2 comments about Alaska: Images of the Country (Sierra Club Books Publication).

1. "Alaska" is one of those books that, after teh first few pages lets you forget the world around you and fly to other places. His pictures are breathtaking, and it is true : a picture sas more than a thousand words; rowell manages it to tell you more about Alaska with a couple of photographs than 100 professors could tell you. He shows the reader that there is still some pure wilderness out there and that it is worth to preserve it. rowell is someone who loves the wilderness and the beauty of nature and he makes you love it too.



2. Galen Rowell was one of the great outdoor photographers and most of his books are full of spectacular pictures of mountain scenery. But if you are expecting a normal picture book about Alaska, this isn't it. Instead this is a look at a place that is full of ambiguity.

   The book is structured around John McPhee's book "Coming into the Country". In that book McPhee gives an insightful description of Alaska as a place, and its inhabitants. The Alaskans seem torn between preserving the wilderness and developing it and the extracts contained in this volume capture that spirit. For example, McPhee provides admiring character studies of a number of people who came to Alaska because they just didn't fit in back in the lower 48 states. Even his descriptions of travels in the wilderness have an overlay of the politics of the state, where the federal government, which once owned most of the land, is distrusted by most citizens.

   Rowell decided that he wanted to take McPhee's writing and illustrate it with his own pictures. The preface makes clear that McPhee didn't offer a lot of cooperation. In fact he warned Rowell not to overprint his verbal pictures with Rowell's. The text selection was made by Rowell and the pictures included are not directly related to the words but have a close connection to their spirit.

   As I noted, this is not any ordinary Rowell book (if there is such a thing). There are far more pictures of human beings and their artifacts then one usually finds in such a book, and I sometimes felt that the pictures were gritty and dark. At first I thought that this was a shortcoming of the photographs but then I realized that Rowell had specifically selected these pictures because he believed that they reflected the spirit of McPhee's words. Oh, there are some grand landscapes like a picture of snow-covered Mount McKinley across isolated Nugget Pond, but there is also a picture of the same snow-covered peak taken across a dark, intruding asphalt highway into the wilderness.

   The final pages capture the essence of this book. McPhee describes the role of the 55 gallon steel drum in the Alaskan landscape, and tells how his view has gone from considering them ugly to finding them almost blooming. Opposite these words Rowell has placed a picture of a long line of rusty drums curving sinuously out of the frame into the Arctic Ocean.

   This book is more than 20 years old and the McPhee book almost 40 years old. Alaska may have changed since then, although everything I've read about it recently makes me believe that the same forces are still at work out on this frontier. But for a person interested in Alaska this book provides a feeling for the place and its people that has the ring of authenticity.

   If you want to see Alaska as a work of art, then I would recommend Art Wolfe's recent book of photographs "Alaska". But if you want to understand how a bright place can still have a dark soul, "Images of the Country" is a good place to start.

1 comments about Where Mountains Meet the Sea (Alaska Geographic).

1. Where Mountains Meet the Sea : Alaskas Gulf Coast, No. 1 is a very impressive presentation of Alaska's rugged and wild west coast and some of Alaska's more placid bay communities. There are some pictures here, many taken by low-flying aircraft, which allow one a rare, but very clear and close-up glimpse of some of these ends-of-the-earth regions. There is abundant text regarding specific areas, such as the Prince William Sound, Sitka, Kodiak, and an incredible section on Yakutat. And no corners are cut when focusing in on the people of the region; There are some great early and more recent pictures and literature concerning the Aleut, Russian and American traders, trappers, fishermen, and natives of the past and present (but keep in mind this book was released in the mid-eighties, I believe, so is only current as of fifteen or so years ago).

   The photographs of the islands really will take you there- to those beautiful, fresh air natural places far off in another realm. And if you happen to be a surfer, there is enough in this book to stir the imagination. There are some intriguing photos of the beach areas at Yakutat- one which shows the left point break firing off in the distance. I'd liek to explore Icy Bay and along the Mt. St. Elias perimeter. But keep in mind this is surfing only for the most hardcore: Massive tides which flow in an out of flood-basins while great plains of quicksand sprawl out across tidal zones; Huge Aleutian swells and tsunamis are in the equation, as is ice-cold water, aggressive bears, aggressive prehistoric-looking sharks and salmon sharks that can swim 60 MPH. There are isolated coasts in the path of brutal storms and impossibly strong currents. Still, if one knows the right season and where to look, one may find epic, uncrowded surf (point, beach, reef, and bay-openings) in a breathtaking environment and the possibilty of finding more 100 foot waves. There are multiple Maverick's set-ups up there, and in the direct line of our biggest winter swells! Its truly a new frontier.

1 comments about The Kid's Guide to Cruising Alaska (Kid's Guides Series).

