No comments about Alaska Travel Journal of Archibald Menzies, 1793-1794..

No comments about Tanker on the Rocks or Great Alaskan Bad.

No comments about Voyages On The Yukon And Its Tributaries: A Narrative Of Summer Travel In The Interior Of Alaska.

No comments about Fast Boat Nekkid: An Escapade by Sea from Alaska to Mexico.

No comments about A look at Alaska.

No comments about Alaska, the land and the people,.

No comments about Oregon, Washington And Alaska: Sights And Scenes For The Tourist.

5 comments about Runaways on the Inside Passage.

1. The author of this book knows all to well what can go wrong on a trip to Alaska in the dead of winter. He also knows that a pair of plucky teenagers can plausibly make the trip by themselves with a little advice from an old fisherman too sick to leave his bunk and some well-timed good luck.
   
   The thirteen-year-old brother and sister who make this trip have just enough Indiana Jones bravado and resourcefulness to meet the challenges and not so much that they are no longer believable. They experience, as have generations of fishermen, the very real fear of battling winter storms, the delicious peace of a safe haven after harrowing days at sea, and the warm but gruff hospitality of the people who live in the remote communities along the British Columbia and Alaska coast.
   
   "Runaways on the Inside Passage" is a nice mix of real situations and fiction that piles one adventure after another and brings the crew of a Foss tug towing a barge across the Queen Charlottes just in time to make sure this novel reaches a happy ending.



2. Anyone who has read Joe Upton's other books knows that he has forgotten more about the sea and its changing moods than the reviewer from the School Library Journal will ever begin to understand. If the language is a bit challenging, so much the better. Kids love this book!



3. Every "Books for boys" program I have attended lately emphasizes technology, non-fiction, hands-on how-to-do-it stuff. It's in here. For the boy who is being forced to read fiction by a well-meaning teacher, this is great. I found the loss of tension at the ending to be a little less satisfying than the rest of the book but in general I will recommend this to my library users, young and old, male and female, who are looking for something with things to learn, in addition to story.



4. I bought this book for my [...] grandson but thankfully, I decided to read it before I gave it to him. I have discarded the book. There is an episode where a dirty old drunk with evil thoughts pulls off the towel of the teenage girl who just stepped out of the shower. This is totally inappropriate reading material for young readers. There are also two other similar references. The book should be pulled off book shelves.



5. Have you ever wanted to run away to Alaska? Well that's what these kids did! In Runaways on the Inside Passage by Joe Upton 13 year-old twins David and Annie are abandoned by their mother and they decide to sail to Alaska in search of their father with help from Lars, an old family friend. What happens when Lars becomes ill and the Coast Guard goes after them? Will they make it to their father's home alive?
   
   This is a great book for children of all ages! I highly recommend it. The way it is written it is like you are there on the boat deck looking out at the high seas. It is action-packed and makes almost any other book pale in comparison to this one. You learn a lot about sailing and the lengths people will go to in search of a family. If you read this book you will find out about love, kindness, and teamwork through the perspective of two 13 year olds.
   
   This book is completely amazing!

No comments about Shiyak!: Misadventures of the schooner Lottie Bennett : the last windjammer voyage to Alaskan salmon waters.

2 comments about Fodor's Alaska Ports of Call, 4th Edition: Where to Dine & Shop and What to See and Do When You Go Ashore (Special-Interest Titles).

1. Within the 130 pages of this book, about 80 describe the ports of call. The rest are the usual information about cruising, ships, and Alaska you'd find in any other book you probably already have.

   The port information typically lists a few sightseeing, dining, and shopping opportunities for each port. I haven't been to these ports recently enough to know if they're complete.

   There is a map of each port, locating the referenced establishments. Although the text tells where the ships dock, that location is not usually shown on the map, making it difficult to tell how far away things will be. You can figure this out on the ship, of course, as someone will know where the dock is.

   Finally, any book with "for 1999" in the title ought to have Internet addresses for Alaska touring info, local information, and individual attractions, tour operators, and the like. There aren't any at all. It does have phone numbers.

   All in all, I think the AAA TourBook for Alaska has as much information, and it's free to members.




2. Fortunately, I didn't buy this book. I flipped through it in the library. While I didn't spend a lot of time going through it (not much to go through anyway), I can tell you that, in terms of content, this is a lightweight guide.

   The information on Vancouver, in particular, is embarrassingly brief. Considering what the city has to offer, this guide will cheat you of a more fulfilling visit. There are less than half a dozen options each in terms of activities, restaurants, shopping, and sights.

   Considering the options available to you, especially good free resources online, I would give this guide a miss.