Fascinating read about a family living in the woods for 40 years

[JonnyP]

Interesting read. Spot the writers mistake about cooking with birch bark..
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/For-40-Years-This-Russian-Family-Was-Cut-Off-From-Human-Contact-Unaware-of-World-War-II-188843001.html

[Silverback]

Astonishing !! Thanks for sharing Jonny

[JonnyP]

Amazing that they survived all that time in such a place, only eating meat when the lad got old enough to hunt..
I wonder if there is a book about their story..?

[Silverback]

I wonder if there is a book about their story..?

If there isnt there should be, it would be a fascinating insight into the lives of people essentially still living in the 17/18th century

[JonnyP]

There is a book, but its a fair few quid.. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fifty-Year-Struggle-Survival-Religious-Wilderness/dp/0385472099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359584252&sr=8-1

[Silverback]

A FAIR FEW QUID....quick call an ambulance FIFTY QUID !! Im a Yorkshireman.........thats cruelty to us Yorkshire folk, we dont pay that for a house !! ;)

[JonnyP]

A FAIR FEW QUID....quick call an ambulance FIFTY QUID !! Im a Yorkshireman.........thats cruelty to us Yorkshire folk, we dont pay that for a house !! ;)

I bought a book on ebay once for £40. I read it and then sold it back on ebay for £45. I might try to do similar with this book. I really want to read their story..

[AL...]

That was somethin! Thanks for sharin that Jonny

Cheers
AL

[jus_young]

wow...

[OakAshandThorn]

What a read...positively fascinating. :) T^

[Ehecatl]

Thanks Johny - great read.

M@

[Hathor]

Great article.

I wonder what the father was thinking in terms of his children getting married and having children of their own?

[JonnyP]

I know someone who has bought the book, so I will be quizzing them..

[jus_young]

Great article.

I wonder what the father was thinking in terms of his children getting married and having children of their own?

By the sounds of things there was a very religious aspect to all this so maybe the marriage bit was not so important. The survival aspect took priority when literally running for their lives.

It was unfortunate to hear of their demise so soon after being found. Strange that one of them still survived when the deaths were put down to diet. Surely they were all eating the same, seems odd that one was ok when they all would have been eating the same foods.

[Chubbs]

What a wonderful but sad story. Thanks for sharing Jonny.

[treefrog]

Fascinating to say the least... thanks for sharing, Jonny.

[Peaks]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing

[Geo-68]

great story very moving.

[rawfish111]

Just found this thread *speechless*

[shepherd]

great read jonny, thanks for posting

[snowleopard]

Great story!

Thanks for posting

Joel

[Mouse040]

That's an amazing story I'm off to the library to find out if there's a copy in the uk library system fingers crossed

[JonnyP]

Film about a visit to see 70 year old Agafia, the last surviving family member who still lives out in the Taiga. (35 mins long) http://www.theactivetimes.com/hard-life-what-survival-takes

[happybonzo]

I bought a book on ebay once for £40. I read it and then sold it back on ebay for £45. I might try to do similar with this book. I really want to read their story..

Have you tried the local Library? There is the National Library Lending Service as well. It usually costs about £6 to get in a special order

[JonnyP]

Have you tried the local Library? There is the National Library Lending Service as well. It usually costs about £6 to get in a special order

I haven't, but thanks for the heads-up :0)

[Islandlady]

As a newbie - Just found this - amazing and really a beautiful story!
I wonder if it was not famine that truly killed them - but starting to eat in our 'civilised' way that their bodies couldn't handle. To me it seems too much of coincidence that three of them died after discovery. So glad the other two refused to be rehabilitated. Not sure either how easily they actually lived wild - ( says one who only sees the romance of wild living - not the hardship! :rolleyes:)
Did you buy the book Jonny? I might look for it myself :)

[JonnyP]

As a newbie - Just found this - amazing and really a beautiful story!
I wonder if it was not famine that truly killed them - but starting to eat in our 'civilised' way that their bodies couldn't handle. To me it seems too much of coincidence that three of them died after discovery. So glad the other two refused to be rehabilitated. Not sure either how easily they actually lived wild - ( says one who only sees the romance of wild living - not the hardship! :rolleyes:)
Did you buy the book Jonny? I might look for it myself :)
I didn't buy the book as its too much money, but I know someone who did, so I might go a begging. I would go the library route, but I take ages to read a book. I still have not finished reading The Tiger, that someone on here recommended yonks ago..

[Silkhi]

This really was a fascinating read. Please not that as another Yorkshireman I was put off by £50 but checked too see if it was cheaper on kindle or whatever. Ouch - it's even more now around £80. No way... Such a shame I would love to read this book.

[janso]

an interesting read to be sure; quite an insight into wild living as a lifestyle. I'm gonna have to hunt a much cheaper edition! Interesting read of the Amazon reviews, I always forget there are still places of huge wilderness in this ever decreasing world of ours!

[DuxDawg]

In addition to highlighting the power of the human spirit to survive incredible hardship, this story also shows the power of knowledge. Having only the combined wisdom that the two adults had when they fled severely limited their options for coping with problems.