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Into the Wild
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Into the Wild
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Into the Wild
Audiobook7 hours

Into the Wild

Written by Jon Krakauer

Narrated by Philip Franklin

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself...

"Terrifying...Eloquent...A heart-rending drama wandering of human yearning."--The New York Times

"A narrative of arresting force. Anyone who ever fancied wandering off to face nature on its own harsh terms should give a look. It's gripping stuff."--The Washington Post
LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 7, 2007
ISBN9780739358054
Unavailable
Into the Wild
Author

Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer is a mountaineer and the author of Eiger Dreams, Into the Wild, (which was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year and was made into a film starring Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart) Into Thin Air, Iceland, Under the Banner of Heaven and Where Men Win Glory. He is also the editor of the Modern Library Exploration series. He has received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. According to the award citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer."

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Reviews for Into the Wild

Rating: 3.907390455711679 out of 5 stars
4/5

5,480 ratings215 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The touching tale of a young college student who takes a year off of school to find himself and dissappears in the wilds of AK.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was required for my Fiction/Nonfiction Crossover class, but I enjoyed reading it. It is definitely intense... I still don't really know how I feel about it. It's been popping into my head randomly since I closed the cover for the final time; my thoughts are totally jumbled. Especially after I googled pictures of Chris McCandless... that changed my opinion quite drastically. I knew as I was reading, of course, that he was a real person, but seeing his photographs hit the whole point home.

