Alaska Books

Something has been missing from contemporary literature for a long time: a good story without the "f" word. An engrossing adventure set in the not-to-distant future, "To Take A Stand" challenges the reader to really think about the environmental and ethical dilemmas that permeate our society today. Ms. Allee spins a tale with great imagination and compassion. The language is rich and colorful and the mixture of action, romance, and suspense leaves you wanting more.

Excellent piece of work, this addition actually includes journal entries for Arthur Krause's treks up the Chilkat and Dyea (Taiya River) valleys, something the earlier additions lack. Arthur, unknown to many historians, was the first white man to write and describe the Taiya River (AKA. Chilkoot, Dyea) valley, which is now a national park. Anyone doing work on the Chilkoot Trail will find his Pre-Rush descriptions of his route up the valley and the natural history of the valley invaluable. Nice work. I do wonder however, if there is not more to his journal entries that has not been included in this addition? Also, some translational errors may have occurred, as the narratives don't alwats seem to make sense in following his route. Moreover, this work was translated from an unusual deutscher field shorthand, to german proper, to english. Neverthless, an excellent addition to the early Pre-Goldrush history of Southeast Alaska. Kudos.

SL Ferreira

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!

This is a great book, albeit a very unconventional one. It provides a history of the climbs done in the Tordrillo range of Alaska, of peaks such as Mt. Spurr (a very active volcano), Torbert, Gerdine and Nagishlamina. Also included are valuable tips for climbers, a fascinating history of early explorers of the region, and an account of how the mountains and glaciers acquired their names. There are interesting biographical sketches of the climbers; the reader will end up feeling that he knows them well. The photographs, some of which are in color, are stunning. One shows a twin-engine Piper that landed on the shoulder of Mt. Gerdine, on a 60 degree slope, its tail dangling over a 2000-foot drop to a lower glacier. The plane's perch was considered too precarious for a rescue attempt, and the pilot and two passengers perished. There are many other stories of harrowing adventures and some tragedies. The book is extremely well written, and will be of interest to the general reader as well as climbers.

This book is based on the letters & diaries of Alaska Master Guide Clement (Bud) Conkle. While on extended hunts, he regularly wrote letters to his wife, Lenora, detailing his adventures. He also had a great volume of correspondence with prospective hunters, as well as with clients he had guided. These stories span from the 1940s through his death in 1985.

Author DonMcCune retraced the Klondike Gold Rush trail and wrote this excellent now-and-then book about what he found, and also about what happened during that now-famous gold rush. The book contains many excellent reproductions of photographs taken by the famous Klondike gold rush photographer Eric A. Hegg.

On the pages opposing the Hegg photos are photos taken when McCune retraced the route, and at the same places as the Hegg photos, providing an interesting now-and-then contrast. The photos and McCune's unique writing style makes this a great read.

I met Peter when he was writing this and thought he was exaggerating some of his stories about the pipeline and the early "boomer" years of Alaska (and I'm a Fairbanksan!). It ended up being one of the best journalistic endeavors I've been privileged to witness. A lot of what went into Dan O'Neil's "The Firecracker Boys" started here.

It's amazingly readable, especially for something meant to be part of the academic record. For that reason, it's had no promotion to speak of. It's often-cited, but not at all dry. I know many of the people mentioned, and some of my relatives worked on the pipeline, and everything he says is the real deal.

To quote the late UAF president and Fairbanks mayor William Ransom Wood out of context, if you don't read Peter's book, you are "anti-God, anti-mind, and anti-man!"

After twenty-nine years in this great land sometimes called the Last Frontier, I can tell you that the essays in Travelers' Tales: Alaska ring true. I, personally, flew with several of the colorful glacier pilots out of Talkeetna to climb in the Alaska Range including Doug Geeting, Cliff and Jay Hudson, and Lowell Thomas, Jr., and I especially enjoyed Jon Krakauer's The Flyboys of Talkeetna. In the Introduction to this collection and in his piece, Shot Tower, Dave Roberts, East Coast writer and mountaineer, reflects on his early years of Alaskan expeditions and he critically examines his relationship to climbing. If you like mountains, you will like these tales.

This collection takes you on an Alaskan odyssey. The stories range from sea-kayaking up against monster glaciers in Glacier Bay (Tim Cahill's The Great White Philharmonic) to flying into a remote Forest Service cabin on the Kenai with your 19-day old infant, four-year old son, and grown husband to do a little grayling fishing (Andromeda Romano-Lax's Seeking Paradise) to helping Inupiat hunters haul in a whale killed in traditional fashion and divide the meat among community members (Heather Villars' On the Pack Ice). In Bill Sherwonit's Hairy Man Lives, you are treated to multiple first-hand recollections of encounters with Alaska's Sasquatch. Hairy Man is real in rural Alaska. I lived in Native villages for eight years, and I can vouch for this.

In all my years here, I have learned that Alaska is a state like no other for direct experience with the beauty, mystery, and raw power of Nature. After reading this book, you will want to travel here to see for yourself. Or, if you have been here for a while, as I have, you will be reminded of why you came in the first place.

Excellent book by an excellent pilot. A realistic look at Alaska, aviation, the oil industry, and the government during the mid twentieth century

Saying too much only gives it all away....
I am positive Mr. Murphy has meticulously researched and put in tremendous effort to bring about the ideas he wants his readers to experience in - Two wheels Two countries One dream.
I sure hope all you bikers around the world will go through this book at least once in your lifetime!
For those who are not into reading....it's time you pulled off the Freeway and let this Journey show you how......
Thanks.....a ton Daniel!