Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Discussion Forums - October Hot Topics

Topic: Into the Wild:

Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
Page:   Unlock Forum posting with Annual Membership.
Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 11/28/2007 12:39 PM ET
Member Since: 11/24/2007
Posts: 5
Back To Top
I really enjoyed both the movie and the book, but as separate entities. I wouldn't say one is necessarily a companion to the other. In the book, Krakauer has a very objective, journalist view of the complete story. In the movie however, it's very much told from McCanless's POV and he comes off more sympathetically. The scenery shots in the movie are gorgeous and its worth to see on the big screen just for the views. Seeing some of my favorite SoCal desert locations filled me with nostalgia. I've done my drives cross-country. I've done my backpacking in Europe. My camping in terribly cold and wet conditions. My hiking under ridiculously hot and sunny conditions. The one thing I've learned is that it's great to get away from civilization, but you have to be prepared. Running out to the Alaskan wilderness with a gun, knife, and book about edible plants, but no idea how to use those tools, was extremely foolish of McCandless. (I've also learned that I'm now too old for hostel living and prefer a real hotel room with a private bathroom.) My husband often quotes something he learned in the Marines: "Nature is always right."
Dartha avatar
Date Posted: 11/29/2007 9:48 PM ET
Member Since: 10/30/2005
Posts: 3,562
Back To Top

I think there are some attorneys here who would be happy to file discrimination charges on behalf of the month of November......

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 12/2/2007 10:14 PM ET
Member Since: 11/26/2007
Posts: 2
Back To Top

The movie and book are both brilliant, although my sister (she's in high school) hates it, not because of the actual writing, but because of the gratuitous analysis they had to do on a real person, as if they knew the guy inside and out. 

I don't know, whenever I read stuff like that, I get a huge sense of wanderlust, and I just want to stick my thumb out and see where the road takes me.

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 12/6/2007 11:31 PM ET
Member Since: 10/28/2007
Posts: 17
Back To Top

I watched the movie recently and was actually pretty disturbed by the fact that this guy put himself in danger in what seems like a purposeful way...a ranger is quoted in an article by Krakauer as saying that he basically committed suicide, and I think that's true...I mean, even if that wasn't his intention. I do want to travel in the wild, but I feel like there's a limit to self reliance, and you need to have the good sense to be aware of that. You should bring a map. You shouldn't depend on being able to ford rivers in the spring thaw. You should have your own boots to bring into the freezing wet tundra. I do think Krakauer's writing is interesting, though.

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 12/12/2007 2:39 AM ET
Member Since: 5/6/2005
Posts: 2,273
Back To Top

There is an interesting video at YouTube that tells about the books that McCandless had with him when he went into the wild. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfuxyc6aKk

scrapbooklady avatar
Date Posted: 12/14/2007 10:44 PM ET
Member Since: 6/17/2007
Posts: 4,834
Back To Top
Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 12/18/2007 4:33 PM ET
Member Since: 12/7/2007
Posts: 215
Back To Top

i have done a lot of traveling when younger, visited almost every state except N. Dakota this side (oregon) west, side, of the Mississippi. Almost married a man from New Orleans just cuz I had always wanted to go there. I was a hippie, & almost had to give up wearing long dresses & skirts when micro mini's were in style (tho i wore my fair share of those too); fortunately the union stepped in & said the company would have to provide uniforms & the cleaning of same if they dictated dress codes. Isn't that to funny? I adored the longer dresses & skirts. Any other hippies out there?

Celestial avatar
Date Posted: 10/25/2008 7:43 AM ET
Member Since: 8/22/2008
Posts: 448
Back To Top

The book was terrific, I liked the movie, but left alot of details out.....As it usual is, the book was soo much better.

A book worth reading. If you haven't read it you should. I may still have it, but not posted. I got it second hand, and a little worn, but it didn't matter to me. I feel as long as readable. I think the front cover corner was curled up and a few pages. That was it.

If interested, I will check and see if I still have it. If so will update this thread. Or PM me is interested.

Jeanne

Page: