Last Frontier Books

Zane Grey's first novels concerned his ancestors, the Zane family, and the Ohio frontier of the late 18th century. They are fairly authentic, historically, and heroic and romantic as well.

everything from missing Mama to Alaska weather and moose, a great book!

Grey Owl lived and worked among many people who survived by canoeing, transporting goods, trapping, hunting, fishing, and often living at great distance from other human beings - with whom they might have enjoyed talking and comparing stories. He decided to put some of this lifestyle down on paper, in the form of a book. In this work he describes the lifestyle, and its hardships, but mainly the joys that became such a motivation for his own choices in life. It isn't an academic monograph, but it IS several other things: a collection of stories shared around a campfire, a description of a lifestyle that is very Canadian and is now almost gone, and a window on lives that could be happy, even in solitude.

Could a just legal system endure over 35 years of occupation? David Kretzmer - who examines in this book the jurisprudence of the Israeli Supreme Court relating the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 - is leaving the reader to answer this question. Through this fascinating book, though, he gives a detailed and careful discussion of the legal decisions regarding petitions that challenged policies and actions by the authorities and exhibits through them the way this court operates. Kretzmer shows that the Court has ruled not only contrary to the international law - by approving deportations, house demolitions, and actually legitimizing the Israeli settlements policy - but also contrary to its own interpretation principle. This principle gives presumption to individual human rights when they clash with the authorities' power to restrict them. Contrary to that, the Court's decisions relating to the Occupied Territories are government-minded.

In the first part of the book, Kretzmer gives a clear theoretical and legal basis, by explaining the substantive norms at work in the Supreme Court, distinguishing between jurisdiction and justiciability and and shedding light on the question of applicability of international law to the Occupied Territories. In the second part, he discusses the Court's decisions relating to two major political issues: establishment of Israeli settlements and the status of Palestinian residents of those territories. The third part examines the manner the Court has handled petitions challenging security measures against Palestinian residents - house demolitions, deportations, limitations on personal liberty and more.

Kretzmer - a professor of international law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Vice-Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Committee - is far from being simplistic. In his work, he keeps the professional and careful job of an academic jurist and let it speak for itself. He withdraws from popular (and political) sweeping arguments, and concentrates on careful examination of the judicial decisions themselves, in light of the norms that the same Court has undertook to apply. He draws a distinction between substantive matters, in which the court indeed failed to intervene, and the procedural constraints on the use of governmental powers, which the Court made an effort to strengthen. He sees the difference between judges being independent and being neutral. The latter is impossible when it has to do not with dispute between authorities and individuals, but between the first and what is perceived to be involving an attack on the very authority and interests of the state itself, by its enemies. He draws his conclusions in his discreet and understatement way, which shows very effectively how Israel occupies not only land and persons, but also the justice system itself.

We just bought property on Soap Creek Rd. in the area that was once Tampico, Oregon in the 1850's. Half the book is about this area including maps of the platted city of Tampico, and the words to the song "Tampico". Great story, even if only a few people ever will care about it.

Space Flight: Crossing The Last Frontier provides an introduction to the fascinating history of space exploration. Written by Jason Richie specifically for young readers, Space Flight offers a factual, easy-to-understand, informative narrative enhanced with black-and-white photographs, Space Flight is an excellent and highly recommended instructional reference to the wonders and science of modern space exploration recommended for readers age 10 to 15.

Not only is the photography fantastic but this book contains a lot of good information for those seeking an Alaska fishing adventure. The best of its type by far!

Florida may now seem to be the land of beaches, theme parks and sprawling planned unit developments, but it wasn't always this way. In, "Would Do, Could Do and Made Do", Nancy Dale takes you on a trip into Florida's not too distant past and into the lives of Florida's pioneer, "Cow Hunters" (cowboys). Before air conditioning, doppler radar and the interstate, there were enterprising families carving out an existence in the untamed tropical wilds of Florida. Nancy Dale brings it all to life in a way that is part news report and part conversational recounting as told through interviews with those that lived the experience. Photos throughout the work put faces to the names, and the well worn features of many tell their own tales of lives well lived and well worked.

