I just read "in the wild" by Jon Krakauer, an excellent book in my opinion, greatly moved me and made me look at the world differently, borrowing the words of Henry Thoreau "Many men began a new era in his life from reading a book. "
this book made ​​me start a new era in my life!

I thought Into the Wild was heartbreaking and beautifully written.

You should be aware there is new information on how Chris McCandless died.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/b ... l?mobify=0

I haven't read Into the Wild, but it is "on the proverbial list". After BookTalk's current dicussion of Mormonism, I also look forward to Under the Banner of Heaven.

I recommend Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, about a disaster at Mt. Everest - it's very good - I could feel the air thinning...

Henry T was not an existentialist. He was considered a transcendentalist.

I loved Into Thin Air!

LanDroid, I read Under the Banner of Heaven just this past year. Also really great work by Jon Krakauer. I bought it after hearing the author on the radio, and I wasn't disappointed. I suppose now I should read Into Thin Air. I appreciate this discussion of these books.

EB

LanDroid wrote:You should be aware there is new information on how Chris McCandless died.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/b ... l?mobify=0

I haven't read Into the Wild, but it is "on the proverbial list". After BookTalk's current dicussion of Mormonism, I also look forward to Under the Banner of Heaven.

I recommend Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, about a disaster at Mt. Everest - it's very good - I could feel the air thinning...

That was an interesting article about McCandless. Thanks for that.

I saw the movie and pretty much liked it. I don't know how closely it follows the book, but some people said it was pretty close.

My feelings are mixed about McCandless. In some respects I think he was very naive. In others, quite brave.

Anyone else get the idea that this book also signals the end of, "individualism," given the obstacles he faced trying to live free and alone? Not sure how any of you interpret existentialism, but I have always seen it as a liberating philosophy.

Ant is right. Thoreau was not an existentialist, but he did encounter the tax man and hassle from people not understanding that he just wanted to live in isolation.

Given our heighten sense of paranoia these days, the last advice I would give somebody wanting to drop off the map would be, “Head to the hills!” LOL

Not sure how any of you interpret existentialism, but I have always seen it as a liberating philosophy.

I think that's one good way of describing it.
Existentialism comes in several forms. For instance, there's a difference between Camus's existentialism (he denied he was one, however) and Sartre's, or Kierkegaard (who transformed most of his Christian beliefs to accommodate what later came to be known as Existentialism).

Camus's character, Dr. Rieux, in The Plague I think exemplifies his feelings on what our convictions should be in an indifferent universe.

Perhaps not quite on topic (existentialism), but McCandless' sad fate instantly brings to mind the fate of another man at the hands of mother nature --Timothy Treadwell, the "Grizzly Man," who was killed by one of the grizzly bears he chose to live among. And, in my region, one can pick up tick-borne Lyme Disease just from a walk through the wild grass. Not to mention the Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, Toadstools, etc. that we almost all have heard of.

So, McCandless's misfortune gives this particular urban guy just one more reason to look at the beautiful outdoors with an increasingly jaundiced eye. Just sayin'.