The Stranger in the Woods - Michael Finkel

Finkel seeks to uncover what could posses a Maine from central Maine to live, on his own, in the woods for 27 years. That is exactly what Christopher Knight accomplished. Finkel is a generous interlocutor who attempts to unweave what to so many people may seem a crazy undertaking. If we are to take Knight at his word it may be that he simply sought to be alone.

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

One of the remarkable late-twentieth century on-the-road stories weaving adventure and, eventually, death at the limits of North America. Chris McCandless remains something of a cult figure whose experience resonated with many disaffected seekers. Krakauer is a sympathetic, yet thoughtful and careful biographer. On this re-reading McCandless' idealism and commitment strike me a symptomatic primarily of youth and energy; neither of which deserve criticism.