Happiness Only Real When Shared

Christopher McCandless is attributed with scribbling the words “happiness only real when shared” above the Doctor Zhivago passage: “And so it turned out that only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is genuine life, and that an unshared happiness is not happiness…”

In 1990, after graduating from University, McCandless donated most of his savings to charity and travelled across the North American Continent for the next couple of years.

In 1992 he decided to step away from modern society. He hitchhiked to Alaska with minimal supplies, hoping to live off the land. McCandless’ journey tragically ended there. Only four months after making it to Alaska his decomposing body was found by hunters in a converted bus. His official cause of death was ruled as starvation.

McCandless’ story was the subject of a magazine article by Jon Krakauer in 1993. Inspired by McCandless’ life story, Krakauer went on to write an extensive biography in 1996 entitled Into the Wild. This, in turn, was adapted into the 2007 film of the same name, which was directed by Sean Penn.

McCandless’ life story subsequently became the subject of further articles, books and documentaries. Since his life story has become known to a wider public audience, Candless has become somewhat of a divisive figure.