Comments on Musings of a Bookish Kitty: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Alicia - I think you are right about the draw to t...

2007-09-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Alicia - I think you are right about the draw to this story. It definitely is a modern tragedy. I do like Krakauer's writing very much, otherwise I probably wouldn't have read Into the Wild. I'm glad I did though. He seems to be very aware of himself and his subject matter and that comes across well in his writing.

And I do agree, it is interesting that his story is still one that attracts so much attention. I think it's a story that speaks to people on many different levels.

I came across this book, quite by chance a couple ...

2007-09-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

I came across this book, quite by chance a couple of weeks ago, when a friend lent it to my husband as he recommended it. He accepted it out of politeness, but not really interested.
I thought I would browse over it a little, (as I do with most of the books which get home) but also quite uninterested.
Because McCandless' ordeal may be well-known in the USA, but here, in an non-English-speaking European country the story just lies too far.
However, after a few pages I was completely hooked.
I don't even know, quite well, why. It's probably the sum of the story itself, its ring of modern tragedy, together with McCandless' personality, his intelligence, his passion, high ideals and contradictions. But, most definitely, because of the way that Krakauer has told the story, dissecting it objectively and personally implied at the same time. Making it sound like a thriller, when we actually know the outcome of the story from the very beginning.
So, here I am, surfing the Net in search of links and images of the places where things actually took place. And funnily enough, I find out there is a film about to come out.
It's extremely thought-provoking that, after so many years, McCandless' story still affects and interests so many people.
Don't you think so?

ALICIA

Gautami Tripathy - Yes, books tend to always be be...

2007-09-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

Gautami Tripathy - Yes, books tend to always be better, I agree. :-)

Framed - It's probably not a movie I would bother seeing, but having read the book, I will most likely watch it. I can't help myself.

This book certainly seems to be very thought-provo...

2007-09-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

This book certainly seems to be very thought-provoking. I may have to see the movie. Thanks for the review.

This seems interesting. I have heard about the mov...

2007-09-07T22:18:00.000-07:00

This seems interesting. I have heard about the movie. I prefer books any day.

Another non-fiction on my read list!

Carrie - I don't think Sean Penn actually is in th...

2007-09-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

Carrie - I don't think Sean Penn actually is in the movie. He just wrote the screenplay and directed the film. I don't at all disagree that he was reckless, and while you and I might not put him on a pedestal had he survived, many people would. The media certainly would. As I've said before, I just think the whole situation was a tragedy. Chris wasn't a bad kid at all. He meant well regardless of how much we may criticize his choices. It's just plain sad all around.

I'll probably see the movie because Sean Penn is j...

2007-09-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

I'll probably see the movie because Sean Penn is juat a great actor, but I think that Chris was a reckless foolish young man. If he'd lived, all he would have been able to do is throw it back in everyone's face that he lived through it, as if that's some kind of approval. People live through heroin addictions but it's not the best thing to try.

If he had lived, he might have grown up a little. It's the youth and the passion and the intellect that we mourn for.

I really need to read this book, don't I? I'll let you know if my actual reading of it matches what I think of it unread. Argh! I hate people who do this! Not me, not me.....

Thank you, Jody! I'm looking forward to seeing th...

2007-09-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Jody! I'm looking forward to seeing the movie too. I imagine I may read Into Thin Air one day.

KW - I agree, the author did do a great job documenting Chris's journey. I've heard that Into Think Air is one of his best.

I didn't know it was being made into a movie eithe...

2007-09-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't know it was being made into a movie either. I remember when the story was on 20/20. I thought Krakauer did a great job of tracing McCanless' trek around the country before he headed up to Alaska. I have read all of Krakauer's books and thought Into Thin Air was probably his best, maybe because it was so gut-wrenching for him personally, as he was mourning the loss of his fellow mountain climbers when he wrote the book.

Wendy, great review! I remember really loving this...

2007-09-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Wendy, great review! I remember really loving this book years ago when I read it. Yet I do agree with your observations. I didn't know it was being made into a movie and with Sean Penn-one of my favorite actors-it will be a must see. I am not in to extreme sports or anything either but again, really loved Into Thin Air. I hope you try it out some day.
Jody

Nymeth - I do think he took a lot of chances he sh...

2007-09-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Nymeth - I do think he took a lot of chances he shouldn't have--and he certainly could have been more prepared.

Kookie - I think he had a reason, just not one that you or I can really get behind. :-) I could understand his anger towards his father although his actions seemed awfully extreme. I imagine that's not really something someone his age gives much thought to though. Anger can sometimes wipe out reason.

Ladytink - There are quite a few challenges going on right now and some starting up soon. A friend of mine has a blog devoted to listing the different reading challenges out there. If you are interested, you should definitely check in out: Nonfiction A Novel Challenge.

I'm thinking about joining a reading challenge. Do...

2007-09-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about joining a reading challenge. Do you have any suggestions?

You make an excellent point that had Chris lived, ...

2007-09-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

You make an excellent point that had Chris lived, he would have been lauded as a hero. I didn't think of that. But I would still have a hard time celebrating someone who made his mother worry like that for no reason.

I heard about this story just the other day for th...

2007-09-04T02:15:00.000-07:00

I heard about this story just the other day for the first time, because of the upcoming movie. My first thoughts, when reading the plot summary, were that he had been incredibly reckless, but I'm sure there must be more to it than just that. I'd like to read the book some day, even though it is such a sad story.