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Book Review of Into the Wild

Into the Wild
Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Travel
Book Type: Paperback
mynamesnotjason avatar reviewed Krakauer Remains Impartial on


Unlike some of the other reviewers here, I think that Krakauer did a pretty good job of stating fact and remaining unbiased. I can imagine that it was a fairly difficult task, too, because anyone you talk to about this story has a pretty passionate opinion about McCanless, the young man who dies in the Alaskan wilderness. I happen to think that McCanless was a self-centered, selfish brat who above all was going to live his dream, however absurd it was. He didn't care how it came to fruition or who he hurt or used along the way.
Sean Penn directed the movie of the same name, and he obviously felt that this kid was a modern day Thoreau or something. Along with a soundtrack from neo-hippie, Eddie Vedder, the movie feels like a tribute or an opinion-slanted documentary.
I would recommend the book; like I said, I think the author does a good job of sticking to the facts and not infusing some of his own opinions into the story. It was an interesting read, but the way McCanless treated the kind hearted strangers that he encountered infuriated me.