Christopher McCandless was the bright kid who excelled in his academics and sports, who came from a well to-do and seemingly loving family. Somehow he gave up his life (permanently or not, did he even plan it in the first place?), donated his scholarship fund to charity and left for the wild. What drove him to this?

Jon Krakauer traces Christopher "Alex Supertramp" McCandless's trail, providing evidences and assumptions as to this fateful journey, first into the south and then to the cold Alaskan frontier. The book may appear to be heavy on the details (i.e. locations, survival techniques, history), but their relevancy and effortless incorporation into the storyline add interesting information. Krakauer makes you identify with McCandless's motivation in embarking on this adventure, pushes you to ponder and question, while feeling a rising feeling of joy (over his new-found freedom), frustration (over his stubbornness), pity and sadness (over his solitude and tragic death).

The opening page has a self-taken photograph of McCandless, back against the abandoned Fairbanks bus, looking hollow in the cheeks but smiling from ear to ear. He was clearly contented for most parts, as per his diary notes. To a point, seeing more pictures and reading the story, I felt everyone had the need to venture into the wild, at least once in our lifetime (with more adequate support).