Alaska Books

Linda Hunter's book about bears attracted me because I live and often hike alone in black bear habitat of SW Washington, so I felt it was important to increase my knowledge of bear traits and habits in preparation for a possible bear encounter on a backcountry trail. My read was delayed, however, by my husband who grabbed the book, read it cover to cover, and declared, "Great story! Gutsy lady!" Strong praise from a crusty, old woodsman. And I soon wholeheartedly agreed. For me, the strength of the author's detailed insights into bears came from observing the same creatures on numerous occasions, under diverse conditions, as they engaged a variety of activities, year after year. While scientists often observe bears briefly; she closely studied the same bears from birth to maturity. By the end of the book, I had developed an intimate bond to specific bears...the indifferent mother, the brothers bent on mischief (her story of the too-big bears wedged inside a too-small outhouse was a HOOT!), and the bear who wanted to be people. Her wilderness tales blend first-hand experiences of face-to-face bear encounters, some delightful, some fear-provoking, with practical, proven, survival methods, essential for anyone traveling in bear country. If I ever meet a bear face to face, I'll be damn glad I read this book. And hope like crazy I remember what Linda Hunter told me about the importance of "casually' walking way.

Whatever you think about bears, cuddly or fierce, you're probably going to come away from this book with a new perspective, and a smarter outlook on their place in the world. This remarkable book gives us a close-up view of brown, grizzly, and black bears that cost its author many seasons of hard toil as a guide in an Alaskan wilderness lodge to obtain! Her insights and observations about both human nature and bear behavior are keen and funny, surprising and moving, and probably unique in all the bear literature out there.

Personally, I'm bear-phobic; the sight of a grizzly snout sends physical sensations through my body that just aren't to be desired. But after reading Linda Hunter's tales of Alaskan summers spent a few feet from mothers and teenagers and cubs and aggressive males, and learning about bear-body-language from her thoughtful observations and experiences, I can honestly say that, where once I would have done everything to encourage a bear to reinforce my fears, now I have a chance of doing everything right, if I should perchance encounter one. And since I've recently moved to a black-bear state, that's not too far-fetched. I am no longer so afraid to venture into Michigan's northern woods. I'll be armed with pepper spray for emergencies, but also with a new respect and understanding for all the different types of bears & behaviors out there.

Make no mistake; this is no cuddly wishful thinking reminiscence about bears we'd like to have as pets! Ms. Hunter's book is a wise and carefully considered collection of observations that sometimes defies what "experts" have written before her. She may be "Lonesome for Bears," but she's also a trained animal tracker and sharp observer. This is the book to read if you can't afford the thousands of dollars it would cost you to visit these bears in their natural world; you'll gain several seasons' worth of wisdom, gathered and retold in delightful story after story of close encounters of the bear kind. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) She made me laugh and she made me cry, and perhaps most important to her way of thinking, she made me respect. Fear, which leads to unnecessary violence, isn't part of her ideal equation for humans and bears.

What makes this so fascinating is the way the author skillfully combines essential information about wild bears with entertaining anecdotes (which are, at times, laugh out loud funny). The reader will learn so much about these amazing creatures -- how they interact with each other and with humans; why they are at risk; what we can do to protect them and their enivronment etc. -- while enjoying every word. Highly recommended for animal and nature lovers every where.

I am using these as a class starter and I love the variety of problems. We started them and are currently using more than a minute, but I will shorten the time as we go. I used to write my own, but these are great.

A great way to start the day! This works awesome to have up on the overhead for the kids to complete as they come in the door in the morning. It also gives me ideas for lessons on skills that need more attention.

I use this book in my 7th grade classroom and it is wonderful. I use the minutes as daily warm ups for my students. In my opinion, this is a spiral review of all of the basic skills that they need. If I weren't using it in my classroom, I'd definately use it with my children to sharpen their basic skills. I can't say enough about this book.

It tells the life of Steve and Liz Bailey and their friendship with Victor and Gus. Their lead sled dog is Mik-Shrok. The book is interesting because it describes three different villages and their friends at each one. The book shows that God answers prayer.

My son read this book for his book report and he LOVED it! He still cannot stop talking about it. He is now finishing the sequel and asking for the third book in the series. He says he now wants to live in Alaska as a missionary! Highly recommended!!

This book tells the exciting story of Steve and Liz Bailey, missionaries to the Alaskan territory before statehood. Mik-Shrok is their lead sled dog. Together they have many exciting adventures as they adjust to life in the far North and grow to love the Eskimo people with whom they came to share the Gospel. My family and I are looking forward to the next book in this series.

My kids love to bake the simple and tasty treats out of this book all by themselves.

I'm a media specialist and I used this book for my first grade's Alaska Day held in the media center. I used several recipes for a cooking station that the students visited. They loved making the recipes because they were fun, easy, and had Alaskan names. They especially loved the snack-- Denali Peaks. Since the snacks are named after geographic locations, it was a great way to integrate a geography lesson, too. After we made the snacks, first graders located the town or region that the snack was named on a map. Kudos to the creator of this wonderful cookbook which makes a wonderful teaching resource on Alaska!

I have purchased several children's cookbooks recently, but this book has by far been the one we have used the most! It is really easy to use and has some very cute recipes in it. Everything is easy for the children to make and it all has been very good to eat. The cute little Alaskan themed names are unique as well. I highly recommend this book!

I have met these two people on three different occasions and they are exactly like you'd expect an Alaskan couple to be. They are rugged, friendly, and know their gold!!! This book was so interesting and well written that I have passed mine around to family and friends who love Alaska as much as I do. I'd give anything to work along side Dexter and Yonda for a while - I know I'd never leave. I am really looking forward to their next book.

