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38322009's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.5
cedrisc's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't enjoy the book as much as the movie, but I like how the author tied in his own experiences. I can understand the dreamy part of Chris wanting to experience the 'wild', but my practical side would want to have a map or a phone in case of emergency. It is sad that he wasn't able to walk back out and touch more people, and that he didn't make contact with his family. Maybe he did forgive them for their failings at the end. It is funny how as you grow older, black and white fades to shades of grey.
mattyd2468's review against another edition
5.0
Super enjoyable book. The author really captured the spirit of the story. How Chris felt, how the author felt and how me myself sometimes feels.
This urge to be alongside nature. Very well written and fascinating.
Makes you start to think about what is important and how life experience shape you. Interesting thing about being a male of that age specifically.
Would be interested in reading again
This urge to be alongside nature. Very well written and fascinating.
Makes you start to think about what is important and how life experience shape you. Interesting thing about being a male of that age specifically.
Would be interested in reading again
natalieladerer110300's review against another edition
3.0
For some reason this book didn’t hit as hard as i thought it would? I enjoyed hearing about how the author pieced together mcandless’s story, but it was a little bit hard for me to get through for some reason. Maybe it’s just hard for me to identify with someone with a worldview like McCandless, but overall definitely a valuable read
dandelionwine1928's review against another edition
4.0
Krakauer’s writing is phenomenal. He perfectly mixes fact with speculation and a variety of research sources to weave the fascinating and perplexing story of Chris McCandless’s journey into the wild. It was a gripping read. The mix of sources, from Chris’s family to letters to journal entries and highlighted passages from the books Chris read were perfectly used to give insight into the mind of this wandering soul.
Chris McCandless was such an interesting person. I don’t see him as a hero of any sort. I admire him for doing what he wanted, but I was also appalled by the way he treated his family and those who cared about him. He had this magnetic pull over people. It made me wonder what it was that was so special, what made people so powerfully attached to him. There was such a fascinating disparity between his intellect and his naivete, this intense gap between passion and innocence in him. It makes me sad to think about. Sometimes, he seemed like the most innocent little child. I wanted to pull him in and protect him. Other times, he had such a disregard for others, that it made me want to shake him and tell him to open his eyes to how he affected people. I think he could have done much with his life, but perhaps he just had too much passion, too much fire in him to burn for long. The brightest flames burn out the quickest.
Powerful writing and the endlessly fascinating person of Chris McCandless made this into an extrememly gripping, poignant, and beautiful read.
Chris McCandless was such an interesting person. I don’t see him as a hero of any sort. I admire him for doing what he wanted, but I was also appalled by the way he treated his family and those who cared about him. He had this magnetic pull over people. It made me wonder what it was that was so special, what made people so powerfully attached to him. There was such a fascinating disparity between his intellect and his naivete, this intense gap between passion and innocence in him. It makes me sad to think about. Sometimes, he seemed like the most innocent little child. I wanted to pull him in and protect him. Other times, he had such a disregard for others, that it made me want to shake him and tell him to open his eyes to how he affected people. I think he could have done much with his life, but perhaps he just had too much passion, too much fire in him to burn for long. The brightest flames burn out the quickest.
Powerful writing and the endlessly fascinating person of Chris McCandless made this into an extrememly gripping, poignant, and beautiful read.
jekaluleka's review against another edition
3.0
You can try, Jon, but you're not gonna make me like Christopher McCandless! After watching the movie, I really didn't like him. After reading the book, I think I understand him a lot better and don't necessarily dislike him anymore, but I also don't /like/ him either. I know he was trying to do something big, but he was kinda dumb! And could've treated others better!
potoobookbird's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
This book opened up a new view of the world. It caused me to understand other people's perspectives and also understand passion and personal success. I do think some of it was slow or unnecessary, but overall it was really worth it and I highly recommend.
brothena's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I'm trying to read more backlist and had put this on my TBR in 2017 after dramatically soliciting romance-less recommendations from friends. Read now as I recalled how much I enjoyed Into Thin Air (also by Krakauer), consumed on audio.
Overall-- I went into this with too high of expectations. Krakaeur was physically present during the events of Into Thin Air, and simply wasn't during the journey detailed here. Much of the beginning, therefore, is understandably a chronicle of Chris's treks, logistically, and acquaintances made; it felt dull compared to what I'd expected. That said, About 3/4 in, Krakaeur injects a bit of himself, and fleshes out why this story had resonated so much with him and how much of it paralleled his own mindset. THIS was when the book really started to shine for me.
I appreciated that Chris's death never felt sensationalized-- he seemed to be handled here with care and compassion.
Overall-- I went into this with too high of expectations. Krakaeur was physically present during the events of Into Thin Air, and simply wasn't during the journey detailed here. Much of the beginning, therefore, is understandably a chronicle of Chris's treks, logistically, and acquaintances made; it felt dull compared to what I'd expected. That said, About 3/4 in, Krakaeur injects a bit of himself, and fleshes out why this story had resonated so much with him and how much of it paralleled his own mindset. THIS was when the book really started to shine for me.
I appreciated that Chris's death never felt sensationalized-- he seemed to be handled here with care and compassion.