded Christian fellowship, strong family values and they were entertaining with their family band who played a mixture of bluegrass and sacred music. Papa quickly ran afoul of the National Park Service as his property was within the borders of the Wrangell - St. Elias national park. He refused to abide by government rules and proceeded to bulldoze roadways and clear timber as he saw fit. The dispute between Papa Pilgrim and the NPS gained national attention and Papa was supported by most of McCarthy's residents.

The Pilgrims appeared to be a close-knit and loving family to outsiders. In truth, Pilgrim homelife was squalid and horrific. Papa ruled with an iron fist beating his wife and 15 children whenever he felt one of them was not living up to Papa's perceived notion of devout Christianity. The children were whipped, starved, smothered to unconsciousness and in the case of Elishaba, the eldest daughter, sexually abused. Neighbors had their suspicions but the Pilgrim children were terrified of their father and, at the same time, devoted to him. Not until Elishaba was nearly 30 years old did the sordid story come to light and Papa was finally arrested. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence he refused to admit to any wrongdoing. Fortunately, the government saw things differently and Papa was sent to jail where he died shortly thereafter from natural causes. Country Rose and her children all still live in the area and seem to be living happy, fulfilling lives.

The author, a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, does a fine job of covering the story. The history of McCarthy and the national park are interesting and the towns people are great characters. I knew that the Pilgrim saga was one of crime but I had no idea it was quite as awful as it was. Those poor children and their mother led heartbreaking lives that is very difficult to comprehend. My 3 star rating does not do the author any justice but the subject matter keeps me from rating it higher.

My blog post about this book is at this link.

Blogged at River City Reading:
Tom Kizzia's forthcoming book, Pilgrim's Wilderness: A Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier, recounts the story of Papa Pilgrim, who set up an ideal Christian homestead with his wife and fifteen children in the small town of McCarthy, Alaska. Initially welcomed to Alaska's remote wilderness by those in the area for their gentle manner and charming musical ability, the Pilgrim family soon begins to divide the community as they begin clashing with the National Park Service over their property rights.

Tom Kizzia's time living in McCarthy allows him to uncover Papa Pilgrim's past as Robert Allen Hale, a Texas teenager with a surprisingly tangled history, while also getting close enough to the family to sense their hidden turmoil. As the family's struggle with the government grows, cracks in their once solid foundation reveal the years of controlling abuse Papa Pilgrim has used to keep them under his thumb.

Fascinating from dozens of angles, Pilgrim's Wilderness starts as a lens into extreme Christianity, environmentalism and government property rights. However, the book soon morphs to examine the rigid hold that a charismatic, but crazed, storyteller can have on a group and the trail of damage he can leave behind.

Disturbing, but entertaining. A story of faith's amazing survival despite insane distortions.

Tom Kizzia has done a great job telling the sad tale of Bob Hale in "Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier." The story makes for a compelling read.

Hale was a domineering man who abused his 15 children and wife in every way imaginable. They moved out to the Alaska frontier so he could live in his brand of religion (which seemed to evolve to suit his purposes) away from any prying eyes. He tangled with the National Park Service -- and became the cause du jour for anti-government folks -- until they backed away once his crimes came to light.

This is one of those books that's really hard to put down.... I couldn't wait to read about Hale's arrest and eventual trial. This book will haunt for a while, I suspect.

This was a grand adventure in the Alaska wilderness. Kizzia painted a beautiful landscape behind some very unusual folks. I appreciated the thoughtful way he handled the tragedy at the center of this story.

Nothing like a good ol' nonfiction book to make you say, "God's Underpants!!! What have I just read?!?!?!?!" I had never heard or read about this case before so this book was a real eye opener. Papa Pilgrim and his fifteen children moved to the wilderness of McCarthy, Alaska to get a fresh start. Papa Pilgrim and his clan operated on old school Christian ideals; their family had minimal contact with people, were "homeschooled" (most couldn't even read), and lived off the land. At first the small town of McCarthy (population less than 100 and insanely hard to get to as there were no roads and it was in the middle of a National Park) welcomed these nice, albeit weird, newcomers. But as months progress they began to sense that something was very wrong. Were they hiding out in Alaska, escaping from the past, what was wrong with the children, what were they doing up in the hills and why did they hate they hate the park rangers? This drama unfolds slowly over time and the trouble that author, Tom Kizzia, goes through to collect, newspaper clippings, testimonials, police reports, and more is staggering. As the case against the Pilgrim family grows, Papa Pilgrim seems to get more and more reckless. Was the family followers of Papa Pilgrims crazy Christian zeal or were they hostages too scared to get help in the wilderness. Gripping and masterfully told, this story of faith and madness on the Alaskan frontier will be sure to grip every reader.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Slow to get into, but the second half went much faster. Mesmerizing story but disturbing to read about the family dysfunction.

Creepy account of how isolation drives people crazy.

This was a grand adventure in the Alaska wilderness. Kizzia painted a beautiful landscape behind some very unusual folks. I appreciated the thoughtful way he handled the tragedy at the center of this story.