How Did Mountain Men Survive Years Completely Alone With No One to Talk To?

What kept mountain men sane during months alone in the wilderness? The story of Alexander Selkirk — stranded alone for 4 years until he forgot how to speak — reveals a terrifying truth about human isolation. But the men who crossed the American frontier found ways to hold their minds together: talking out loud, naming everything, singing, keeping journals, sitting by the fire, and learning the languages of the people around them. And the biggest lie Hollywood ever sold you? These "lone wanderers" were almost never actually alone. 20 surprising ways the toughest men in American history stayed sane — and what it quietly says about all of us.