19 ratings | 16 reviews | avg rating:5.00

more photos (1)

Michael Finkel’s Followers (1,772)

Michael’s Bookshelves

to-read (3)
currently-reading (0)
read (27)

Michael’s Friends (199)

Abby Lawes

235 books | 19 friends

Scottsdale Public Library

3,553 books | 2,481 friends

Dina Horne

556 books | 92 friends

Susan

3,723 books | 223 friends

Racquel Fox

280 books | 13 friends

Jonathan

2,357 books | 213 friends

Jenny

236 books | 99 friends

Thijmen

390 books | 20 friends

More friends…

Michael Finkel

Goodreads Author

Born

in Atlanta, The United States

Website

http://www.MichaelFinkel.com

Twitter

MikeFinkel

Member Since

November 2015

edit data

Michael Finkel is the author of "The Art Thief," "The Stranger in the Woods," and "True Story," which was adapted into a 2015 motion picture. He has reported from more than 50 countries and written for National Geographic, GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine. He lives with his family in northern Utah. ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Michael Finkel questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
Michael Finkel’s books

Average rating: 3.91 · 193,749 ratings · 22,662 reviews · 16 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession 3.92 avg rating — 98,894 ratings — published 2023 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author), Mark Bramhall (Narrator) 3.91 avg rating — 86,268 ratings — published 2017 — 48 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa 3.91 avg rating — 7,141 ratings — published 2005 — 44 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Here Be Monsters... 50 Days Adrift At Sea 3.67 avg rating — 373 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Alpine Circus: A Skier's Exotic Adventures at the Snowy Edge of the World 4.25 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 1999 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Art Thief / The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author) 4.83 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Advanced Tools and Models to Improve River Basin Management in Europe in the Context of Climate Change (Aquaterra) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Intended and Unintended Islanding of Distribution Grids it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Le dernier ermite it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Michael Finkel…

0 posts
Michael Finkel's Blog

Michael Finkel hasn't written any blog posts yet.

rss
Michael’s Recent Updates

Michael Finkel has read The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dear Goodreaders: Though "The Art Thief" is a short book (just over 200 pages), I worked on the project for more than 11 years, trying to make sure that everything in this wild and unpredictable tale is true - and also, to the best of my abilities, e ...more
Feb 13, 2026 09:55PM · 2526 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Art Thief by Michael Finkel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Art Thief by Michael Finkel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel has read The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
There are so many books out there, I am honored that you've chosen to take a peek at "The Stranger in the Woods." It took me three years of full-time work to write a 191-page book; that is a ridiculously slow pace, but I can promise that I weighed eve ...more
Feb 09, 2026 09:26PM · 1407 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel answered Tom Seigel's question: Just finished The Art Thief, which I loved. It would make such a fantastic movie. Is there one in the works? Timothee Chalamet would make a terrific Breitwieser. I hope it's been optioned. (P.S. saw you love The Catcher in the Rye. Me too. I even wrote a novel about it, Caught of Film). Looking forward to your next project! Cheers. Hi Tom: Thanks for your kind words and your readership. I agree that Timothee Chalamet could make an excellent Breitwieser. The material has indeed been optioned; let's see what happens. It'll be a while. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, I'm indee See Full Answer
Feb 03, 2026 10:36AM · 7 likes · like
Michael Finkel rated a book it was amazing Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Heart-rending, beautiful, crushing, written with razor-sharp precision, "Things In Nature" grabbed me fully. To me, Yiyun Li's clinical, sometimes detached prose pierces deep. This is a work of art. ...more
Jan 07, 2026 07:13PM · 14 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel and 2 other people liked Kristi's review of The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit: "I loved loved loved this book. There are so many facets about this book that I love. In so many ways it spoke to me. The parts of me that needs solitude, nature, literature, ingenuity, challenges, silence. This one will not be leaving my bookshelf."
Sep 24, 2025 11:53PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel and 554 other people liked Meg ✨'s review of I Who Have Never Known Men: "i who will never be the same again"
Sep 13, 2025 08:34PM · see review
Michael Finkel rated a book it was amazing I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
There's an entire universe contained within 164 pages - a beautiful, horrible, depressing, uplifting, indelible, unputdownable read. Up there with the absolute best of dystopian novels, such as Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," David Markson's "Wittgenst ...more
Sep 13, 2025 07:46PM · 18 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel and 4 other people liked Betsy Quammen's review of True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America: "I thought it was pretty good. 😆"
Jul 26, 2025 03:13PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of True West by Betsy Gaines Quammen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — True West by Betsy Gaines Quammen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel wants to read The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 12, 2025 11:24PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Ghost Lab by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Ghost Lab by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Finkel is now following Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling Author of A Libertarian Walks into a Bear: The Utopian Pl...
May 12, 2025 11:23PM · like

More of Michael's books…

Quotes by Michael Finkel (?)

“I think that most of us feel like something is missing from our lives. And I wondered then if Knight's journey was to seek it. But life isn't about searching endlessly to find what's missing. It's about learning to live with the missing parts.”
― Michael Finkel, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

48 likes

“Carl Jung said that only an introvert could see "the unfathomable stupidity of man”
― Michael Finkel, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

tags: carl-jung, introverts, stupidity-of-man

39 likes

“I read. That's my form of travel.”
― Michael Finkel, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

tags: reading, travel

35 likes

See all Michael Finkel's quotes »

Polls

Time to vote on our next NON fiction book. Poll remains open until October 31st.
The nominees are...

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

12 votes, 46.2%

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel

8 votes, 30.8%

Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age by Mary Pipher

5 votes, 19.2%

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

1 vote, 3.8%

26 total votes

5 comments

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Spring Challenge 2012: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2297	779	May 31, 2012 09:02PM
Cozy Mysteries : Books into Movies	1	55	Jan 12, 2015 06:13AM
J.D. Robb : Books into Movies	1	18	Jan 12, 2015 06:22AM
Let's Talk About ...: Books into Movies	11	104	Jan 12, 2015 08:04PM
Boxall's 1001 Bo...: Books into Movies	2	85	Jan 14, 2015 01:49PM
21st Century Lite...: Books into Movies	14	92	Feb 10, 2015 12:59AM
Classics for Begi...: Books into Movies	6	78	Mar 19, 2015 04:01PM
The Seasonal Read...: Spring 2015 Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE POSTS	3347	574	May 31, 2015 08:59PM