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Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling
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A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear: The Utopian Plot to Liberate an American Town (And Some Bears) Kindle Edition

by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,090 ratings
"Simultaneously hilarious, poignant, and deeply unsettling." ―The New Republic

A tiny American town's plans for radical self-government overlooked one hairy detail: no one told the bears.   Once upon a time, a group of libertarians got together and hatched the Free Town Project, a plan to take over an American town and completely eliminate its government. In 2004, they set their sights on Grafton, NH, a barely populated settlement with one paved road. When they descended on Grafton, public funding for pretty much everything shrank: the fire department, the library, the schoolhouse. State and federal laws became meek suggestions, scarcely heard in the town's thick wilderness.

The anything-goes atmosphere soon caught the attention of Grafton's neighbors: the bears. Freedom-loving citizens ignored hunting laws and regulations on food disposal. They built a tent city in an effort to get off the grid. The bears smelled food and opportunity.

A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear is the sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying tale of what happens when a government disappears into the woods. Complete with gunplay, adventure, and backstabbing politicians, this is the ultimate story of a quintessential American experiment -- to live free or die, perhaps from a bear.
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  1. Print length
    305 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    PublicAffairs
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    September 15, 2020
  6. File size
    2.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  1. “Government isn’t ruining capitalism. Capitalism is ruining government. I think that’s kind of obvious,” he says. “If you take capitalism out of government you get simple public representation. If you take government out of capitalism, you get slavery.”
    Highlighted by 277 Kindle readers
  2. “What’s the endgame of capitalism, if not a big fat white man sitting on top of a pile of bloody bones with no one around him, crying because nobody’s around to make him a sandwich?”
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From the Publisher

Blurb from Michael Finkel for A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear

Blurb from Evan Ratliff for A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear

Blurb from Kirkus Reviews for A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear

If It Sounds Like a Quack...: A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine
The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecki...
Customer Reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars 51
3.9 out of 5 stars 5
Price $14.13 $27.48
Explore the Works of Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling A Pulitzer Prize finalist’s bizarre journalistic journey through the world of fringe medicine, filled with leeches, baking soda IVs, and, according to at least one person, zombies. A surprising and compelling journey into the business of paranormal investigation, and the state of scientific literacy in America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] witty and precisely observed debut....Hongoltz-Hetling skillfully probes shortcomings and ironies in the libertarian philosophy....The result is an entertaining and incisive portrait of political ideology run amok."
―Publishers Weekly

"An entertaining sendup of idealistic politics and the fatal flaws of overweening self-interest."
―Kirkus

"[Hongoltz-Hetling] reconstructs a remarkable, and remarkably strange, episode in recent history....The resulting narrative is simultaneously hilarious, poignant, and deeply unsettling."
―The New Republic

"Every once in a while, a book comes along that is so darkly comedic, with such a defined sense of place and filled with characters that range from the fascinating to the bizarre to the earnest, that partway through reading, it hits you: This has got to become a Coen brothers movie...Hongoltz-Hetling is a master of the turn of phrase. His voice is breezy and critical, with a finely tuned eye aimed at the absurdities as well as at the earnestness of the Free Town Project."
―Star Tribune

"Since the beginning, Americans have been fighting about the balance between individual liberty and the common good. Hongoltz-Hetling shows what can happen when one rural New Hampshire town went to the libertarian extreme in this madcap tale that zig-zags between tragedy and farce, with the possibility of being eaten."―Colin Woodard, New York Times-bestselling author of American Nations and Union

"A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear is a finely drawn portrait of one freedom-loving town, and a joyful romp through the dark corners of the American psyche. Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a gifted writer with a high-powered radar for the strange details of American life. He skillfully portrays the dreamers and eccentrics who populate Grafton, and the bears lurking just beyond its treelines. At turns hilarious and alarming, this story had me firmly in its jaws from the opening pages."―Evan Ratliff, author of The Mastermind

"Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling's wild and wonderful blend of small-town America and large-scale ideals, imparted with humor and insight reminiscent of Sarah Vowell and Bill Bryson, is an unpredictable and endlessly fascinating feat of immersive reporting, filled with singular characters and doughnut-eating bears."―Michael Finkel, bestselling author of The Stranger in the Woods

“An alarming, eyebrow-raising and often hilarious true life tale of what happens when a fringe political ideology clashes with the real world, in ways which incorporate economics, conservation, zoology, parasitology, environmentalism, various types of psychology and animal behaviour studies, and more.”―BBC Science Focus

About the Author

Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a freelance journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere. He lives in Vermont.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B083J1FXY8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ PublicAffairs
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541788480
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,090 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling

Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling

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Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a freelance journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors.

His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere.

He lives in New England.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,090 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book a delightful and easy read with lots of food for thought and very funny scenes. Moreover, the writing style is engaging and the story is an entertaining current affairs tale. Additionally, they appreciate the author's empathetic approach to the various protagonists. However, the libertarian ideology receives mixed reactions, with some praising it as a serious review of libertarian philosophy while others argue that pure libertarianism can't work.

