Is "Wild" too much for readers?

I first saw "Into the Wild" when it came out back in 2007. I was in high school at the time, and was not familiar with the story at all. In fact, I couldn't imagine that it was even based on a true story until the end of the film, when I did some research. This is the first time that I became acquainted with Krakauer, however.

I was very excited to read this book, as Chris' story is interesting, despite seeming ludicrous at first. Although Krakauer does his best to describe the family relationship in Chris' life, I can't help but feel like there must be elements that are missing, that only the family themselves will know. Chris seemed to easily separate himself from his family, with the slight exception of his sister, and didn't seem to be concerned at all regarding their feelings throughout his entire journey. And while one has to feel bad for his family, I do wonder if there are elements that spawned this breakage beyond the typical ones that cause fights.

There's no doubt about it, Chris was different from the very beginning. He rejected normal life, and it even surprised his parents that he finished college in a conventional manner. He seemed to value intelligence, despite disregarding titles and labels that would suggest he would live a "normal" life. What makes me confused, however, is his use of knowledge. Chris did value being smart, being aware of his surroundings, and being able to have the common sense and direction to know how to survive in any situation. He lasted long enough on his intuition, but in my opinion, should have known the vast difference between some of his previous endeavors and the Alaskan Wilderness. Even if he wanted to remain solo and live off of the land, he simply did not take the time to become aware of his surroundings. He went without maps, geographic land knowledge, and a suitable amount of supplies and gear. Even a minimal amount of influential gear and supplies would have assisted his efforts. It seemed almost as though he knew he wasn't bringing enough, and just didn't care.

Therefore, I very much struggle with figuring out if Chris ever truly intended to survive the Alaskan voyage. It seems like it at first. Like he truly believes he will walk out unscathed due to his previous journeys and confidence with himself. It also seems like he was saying his peace to those who mattered to him before he left. I get the impression that he knew his thirst for adventure and wandering would never end, despite his desire to start a family eventually. With a craving that couldn't be extinguished, Chris seemed to accept death before he could even come to terms with it himself in the bus.