Into the Wild | Jon Krakauer | Completely and unfailingly touching...

Into the Wild | Jon Krakauer | Troubled man takes on the Wild - and loses

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Into the Wild

	Into the Wild Jon Krakauer Anchor, 2007 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 1214 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Completely and unfailingly touching...

When I skimmed over my summer reading list for school this year, I sighed. All of the titles seemed so boring, but I knew that just with covers, one shouldn't judge a book by it's name. So I highlighted a few random novels on the list and searched them up on Google, and what the summary I found for "Into the Wild" was less than thrilling. However, I gave it a shot. It seemed different from the other books, and it didn't sound like the typical monotony that non-fiction books provide me. (Only my opinion... lol, I usually quite selective with my reading-- I know what this mind of mine enjoys and what it doesn't.)
I also found out that there was a movie, which happens to be strikingly true to the book AND to "what really happened." The story of Chris, or, as he later titles himself, Alex Supertramp, knocked me dead off my feet and swept me off to a place in my soul I had never thought existed! It was so utterly touching and striking and HUMAN--
Chris is a very well-off man who, after graduating college-- and having a pretty good prospect of a future going for him-- leaves society and heads to the Alaskan bush, where one can be free and uninhibited. He burns all of his money and sells all of his possessions, his backpack his only companion. Jon Krakauer, the skilled journalist who wrote this novel, examines so meticulously the possible incentives that a single human being might have to do such a crazy thing that he touches all of the recesses of the human spirit, the human heart, and the human mind. Although this work is posthumous--for Krakauer was assigned to report the incident of Chris's death in the first place-- it would seem that Krakauer had known the adventurer personally and for a rather long time-- you see, the author did EXTENSIVE research. The readers get a clear look at Chris's past, his relationship with his father that was a big part responsible for his venturing out into the wild, and how, in fact, he was not crazy in doing what he did.
Krakauer sounds strangely fond of Chris in his writing, and one cannot blame him. Although people may deem Chris as a "kook" and "mentally insane" (which they did when the story went out in the press ten years ago), it just goes to prove that they didn't truly understand him.
Chris had a lot of reasons-- and pretty good ones, too-- to leave society. Though he took it to a level I'd hesitate to reach, he was a smart, admirable, and not to mention INTREPID for doing what he did. He died doing it, but, as reported ten years ago, when a group of moose hunters found him deceased in an abandoned bus, he had been smiling as his soul left his body.
Jon Krakauer tells a worthwhile story of young Chris's journey--from his childhood to his early death--, of ambition and dreams, and of everything that is human. It shouldn't be missed, and if anyone after having read "Into the Wild" castigates it in any aspect, I'd call THEM a "kook." ;)

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Troubled man takes on the Wild - and loses

Jon Krakauer's `Into the Wild' is a very interesting look into the late life of a college graduate who gives away all his possessions and becomes a vagabond: Only to meet his demise in an abandoned school bus in the wilderness outside Fairbanks, Alaska.

The trip between graduation and death is a bizarre study of Christopher McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp) and his 2 year journey across south-western and mid-west America, ending-up in Alaska.

The book is a strong testament of a young man with an upper-class upbringing who becomes seduced by wilderness and adventure, only to ultimately become its prisoner. Krakauer's book is primarily testimonials of people who knew Chris and their experiences with him. Most were fleeting, few lasting for more than several weeks. McCandless' journey without any destination took him many places and cultures within the US. Yet his intent was to learn - then flee. An escape artist, his final destination to Alaska is testament that even the bright and educated can learn plenty from sheer experience. McCandless almost obsessive introversion and despondency of his father sets the stage for a disastrous ending.

Anyone who has camped outdoors for any length of time will be amazed this man made it that far: Until finally, when the luck that protected McCandless' runs out. His meager writings found in the bus, initially show more cockiness than respect for nature. Later, when his body begins relying on itself for survival, McCandless becomes scared and aware of his imminent end. Only then does the educated idealist come to terms with the power of nature and the serious lack of planning on his behalf.

Sadly, this is another testament to why no one goes into a forest without the necessities: A map, compass, shelter and food.

