Into the Wild 1997 Anchor paperback by Jon Krakauer
ISBN:9780385486804 read summary

We all know the story by now, so I'll spare the details. Whether you've seen the movie or not, you'll enjoy this book. A little dry at times, but WELL worth whatever money you spend on it.

You definitely won't be disappointed.

Well written account of a young man's quest to commune directly with Nature forsaking the comforts of modern life. Clearly Mr. McCandliss had a psychological break with others which unfortunately affected his ability to gauge the various risks associated with his incursions into the wild, ultimately leading to his death.

The movie was excellent and made me want to read the book to find out more details on Chris Macandless's journey and some of his entries in his journal. I am loveing the book because the author presents information about Chris and others who are inspired to minimalize thier existance and live more naturally without labeling or creating a martar of the person. Love all the facts and insight from other individuals in past who have a similar story.
Author does a great job getting his opinion across without trying to sway the reader to think one way or another. Thought the book might be to dark and sad because of excerpts from Chris and others personal Journals but it was not and was very interesting and made me want to know more of why and what was the emotion behind many of the decisions Chris had made. Excellent read and better than the movie!!

A fascinating psychological portrait of solo wanderer Chris McCandless who died alone in Alaska in 1992. The author draws parallels between Chris's exploits and his own odyssey: climbing the Devil's Claw in Alaska--solo, after 3 nearly life-ending attempts. The account notes the conflict that sometimes occurs between fathers and sons, the derring-do of specific young men such as John Muir who shared characteristics with Chris; and in particular, connects McCandless to these threads. Time and perspective change continually in the tale which covers a period of about 4 years. Krakauer skillfully weaves in McCandless's journal notes, the underlinings in his books, and the letters he wrote friends he made on the road.
Krakauer wrote several articles for various outdoor magazines soon after McCandless's body was found in the Alaskan wilderness. Most interpreted the death as the result of poor planning and McCandless's having made key miscalculations. Later, Krakauer adopted a more sympathetic interpretation. McCandless had already demonstrated his ability to live off the land for extended periods of time.
I was struck by the tragic character of this story. Chris had adopted the name Alexander Supertramp when he began his travels shortly after graduating from Emory University. He left his parents without a word of his plans; he disappeared without leaving a trace. He wrote a check to Oxfam for the remainder of his education trust fund (a cool 24K) and adopted the life of a wanderer deeply critical of the system. Although they hired a private investigator, Walt and Billy McCandless were never able to locate their son. Krakauer believes Chris had learned some ugly family secrets a year or so before his graduation and was never able to forgive his father. The irony of the book is that a secret so ugly his parents never told it, is now available to the public in a book that was apparently written with the cooperation of the McCandlesses.

Into The Wild is a gripping story about a man who shucks off modern convenience, money, family, and other relationships to commune with nature and its awesome power. Chris McCandless's journey ends with his death, which we are told about on the first page, yet the author infuses suspense, tension, and adventure throughout the story. The book is not a detailed account of a vagabond's life. It is more an examination of the soul, a glimpse into the spirit of wanderlust. Krakauer uses stories of discovery, of pain, and loss of other historical adventurers, to illustrate the deep draw that the mystery and majesty of the wild can have. He shares a personal near-death experience of mountaineering in Alaska that is visceral and terrifying. We get an idea of who Chris McCandless was, through short journal entries and rememberances of friends and family. Krakauer has crafted a special and haunting story of a young wanderer's fascinating yet short life. Despite this praise, there is one drawback. In the Author's Note, Krakauer invites the reader to form his or her own opinion of McCandless. Yet, the last two chapters stand as a campaign, by Krakauer, to paint McCandless as a hero, a romantic martyr of freewill and a superior spiritual being whose fate resulted from bad luck. This work would have been more effective had the merits of self-imposed exile and abandoment been left to the reader, some of whom might find the true joys of daily life far away from the remote backcountry.