Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
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Book Reviews of Into the Wild
Book Review: Another Krakauer Bull's-Eye
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're anything like me, you can't get enough of Jon Krakauer, and his absorbing study of the strange and ultimately fatal adventure of Christopher Johnson McCandless as he walked alone into the vast Alaskan wilderness, "Into the Wild," scores another bull's-eye.
Initially assigned by the editor of "Outside" magazine to report on the unusual circumstances of the young man's death, Krakauer was captivated and puzzled by the tragedy. He produced a nine-thousand-word article, which ran in the January 1993 issue of the magazine, but he was haunted by the boy's starvation, and, recognizing "unsettling parallels" between events in McCandless' life and his own, he spent a year unraveling the mystery of the young man's death.
The book takes us to the northern margin of the Alaska Range and a remote track called the Stampede Trail. This is where hikers came upon the frozen corpse of Chris McCandless, dead for two and a half weeks after a solitary survival adventure of four months duration in the frozen wilderness, living on berries, small game, and a moose he managed to shoot.
Krakauer traces the boy's life, his fascination with Jack London's writings, and his insurmountable urge to meet life at its harshest, on his own with the barest minimum of survival gear. Krakauer recounts similar exploits by other adventurers and his own youthful attempt to climb the Devil's Thumb on Alaska's Stikine Ice Cap, but the reader is never far from that lonely bus in the frozen north where Chris McCandless spent the last four months of his young life. The story is gripping, disturbing, and ultimately baffling, which in some measure explains Krakauer's fascination with the brief life and death of Christopher McCandless.
Book Review: Alex Supertramp: RIP
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this to be a highly moving and thought provoking novel, a vivid story of adventuresome wandering, albeit somewhat reckless and self-centered, taken to the extreme. Those predispositioned to viewing this as a story of a rich kid, thanklessly tossing away all his privilege with reckless self indulgence will not enjoy this book. Those willing to see deeper into his persona will find themselves engrossed in a story that will never be forgotten. The non-linear manner of the story telling fits in well with the meandering path of McCandless as he roams North America.
Unlike the movie, which should be labeled `based on true events' rather than `true story', the book sticks to well researched facts and quotes from those who encountered McCandless. The author's attempt to reframe the tragic ultimate fate of his starvation into poisoning (later tweaked to moldy seeds) is the only portion where he ventures unnecessarily into conjecture. And this is a very minor part of the book that is often unduly criticized. The book delves deeply into personality yet leaves it up to the reader to decide what to make of it, good or bad. The author says of Chris McCandless (AKA Alex Supertramp, I love that name) and others like him: "They tried to follow their dream. That's what was great about them. They tried. Not many do". Krakauer surmises that McCandless "came into the world with unusual gifts, and a will not easily deflected from its trajectory".
There is a lot to learn from this story. I can think of no more profound message: we are on this planet to walk a journey, and Chris McCandless wasted no time walking his. May he rest in peace.
Book Review: I didn't expect to be moved on so many levels.
Summary: 5 Stars
I heard about this book before I ever heard about the movie or the story itself. Someone mentioned if I ever saw it, to pick it up because they'd heard someone talk about it and felt it would be a great read. That stuck in my head and when I saw the movie preview, I decided I better read it soon (I make a habit of trying to read the book before I see the movie). I picked it up along with a few other books and could not put it down. I read it in every spare second and actually stayed up late one night and got up early, I was so involved in it. Shocking, because I already knew exactly what was going to happen...but the manner it was written in was so informative and involved. I learned about so many places and picked up more quotes from authors I love, such as Tolstoy and in general, it is a story of a family. It is not just the story of Chris McCandless, it is the story of his family dynamic and how it shaped him. I felt for his family, I felt for him, I felt for all of those who met him and felt such a powerful connection. I saw the movie about a week after I finished the book and it didn't disappoint either. It was a bit Hollywood of course, but stayed true to the story for the most part. It was more graphic than I expected in a couple areas and that affected me more than anything.
Krakauer does an amazing job of researching for this book and also in his defense of Chris against those who were so adamant that he was unprepared and ignorant for venturing into the Alaskan wilderness with the minimal supplies he carried in. Seriously folks, I don't think most of us would last nearly as long as he did, with the provisions he had. It was impressive.
Book Review: It makes you look inside yourself
Summary: 5 Stars
I first picked up this book because of all the hype around the movie. I had not seen the movie and decided that I really wanted to check out the book before hand. All I needed to do was read the author's notes in the front to know that I had to read it.
Jon Krakauer's words stopped me from putting it down until the book was finished. I enjoyed how the book was woven together for good and bad on Chris Mc Candless's relationships. It made me appreciate my own experiences with people and helped me to understand how our approach to life has influences on those around us. Even when relationships are brief the outcome can be life altering.
Into the Wild is a great read. I could not put it down and I was happy that I read the book before seeing the movie.
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Book Review: Fascinating character, Unforgettable book
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, my rating is for this book, not a referendum on Chris McCandless's life and death. This book succeeds on many levels and is driven by the author's affinity for his subject. This is foremost expert detective work, solving the mystery of exactly what happened to Chris. Next, this is a psychological study of a unique individual, and Krakauer also presents parallels with similar people including some of his own experience. Maybe the most important point the author conveys is that nothing about Chris's tragedy is as simple or transparent as it appears. Many reviewers dismiss Chris as naive and ignorant, but Krakauer disproves this notion several times over. A good example is the wild potato seed/mold incident at the end of the story.
You will not forget Chris McCandless or this book. I would have enjoyed it had this only been a straightforward telling of the facts, but Krakauer's treatment of this story makes this book truly compelling. In response to many critics, Chris is not heroic but misunderstood. He clearly made several missteps and was "over his head," but was never suicidal.The author details many experiences in Chris's background during the 2 years prior to his death which gave him overconfidence in his abilities. His tragic mistake with the mold on potato seeds took his life.
Chris had a passion for solitude yet was unforgettable to anyone who ever met him. Krakauer offers tremendous insight into the meaning of Chris's life and the cataclysm that was his death. All readers won't agree with the author's handling of Chris, but to paraphrase him: a dispassionate rendering of this tragedy is impossible.