Book #23: Into the Wild
“The bush is an unforgiving place, however, that cares nothing for hope or longing.”
You know how the book is always better than the movie? In this case, it was especially true. I have tried to watch this movie a couple of times. Now, to be fair, I can have a very short attention span and if I am not in the mood for a movie, nothing will make me get through it. This book was so good. I really, really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I would. I have read one other book my Krakauer, and I can say that I really enjoy his writing style. I don’t know what it is, but he makes tragic events easier to stomach without taking away from the sadness. He makes them more bearable.
The book follows the story of Chris McCandless’s adventure in the Alaskan wild. It begins with the discovery of his body, and then retraces his steps from high school to his university graduation. Krakauer investigates McCandless’s relationships with his family as well as those with people he met on the road.
McCandless lived the life of a nomad following his university graduation. He cut all ties with his family and set out on the road looking for adventure. He was quick to make friends wherever he went, and he maintained these relationships even while he was still wandering. He eventually makes his way to the Alaskan bush and begins an adventure to live off the land for the summer with only a 10 pound bag of rice.
McCandless’s downfall is, above all, his incredible naiveté. He believed that he could survive in the wilderness with nothing more than a bag of rice and a gun. He didn’t have a map, a compass, or any other means of navigation should he have to abandon his attempt. He was an incredibly resourceful young man though. He would have survived his attempt had he not made one grave error. One little mistake that no one could have foreseen cost him his life.