Having lived in Florida for twenty years (a new kid compared to these folks), I have crisscrossed the state several times. If you travel only the coastlines you might never know that at its heart Florida is an agricultural power house. We're not just talking oranges here. Sprawling cattle ranches line the roads that travel east and west through the state. Yet still, each time I travel those roads I see change. I see growth and encroachment. Nothing stays the same, but in "Would Do, Could Do and Made Do" we are given some bit of hope that if there is one thing that might be able to outlast the sprawl, it is the will of these early Florida pioneers, these Cow Hunters.

The tone and tenor of this excellent history of Alaska matches perfectly the subject it details: straightforward, lively, tough-minded, and sincere. She relates the history of the state from the first Russian fur trading stations of the 1700s through the most recent trends, including the building of the Alaskan pipeline and modern mining developments. Still considered a frontier up to the present day, Webb focuses on various "frontiers" throughout Alaska's history: the trader's frontier, the explorer's frontier, the miner's frontier, and others, including transportation (3 chapters), the military, and missionaries. Webb has a great feel for this vast land and for the people who have chosen to inhabit it; she obviously is concerned with the big issues, but she also includes the simpler human-interest concerns, such as what mail carrier Ed Biederman went through to deliver the mail in winter in the early 1900s. Her writing is vivid and the story of Alaska that she tells is interesting and informative from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

When Al's buddy, Ken told me about this book I have to admit I was a little skeptical... "come on a cop from Clare, writing a book about Alaska" and then I thought to the wild fishing tales that I'd heard Al and Ken musing about around coffee when we were working... so I gave it a try - and boy was I amazed... every page leaves you feeling like you are there going through the whole adventure with Al... It's a book of stories that were experienced first hand, and I'm sure the author took the necessary literary liberty's were needed but you'll feel like your in alaska yourself but looking through the authors Blue Eyes... I'm still awaiting the third book and hope to hear of the mighty Snipe Hunt!!

Dear Officer Al,
I just finished reading your book of adventures in Alaska. I really enjoyed your storytelling technique. Your transitions from one event were compelling to keep me looking forward to picking up the book to continue. I only had short bursts of time to devote to reading it. I was sorry when I noticed only a few pages left. I had hoped for more.
There are some things I'd like to mention that I found distracting while going through your story. Learn the verb forms of lie and lay. Sometimes they were correct but most often the usage was wrong. Also, know the difference between bonsai and banzai; those words are not interchangeable and quite different in meaning. Compound adjectives are hyphenated, but in compounding an adverb (an -ly word) and an adjective no hyphen is to be used. Dark River Publishing should know that consistent use of the comma in nouns of address would be helpful to the reader. Well, that's a start. These are just elementary points I think you should know.

FIRST CHAPTER OR TWO STARTS OFF SLOW, BUT THIS ENDS UP BEING ONE OF THE BEST/FUNNIEST BOOKS I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME.

Alaska: Behind Blue Eyes captured and held my attention right from the start. When I read about the young man standing on the hill at the edge of town and looking back one last time, I thought of my own travels away from home. The excitement and anxieties of the journey to a new home, the time of adjustment once you have arrived, making new friends...it's all there. Granted, I've never come face to face with a grizzly, but I felt as though I was the fisherman on the banks while reading that chapter. I stayed up late two nights running because I simply could not put the book down! Fascinating characters, wonderful setting, excellent writing.

Having grown up about 60 miles from Clare and having recently visited Skagway, White's book captured my heart. As I read his book I could "see" Broadway, the towering mountains surrounding Skagway, the cruise ships at the end of the dock, etc. A small town Michigan boy who followed his dreams and shared his experiences will make you laugh, cry and wonder what will happen next. A must read book for anyone who loves the beauty, tranquility and adventures of Alaksa.