After the author, Jon Krakauer was assigned to do a report on the puzzling circumstances of Alex McCandless’s death; he decided to write this book. Alex’s interesting adventure in trying to reach the
Alaskan Taiga interested many people. Coming from a well to do family Alex’s perspective of life changed after he disappeared and decided to live toward his dream.
The story begins at his death right after a party of moose hunters discovered his decomposed body. He gave away his savings and most of his possessions and “ invented a new life for himself.” Alex was in search of contentment for himself and sought out a transcendent experience. Yet nothing could prepare him for what he was about to go through.
A year after Alex was found the author ran a nine thousand word article in the January 1993 issue of Outside. He was very captivated by Alex’s dedication to his goal yet disturbed by what he had in common with Alex. Krakauer spent more than a year trying to understand Alex’s disappearance.
The journey he took in getting to his destination was the main focus in this story. His adventure was a gut wrenching and an intensive experience. Although Alex’s physical abilities failed him, he demanded that his body go on. He continued to keep on going which eventually resulted in his death.
The major strength of this story was the connection between Alex and the author Jon. Jon warned the reader when he said, “ I interrupt McCandless’s story with fragments of a narrative drawn from my own youth.”