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ReadabilityThought provokingHumorWriting styleStory qualityEmpathyLibertarian ideology
30 customers mention "Readability"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the book delightful and enjoyable to read, with one customer noting it's a must-read in current times.

"...It is an interesting read, and well-constructed." Read more

"...I absolutely love the word play built into a very memorable page in Book Two, Chapter Nine of the September 2021 paperback edition...." Read more

"...I can't recommend this book enough. It is an honest book about an interesting town and its interesting inhabitants...." Read more

"...Despite your political leanings, this is a book I would recommend everyone read...." Read more

26 customers mention "Thought provoking"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, describing it as fascinating and wonderfully researched, with lots of food for thought and interesting inhabitants. One customer notes it provides opportunities for debate and discussion.

"...But the way it’s told is surprisingly compelling and I can see why the author included it...." Read more

"A historically accurate reporting of how some libertarians in New Hampshire had problems dealing with the bears - some of the problems caused by..." Read more

"...I can't recommend this book enough. It is an honest book about an interesting town and its interesting inhabitants...." Read more

"...This book is a perfect blend of first person accounts, education, and humor...." Read more

23 customers mention "Humor"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, particularly noting its very funny scenes and clever wordplay.

"...I absolutely love the word play built into a very memorable page in Book Two, Chapter Nine of the September 2021 paperback edition...." Read more

"The author's narrative style of writing is engaging, and he's funny, too...." Read more

"...It is written with some humor and sympathy." Read more

"...This book is a perfect blend of first person accounts, education, and humor...." Read more

21 customers mention "Writing style"18 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with one customer noting its engaging narrative style.

"...Also, the characters were quite colorful and vividly depicted...." Read more

"The author's narrative style of writing is engaging, and he's funny, too...." Read more

"...Told in comfortable reading style often with a bit of humor, the story is both entertaining and a bit frightening at times..." Read more

"...It gives readers a real-life look at the pros and cons of a 100% Libertarian society...." Read more

16 customers mention "Story quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, describing it as an entertaining current affairs tale, with one customer noting it's stranger than fiction.

"I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a thoughtful and entertaining current affairs tale...." Read more

"...in comfortable reading style often with a bit of humor, the story is both entertaining and a bit frightening at times..." Read more

"...Hongoltz-Hetling's book is a fascinating story of a small town rich in history...." Read more

"...What makes this story more interesting is that is really happened...." Read more

4 customers mention "Empathy"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's empathetic approach, with one review noting its compassionate portrayal of various characters and emotional depth.

"...It is written with some humor and sympathy." Read more

"...The journey is a wild ride for sure, sometimes very funny and sometimes very sad, and really provides food for thought about the reach of government..." Read more

"While written in a witty and empathetic manner, there is in the novel a serious review of libertarian philosophy, and why there will never be a..." Read more

"...uinderstanding of the range of liberrtarian views, but empathy for the various protagonists (most of them, anyway.)" Read more

6 customers mention "Libertarian ideology"4 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed views on the book's libertarian ideology, with some appreciating it as a serious review of the philosophy, while others argue that pure libertarianism cannot work.

"...The author gives a fair and balanced look at Libertarianism and the impacts, bad and good, it can have on a town." Read more

"...A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear is not a deeply explored critique of libertarian politics...." Read more

"Interesting portrayal of libertarians in Grafton and NH and their effects on local governments. Well written. Well researched by a reporter." Read more

"...witty and empathetic manner, there is in the novel a serious review of libertarian philosophy, and why there will never be a libertarian government..." Read more

Easy To Read ⚡️ Easy To Laugh 😂
5 out of 5 stars
Easy To Read ⚡️ Easy To Laugh 😂
A couple years ago, I definitely saw the appeal of libertarianism. Hell, I almost thought about registering with the Libertarian Party at one point. But the more I attended these events, talking with more libertarians, the more I realized it's all a funny fantasy that depicts a perfect world that only works IF everyone: respects everyone, believes in non-violence, and does everything voluntarily. MHH did a great job in this book painting the story of why libertarians fighting for "freedom" are usually more self-serving than charitable.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Chris Gerrib, Author, One of Our Spaceships is Missing
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bears and Libertarians don't mix
    Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2020
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    I have long felt that libertarianism was one of those ideas that was "simple, obvious, and wrong." This book should be Exhibit A in support of that proposition. In 2004, a group of libertarians moved to Grafton, New Hampshire, a town of barely 1500 people, with the avowed intention of taking over local government and making it a libertarian showcase. They succeeded, and it is a showcase of the failure of libertarianism.

    To be fair, Grafton was somewhat quirky before the libertarians arrived. For example, it's fire department wasn't created until after WWII, decades after other communities had fire departments. But still, the pioneering libertarians took this quirkiness and dialed it to 11. This book is the entertaining but sad story of that transformation.

