I had watched the movie and enjoyed it, so I figured this would be a good read, since I also enjoyed Krakauer's riveting "Into Thin Air." Though the movie did a good job of condensing the essential character of the story, the book of course greatly expands it with nuance and depth. This is a great book, especially for those of us who are drawn to the wilderness. I appreciated Krakauer's reverent treatment of McCandless and his refusal to downplay the spiritual tenacity of his journey, going so far as to draw out his own personal connection to McCandless' story.