So I recently finished Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. This book was recommended to me by my sister. She loved the book and suggested that we read it, discuss it, then watch the movie together. I loved the idea!
The book is a true story about a single guy in his early 20's who decides to take on the wild in Alaska as a personal quest for inner strength and life. His goal is to rely on very little to survive and he wants to be as far away from human civilization as possible. He comes from a pretty normal family but he's incredibly stubborn and set in his ways. He also gets hung up on little things that seem to self-destruct him inside because he doesn't talk about them but just lets them stir and build within him. Some say he's completely crazy and depressed and has a death wish, some say his heart was in the right place, he just should've been more prepared (which in turn I guess makes him a little crazy anyway). I don't think he was completely crazy or had a death wish. I understand this thinking I think we all have it at some point in our life. We just want to get away, get back to a more simple way of living, provide for ourselves...etc. Think about the self-confidence you'd get through an experience like this. I mean every meal you'd feel proud of yourself. We definitely don't get that sense of pride by throwing a Lean Cuisine in the microwave. But I also know that we CAN try to live more simply while not being extreme about it like he was. So if anything, this book should motivate you to want to go on a personal quest and get out of your comfort zone a little while getting closer to nature. There's nothing wrong with this. In fact my sister now really wants to go to the Boundary Waters (northern MN) because of this book. Having been there a couple times, this is a great place to meet those needs.
Although I liked the book, I don't love how it was written. To me it was kind of all over the place and there was a lot of repeating and random people Chris met that I couldn't keep track of. I think it would've been better if maybe each chapter was about a different person in his life and if it went more chronological. All of a sudden in the middle of a book was a completely different story about the author. Although it was interesting it gave him credibility towards the story a little too late for me. I understand it's a hard book to write.
Here's a clip of the trailer for the movie Into the Wild:
Now I'm on to a completely different book...Conversations with the Fat Girl. This is more of a comical, realistic book for me. I relate to her thoughts and it's a fun read...not for everyone I know :)
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From Laura: I am so excited for the movie!! I like your review...just one comment that I had. I would have thought it was random and kind of out of place for the author to put that story in about himself in the middle of the book as well. But if you remember, at the beginning of the book (probably in the introduction or forward) the author told us how he thought his story was of value to understanding this story of Chris in the way that he could relate to him and his experiences. He told us that he would be including his story so when that happened later on in the book, it made sense. I don't think it would have meant much had he put it at the beginning of the book before we got a chance to know Chris.
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