Chris McCandless

[Leilani57]

I wanted to share that I just picked up a really good book at the airport and couldn't put it down - Into the Wild. True story of Chris McCandless, the 24 year old college graduate from a wealthy family that gave all his money to charity, abandoned all his possessions including his car, and set out on an adventure hitchhiking across America. He winds up in Alaska and there is a sad ending. Sean Penn just released a movie based on the book. Very inspiring tale.

[catdoc]

I read the book last night myself and can't stop thinking about it. It's very haunting, I thought. I kind of see how he was inspired, just wish he'd prepared a bit better.

[hubris007]

I read the first half of that book about 4 years ago, but put it down because i felt McCandless was a selfish little, pseudointellectual *****(Verb: to poke, as with a pin. Used as a noun in this context). He reminded me of far too many "lost souls" that I met in introduction to writing. I never picked it back up.

Went and saw the movie last night. Great movie, well acted, well written, well casted. It's definately a sad story. I'll pull my pseudointellectual tag, but i still think he's a selfish little *****(see above).

[BigSkyBart]

gotta agree with you doc,
wasn't his autobiography titled
"I want to be a bear turd when I grow up"?

[Misled]

Originally posted by BigSkyBart
"I want to be a bear turd when I grow up"?

Thanks Bart!!!!

[BigSkyBart]

any time Jesse,

I can't pass up an opportunity for a line like that

I gotta be me!

[joeychitwood]

Sean Penn first approached McCandless' parents about making a movie of the book about 10 years ago. They said no, and Penn told them to give him a call if they ever changed their minds, which they eventually did. It's a terrific movie and book.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by hubris007
He reminded me of far too many "lost souls" that I met in introduction to writing.

On the contrary, I think Chris was far from lost. He knew exactly who he was and what he wanted in life. Much more so than many of the people I know that live a more conventional and socially acceptable lifestyle.

[crp]

I googled him. Sounds like a complete idiot.

[joeychitwood]

Originally posted by Leilani57
Very inspiring tale.

I agree that the book is very good. Jon Krakauer is probably the best writer of his genre today. However, I'm curious as to what part of the sad story of a fellow who starved to death in an abandoned bus in Alaska was inspiring? Burning money rather than giving it to charity? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck or disagreeable, but I found the story to be tragic and regrettable, hardly inspiring.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by joeychitwood
I agree that the book is very good. Jon Krakauer is probably the best writer of his genre today. However, I'm curious as to what part of the sad story of a fellow who starved to death in an abandoned bus in Alaska was inspiring? Burning money rather than giving it to charity? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck or disagreeable, but I found the story to be tragic and regrettable, hardly inspiring.

His inspiration has nothing to do with how he dies. If you are really interested you can read my thoughts here:

http://leilanimunter.com/blog.htm

after he graduated from college with almost perfect grades and right before he left for his adventures, he gave his entire bank account of $25,000 to a charity called OXFAM America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by crp
I googled him. Sounds like a complete idiot.

Yeah, you can really tell the integrity of a person by a google search.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by joeychitwood
Burning money rather than giving it to charity?.

You should know since you read the book that before he embarked on his journey that he gave his entire bank account of $25,000 to a charity called OXFAM America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger.

[joeychitwood]

Originally posted by Leilani57
You should know since you read the book that before he embarked on his journey that he gave his entire bank account of $25,000 to a charity called OXFAM America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger.

He also burned a pile of money in a campfire.

I live and work in a rural area and have seen many idealistic, unprepared city dwellers head off into the "wilderness" of northern Minnesota with absolutely no idea of what they are doing, only to wind up in my ER with frost bite, heat stroke, animal and insect bites and other serious injuries sustained during their "commune with nature." They have an unrealistic and romantic view that nature and its creatures are kind, noble and benign and they don't understand that niether care whether the person lives or dies.

I personally don't think that the movie or book glorifies McCandless in any way. I think he is accurately portrayed as a naive, almost clueless soul who grossly underestimated the ultimate consequences of his actions. Again, my opinion is that he was a tragic and helpless character, but certainly not inspirational. It's just my opinion, based on the same book that you read, but formed from a different life experience.

