Alaska Books

Truthfully, I cannot stand biographies. However, my literature class required me to read a biography, which I must admit, I looked upon with much dismay. I happen to be a very lucky indeed, though, because I had really been meaning to read this book forever (I happen to have known Joyce Anders since I was very young and I love her very much, but my review isnt biased), and what could have been a more opportune time than this? I read it with growing relish and it proved to be a very fascinating book indeed. I loved it and I hope other people have enjoyed reading Joyces story as much as I have. It is a history that is, with in itself, unmatched in uniqueness by any other and I whole heartedly recommend it to the biography shy.

This is a fun story. I was lucky enough to have the author, Ms. Susan, as my kindergarden teacher years ago. She read this book out loud to us, and I absolutely loved Andy. He's an Old English Sheepdog living in a village in the bush. In the story, it talks about how he got to the village, his favorite food (spaghetti and meatballs and frozen fish), and a little about him. Then one day he went with his owners skiing, and got lost. You'll have to read this book to find out what happens!

Presented in an innovative format of book, music, and interactive CD-ROM, Arctic Odyssey was inspired by the journey photographer Richard Olsenius made through the Northwest Passage, a waterway that's still treacherous, mysterious, and alluring to adventurers. It all works very well to capture an authentic feeling for the majesty of the Arctic. The main attraction here is the music, which is beautifully done with a far greater range of melody than I've come to expect from New Age music. Indeed, thankfully it bears no resemblance to that idiotic, monotonous, whiny New Age stuff that makes me psychotic to the point where all I can think about is strangling somebody. The music here is mostly piano-based, and the whole package is well worth seeing and hearing.

This is a great book for anyone who wants an inside view of life in Alaska Native villages of the Arctic. Ralph was my grandfather and long told stories of his travels to the North, but it was not until recently I was able to read them in this collection. Great descriptions of the scenery and peoples of the villages, as well as an inspiring account of a man loved by many who was guided by God and could feel His presence. A great read, hands down.

I beg you to read this book! It illustrates the effect of global warming on the ecology of a little known local culture (the Inupiat) who live at the Arctic edge of the world. The author brings understanding of the world's precarious future to the reader's awareness in a completely understandable way. Making three expeditions with atmospheric chemist, Dr. Paul Shepson and several graduate students, Lourie captures the essence of the Inupiat people, their livelihood, modern culture, and the effects of global warming on their way of life, as well as what global warming has in store for our earth. Color plus B&W photographs embellish this intimate story along with maps and diagrams which encourage the reader's perception of the crisis. Includes index, glossary, resource pages as well as an inspirational "What You Can do to Fight Global Climate Change."

This book first was published in 1956 by the Curtis Publishing Company and copyright was repeated in 1958 by Lois Crisler

The shaman predicted that Howard Rock would become a great man. He was born in 1911 in a sod igloo in Point Hope, an ancient Eskimo village in northwest Alaska where the people had hunted whales and lived off the land for centuries. Instead of becoming a hunter, Howard became an accomplished artist and crusading newspaper editor. He helped defend his people from a controversial Atomic Energy Commission proposal to excavate a harbor near the village with an above-ground atomic blast. Then Rock founded the Tundra Times and helped Alaska's Native people press their aboriginal land claims before Congress, ultimately winning a settlement. Deeply moving.

These are poems of the natural world, of light and dark and the changing of the seasons. We find Tu Fu chanting a poem deep in the Alaska Range, a man who becomes a bear during his morning walk, a world of light carved from a piece of ivory, and walruses in their home beneath the ocean deciding if they will offer themselves to a hunter. Not all of the poems are set in Alaska. There are poems about growing up in a decaying mill town and the suicide of the poet's mother and how the past is always with us; however, the poet returns again and again to the conviction that the world itself is sacred--an ancient belief we need to recover.

Tom Sexton has lived in Alaska for more than thirty years. He began the creative writing program at the University of Alaska Anchorage and was poetry editor for the Alaska Quarterly Review for more than a decade. He began Black Spruce Press in 1994 after his retirement. His work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. This is his third collection of poetry. Sexton was appointed Alaska's Poet Laureate in 1995.

I met the author and his wife during my visit to Denali National Park last summer. They recently built a wonderful lodge, EarthSong Lodge, in which they share natural history and help their guests plan hiking and backpacking trips. Wonderful place, and wonderful hosts. Highly recommend anyone going to Alaska to buy Jon's book and stay at EarthSong Lodge.

A perfect title. Great recipes AND extra little stories about the recipe's history or special ingredient. It's what makes a good recipe beloved. You can almost see Ruth Allman in her kitchen making her sourdough soft ginger cookies with the wind howling outside. It makes me think these recipes were handed down within my own family. Focus is on ingredients that travel and store well and those that suit Alaska's climate: lemons, cranberries, prunes, and pumpkin in winter and oh those fresh berries in summer.

I received this cookbook from a friend several years ago and it has been in continual use since then. The recipe selection is not exhaustive, and that's the good part. You don't get lost in all the recipes, but this book contains some gems. The Vagabond Blues Blueberry Coffee Cake is one of my favorites with its satisfying lemon-ricotta cheese filling. The author includes some basic recipes (e.g., rhubarb pie, lemon meringe pie, and lemon squares) that are the best I've tried. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves baked goods. Ms. Eppenbach, I wish you would write another.