Into the Wild

Started as a magazine article: The book grew from a 9,000-word article titled “Death of an Innocent” that Jon Krakauer published in Outside magazine in January 1993, just months after Chris McCandless’s body was discovered. The article resonated so powerfully with readers that Krakauer expanded it into a full-length book three years later, diving deeper into the mystery of what drove this young man into the wilderness.

Two years on bestseller lists: Into the Wild spent an impressive two years on the New York Times bestseller list after its 1996 publication and has since become one of the defining works of contemporary American nonfiction. The book has been printed in 30 languages and 173 editions and formats, making it a truly international phenomenon that continues to captivate readers worldwide.

Krakauer admits borderline obsession: In the book, Jon Krakauer openly acknowledges that his interest in McCandless “borders on obsession.” He saw haunting parallels between his own youthful adventures and McCandless’s fatal journey, even devoting an entire chapter to his own dangerous attempt to climb Devils Thumb in Alaska as a young man, understanding that reckless pull toward the edge.

The $24,000 donation twist: After graduating from Emory University in 1990 with high grades, Christopher McCandless gave his entire $24,000 college fund to Oxfam, then burned the remaining cash in his wallet and abandoned his car in the desert. This radical rejection of money and material possessions became one of the most striking symbols of his quest for authenticity and freedom from societal constraints.

Alexander Supertramp was literary: McCandless adopted the alias “Alexander Supertramp” not randomly but as a deliberate homage to W.H. Davies, the Welsh poet and writer who penned “The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp” about his own wandering life. This literary reference reveals how deeply books and ideas shaped McCandless’s journey and self-conception as a modern-day wanderer.

The death mystery evolved: Krakauer’s investigation into what killed McCandless continued long after the book’s publication. He initially theorized McCandless confused two plant species, then suggested the correct plant contained toxins, and later proposed that mold on the seeds caused the poisoning. This evolving mystery demonstrates how the book became a living investigation rather than a closed case.

Pulitzer Prize finalist: Into the Wild was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and earned Krakauer an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1999. The citation praised how Krakauer “combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer.”

Required reading in schools: The book has become widely used as high school and college curriculum across America, sparking countless classroom debates about idealism versus recklessness, the allure of wilderness, and the complex relationship between freedom and responsibility. Students continue to argue passionately about whether McCandless was a hero or a cautionary tale.

The bus became a pilgrimage site: After the book’s publication, the abandoned Fairbanks City Transit Bus where McCandless died became such a popular and dangerous tourist destination that rescue missions were frequently required. The bus was finally airlifted out by the Alaska National Guard in 2020 to prevent further tragedies among unprepared pilgrims seeking to honor McCandless’s memory.

Nonlinear narrative structure: Unlike typical journalistic writing of its era, Into the Wild employs an artful, nonlinear narrative that jumps between different time periods and perspectives. This structure mirrors the fragmented way Krakauer uncovered the story and creates mounting tension even though readers know from the first pages that McCandless dies.

The sister’s hidden story: Years after Into the Wild was published, Chris’s sister Carine McCandless wrote her own book, The Wild Truth, revealing that their childhood was marked by severe domestic violence and abuse that Jon Krakauer had known about but agreed to keep private at the family’s request. This revelation added a profound new dimension to understanding why Chris felt compelled to disappear and reinvent himself.