    Let's talk about bears. New Hampshire, or so I learned, had always had a bear problem. Given the collapse of New England agriculture (94% of Grafton's farmland had been allowed to go wild) bear population was on the rise. But the libertarian culture made things worse, whether it was from people living in RVs with non-bearproof garbage cans to people actually feeding bears. (One of the characters in the book, the "doughnut lady" was feeding bears in her back yard, including doughnuts as treats.)

    This lack of control has not gotten anybody killed yet. Not for lack of trying on the bear's part, mind you. They are no longer scared of humans and so there have been several bear attacks. Just due to sheer luck, no human has died from an attack, although several have been seriously mauled.

    The subject of this book, a self-induced collapse of a town, is not a light subject and so it's not entirely a light read. It is an interesting read, and well-constructed.
    76 people found this helpful
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  • kiteblues
    4.0 out of 5 stars If the title intrigues you, it will be worth the read.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a thoughtful and entertaining current affairs tale. I didn’t know what to expect and was a little surprised at first when the author placed himself directly into the story like a reporter might (or might avoid). But I quickly got comfortable with the style and found the depth of research reassuring.

    The story of the Libertarian movement in Grafton, New Hampshire followed a somewhat predictable rise and fall: early enthusiasm giving way to a collapse under its own anarchic weight.

    For someone like me who enjoys the sociological and systems elements of society, it’s a great case study. Also, the characters were quite colorful and vividly depicted.

    Turns out a movement centered on “personal liberty” has a hard time getting its followers to cooperate and actually make it happen; largely because everyone’s definition of the goal is different.

    It seems like most of the “Free Town” migrants weren’t interested in total freedom but wanted to enjoy the benefits of a civil society while being exempt from paying the taxes that support that society, and exempt from specific laws that prohibit their personal peccadillos.

    The book chronicles them objecting to taxes, challenging authority with lawsuits at every turn, and generally using their selfish assholery to reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of anyone working to build a mutually supported and mutually beneficial society.

    It was an inexorable race to the bottom made especially obvious by comparison to neighboring towns.

    The book took an unexpected turn in suggesting a gut parasite acquired from cats may be contributing to increased risk-taking behavior in both bears and humans. But the way it’s told is surprisingly compelling and I can see why the author included it.

    I absolutely love the word play built into a very memorable page in Book Two, Chapter Nine of the September 2021 paperback edition. What seemed like an innocent juxtaposition was followed by another and then confirmed as intentional with yet another. In re-reading for these notes, I now see at least four! Very clever.
    30 people found this helpful
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  • Roxli
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and informative with a politically neutral tone
    Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The author's narrative style of writing is engaging, and he's funny, too. I heard about the Free Town Project a couple of years ago, but until now I had only been able to find an article here and there about the lack of regulations that led to bears digging through trash and terrorizing the residents. He does a great job of delving into the Free Town Project from beginning to end, and describing what worked and what didn't (there's a lot that didn't). His tone is politically neutral, and his book gave me a lot to think about. I highly recommend it.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Avaland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well-told Story, Interesting and Often Humorous
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    In 2004 a group of Libertarian-minded citizens in the small town of Grafton, New Hampshire (then, mostly known mostly for it’s old mica mine, which drew tourists and those of us with children) came up with the “Free Town Project” which had the goal of freeing the town from its government (which nearly worked). This is their story, but, included here also, is the story of the town’s bear population, and one cannot truly say the two are entirely separate issues.

    Told in comfortable reading style often with a bit of humor, the story is both entertaining and a bit frightening at times (too many guns and a few borderline personalities), and despite the bears, it’s a very human story. Those us who live or have lived in small towns may sense more than a little familiarity. Those readers who live in cities may think themselves exempt, but then one thinks of a certain recent President and, well, at least you don’t have the bears. (This review was first posted in 2020 on LibraryThing.com)
    3 people found this helpful
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  • David Hajicek
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting bear problems
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A historically accurate reporting of how some libertarians in New Hampshire had problems dealing with the bears - some of the problems caused by themselves. It is written with some humor and sympathy.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Paragonas Vaunt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Really well-written. And astonishing.
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  • Litwin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing and Hilarious
    Reviewed in Canada on July 2, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A well written novel that was both disturbing and hilarious at the same time. A stark reminder of what can happen to a community when it narrowly focuses on individual self interest and not on the well being of the community as a whole.
    Report
  • Miguel Angel Ruiz Ferrer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesante y original
    Reviewed in Spain on December 12, 2020
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Muy recomendable, perfecto para estos tiempos: es demasiada libertad buena?
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  • Brigitte Kunze
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hab’s verschenkt
    Reviewed in Germany on June 23, 2023
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Sehr gut angekommen
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  • david
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, light read
    Reviewed in Canada on January 28, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book never hits you over the head with its message, but makes an eloquent point about libertarians and humans in general. Fun and well paced
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