    He's always smiling, and why shouldn't he? He did what he wanted. He went out on the adventure he worked his whole life for... In his last photo (waving and holding the note) he's incredibly gaunt, but still smiling... Is he putting on an act because he knew the film would eventually be developed and shown to the public, including his family? Or is he genuinely happy that he experienced all he did, even though it killed him?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Curious to know how I will feel about this when I am older. Every time I watch the movie I am less team Alexander Supertramp and more team everyone else he abandoned on his journey. Great journalism by Krakauer none the less.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sad and compelling, worth a read for any fans of nonfiction/reporting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A disturbing book, but one that I can recommend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another great Krakauer page-turner. Includes excellent short narratives of other fool-hardy American adventurers.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The unusual life of Christopher McCandless seems to attract strong and lingering emotions. A very well documented and well-balanced book, and an enticing book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In thought, Christopher McCandless/Alexander Supertramp's idea of donating all your money to charities, and running off to the wilds of Alaska, sounds like a plausible idea. In reality, for him it was a foolish way to go. The people he met on the way to Alaska all considered him a friend and thought he was a way cool dude.Imagine how his life would have turned out, if he had been prepared for the elements and had some provisions.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    At the beginning of the book I couldn't imagine what this guy must have been thinking but believe the author probably figured things out pretty well.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    all over the place - what McCandless MAY have been thinking; analysis of the many ways one can die in the wilderness; stories of other adventurers; hard to top Into Thin Air
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Oh, this book. Let me start off by saying that I love Jon Krakauer's stuff. He gets it, he writes it, and it just seems to really translate really well with people like me. I appreciated his own insights here and there within the text, adding another outsider's perspective as he investigated the situation like anyone else might have. His narrative is not so overbearing that we feel like we have to see things his way, and, in fact, I'd argue that he does a good job of staying neutral enough that we are not at all persuaded in one direction or the other as to what we should really think about this crazy kid who went 'into the wild,' but we're given the freedoms to come to our own conclusions about those things. I have formed my own opinions about the events and the 'characters' on my own, but, again, appreciated some of Krakauer's insight especially in regards to his own experiences (that I have never had myself).So, do I think Chris MacCandless was stupid? Absolutely, yes. Did I get the message of, "Drop everything! Sell all your stuff! Live life to the fullest and throw everything out into the wind!"? No, absolutely not. I read this with an open mindset, and sure, I get where Chris was coming from. Sell all your stuff, live freely and unhindered by 'the system.' I get that. He had some passion but also some stupidity and unluckiness in his life. So, whichever way you want to see it, as far as this RATING goes, I really feel Krakauer did a phenomenal job. The book itself is very enlightening, and whether you take the message as 'Go, be free!' or "Take heed! Let this be a warning!" it is so very much worth the read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I picked up a copy of this on a recent trip to Alaska which really enhanced the book (having just been very near to where Chris was). This is a great memoir especially when you consider how much effort the author had to go through to piece together an largely undocumented account. This book will make you take a minute to think about how people think and act and if there are leanings for all of us from someone who simply wanted to go into the wild.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Soon after graduating from university in 1990 Chris McCandless gave away most of his belongings and cash and set out on on an adventure with the name Alexander Supertramp, taken from The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies. If the books he carried are any indication, he obviously admired Davies as well as Jack London, Tolstoy and Henry David Thoreau. His goal was to live simply, own little or nothing and experience a spiritual, ascetic life. After travelling around in the US, and working in casual jobs to earn just enough to get by, this friendly, amiable young man set off on a solitary adventure in Alaska, reaching his destination in April 1992. He took shelter in an abandoned bus and for a while lived on berries and small game. When he attempted to hike out of the area he found he was trapped by a river in flood. He returned to the shelter of the bus where he eventually became severely weakened after apparently eating poisonous seeds. He died there in August 1992. His body was found by hunters 19 days later. Krakauer investigated the life and death of Chris McCandless thoroughly, which brought about this excellent account of the young man who loved solitary adventure. Maybe it was because Krakauer shared that love, described in a chapter of the book, and survived some perilous situations himself, that he was able to understand McCandless's temperament and goals. His story was written with compassion and sensitivity, a fine tribute to Chris.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Enjoyed this book very much.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I put this book off for along time because I thought I knew the ending, little did I know that was only the beginning. A highly enjoyable read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Several people who have seen me reading this book have commented on it. One had read the original story in Outdoor magazine and still remembered how affected she was by it. The other had read the book and then felt compelled to see the movie. She didn't advise seeing the movie though and I don't think I want to. The book was very moving and I think I would be emotionally undone by seeing the movie. Part of the reason the story is so poignant is Krakauer's identification with Christopher McCandless. In one chapter he talks about how, at a similar age, he headed off to Alaska to climb a mountain on his own. He didn't say but I think he felt "There but for the grace of God, go I." I can't say I ever felt a need to lose myself in the wilds. I suspect that it is a rite of passage that mostly males undertake. I think I read some time ago that there are significantly male babies born than female babies (even without sex selection by the parents) and I think it is Gaia's recognition of the fact that young men are going to go out and do foolhardy things so there needs to be more of them to start with. Chris certainly was not well-prepared for his wilderness sojourn but he probably would have survived if he hadn't ingested a potent toxin from mouldy seeds he resorted to eating. The one book he had on edible plants appears not to have mentioned that problem. So you could say that he was a victim of circumstances. On the other hand, he did send off postcards to friends saying they probably wouldn't hear from him again so perhaps he did have a death wish. No one will ever know for sure but Krakauer does come down very firmly on one side and he convinced me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Extremely moving.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    absorbing reading
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    read this book
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Really interesting and sad story about a very upright, sympathetic and confused boy. If it wasn't for a very unfortunate and unlucky circumstance he would, in my mind, become a successful and happy man.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Jon Krakauer adds much to McCandless's story by looking not only at McCandless's life pre- and post-exodus, but by also looking at the stories of other adventurers and at some of the psychological aspects (though Krakauer's a journalist, not a psychologist) of this sort of flight from society.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this book to try and understand the need for people to voluntarily place themselves in danger and I still don't get it. Chris McCandless faced survival in the desert and the Alaskan wilderness unfit for the challenge. I tried my hardest to feel the need he felt but it is not in me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is Jon Krakauer's famous study of Chris "Alex" McCandless, a young man who rejected his wealthy family and much of civilization in general in favor of a life on the road and in the wilderness. In 1992, he realized his ultimate goal of retreating to the Alaskan wild to live off the land, only to die of starvation there a few months later.It's a sensitive examination of a complex life and an unfortunate death. And while Krakauer writes with real sympathy for McCandless, he leaves it very much up to the reader to form their own option of the guy. Was he a naive, reckless dumbass with more fancy philosophical thoughts than common sense, who had no business being where he was, as under-prepared as he was? Or was he a smart, sensitive, thoughtful guy carrying on a long tradition of seeking personal insight through contact with the wild, who died more because he was unlucky than because he was dumb or arrogant? Or was he both? Me, I think I'm going to go with both, but it's a surprisingly complex and thought-provoking question to ponder.And Krakauer's writing as he invites us to ponder these things is good. He jumps back and forth from time to time and topic to topic: re-tracing McCandless's steps on his journey, filling in his backstory, discussing other people who disappeared in the wilderness in similar ways, even recounting a story from Krakauer's own youth that he feels gives him some insight into McCandless's thinking. All of this hopping around could easily have become confusing or mildly annoying, but somehow it instead works very well. And Krakauer has an excellent instinct for when to offer up his own thoughts and relevant experiences, and when to remove himself from the story and let his subject matter speak for itself.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The book is very well written. It is important for us to divorce ourselves from what Chris did, from the writing of the book.Would I disappear into the wild, and become an Indian version of Alex Supertramp? No. From a conventional view point, he was a misguided young man, but he did not harm anyone. He lived by principles that I don't understand, despite my own fascination with nature and the wild. Jon has done a rather remarkable job of writing this book really well. The investigative journalism is of an extremely high order. What I like most, is that he approaches the story with a high degree of restraint, and respect. It is very important to be able to do this. To paint him as a Kook, or as God's Fool would have been very easy. That he broke down the story into it's essentials, and included interviews that show up Chris as a bright young chap is very good indeed. He has approached the story with sensitivity and respect. This makes the book a must read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Around 25 years ago in August, Chris McCandless died in a bus in the Alaskan "bush". This is the story of how he ended up there, why, and what killed him.

