Alaska Books

This book will appeal to anyone who ever lived on Unga Island or is related to someone or knows someone who lived there. Unga is a ghost town now, but reading about its past is very interesting.

Jennifer Brice tells stories not often told; about growing up in Alaska, about learning to fly and about a rich (in spirit) and interesting family. This is not your average memoir. Despite the fact that hers is essentially a functional family, there are sections that excite and thrill (earthquakes, plane crashes, etc.), always accompanied by thoughtful reflection.

Great if you're taking a vehicle tour of Alaska, going off the main cruise ship drag so to speak. Lots of information.

Great book in a great series of books issued by the Alaska Geographic Society that depict what various regions of Alaska are like. This book depicts the Koyukuk River area, the largest tributary of the mighty Yukon River, and its inhabitants.

I was very interested to read Margarets account of her time spent in Anaktuvuk Pass. I found that her book delivered an effective account of the history of the settling of the Nunamiut at this location; told not by some cold,scientific text but rather through accounts by the generation who were there. It is this ability to convey the human perspective of the Nunamiut community that I found most warming.
Margarets account of her learning; be it about mask making, camping or caribou hunting provided an insight to village life that is fast disappearing.
As an Australian bushwalker who has visited Anaktuvuk Pass on several occasions I appreciated the reading & picturing again those I had met over the years; be it either as a raised hand as we passed on the tundra, laughing with the children at the local school or having a sauna at the washateria.

It is a shame that this book is out of print. The author, a nun of the Sisters of St. Ann, born in Belgium, wrote these memoirs in Flemish, her native language, for readers in Belgium, although she must have known English well. The book was then translated into French and English. It tells the story of the Holy Cross mission in western Alaska, on the lower Yukon River, which mission was begun not very many years after Alaska was purchased from Russia by the United States. The story really begins with a missionary trip made by another Belgian, Archbishop Charles John Seghers of British Columbia, during which he was murdered. The author tends strongly to express herself in pious Christian and Catholic terms, surely in accord with her genuine way of understanding the world throughout her life. And in fact, the story makes little sense otherwise: faith was the missioners' motive.

Shawn Lyons' three volume "A Walk-About Guide to Alaska" is perhaps the most popular and heavily-used hiking guide for South Central Alaska. This particular volume covers a selection of hikes on the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage and along Turnagain Arm, through which runs the Seaward Highway on the way to the Kenai Peninsula.

First time hikers in Alaska will find that the heavily used and well-developed trail networks common in the lower 48 are not typically in evidence in Alaska. Even on the more popular routes, hikers may be challenged to identify and follow a trail; outside of a few trails near Anchorage, there will be little signage. Hikers must be prepared to find their own way, and Lyons' guide is an excellent source of the information necessary to plan a hike.

Lyons provides basic data about each hike, including how to get to the trailhead, descriptions of the length, elevation gain, grading of the trail, and other useful information. Each entry includes a sketch map of the route, which, when coupled with a regular map, is usually sufficient to follow the route. Interspersed with the trail descriptions are short essays by Lyons on the joys of hiking in different areas, along with some useful information on what to expect to see or experience. The selection of photographs help provide a sense of scale for rugged terrain.

Lyons is an usually fit and able hiker, and his grading of trail difficulty might be taken with a grain of salt by the less dedicated hiker. This volume is highly recommended as a planning resource for the rugged terrain of the Kenai Mountains and along Turnagain Arm. For early summer visitors to Anchorage, the south-facing slopes of Turnagain Arm are often the first areas to be free of snow.

Shawn Lyons three volume "A Walk-About Guide to Alaska" may be the most popular and heavily-used trail guide for South Central Alaska. This volume covers the spectacular Chugach Mountains immediately east of Anchorage, Alaska.

Few urban areas in the United States have such immediate access to such a huge outdoor resource as Chugach State Park. Many trailheads are located in neighborhoods along the east side of Anchorage, providing access to a variety of trails. On offer are opportunities for short afternoon strolls, extended rugged journeys, and other hikes inbetween. Much of the Chugach is above treeline in whole or part; hikers will be rewarded on clear days with superb vistas into the Anchorage area or deep into the valleys of the Chugach.

Lyons includes basic data on selected trails, with length, grading of the trail, elevation gain, and a sketch map of the route. Most trails are less well marked in Alaska than in commonly found in the lower 48; hikers are advised to read the guide closely to find their way. Similarly, some trails cross steep and rocky ridges or traverse snowfields early in the year; hikers should prepare accordingly. Lyons is an unusually fit hiker; those less dedicated may wish to take the trail grading scheme with a grain of salt.

This volume is highly recommended to visitors planning a stay in the Anchorage area, and to long-time residents looking for variety in their hikes.

Shawn Lyons' three volume "A Walk-About Guide to Alaska" may be the most popular and heavily-used hiking guide to South Central Alaska. This volume covers selected trails in the Talkeetna Mountains located roughly one hour's driving time North of Anchorage.

Lyons format is the same as his earlier volumes. Entries for each trail include basic data such as the location of the trailhead, the length, elevation gain, and grade of the trail, and a sketch map of the route.

Especially in the Talkeetnas, where snow pack is common into the month of June and many of the access roads are dirt or gravel, attention to directions is important. The spectacular Hatcher Pass is worth a journery by itself, and gives to a variety of trails deep into valleys and over ridges in the mountains. Some of the trails provide access to current or former gold-mining sites in the Talkeetnas. Independence Mine State Park, near the head of Hatcher Pass, provides an excellent base of of operations to reach many of the trails.

The trail selection ranges from easy strolls to multi-day backpacking trips. Lyons interpretive essays and a selection of photographs provide a sense of what to expect. This volume is highly recommended to the visitor or long-time resident looking for some excellent hiking opportunities.

Robert J. Kennedy's walk to Alaska is one of the most exciting adventures of all time. His humor, honesty, humility and courage will touch the reader deeply. The book's style is uniquely cryptic, but enjoyable once you get used to it.

No matter what goes wrong, Kennedy maintains an upbeat attitude at all times. His conversations with his buddy Ty, who came to visit Kennedy three times during the walk, are truly delightful and insightful. Several times in the book I was moved to tears. And many more times I found myself laughing out loud.

Kennedy strikingly lacks the crudeness often found in other adventurers. His ineptness is also unique among adventurers, but that only endears him further.

I strongly recommend this book for readers of all ages. Kennedy's story proclaims loudly that chivalry still lives; and it also has a sense of humor.

That so many things could go wrong during a 5-month walk is almost incredible. But the book documents the events with great detail. The reader often feels he or she is right there walking alongside. Or crawling alongside, in some cases.

The bear encounter is truly gripping, due mainly to its remote and dark setting.

Buy this book, but don't expect it to be anything like any other adventure book you have ever read. This is a spiritual journey as well as a physical and romantic one.

I cannot recommend any book more highly.