About the Author

JON KRAKAUER is the author of eight books and has received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. According to the award citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer."

Reviews

"A narrative of arresting force. Anyone who ever fancied wandering off to face nature on its own harsh terms should give a look. It's gripping stuff."
—Washington Post

"Compelling and tragic ... Hard to put down."  
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Engrossing ... with a telling eye for detail, Krakauer has captured the sad saga of a stubborn, idealistic young man."
—Los Angeles Times Book Review

"It may be nonfiction, but Into the Wild is a mystery of the highest order."
—Entertainment Weekly

Chris McCandless, an idealistic young man, abandoned all of his possessions and journeyed into the Alaskan wilderness in 1992, only to be found by hunters months later, dead. Author Krakauer begins his account with McCandless's tragic death. He then backtracks, outlining his subject's family history, travels, and inner life following McCandless's graduation from Emory University in 1992. Although his theory is open to debate, Krakauer attributes McCandless's death to logistical errors and accidental poisoning as opposed to starvation. His exploration of McCandless's odyssey in search of a "raw transcendent experience" provides some insight for families in similar crises and will prove popular with outdoor, recreation, and nature listeners. Recommended for most collections.-Sandy Glover, West Linn P.L., Ore.

"A narrative of arresting force. Anyone who ever fancied wandering off to face nature on its own harsh terms should give a look. It's gripping stuff."
-Washington Post

"Compelling and tragic ... Hard to put down."
-San Francisco Chronicle

"Engrossing ... with a telling eye for detail, Krakauer has captured the sad saga of a stubborn, idealistic young man."
-Los Angeles Times Book Review

"It may be nonfiction, but Into the Wild is a mystery of the highest order."
-Entertainment Weekly