Someone left this book on a plane and I read it about a month before I knew there was a movie coming out. This book is amazing. Jon Krakauer is a splendid, mesmerizing writer. There seems to be a certain type of person (of which I am one) who sometimes fantasizes about effing it all and disappearing into the forest. Of course we don't, because we lack the commitment of Thoreau and we would miss our mothers, but it's a nice thought nonetheless. Here is the story of a young man in the Nineties who did it, and who ultimately died from it. Not as much of a downer as sounds, this book has some great nature writing, philosophical exploration and a really good story.