A wonderful story of relationships: significant others, familial, and community.

A moving story of advenure, hardship, learning and sharing. I was very moved by this touching story of love and sharing.

A delightful series of stories told by a husband and wife team who have made searching for gold in Alaska's wilderness their life's work. It is humorous,sad, thought provoking,and LIFE. A true love story. The authors share their triumphs as well as their failures on their journey to the Eldorado Gold Mine. It is a light and enjoyable read.

Mary Buckles develops a great relationship with life on the Sound and shares it so gracefully with the reader. There are so few books available about the Sound, and hers is one of the best.

I met Mary Parker Buckles 20 years ago and immediately fell for her. Articulate, witty and graced with the style of a native Southerner, she enthralled me. After reading her book on Long Island Sound, I just fell for her again. It's an articulate, witty and graceful look at all that grows along and in the sound.

This is a beautiful and enchanting book. Mary Parker Buckles initiates the reader into the teeming vitality, ceaseless creativity, and mesmerizing wonder that is Long Island Sound. The familiar, but oh so strange world of owls and ospreys, barnacles and crabs, bivalves and boats, are engagingly explored by Mary -- a true natural scientist, but with a poet's eye. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is superbly well written, and in her elegant, imaginative, playful, even rapturous style Mary helps the reader to discover the magic that lies hidden in plain sight throughout this natural habitat. Mary seems to pour her soul into the Sound, and what emerges is a lyrical voice that speaks of wonders too fair for words.

What a find! This lively adventure novel Outside Man has to be my best read this year. Ms Holmes wit and humor kept me busy turning pages long past the story hour. Images of this stunningly beautiful setting sweetened my thoughts throughout the book and beyond. The book cover piqued my interest from the beginning as it alluded to a story with a bit of mystic. Ms Holmes brought the adventure of Adam and Mel to a climax, satisfying my expectations right to the end. You may be certain I will be looking forward to seeing more novels by this gifted and talented author. Doris Telleria

Having spent a summer on Unalaska Island, including a few days on the west end of the Island where part of this story takes place, I was immediately transported back when reading this book. Ms. Holmes' writing style makes it easy to picture both the modern and the historic Aleutian Island setting. She also has a distinctive way of describing contemporary life in the Aleutians. The story was gripping on many levels--the suspenseful nature of the mystery plot, the descriptions of life in the Aleutians then and now, as a native and as a non-native, the development of a romantic relationship, and the wonder of being a new mom. I could not put this book down once I started reading it, and I sent it to several friends and family members as a Christmas gift to share this story with them.

Though a completely different (nonfiction) genre, I also recommend Ms. Holmes' other books including "Good-Bye Boise...Hello Alaska," and "Dear Cora"

This book is a great story of realism, endurance, ambition,adventure, toughness and honesty. It's very well written, easy to read and is one of those, "I couldn't put it down" books. Nothing was shocking but some things were startling. Adventure was present and with natural "outdoor man" type romance expected from one whose subsistence is of first importance and natural instincts always present. Making it through life and making a life are the basics that make this book the "must read" it is.

What a beautiful book! The illustrations are wonderfully rich and the artist truly has a sense of humor. The story is a tale of a young Native girl wishing to catch a king salmon. It is a confidence building story for any child. It is the favorite nighttime book for my son who is 4. I have bought some of the other Misty Mountain books and have found them all very enjoyable. What a nice find!

I love this book! We live in Colorado and have never seen a puffin, but after reading this book our kids want to travel to Alaska just to see a puffin. They feel that they already know the bird personally. The illustrations are funny and there are little secrets tucked away within the book that my kids are discovering each time they read it. You cant go wrong with this book!

This is a story with just enough suspense and a great ending - good for young children. While it begins with a message that, "being different is okay," it ends with a mother's love making everything wonderful again. On his quest for identity, the little Puffin meets wonderful characters along the way. They are funny, unique, colorful and attention to the detail of each "critter" is amazing. The tongue-in-cheek whimsy is delightful and very cleverly thought through. Notice the smallest details ... smart, very smart.

In just 141 pages the author shares her life in a remote section of Alaska. In this space the situations are exciting, sometimes life threatening or in several cases humorous and she manages to add recipes to fit each episode! The book moves quickly and is very readable. When I finished reading Recipe for Adventure I wished to know more about life in Alaska and especially about the life of this adventurous woman. I highly recommend reading it.

From the time I opened the cover, I found this book to be exciting and humorous. I couldn't put it down. The descriptions of the adventures made me feel like I was there sharing it with the author. The book keeps you at a high and exciting emotional level. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes adventure, or who would like some insight into life in Alaska.

I thought this book was great. It was exciting. My mother-in-law has lived in Alaska for several years and always has great stories. I'm glad that someone took the time to let others know about it. It was easy to read. I didn't put it down until I was done.

This was an extraordinary book that shows the vital necessity of protecting this area from projects like Anglo-American's Pebble Mine, which could ruin the salmon fishery at the heart of the ecosystem.

Much of the photos in this book are taken from fairly high up, helicopter or aircraft. Composition is better than anything in the genre. Medium format Pentax 645 ensures a high level of detail. Printing quality is among the best i've seen. This is not just another book on the beauty of Alaskan wilderness. Interesting text for those with little background on salmon and their rivers.
A masterpiece!

Rivers of Life has stunningly beautiful photography of the rivers and fish of Bristol Bay, Alaska. Although I have been there several times, Ketchum and Hampton's book reveals so much more about this remote region than a visitor would typically see or learn. It also documents the poignant inside story of the history of this, the world's greatest wild salmon fishery, and the century-long struggle among the natives, commercial fishermen, sport-fishermen, and government to conserve the resource and use it wisely.