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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1845.Into_the_Wild?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Into the Wild" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QNHBVZZ3L._SL160_.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1845.Into_the_Wild?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Into the Wild</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1235.Jon_Krakauer">Jon Krakauer</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5642137?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 4 of 5 stars In my twenty something years, I percieved the world to be a place that I could easily describe in an adjective or two. A pompous, foolish and arrogant young woman I was. I had an answer for everything. In my quest for an identity, I tried to emmulate famous authors, musicians, poets and painters and would then shamelessly drop names to others as if they hadn't a clue, and assumed I was enlightening them on some spiritual plane. Who the hell was I? I was in my twenties.
 
 In 1996, I read "Into the Wild" on my daily commute into NYC from NJ. The filthy Path train and transit system seemed to be the perfect place to read a story about a young man, Chris McCandless, who "gave up everything" (including a college education) to travel the country from the East Coast to Alaska with little or no money. Most of us in some way or another, romanticized this notion. Yes, back packing through Europe counts. This true story first appeared in Outside magazine written by Jon Krakauer. You know who he is...Into Thin Air... I admire this TRUE outdoorsman and honest journalist. The magazine article generated such a buzz, Krakauer decided to write a book on the story. I read the article in 1993.
 
 What amazed me was the ability on Krakauer's behalf to carefully reconstruct the adventure of McCandless through journal writings, letters and interviews of people that McCandless befriended along the way. This young man perhaps annoyed the wise and inspired others his own age. McCandless ultimately ended his journey in Alaska where he died from starvation and food poisoning in an old bus. He was later discovered by some hikers who were quite "spooked" (I remember Krakauer using this word and it stayed with me) to find a shriveled body on board. 
 
 This is the part where I get to drop names. Thoreau, Tolstoy, Jack London, of course Kerouac... the character Huck Finn... artist Gaugin and others I am sure. The comparisons are so obvious, to openly make them will indeed make you look like a pompous moron. So please, don't. 
 
 The story is true and good. I like McCandless and with all sincerity, I am sorry that he passed. In my 26th year of life, his story certainly confirmed my then budding acceptance of the world. That it's big, amazing and I did not have all the answers. Unlike McCandless, I was happy that I did not follow any idealist notions. I may be dead today.
 
 Sean Penn, who IS a talented director although in other ways can be a pain in the ass, has completed the movie "Into the Wild". You'll start to see it being advertised. 
 
 I suspect Penn will certainly evoke some political statement. An undercurrent. About the consumptive nature of Americans and how we have lost sight of what is truly important in life. Yeah, so what else is new? After seeing his film "The Pledge", I am looking forward to "Into the Wild". 
 
 Krakauer's book on the other hand is a great one. 
 
 Maybe I should read it again.
 
 
 
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/276249?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Corinne's review
rating:
recommended for: Naive Idealists and Krakauer fans

In my twenty something years, I percieved the world to be a place that I could easily describe in an adjective or two. A pompous, foolish and arrogant young woman I was. I had an answer for everything. In my quest for an identity, I tried to emmulate famous authors, musicians, poets and painters and would then shamelessly drop names to others as if they hadn't a clue, and assumed I was enlightening them on some spiritual plane. Who the hell was I? I was in my twenties.

In 1996, I read "Into the Wild" on my daily commute into NYC from NJ. The filthy Path train and transit system seemed to be the perfect place to read a story about a young man, Chris McCandless, who "gave up everything" (including a college education) to travel the country from the East Coast to Alaska with little or no money. Most of us in some way or another, romanticized this notion. Yes, back packing through Europe counts. This true story first appeared in Outside magazine written by Jon Krakau...more In my twenty something years, I percieved the world to be a place that I could easily describe in an adjective or two. A pompous, foolish and arrogant young woman I was. I had an answer for everything. In my quest for an identity, I tried to emmulate famous authors, musicians, poets and painters and would then shamelessly drop names to others as if they hadn't a clue, and assumed I was enlightening them on some spiritual plane. Who the hell was I? I was in my twenties.

In 1996, I read "Into the Wild" on my daily commute into NYC from NJ. The filthy Path train and transit system seemed to be the perfect place to read a story about a young man, Chris McCandless, who "gave up everything" (including a college education) to travel the country from the East Coast to Alaska with little or no money. Most of us in some way or another, romanticized this notion. Yes, back packing through Europe counts. This true story first appeared in Outside magazine written by Jon Krakauer. You know who he is...Into Thin Air... I admire this TRUE outdoorsman and honest journalist. The magazine article generated such a buzz, Krakauer decided to write a book on the story. I read the article in 1993.

What amazed me was the ability on Krakauer's behalf to carefully reconstruct the adventure of McCandless through journal writings, letters and interviews of people that McCandless befriended along the way. This young man perhaps annoyed the wise and inspired others his own age. McCandless ultimately ended his journey in Alaska where he died from starvation and food poisoning in an old bus. He was later discovered by some hikers who were quite "spooked" (I remember Krakauer using this word and it stayed with me) to find a shriveled body on board.

This is the part where I get to drop names. Thoreau, Tolstoy, Jack London, of course Kerouac... the character Huck Finn... artist Gaugin and others I am sure. The comparisons are so obvious, to openly make them will indeed make you look like a pompous moron. So please, don't.

The story is true and good. I like McCandless and with all sincerity, I am sorry that he passed. In my 26th year of life, his story certainly confirmed my then budding acceptance of the world. That it's big, amazing and I did not have all the answers. Unlike McCandless, I was happy that I did not follow any idealist notions. I may be dead today.

Sean Penn, who IS a talented director although in other ways can be a pain in the ass, has completed the movie "Into the Wild". You'll start to see it being advertised.

I suspect Penn will certainly evoke some political statement. An undercurrent. About the consumptive nature of Americans and how we have lost sight of what is truly important in life. Yeah, so what else is new? After seeing his film "The Pledge", I am looking forward to "Into the Wild".

Krakauer's book on the other hand is a great one.

Maybe I should read it again.

...less

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message 1: by Melenie

10/05/2007 06:36PM

Good review!