Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

I'd been wanting to read this for quite awhile, and finally picked it up off my shelf this week. I bought the book when the movie was being released, but I still haven't seen the movie. I generally like to read the book before seeing the movie. I'll be adding it to my Netflix list now!

The book is classified as an essay. It's a look at the story of Chris McCandless, a young man who hitchiked into Alaska and went into the wilderness alone...four months later, his body was found.

I think part of the appeal of this is that it's a true story. And since he was alone, the truth of exactly what happened is hard to know for sure. He kept a journal, but it wasn't very detailed. He also had a camera, and took several rolls of film during his time in Alaska. Basic facts are known, but not all of his thoughts or reasonings for things. The author talked to people that knew him - his family, and people he met along the way on his journey. There is more to the story than just his trip into Alaska. Also, the writer himself is an 'adventurist' (is that the right word?) so his take on it was interesting as well.

I liked the way this was written, not just as an account of what happened, in the order that it happened, but a look at what happened from all angles. And even though the front cover of the book seems to tell all of the main information about what happens, I was still anxious as I was reading it.

Looking foward to seeing the movie!