Alaska Books

I am an artist and naturalist who has lived in Alaska for over 20 years. There are of course a lot of good books on the wildlife of Alaska, and a few good books on Alaskan art, but none give me as much pleasure and inspiration as this one. If I had to leave the state forever and could only have one book about Alaska, this would be it.

The focus here is on wildlife, and not on scenery, though of course there are some nice examples of that, too. For various reasons, some obvious, the most covered animals are moose, caribou, bear, and Dall sheep. Pretty much everything is treated, though, including the wonderful but relatively little-known pika.

Berry had the level of experience, talent, and devotion that makes his work in many ways more useful as a reference than most photography. (If you doubt that, get serious with both photography and field sketching and you'll find out why.) That said, most of the work in here involves pencil sketches with releatively few watercolor studies, so there is not a lot of color information.

If you like to field sketch and are starting to think you are pretty good at it, read this and you will probably get a few useful doses of humility. If anyone is better at field sketching than Berry, I'm unaware of them, and I've been looking hard. Certainly nobody surpasses Berry for Alaska.

There is not a lot of wildlife art out there that I find satisfying, and a great deal that I find annoying and even disgusting. Berry on the other hand is pure magic, and I love this book more every time I pick it up. I pick it up a lot.

Immediately bringing us to a remote, Aleutian island during World War II, The Wind is Not a River is a powerful tale, richly textured by the environment and culture in which it is set. The story is not a simple "adventure" story, as some summaries have purported; the plot is strikingly complex.

The characters, so true to life, are struggling with the echoing words of their grandmother, as they try to escape the Japanese invasion of their village. Their physical challenges are compounded by a profound questioning of ethics. What should they do when they find an unconscious, Japanese soldier? Is their freedom more valuable than their humanity?

For teachers, this story is a fine centerpiece to an interdisciplinary unit on the tundra, providing an accurate look at our generous, sensitive, and courageous neighbors to the north. A must for any teacher serious about providing his/her students with a critical and inspiring education.

Bruce McAllister had done a wonderful job with this new book in his great series of pictorial books. All of his "WINGS " series are a must own for all of us interested in the North and the history of aviation. If your a sudent pilot or an old pro, this and all the books in the series are a must for your bookcase.

I also recommend another great read on northern aviation, FLYING NORTH SOUTH EAST AND WEST, by Captain Terry Reece
Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara

With a simple and lyrical text written by Ann Dixon and illustrated by Mindy Dwyer, Winter Is presents a perfect picture book celebration of the many moods of winter for young readers ages 3 to 6. Showing youngsters that Winter is both white and cold, dark and bright, and filled with winter joys like ice-skating, snowman making, and downhill sledding, Winter Is presents a wonderfully entertaining and highly recommended reading experience.

The late William O. Field was the pioneer of modern glaciology in North America. With the assistance of C. Suzanne Brown, With A Camera In My Hands reveals the fascinating story of his life and work in the form of a beautifully illustrated oral biography demonstrating his major scientific contributions and an exceptional ability to visually capture the "living history" of the subject of his studies. Before his death he discussed with Suzanne Brown his life adventures, laced with colorful tales of the people he met and they places he went, as well as his impressive accomplishments and contributions to the disciplines of glaciology and geology. Also available in a hardcover edition (1889963461, $59.95) With A Camera In My Hands is a superb biography and will hold immense interest for students of the history of science in general and the glacial history of the North American continent in particular.

Without Reservation is a collection of free-verse poetry by Alaskan Native American John E. Smelcer that emphasizes clear tone and vivid images that are simple, honest, and as-is. Smelcer is the only surviving speaker, reader, and writer of his native language of Ahtna, Without Reservation is a compelling voice, unforgettable and highly recommended. The Incomplete & Unauthorized Definition Of American Indian Writers: "Indian" is not a derogatory word./It's what we call ourselves.//Not all Indians wear long black hair/or faded red bandanas and denim.//I've never seen a Red Man.//Fiction and nonfiction by Indians outsells poetry by Indians.//No Indian poet has won the Pulitzer Prize.//Indian writers shouldn't drive sports cars./I traded my yellow Porsche for a pick-up truck/with a quarter million miles/and a rifle rack in the rear window...

Examines the Alaska-Canada World Heritage Site covering Glacier Bay and Wrangell-St. Elias National Parks in the US and Kluane and Tatshenshini-Alsek in Canada, the world's largest protected wilderness.

It was a very informative book that I purchased for my father before he got to take a trip down the Alaskan Highway!

Chapters:

Arsenal of Democracy
Western Union Boy in the Aleutians
Reflections of Army Life at Kodiak
The Quonset Hut in Alaska
The Story of VP43
50-Year Memories
AFG: Alaska's Patriotic Militia
Northway & Tanacross: Airports for the War Effort
The SEarch for Oil Continues
Bibliography
Index

A comprehensive history of the "forgotten front", Hutchison provides indepth information on all combatants; American, Japanese, Canadian and Russian. Internationally honored, the book describes details only available from distant archives from around the world. In this book these rare and disintegrating documents come together for the first time, and illuminate what occured in the frozen north. The north being the only active World War II theater, this book is a major achievment, and a must for any library.