1. This book is mostly for teenage kids traveling by cruise to Alaska; however it gives adults quick and easy info as well. It covers all you can do in Alaska. It is simple to read and understand and very informative. It offers many ideas and tips to be prepare. It has fun activities at the end of the chapters and many web sites to get more info or resources. It ends with a chapter about Vancouver and Seattle and a mini diary for the kids to record their adventure. I used it to prepare my 4 and 6 years old children while on the trip. We all learned a lot.

3 comments about Arctic Daughter: A Wilderness Journey.

1. I was at a friends house when I first picked up Arctic Daughter by Jean Aspen. I sat down and started to read the first few pages, two hours later it was time to go home and I was still reading this book. My friends were kind enough to let me borrow the book and I finished it the next day. I returned the book to my friends and went directly to the book store and ordered it. I was told it was out of print and I was very upset. I then spent about two weeks searching to find a copy of Arctic Daughter and I was lucky enough to find a new copy. I gave it to my wife and she also read it in one day. This book takes the reader to a place that many people will never see. The courage and spirit of true adventure in Jean Aspen prevails in this book and it is a shame it is out of print. I would encourage any person who has the dream of "chucking" it all away in order to live a life more simple to pick up a copy of this book. It is the real deal and puts the adventurers' life in a new perspective. A must read!



2. This is an incredible adventure story written in in a very descriptive manner. It's unbelievable what we can endure if we put our minds to it. This is a MUST READ!



3. I highly recommend this book for those who love true adventure stories. This is a rare and unique one. While I would not rate this book a 5-star simply on the basis of the writing, as sometimes I find descriptive language to linger too long, I must give it an overall 5 stars due to its amazing content and intriguing story of a woman who dared to follow her dreams into one of the last wildernesses remaining on Earth. Jean Aspen went where few dare to go, and she did it as a college-aged young woman. The reader is amazed at the matter-of-factness of her descriptions of pushing off of the bank into the mighty Yukon River, alone with a boyfriend and a puppy in an unweildy overladen canoe. Have they packed all the necessities to live a year alone in the Alaskan bush? Will they really be able to find a site and build a cabin before winter? Will they survive despite Aspen's own admission that there odds at making it through the winter are perhaps 50/50? And obviously, though you know they make it somehow, you constantly want to know HOW? What was it like to live through a dark deathly-cold winter on the edge of the Arctic Circle, under the Brooks Range in a cabin built by two with no outside help? What does Alaska's bush really look like? What does it FEEL like to be out there alone? What are they going to eat? How will they stay warm? Don't read ahead! This is truly an adventure few have ever lived to tell about. Descriptions of the sights, sounds and emotions are beautiful.

3 comments about Inside Passage Activity Guide: Exploring Major Ports of Call in Southeast Alaska.

1. This 250-page book contains factual information regarding many activities at the ports of Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway. The ports activities are divided up by the amount of time you have to participate in the activity. This is a text heavy book without many images. The descriptions are short and concise including addresses and contact numbers for the activities. The problem is that there is not enough of a description or recommendation to allow the reader to pre-plan which activities they really would like to do.



2. I have not yet taken my Alaska cruise, but I am so happy that I discovered this book. Each Port of Call is listed and then suggestions are made for different lengths of time that you might be there. As an example, for Ketchikan, the reader gets a slice of the local history and facts (climate, etc)with a map of the town. Next, recommendations of things to do in four hours are listed. This includes a suggested walking tour of the city, if you just want to be sure to hit all of the main sites within walking distance of the ship.
   
   Both sights and tours are discussed, including listing several tour companies that provide different options for travelers (again, using Ketchikan tours by bus, classic car or horse drawn carriages are available - details are provided). The next section gives recommendations for travelers who will be at the Port for a full day and then there is a section on visiting for two or more days.
   
   Be warned that this is not a picture book. While there are a few pictures, you will find much more details than pictures. This book is designed to help the cruiser plan what sights they want to visit and provides excellent detail of the different sights, tours and shows that are available.
   
   I am very excited about this book and have started planning what I'll be doing once I hit each stop on my cruise next September. I highly recommend this book if you want to know as much as possible about the area and the options, rather than just taking cruise sponsored tours or shopping.



3. This book, though small in size, holds a lot of information. Nine of us are doing an Alaskan cruise tour this summer and I am sharing this book with the group--it is really helping us make our touring decisions.

2 comments about Catch & Release the Insider's Guide to Alaska Men.

