Christopher McCandles carried several books when he set off on his journey. These include;

• Education of a wandering man by Louis L'Amour

• Walden by Henry David Thoreau

• Dr Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

• Terminal Man by Michael Crichton

• O Jerusalem! By Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins

• Taras Bulba by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol

• The Call of the Wild by Jack London

• Family Happiness and The Death of Ivan IIych by Leo Tolstov, an author who detested wealth and advocated for simple living. His works greatly inspired McCandles ideals and encouraged him to take up his path

• Tanaina Plantore/ Dena’ina K’et’una: An Ethnobotany of the Dena’ina Indians of Southcentral Alaska by Priscilla Russel Kari – Christopher while flipping through pages of this edible plant guide found out that he had been consuming poisonous seeds which are connected to his eventual starvation and death

According to Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless took about nine or ten books with him on his journey to Alaska and "Into the Wild".  Those books included "Education of a Wandering Man" by Louis L'Amour, "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau, "The Terminal Man" by Michael Crichton, "O Jerusalem" by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Leo Tolstoy, ""Family Happiness and other stories" by Leo Tolstoy, "Doctor Zchivago" by Boris Pasternak, and "Taras Bulbo" by Nikolai Gogal. There is a mention of an author named Robert Pirsig but the book title is not mentioned.  The last book that is mentioned to have been found in his bus was called "Tanaina Plantlore".  This is the book that Chris uses when he is in Alaska to find edible plants.