Summer List Review {Into the Wild + Jobs}

This is the third installment of me reviewing a list of books and movies I set out to read, watch, and enjoy throughout the summer. You can check out my other posts in the following links:
First Installment
Second Installment
Summer Reading List

The third book I read was called Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. It follows the true story of a well off twenty something man who donates all his money and essentially drops off the face of the Earth. Through a twist of events and happenings he ends up dead in an abandoned bus a handful of years later. The author (Jon Krakauer) investigates the events that led to Chris McCandless unfortunate death, therefore the premise of the entire story.

This was one of those books that I felt like I had to enjoy. I had heard great reviews from a good bit of my friends, but in my opinion the book didn't really live up to their seemingly wonderful praise.

When Chris McCandless leaves his family and money behind, he goes off into the unknown driving his car and later his own feet to whatever destination he fancies. His ultimate goal is to live off the land of the Alaskan frontier, but this is unfortunately where he meets his death. With that being said, there are a lot of nature scenes within the book and I found them a bit over-descriptive. I swear the author could desscribe a rock for an entire page.

The book had an excellent plot and story line, but I guess I just didn't enjoy Mr. Krakauer's writing style. It was very fascinating to read the events and mistakes that in the end amounted to Chris' death, but the very descriptive manner of the author's writing made the book somewhat painful to make my way through.

Also I've noticed (after combing through several Goodreads reviews) a lot of people disliked this book because of the seemingly sheer stupidity from McCandless himself. He comes off to a lot of readers as a well to do idiot who thought he could do more than he actually ever could. A boy who foolishly turned his back on a life of wealth and thought he was good enough to make it out on his own in the wild. I for one, didn't think McCandless was as much as a blockhead as others thought he was made out to be. I think if he would've kept his life of money and security, people would still call him a rich jerk. Damned if you do, damned if you don't sort of thing.

McCandless was just a man who followed his dreams and nothing should ever be wrong with that.

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The next movie I watched was Jobs.

I was really excited for this movie as I basically owe my life to Apple and their invention of the iPhone and who doesn't love Ashton Kutcher?

To start off, the movie gave me a very interesting perspective. I knew very little about Steve Jobs except that he was rich and worked for Apple and died a few years back (I'm so knowledgeable, I know). It was fantastic to see how the coporation giant that Apple is today started out in the garage of Steve Job's house and very surreal to see how it all started with an idea and two men.

On another note the movie portaryed Steve Jobs as an asshole who liked to yell at people when his revolutionary ideas couldn't be done. I was very shocked and immediately after the credits started rolling I Googled "was Steve Jobs really a douche?" 

Turns out there are creative differences between the movie directors and those who were real life friends of Jobs. According to the all knowing Wikipedia, some who knew Jobs refused to give much information to the directors, resulting in a sort of skewed image of Jobs himself. 

Also I was rather disappointed that the movie ends in the year 2001 when Steve Jobs doesn't die until 2011. I was saddened I didn't get to see what Jobs did in his later years or see how he struggled with his illness more. I still don't quite understand why the movie ends 10 years before Jobs dies.

Nevertheless, it was rather amazing to see how the iPhone in my hand came to be.

Have a fabulous day.