This book is absolutely intriguing. Jon Krakauer tells the gripping tale of a young man’s journey across America and how he touched countless people along the way.

I find Chris McCandless extremely intelligent but confused. Before even starting the book you know that he dies in an abandoned school bus in Alaska, but that knowledge doesn’t spoil it.

Chris is a prodigy from a wealthy family and seems to have everything going for him. His goal is to go out on his own and live in the Alaskan wilderness. Chris makes a lasting impression on whomever he talks to, but the book is somewhat frustrating because even though Chris is smart, he acts dumbly at times. He even seems immature, which is what forces him on this journey in the first place.

On the road, Chris finds himself living off rice in the desert and working under tough conditions. When he finally has his chance to go to Alaska, he makes many mistakes. Though he is smart, he shows a lot of over-confidence and walks into the Alaskan wilderness with only a 10-pound bag of rice and a rifle.

I think I connected with Chris McCandless because he is just like anyone but with an extreme amount of drive and stubbornness. I have never seen anyone as self-motivated who at times wants no connection with anyone. McCandless is a great kid and inspires a lot of people he meets to try something different and take a chance like he is.

This book really leaves you feeling incomplete. It’s excellent but ends in an Of Mice and Men kind of way which leaves me unsure of how I feel. I would recommend it to anyone, though, because Chris McCandless is unlike any character I have ever known and his story is absolutely fascinating.