Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
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Book Reviews of Into the Wild
Book Review: Are you a Dreamer?
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been fascinated with the story of Christopher McCandless ever since I first heard of him - a young man who walked off into the Alaskan wilderness to live off the land. When I visited Alaska in 2005, I found myself dreaming of backpacking the Yukon Trail and getting lost in the wilderness. For me, of course, it was just a pipe dream and I kissed it goodbye when I boarded the cruise ship that would take me home. McCandless, on the other hand, made his dream a reality. Unfortunately, his story does not have a happy ending.
Jon Krakauer did a fantastic job of bringing the story of Chris McCandless to life. Krakauer, who also traveled to Alaska at the age of 23, gives the reader rare insight into McCandless' mindset. Using McCandless' letters, quotes from his favorite authors, and passages from books in his possession at the time of his death, Krakauer pieces together a portrait of a determined young man, a "leather tramp", and a decent and caring friend.
Krakauer also manages to make the reader feel that he knows the answer to the big question: "Why would someone leave civilization behind and try to survive in the wilds f Alaska?"
According the McCandless himself:
"It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of
living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. God
it's great to be alive! Thank you. Thank you."
Journal Entry dated 2/27/90
I thoroughly enjoyed this biography and would recommend it to anyone who has ever felt the pull of nature or the call of a simpler existence.
Book Review: A Beautiful, True Story Of The Human Spirit
Summary: 5 Stars
The power of the human spirit is none more inspiring and striking as it is in Jon Krakauer's Into The Wild. A young man abandons a well-to-do life to find himself through an adventure that concludes in Alaska. Based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, the book is retold from Krakauer as he interviews McCandless's family members, friends and the people he encountered on his journey. Krakauer paints the arresting picture of life that was Christopher McCandless effortlessly.
Originally written by Krakauer as an in-depth article for Outsider magazine, the article was extended and more extensively researched for it's 1996 publication as a nonfiction book.
Shortly after graduating Emory University, McCandless set off. He burned the dollar bills in his wallet, donated his $25,000 worth of savings to OXFAM and mapped out his adventure to Alaska. A big fan of author Jack London, McCandless wanted more out of life. He saw a hollowness in a typical post-college future. Krakauer paints McCandless as a young man on a solitary quest to enlightenment. By living off the wild, McCandless thought he would reach a sort of independent, spiritual apex in his life. Bumming rides, money, jobs on his cross-country adventure to land in Alaska, McCandless crossed into the lives of a handful of people, who were all seemingly touched by McCandless.
The book is noteworthy, chronicled by Krakauer in a reporter-like style. Christopher McCandless's great Alaskan adventure is one proving the remarkable nature and beauty of the human essence, proving Into The Wild a modern masterpiece.
Book Review: Highly Recommend
Summary: 5 Stars
I read "Into the Wild" after watching the movie, which I don't regret doing. I thought the movie was pretty good but was surprised too find that I could not stop thinking about Chris McCandless and the people he that impacted. So I picked up a copy of the book.
I have read several negative reviews about this book, complaining about Jon Krakauer glorifies an ignorant young man who died as a result of his lack of experience and respect for the Alaska wilderness. As well as Jon's attempt to compare Chris to other individuals who took similar risks and lost their lives as a result. And then offering his own account to a time in his life that he felt matched the path that Chris had taken.
However, I don't think that this should discourage someone from reading this novel. I found it fasinating and feel that Jon did an impeccable job of doing his research, bringing in the stories of people who were impacted by Chris, as well as doing his best to bring some sort of understanding as to WHY Chris did what he did.
Only Chris McCandless knows what went on in those last days of his life, everyone can speculate but it's for a lost cause. I think that the fact that the McCandless family trusted Jon Kraukauer with the story of their sons struggles and ultimately his death says something about Jon as an author as well as the story he has brought to life.
I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down and have been talking about it non-stop to whomever will listen. It gets you thinking and isn't that one of the primary reasons why we read?
Book Review: Even the Indians Sometimes Starved
Summary: 5 Stars
The ideal of living off the land or on the margins of civilization has captivated Americans for years. The thought of living in the woods as a hunter/gatherer has appeal for the adventurer. But even the hardiest mountain men faced trouble, and not all of them survived. Native Americans, who lived in the wild, and survived by hunting/gathering, sometimes died of hunger and the cold. When you're alone on the wilderness, you are.... alone!
Chris McCandless (an ironic name) wanted to live as a traveller, carrying only a pack. He wandered around the USA, first in an old car, then in a canoe, then as a hitchhiker, sleeping rough and working where he could. He ate plants, travelled alone down through abandoned waterways, and did had the kind of adventure most of us only dream of, yet don't do ourselves. We (myself included) would never have the courage.
But Chris wound up dead. Maybe he ate some plants that poisoned him? Maybe he got some kind of tic disease? A parasite from eating wild game? Did he he simply run out of food?
Whatever the cause of his death, let's get one thing clear; Chris (or Alexander Supertramp as he called himself) was brave! He had the guts and the spirit to do what we're all afraid to do. He went out on his own into the wilderness and lived without human help. In our history books, we laud the pioneers who lived on the frontier, miles from civilization and holding their own against the elements. Chris did just that. Had he not died, he'd probably be a best-selling writer by now.
Book Review: Into the Wild, great story, great author.
Summary: 5 Stars
I give Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer 5 stars. He was fascinated with Chris and put his heart and soul into his story. Krakauer is a very good writer and makes the book very hard to put down. From the beginning he tells you the end of the story with the end of Chris's life venturing into the Alaskan wilderness, making you want to know what happened to Chris. Krakauer told episodes about Chris's life leaving out some specifics, for example when Krakauer wrote about Chris's graduation from Emery without telling the reader why Chris was so rebellious. A similar experience that Krakauer had with Chris occured when he wrote about the time when he climbed the Devils Thumb and how he felt escaping from society and living in the moment. This is the connection between the two men had with nature; Krakauer says in the book "I believe we were similary affected by the skewed relationships we had with our fathers. And I suspect we had a similar intensity, similar headlessness, a similar agitation of the soul." Despite his admiration for Chris, he still told us how he recklessly behaved against society and his parents.
Chris is a really interesting character, everything that he does is always very extreme. I admire him for chasing his dream and making it happen, taking risks and living on the edge. I don't admire the way that he treats a lot of people in his life, especially his parents.
There is a Romantic spirit to the book in the sense of Chris and Krakauer love living on the wild side, and being happy with very little.