This book was not part of our book club read, but it comes with a high recommendation from me. (I have given it to many friends.)

Whether you believe Chris McCandless was an inexperienced fool or a brave pioneer this book is beautiful... Krakauer's formulaic writing style works very well within this story line (where it sort of fell flat and ostentatious in Under the Banner of Heaven) ...you can tell Krakauer identified with and cared for this human being he would never meet ...for McCandless' family and friends... so much so that Krakauer has continued to revise his theory regarding what actually killed McCandless.

Unfortunately the reality is that this book will probably be forgotten among the shelves of the libraries and replaced with the current best seller of the day...too bad because while there will always be human need for physical and personal exploration perhaps some wisdom could be gained by the traveler and a life spared...I can't help but wonder what McCandless might have accomplished with his intellect and tenacity had he been able to control his mental illness and redirect it towards humanity.

This was the November selection for our book club. The movie had just come out to a local movie theatre known for the artist type movies. We decided to go see it just after it came out so that we wouldn't miss it in theatres. We all agreed that seeing the movie first helped us appreciate and finish the book. We also agreed this was a very weird decision that the movie was better than the book. However, we found value and great discussion around both together.

The book is a both depressing and up lifting.

Personally I thought the story a waste of a life... It sounds as though he might have had much to give to those less fortunate... Our club discussion of the book was somewhat brief. However, there were 2 clear sides; those who felt his wandering was wasteful and those who understood his search... I did not like the part of the book where Krakauer sought to equate his life experience to Chris's.

This book was not what I expected. The story line was very disjointed. It seemed the author included experiences of different individuals just to have enough pages to call it a book.

I found this novel to be absolutely engrossing. I finished it in three days and was completely riveted. The author does a fabulous job of allowing the reader to formulate their own opinion regarding whether or not the main character was a total fool or an idealistic dreamer. Expertly written, beautiful, and educational.

Not my favorite! I couldn't understand where Chris McCandless was coming from ... I just didn't see his reasoning. I don't think he was fair to his parents. They were more understanding than I think I would have been. It was diffinitely a different read if you are looking for that in a book.

I found this book to be quite interesting to read. I was on an Alaskan cruise so I am certain the setting helped. A fascinating account of a young man on a nomadic journey through life. Left me wondering how he ended up on this journey.

A tragic but very interesting story. Made me Google everything I could about the story and made me want to visit Alaska and the bus.
Helped our book club discuss our own going in the wilderness things we need to do or achieve only by getting out of our comfort zone.

Jon Krakauer is one of the best writers of nonfiction. He first proved that in magazines, but his books began with INTO THE WILD in 1996.

If you haven't read this book about Chris McCandless, who, at 24, tried to live in Alaska wilderness and failed, you may be under the impression that this is the story of that attempt. But too much is unknown because McCandless did it alone.

Instead, Krakauer tells us right away that McCandless lived for four months by himself in the Alaska wilderness and ended up starving to death. So that isn't a spoiler. The rest of the chapters are examinations of how McCandless came to be the type of person who would want to do this, of other people who were this way, of whether he had a death wish, of whether he was stupid or naive. Krakauer even puts himself in some chapters when he compares one of his own exploits to McCandless' and when he visits the old bus that McCandless lived in. Krakauer finally makes some conclusions about McCandless, some guesses based on the evidence he has laid out.

INTO THE WILD was a great beginning to a string of Krakauer's other books of nonfiction. Those, too, are at least as good, some even better. And, we can assume, more is to come.