6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very well written by John Krakauer, although his main subject does not evoke admiration in me no matter how hard he tries. I too, am like the Alaskan residents who consider Chris McCandless a petulant spoiled child.

W. R. (
NYbooks) wrote on 11/16/2007...
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
* * * ½* . Looks into the trip a young man foolishishly took into the Alaskan wilderness uneqipped. The book attempts to examine his actions by comparing it with other famous excursions with similar fates, and gives an explanation into the irony of his untimely demise.
I could have done without the author's personal reflections regarding his own near death experiences. Nonetheless, the book is still a deep, brooding work.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Couldn't stand finishing this book about an idiot.

Marta J. (
booksnob) wrote on 12/22/2007...
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a fascinating, heartbreaking account of one young man's attempt to survive alone in the wilds of Alaska, a grandiose dream which ultimately led to his demise. Jon Krakauer treats his subject lovingly. I lookk forward to seeing the movie now...

Patricia L. (
Patty104) wrote on 11/28/2007...
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Mixed feeling about book. Some parts were really interesting but other parts just seemed to go off on other thoughts and other people. Also didn't like how book began giving away ending. It was interesting when they spoke about main character and his life but may times discussed other characters who were boring and uninteresting.

Jill F. (
ellzeena) - NY wrote on 8/25/2009...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book broke my heart. A young man, confused and most likely suffering from some sort of psychiatric problem, throws his life away in his search for "freedom", and not even deliberately. Circumstance alone, coupled with extreme naivete and lack of preparation, result in the loss of a sensitive boy who may have made an enormous difference in the lives of those he encountered had he lived.

Marsha C. (
MarshaWC) wrote on 3/31/2009...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
After hearing so many great things about the movie, I decided to read this....it has given me much to think about....
was he simply a seeker that made a tragic choice....
or an idiot going off into the wild without proper planning and died because of it.
I will admit, even tho its been weeks since I've read his story.....it still haunts me....
maybe it always will.

Amy R. (
AmyRemo) wrote on 7/1/2008...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked this book a lot. It made me want to get up and travel just like Chris McCandless did. I think he must have been a little on the crazy side though. He seemed to live on the edge with no regard for his life. Over all, I thought this book was good, now I want to see the movie.

Jennifer S. (
GoBadgers) wrote on 2/25/2008...
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book wasn't as great as I had hoped or as good as Krakauers other books.

Lynn B. (
Kramie) wrote on 2/24/2009...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a fantastic book and it was an exciting read from cover to cover! I have not seen the movie based on this book, but it was a highly visual read and it was compelling. A puzzling story, and a sad one... The author also wrote a great book about Mount Everest called Into Thin Air, so I knew it would be written well.