Book Review- Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Jon Krakauer, in his literary masterpiece, Into the Wild, tells the tragic, yet agonizing story of an avant-garde young man from a well-to-do family, who ditched his belongings and privileged lifestyle, in his quest to break away from a society he loathed. Having first covered McCandless' story in a 9000-word essay for the Outside magazine, Krakauer decided that McCandless' story deserved an expansion, the decision reinforced by the similarities Krakauer saw between himself and McCandless.
In May 1990, after giving his savings of $25,000 to charity, abandoning his car, and burning all the money in his wallet, Christopher McCandless, all of 22 years, followed the path his feet, mind, and heart, led him on. His family would never see nor hear from him again, until learning of his emaciated corpse being found in April 1992, in the Alaskan wilderness.
Taken in and inspired by the works of writers like Thoreau, Tolstoy, and Jack London, McCandless was in a league of his own.
As the words of the pages unravel themselves at the beginning of the book, the reader can very easily be swayed by the scathing responses shared by many who read Krakauer's article in the magazine. An enraged Alaskan in a letter to the author stated,
"While I feel for his parents, I have no sympathy for him. Such willful ignorance . . . amounts to disrespect for the land... another case of underprepared, overconfident men bumbling around out there and screwing up.."
While Krakauer seems willing to expose McCandless' flaws, he more notably presents the realness of the man whose life ended far too early.
Through the lens of many who met and interacted with McCandless during his journey, Krakauer portrays McCandless in the vivid light he truly deserves. The book unveils the intelligence, sensitivity, and likeability of the man who experienced a life-changing event after learning of a family secret. In the 18 chapters, Krakauer weaves together McCandless' journey with quotations and illustrations of the wilderness that touched his soul.
Writing in gripping, comprehensive prose, Krakauer attempts to peel back the layers and shed light on McCandless' perilous behaviour and love for the wild. Through his brilliant ability and luminosity in storytelling, Krakauer unpacks the enigmaticness and captivating force of Christopher Mccandless. By the end of the book, the reader is left dismal at the death of McCandless, yet at the same time feels a certain sense of peace at the thought of him living his life the way he wanted.
This book is highly recommended for anyone who is a lover of the outdoors, and who wants an inspirational read.
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