Jon Krakauer decided to explore this unique story and presented a raw, captivating exploration of life in the Alaskan wilderness. It’s a story of adventure, isolation, and self-discovery. If you really enjoyed reading this unique writing, here are eight books like Into the Wild that offer similar themes and compelling journeys.
1. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Written by the same author as Into the Wild, this book now tells Krakauer’s own experience during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Krakauer recounts his decision to join an Everest expedition in May 1996, despite having largely given up mountain climbing. Initially, he planned to report only from base camp for Outside magazine, focusing on the mountain's commercialization. However, his childhood dream of reaching Everest’s peak came back to life, and he arranged to fully prepare for the climb.
The book alternates between the events on the mountain and the tragic push to the highest point, during which eight people, including Krakauer’s guide Rob Hall, lost their lives. Krakauer reflects on how competition among guiding agencies often compromised essential safety measures.
2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Strayed’s memoir, Wild, captures her 1,100-mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. Driven by grief and personal struggles following her mother’s death, a divorce, and a period of self-destructive behavior, Strayed set out at age 26 with no hiking experience. That was a bold decision, yet it was something she very much needed. Strayed describes her physical journey from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon, with flashbacks to the life events that led her to seek healing and self-discovery on the trail. The memoir became a bestseller and was adapted into a film. Strayed’s journey became a useful instrument for her to collect a messy puzzle of her life.
3. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
Simon Yates had experienced a near-fatal descent after climbing Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985 with his friend Yates. After reaching the peak, Simpson broke his leg during the descent. Despite this, Yates heroically attempted to lower Simpson down the mountain until an unanticipated drop left Simpson hanging over a cliff. It forced Yates to make the agonizing decision to cut the rope to save himself.
Believing Simpson had died, Yates descended alone. However, Simpson survived the fall into a crevasse, managed to climb out, and endured a three-day crawl back to base camp, where he miraculously reunited with Yates just before the team was set to leave.
4. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Walden by Henry David Thoreau reflects on the author’s two-year experiment in simple living in the woods near Walden Pond, Massachusetts. It is a bold manifesto, combining memoir, social criticism, and philosophical reflection, exploring themes of self-reliance, nature, and spiritual awakening.
Thoreau describes his deliberate decision to live minimally in a cabin he built on land owned by his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson. He goes into even the tiniest details of his observations of nature, the changing seasons, and encounters with wildlife. He discusses his minimalist lifestyle, recording his economic choices, and examines concepts like solitude, human society, and the spiritual benefits of a simple, nature-focused existence.
5. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is a humorous travelog about his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail in 1996 together with his friend Stephen Katz. The hike was not without challenges. Bryson recalls so many misadventures, like struggling with gear and Katz's comical lack of preparation. His friend decided to rock the trail with a few packs of Little Debbie snacks and powdered drinks. Starting from Georgia, they soon realize the trail’s demands and skip large sections, hiking intermittently through Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maine, covering about 40% of the entire route. It’s an amazing read, with a lot of humor and moments you will laugh at.
6. Tracks by Robyn Davidson
‘I experienced that sinking feeling you get when you know you have conned yourself into doing something difficult and there's no going back’. This is how it all began. Tracks chronicle Robyn Davidson’s solo journey across the Australian desert with only her camels and dog for company. Her story shares McCandless’s spirit of independence and the desire to break free from societal norms. Yet Davidson’s perspective is uniquely grounded in her interactions with the Aboriginal people and the harsh realities of her trek. This powerful memoir captures the beauty of self-reliance and the transformative power of the wild.
7. The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel
This fascinating true story follows Christopher Knight, who lived undetected in the Maine woods for 27 years. In 1986, he disappeared into the wilderness, up until he was caught stealing food. Living in a tent and surviving brutal winters, Knight relied on his resourcefulness to store food, collect water, and keep warm while evading detection. His break-ins into nearby cabins for necessities unsettled the local community, as the burglaries went unsolved. This captivating book by Finkel, based on interviews with Knight, will tell you a lot about Knight’s story. What are the reasons behind his retreat? What are the lessons he learned? What were the challenges he faced upon returning to society?
8. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
Abbey’s classic work is a passionate defense of the American wilderness and a reflection on his experiences as a park ranger in Utah’s Arches National Park. Similar to McCandless, Abbey found his inner self and spiritual meaning in the desert’s vast, untamed landscapes with no skyscrapers and bustling streets. He explores the history and struggles of local communities, including ranchers, Native Americans, and settlers. Abbey also recounts his personal adventures in the wilderness, from his search for wild horses to a boat trip down the Colorado River. Throughout, he meditates on the human impact on nature and advocates for a deeper, more authentic relationship with the land.
These 8 “wild” books with their unique “wild” tales. Whether it’s a harrowing survival story, a quest for healing, or a philosophical meditation on solitude, each book offers fresh insights into humanity’s complex relationship with nature. Choose whatever calls to you, and maybe, some of these books will help you discover more about yourself.