[crp]

Originally posted by Leilani57
Yeah, you can really tell the integrity of a person by a google search.

What is incorrect?

He went into the wilderness, completely unprepared and starved to death.

How is that not being an idiot?

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by joeychitwood
He also burned a pile of money in a campfire.

Your previous statement "Burning money rather than giving it to charity?" makes it sound to people that might not know the true story as if he burned all his money instead of giving it to a charity when in fact he gave $25,000 to charity and only burned $123 after he lost his car in the flash flood.

I don't know how the movie portrays him because I haven't seen it yet.

[Ritten]

I liked the book. I had a really hard time getting my hands around why he did what he did, but he made such an impact on complete strangers he met.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by crp
What is incorrect?

He went into the wilderness, completely unprepared and starved to death.

How is that not being an idiot?

NEVERMIND I was just sharing a book that I personally found to be inspiring. There is a lot more to the story of Chris McCandless (years of research by Jon Krakauer for the book) than what you came up with in your google search. You are summing up his story by only the last few lines about his death. I was sharing for people on here that might be interested in the story of his LIFE, the parts that came before him dying in Alaska. If you don't want to read the book, don't read the book. Call him an idiot and move on to another thread.

[Leilani57]

Originally posted by Ritten
I liked the book. I had a really hard time getting my hands around why he did what he did, but he made such an impact on complete strangers he met.

Glad to hear it Ritten. Yes, he really did have quite an impact on people.

[joeychitwood]

Unrelated to the book, but on the same general topic, even worse than the people who head into the wilderness unprepared are the gentrified, mind-expanding people who come from Edina or North Oaks to the White Earth Indian Reservation in order to observe and participate in the American Indian "experience" at a pow-wow or other cultural event.

The Ojibway natives tend to resent being on display for these observers of the human condition, and not infrequently, we see a 50 year-old department store heiress from the Twin Cities in the ER after having ingested a marijuana-laced brownie or hallucinogenic treat offered them by a tribe member who grew tired of feeling like a museum display and being observed by the urbanites who don't have a clue how demeaning it is to take photos of a drummer or dancer as if they were a larper at a Renaissance festival.

People need to think about the consequences of their actions before they act.

[cwegescheide]

OK everybody... *cracks open the chill pills*

Its interesting how people can read the same book or watch the same movie and come to totally different conclusions. I for one have not read the book (the only books I read have questions at the end of each chapter to answer) but I will say it sounds very interesting.

I agree with ALL of you actually

But...

If somebody from the city wonders into the wilderness totally clueless about how to survive - that is Darwin award material.
Edit: From what I read on Wikipedia it wasn't like he was totally clueless on surviving off the land.

It does sound like a good story of a good person that was just a little misdirected or unprepaired.

I think I'm going to go to Borders this evening and get this one! Thanks for the tip Leilani. Sounds like a very interesting story.

Please pass the brownies Chief!

[joeychitwood]

I agree that the book is a great read. You'll finish it in a day or two. It is interesting, as Leilani mentions in her blog, that outdoors people tend to react differently to his actions than non-outdoorsmen/women. I guess I am just a product of my experience and surroundings, as we all are. What is important to me is that Jon Krakauer and the McCandless family feel that the new movie is an accurate portrayal of the story, and they approved of it.

cwegescheide, I recommend that you NOT eat a brownie offered you in my part of the world unless you've got a free day or two to come down.

[dwd5813]

I have a few days free, and a HUGE feast planned for thursday. hand over the brownies, doc!

[cwegescheide]

Originally posted by joeychitwood

cwegescheide, I recommend that you NOT eat a brownie offered you in my part of the world unless you've got a free day or two to come down.

Really? A day or two? Where's this place again??

I know I'm just teasin ya Joey... Actually I think thats hilarious they do that to people. Don't blame them a bit.

[joeychitwood]

Originally posted by cwegescheide
Actually I think thats hilarious they do that to people. Don't blame them a bit.

You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and you don't accept food from strangers at a pow-wow.