    This was a bit of a grind for me to read. Busy hectic time with summer, and lots of things going on, and frankly lots of the book weren't as interesting as I thought they would be. I was much more interested in the kid, in his psychology, and actions, rather than just what led to his death. There is also a 20+ page chapter that the author throws in about HIS OWN (the author's) climb of a mountain (Devil's Thumb) in Alaska.

    Unfortunately, there really wasn't much to know about him or what he did after graduating college. So, the book takes what is a simple matter; something that is akin to roughly 25-35 pages, and expands it to a 200 page book; much of the time repeating himself from earlier chapters/segments.

    While overall, the book is interesting.... it just feels lacking. I myself both, find Chris's 'character' to be interesting.... and fraud like. Hero worshiping of people like Tolstoy and Thoreau and Landon ..... is not necessarily a good way to live one's life. Just like I both admire what this kid did and stood for.... I also find him phony, over-zealous, "nut case", and other such terms. The idea of doing what he does is both appealing and NOT appealing.... (and thus pretty much, why I never have done it). But the kid, clearly had charisma, almost in a Manson kind of way in how he transformed the lives of people he came in contact in the Arizona area before going up to Alaska, primarily R.F who he even talked into abandoning his life and moving out into a camper. (Which, is both ludicrous and "heart warming". In the same way that I said the idea of doing what Chris did is appealing and not, and the not is why I never did it, I can see Chris saying "Yea, but then you never lived, you never had your "MOMENT" because you DIDN'T do it...... )

    On one hand it's admiring what he did, and "neat" and fun. But on the other hand, you have to look at it pragmatically instead of mystically. Abandoning life, abandoning your family, people who care about you, and causing them pain, abandoning being a member of society, not doing work, not having a job, not contributing, causing grief, etc..... that's not admirable. Its a 'conundrum' to view this kid, because on one hand he's 'great' and on the other he's 'stupid, pathetic, a waste, etc.'. So I think a bit of this is what led me to a 'I dunno' feeling overall about the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the second book I have read by Jon Krakauer; and "Into the Wild" ended rather differently than how it started--it was not what I expected. I selected this piece based upon being impressed by the author's book, "Under the Banner of Heaven" as well as his contribution and participation in Sam Brower's compendium called, "Prophet's Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints."

    In all three books, I have found a certain set of core values, or consistencies, from Jon Krakauer: a thorough investigation, balanced reporting, a desire to right the wrongs of the world, and a compelling writing style that makes each of the reads a real page-turner. It was important to note that I did not have an interest in mountaineering or any extreme sports that I was able to think of; yet, as I delved deeper into this book, I realized that it really had nothing to do about the main character's trip to Alaska. This book was the author's desire to have his reader(s) to get to know Chris McCandless and to finish the book either without any harsh judgment of him or with perhaps a less critical stance of the young adult coupled with the knowledge of how he died.

    I appreciated the author's compassionate approach to the investigation into McCandless' death. Krakauer probed every angle that many other people would not have considered. He took the time to get to know people who interacted with McCandless and showed the generosity and care they had for/with this young guy. They recognized his talents and good work ethic, yet they all seemed concerned for him, for his innocence mixed with idealism and perhaps an occasional dose of arrogance. McCandless' brilliance in academia did not translate when he went into the wild. The writer compared the young man with himself as a youth and other adventurers and spelled out exactly what made McCandless different, even though at his core all of them (including the author) shared a certain amount of recklessness in their young lives. In the end, Krakauer was trying to clear the young man's name and "… trying to get a handle on how he came to grief, trying to understand why some people seem to despise him (McCandless) so intensely for having died here " (pg. 180)." Ultimately, McCandless was an unrealistic adventurer…which ultimately led to his death.

    In the end, too, this book taught me that with Jon Krakauer at the writing helm, I cannot help but want to read another book authored by him--even if, at first, I think it is about a topic for which I may not have an interest--because, it may actually be about things or people for whom/what I hold a surprisingly deep interest.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Very interesting story and integration of the author's own stories. I agree with most that McCandless was unwise to venture into the Alaskan wilderness, I envy his gumption to do it and chase his dream.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Although Chris McCandless was foolhardy and sometimes arrogant, there's something inspirational about his story, the "breaking free" which many want to do themselves but cannot overcome the inertia. I feel Chris' story is so relatable, that Krakauer's personal interjections were both unnecessary and distracting. But the story is intriguing and Krakauer fleshes out Chris' character well, so this well deserves 5 stars.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This is the first time I’m ever going to say that the movie was better then the book. I felt like I got better insights into the movie than I did in the book. The author found himself in a loop of justification