Category: United States

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Bill Porter interview

A November 2010 interview of Bill Porter (aka Red Pine) in Beijing, China, can be listened to or downloaded from China International Radio’s CRIEnglish website. Porter is well-known for his books and translations, especially his 1993 Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits. In the interview (in English) Porter reflects on his life and work, and discusses the difference between the “small” hermit and the “great” hermit.

URLs:
website – http://english.cri.cn/8706/2010/11/17/1721s605500.htm
listen to audio – mms://media.chinabroadcast.cn/en/features/spotlight/2010/1117redpine.wma
download the mp3 – http://media.iphone.cri.cn/features/spotlight/2010/1117redpine.mp3

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Forthcoming hermit novel

In this short video from Emerson College (Boston), writer and faculty-member Steve Himmer talks about his novel, The Bee-Loud Glade, which will be published in Spring 2011. The novel features an ornamental hermit: “The Bee-Loud Glade brings this odd pastime to the present day, where a billionaire named Mr. Crane hires Finch to be his decorative hermit.”

URL: http://www.emerson.edu/news-events/emerson-college-today/hermit-who-decorates

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Florida island hermit

An article titled “Local hermit’s diary re-emerges after 20 years in Marco garage”
in the Marco Island Sun Times describes Naranjan, a hermit living on Dismal Island, among the Ten Thousand Islands, off southwest Florida.

Naranjan kept a diary of life on the island, a diary recently brought to light by a local captain who knew the hermit. Naranjan lived in a 1930’s-built shack, and began the diary in the 1980’s, highlighted by his experience of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The last entry before he apparently disappeared reads poignantly: “”Verdi’s Requiem w/Red Belly’s and Cardinals.”

URL: http://www.marcoislandflorida.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100819/MARCONEWS/8190331/1075/Local-hermit-s-diary-re-emerges-after-20-years-in-Marco-garage

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Idaho hermit

Idaho hermit Richard Zimmerman, called “Dugout Dick,” recently passed away at 94. He is described in this article from the Idaho Statesman.

Zimmerman was one of a number of Idaho loners, and perhaps the last. He was entirely self-sufficient, living in a series of caves, growing fruits and vegetables, and maintaining a root cellar. Placed in an elderly care center recently by an acquaintance, he left of his own accord and hitchhiked back to his caves.

Article: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/04/23/1164899/death-of-caveman-ends-an-era-in.html
Video: http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3045786649/ – link brought to our attention by a friend of Hermitary
Another video, from NBC News (local?) circa mid-1980’s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD53LVjXIHs

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“Old Shep,” NY hermit

“Old Shep” was a hermit residing near Buffalo, New York, in the early 20th century. His story resurrects from recent police recovery of a gun Shep possessed, attributed to his days as an associate of Western outlaw Jesse James.

William Shepard is somewhat of a legend in West Seneca history.

“Old Shep,” as he was known, lived in a shack along Cazenovia Creek. He made a living sharpening knives and scissors for residents in town. And his shack was kept on wheels to help avoid taxes.

That’s what the West Seneca Historical Society knows for sure about Old Shep, who died in 1933, said Curator Roger N. Harris.

URLs: http://blogs.buffalonews.com/live/2010/02/the-hermit-of-leydecker-road.html and http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/949648.html