In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself . . .
Jon Krakauer is the author of Missoula, Under the Banner of Heaven, Eiger Dreams, Into the Wild, and Into Thin Air and is editor of the Modern Library Exploration series.
Terrifying . . . eloquent . . . a heart-rending drama of human yearning.
The New York Times
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.
Library Journal
Philip Franklin presents the material in documentary fashion, with no characterizations and little emotional involvement. It works. The listener can imagine Franklin's voice under a television special; Krakauer's text fills in the pictures with ease. Franklin wisely chooses to become involved in the text, rather than trying to manipulate it.
Audiofile
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.
The Washington Post
