'Into the Wild' enraptures reader

"Into the Wild," a stunning nonfiction work by renowned outdoors writer Jon Krakauer, is an engrossing chronicle of the last days of Christopher McCandless. McCandless was a recent college graduate when he decided to donate his savings to charity, renounce worldly possessions and delve into the wilderness, first in California, then Alaska. \nWhat was supposed to be a harmless road trip and Jack London fantasy turned into the demise of a promising young man and a mystery of the highest order. Krakauer expertly weaves an engrossing tale of an idealistic young man and the unforgiving reality of the Alaskan wilds; once you open "Into the Wild" you will not be able to put it down until the final sentence.\nKrakauer documents the last years of McCandless's life wandering through the American West. He draws a portrait of a stubborn, idealistic young man who was determined to shed his old identity and become a wild man, one with nature. McCandless, who grew up in the affluent suburbs of Washington, D.C., was always a high achiever and attended Emory University. When his parents suggested he use his $25,000 savings to attend law school he scoffed at them; he then donated the entire sum to charity. Abandoning all of his possessions and burning the remainder of his cash and identification, McCandless left civilization, trying to free himself of the requirements thrust upon him by society.\nMcCandless survived all of his forays into the wild until his fateful decision to live in the Alaskan back country for four months with minimal supplies. Krakauer draws the portrait of a young man with enough knowledge to survive in the bush, but lacking the respect necessary. When nature's fickle heart turned against McCandless he was doomed because he didn't take the necessary precautions. In the grips of starvation, McCandless never knew that he was within five miles of three cabins, and there was a way to cross the river blocking him from civilization.\nKrakauer investigated the death of McCandless more carefully than the government because he felt akin to the boy. When he was a youth, Krakauer tried to climb a massive mountain without proper equipment, nearly paying with his life. Krakauer draws a parallel between himself and McCandless; the only difference between them is that Krakauer survived his follies. He discovered that McCandless was done in by eating the seeds of a plant. The plant, while edible, had toxic seeds that caused the poisoning and starvation of McCandless.\nI thoroughly enjoyed "Into the Wild." It is a gripping and cautionary tale about the capriciousness of Mother Nature. One mistake in the wilds is the difference between life and death, and Krakauer expertly shows how McCandless toed that line his entire life. "Into the Wild" is a marvelous, engrossing read that is easily read in one sitting; the pages turn themselves. For anybody interested in reading a great nonfiction work, I highly recommend "Into the Wild"