I highly recommend this book. If there is anything one can learn from this book is what NOT to do outdoors, then this is it. The writing style of Krakauer is fluid and easy to ready. The character study of McCandless is much more abstract. I do appreciate the writer's attempts to rationalize the mentality and actions behind McCandless. Yet the writer, himself a seasoned outdoorsman, can't help but detail the futility of this misadventure. The writer's own outdoor experiences help paint a better picture of the enviroment McCandless experienced in his travels. I commend him on tackling such a complex character.

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A Character Study Disguised as a Bestseller

"Into the Wild" is an engrossing read...it grabs and keeps your attention, traces an interesting story arc and covers a unique subject matter. That being said, the real draw and merit of this book is the character study enmeshed in the broader story.

Krakauer's strong storytelling skills, his subject matter expertise and his in-depth reporting on the story of Chris McCandless combine to weave an engaging...and disturbing...tale. This tale addresses the "what" part of McCandless's journey into the wild, but it is the "why" part of the journey that really makes this book interesting.

In addressing the question of "why"...why would McCandless do what he did...Krakauer draws on a number of other like stories to build an interesting and introspective character study.

As with another book written by this author, Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, Krakauer's own persona looms large. In the case of "Into the Wild," I found Krakauer brought his own experiences too far into the center of the character study aspect of this book. That being said, the author's perspective is interesting and relevant, just too front-and-center when compared to the other personalities paralleled over the course of the book.

All in all, this is a good book and I recommend it to readers interested in a general entertaining and informative book, as well as to readers with an interest in a good character study.

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Into the Wild

Ordered for high school summer reading assignment for two of my boys. They enjoyed it well enough.
I was impressed with how fast it arrived after I ordered it.

Tried to like it, but...

Like a few other reviewers, I felt this was a padded short story. I was looking forward to being done with it. I suppose 3 stars rather than 2 is appropriate, because I've given long thought to this. It's hard to decide whether I'm reviewing the book, or the choices that Chris McCandless made.

His choices I could relate to, as I was young myself once, and thought "there is more to life" if I just travel and experience. But, as for Krakauer painting a picture of a special guy: bright, kind, brilliant, understandably dealing with demons, and some analogies to underscore his point -- well, I only partly bought it. Perhaps the survivalist is a guy-thing, because I prefer to work out problems without risking my life.

The question remained of his death: was he reckless and niave? Suicidal? Mentally ill? Perhaps this is the most intriguing part of the story. If it's true that he made an innocent mistake in choosing a plant to eat, then it is tragic that he almost survived but some relatively trivial choice was his downfall. But no one knows for sure. And he was happy and content, until the final couple of weeks. I'm glad for him, and glad for the peace of mind this must give his family. But, what he learned, he just barely passed on with highlighted texts and some scant notes in his journal.

So, the book, because of its woeful lack of a complete story, launches into speculation and a romantic Kerouac-like tale of a long line of frustration, due to lack of maps, planning, and money. So, then more speculation follows of analogies to other tramps in the wilderness: wise, crazy, suicidal, determined. What happened to them? Suicide, disappearance... Leaving behind distraught families. No one knows if they found what they were looking for. And what about the 2 chapters on mountain climbing? The author understands the need to push it to the limits because of this inner conflict and machismo; I could almost understand, but not relate. Sounded like a terrible ordeal.

Therefore, the author tries really hard to explain why we should not just write this guy off as a wacko. In the end, I saw his point, but still thought it was a bad idea all around. It was difficult to get to the end of the book, and I was waiting for the big conclusion. So, "Chris read this book and highlighted this part". Big deal. I was not convinced that the experience was worth it. So, am I judging "Alex" or Krakauer? I guess that is why I'm still pondering. I've concluded that Alex is not someone I can relate to. And the author doesn't completely convince me that it was worth it. In the end, it was all about the food... yeah, surviving. Not the beauty of nature- not the lessons learned from nature. Just finding enough to eat. Tragic that it didn't yield a more profound conclusion.

By the way, I am a big fan of Eddie Vedder and his soundtrack to the movie! Incredible! And, I have the DVD at home, but haven't watched it yet. Maybe the movie will "reach" me better. We'll see.

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