‘Into the Wild’ by Jon Krakauer

This book has become my number one favorite. ‘Into the Wild’ first came out in 1996, its written in first person by Jon Krakauer, a world renowned mountaineer, and ice-climber, and author of the well known book ‘Into thin air’. In this book Jon reiterates the life of Christopher J McCandless, a young man who hailed from an affluent family, however frustrated with his life for various reasons, decides to life off the wild. After donating all of his law school college funds to Oxfam, Chris assumes the name ‘Alex Supertramp’ and lives the life of a loner, a vagrant, and a vagabond. Finally, after burning all the cash he has in his pocket, and abandoning his car, Chris ‘walks into the wild’ when he goes to live off the land in Alaska. After 110 days that Chris took to the Stampede Trail, his starved, decomposed dead body is recovered by hunters in an abandoned Fairbanks Transit bus #142 in the deep woods. This book, is written tremendously well, Jon explains carefully and accurately the journies undertaken by Alex and recounts some of his own life experience to give insights into what may have caused Chris to give a perfectly normal life and choose this so called ‘death wish’.
A profound book, with immense wisdom, and deep silence. Now a major hollowood movie directed by Sean Penn, and music by Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam.

Written by Smriti on November 4th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Books and Movies and Reviews.