Coperthwaite striking an iconic pose in his canoe
Bill Coperthwaite is an icon among the likes of the Nearings and Harlan and Anna Hubbard, an individual known for his simple living ethos, yurt design and construction, advocacy of craft and creativity, and his 50 year journey living on a remote homestead on the Maine coast. He lived without a telephone, without road access, without many of the physical things we often deem “necessities” in this era, yet he was a highly influential teacher and role model until his untimely death in 2013 at the age of 83.
In A Man Apart, husband and wife Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow document their two decade relationship with Coperthwaite in his later life, sharing a powerful portrait of a man difficult to categorize. It’s part tribute, part biography, part memoir, and full of meaningful insights and lessons for all of us about what it means to live your life according to your values.
A Man Apart: Book Review
Bill Coperthwaite was a man of strong ideals, especially nonviolence and creative human expression, simplicity, self-reliance, good design, and living within his means. He lived on the Maine coast, entering his land by canoe or along a 1.5 mile footpath. He wrote letters to friends frequently. Coperthwaite designed tools and furniture and all of his physical surroundings, carrying everything to his land on his back or by canoe. He promoted community heavily yet lived alone for most of his life. Forbes and Whybrow provide an intimate view into his world and their friendship, revealing a poignant depth and vulnerability that is very real and very human.
Friends transport Coperthwaite’s casket by canoe to his homestead site
The story begins with the tragic death of Coperthwaite in 2013, and his burial ceremony organized and attended by grief-stricken friends. From that point, Forbes and Whybrow tell a nonlinear story about Coperthwaite’s influence of their own lives and the lives of others, revealing some of his personal history and transformation. It is Coperthwaite’s death and final project, a yurt designed and built during a workshop for their family that provides a foundation for the story.
And it’s a fascinating story, from several perspectives. The critical question posed by Coperthwaite was “how can I live according to what I believe?” If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, you are aware that the answer is not an easy one. It’s ongoing. There seems to be no point at which one can wipe their hands clean, and say “there, I have the answer now.” It’s because of this that the story is so interesting — even after a lifetime, it’s clear that Coperthwaite was still working towards an answer himself. It’s a question that constantly challenged Forbes and Whybrow in their own lives, as well.
An 80-something Coperthwaite on the yurt construction site
In the book, we learn many of the ways these three individuals have heeded the call to live simply and compassionately, with intention, and through nonviolence. The story is incredibly intimate, revealing not just the shiny spots in the 20 years of friendship between the authors and Coperthwaite, but their struggles, too — both individual and interpersonal. We are reminded that no one person has it all figured out, despite how much it may seem that they do. We are also reminded of the contradictions each of us likely carries — Coperthwaite is no exception, in this case. Forbes and Whybrow are at turns inspired by their friend and mentor, but also left with many questions, such as why he could never truly fulfill his dream of community.
The family yurt of Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow
There are many things I appreciate about this story. The in-depth details about the actual yurt construction and workshop appease the builder within me. The glimpses into Coperthwaite’s life before the creation of Dickinson’s Reach, and his Maine homestead are all very absorbing. The fact that Forbes and Whybrow choose not to mince words about their own struggles finding a way in the world is refreshing. The physical details of Coperthwaite’s homestead are fascinating, and getting a deeper understanding of Coperthwaite’s inner world and struggles are, in a very real way, comforting. It’s not that I relish in any one person’s struggles, but to realize that we are all so connected in our struggle to live life in a meaningful way, and according to our beliefs is re-affirming, in a sense.
This is an honest, candid, and powerful story. Recommended.
Related: Read my review of Bill Coperthwaite’s book A Handmade Life, his only published book about what he rightly calls a “design problem” — the need to build a better society, to raise the well-being of all (and not a select few), and to create a healthy and less destructive culture.
Image Source: A Man Apart website