1. I laughed til I cried (or was it - I cried til I laughed?!) I lived the single life in Alaska for 16 years and can attest that EVERYTHING in this book is absolutely totally true. Yes, it's all in fun, but these ladies really are not joking. I could add my huntin', fishin', goodlookin' boyfriend who insisted on wearing no pants except for sweatpants. To work, nice restaurants, funerals, everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE. Or my "Alaskan cowboy" who had a good job, nice car, dated only very successful career woman, and lived in a shack. A real SHACK! Or the redneck oil engineer making $80,000 who refused to pay any taxes because as an Alaskan he was "sovereign". (Huh?) He sued the IRS - I said HE sued THEM - they had a field day. Or the nice, polite man I had dated 4 times until the day I happened to get behind him in traffic and saw his bumper sticker, "Follow too close & I'll flip a booger on your windshield". Alaska man magazine, Alaskan men on the Oprah show? Oh Pahleeze! Ladies, ladies, please save yourself from heartbreak, disappointment, and your life savings. Don't go to Alaska expecting to find a husband. This book tells the sad, myth shattering, and very funny truth of the "Great Alaskan Man".



2. Although the odds are no longer good (the male/female population ratio in Alaska is now 50/50), you won't have to go far to find a woman who will vouch for the truth of the second part of that statement! For women, Catch and Release, by Alaska residents Jane Haigh, Kelley Hegarty-Lammers and Patricia Walsh, is a very entertaining guide to identifying and finding the Alaska man of your dreams. For guys, it provides a look at the competition - why does the term "Alaska men" have such a mystique to it?
   
   The first Alaska man, we discover in the first few pages of the book, came across the Bering Land Bridge from Asia some 10,000 years ago. Why did he come? Well, "...he did it because he needed to sow some wild oats and he wanted a good hunting story to tell his buddies." When the Russians settled Alaska, there were few women: "Thus, the pattern of self centered Euro-Alaska Bachelors was established..." The construction of the Alaska Highway "...further enhances the can-do machismo of the Alaska man and provides direct overland access for women to pursue them." And thus is the mood of the rest of the book lightly set.
   
   While the history provides interesting background material, the next chapter on Lifestyles gets into the important stuff for women who are thinking about heading North on a hunting trip. The tips on identifying lifestyles ranging from Architect to Bush-Dweller, Dog musher, M.C.P. and Zoologist can save you a lot of time. For example, if mechanics are your type generally, "Keep in mind that an unemployed mechanic may fix your car when it breaks down at 40 below; one with a job won't have time." The illustrated guide to footwear will also be of great benefit - knowing whether those are Lobens or Bunny boots on his feet will allow you to start talking about his probable interests as an ice-breaker, for example.
   
   "Women think these guys can change if only they have the love of a good woman ...it's a seductive myth."
   Woman boarding the plane home.
   
   Now that you have a good outline of the possibilities, where do you find your Alaska Man? I'm glad you asked, because the next 50 pages tell you exactly that - the communities, the places and the types of men to be found. In downtown Juneau during the summer, the authors tell us, there's hardly a local guy to be found - one of the few exceptions being the Red Dog Saloon, where some Alaska men go to meet tourists. In Talkeetna, the base for most climbs of Denali, "your chances of meeting attractive, single climbers from all over the world are high; your chances of distracting them from their peak quest are low." Coldfoot, on the Dalton Highway, offers the chance to meet "truck drivers, miners, sourdoughs, and permanent bachelors at this 'manly' kind of place." Nome is the best party town in Alaska when the Iditarod ends, but an aggressive nature is needed to be part of it. And in every community, the post office is a good bet: "Some have bulletin boards inside or out; some have a paper back book trading corner; all have a number of locals chatting about jobs, things for sale, travel, or their love life. Remember, the longer they've been in the community, the lower their post office box number. If you're looking for the seasoned type, linger at the section with box numbers 1 - 75."
   
   There's one firm rule that needs to be mentioned now - Alaska men like sports and outdoor recreation. The specifics vary, but if you want to be with your potential mate very much, be prepared to learn the lingo and brave the elements. Before you agree to going with him, though, a little research can save you a lot of grief. For example, "...when he asks if you want to go on a canoe trip on the Porcupine River, be sure you can find the Porcupine River on the map. Oh yes, there it is, way up there in the far right corner, 100 miles by air from Eagle. (Where's Eagle? Trust us, it's at least five major arguments away, if you're stuck with an inconsiderate lunatic.) Our advice: try a day trip first." And here you thought that the research for writing this book would have been all fun!
   
   From various types of boating to gold mining and skiing, there are many tips on what to do and say - and what you should avoid. If you can clean his fish using the method described, "...your male companion will likely be ready to propose marriage!" Regardless of how well you can field dress a moose, though, you probably won't be invited on any hunting trips, seen by the authors as "an elaborate ritual of male bonding."
   
   Before you head out into the great outdoors, be sure to memorize the chapter "sex and the Alaska man" in which the most important tips are, of course, the four rules for making love in a tent. Before your mind wanders too far off in that direction, I'll add that those tips should probably be read in conjunction with the glossary, where Commitment is defined as "Not present in the Alaska Man's vocabulary."
   
   Scattered throughout the book are quotes about Alaska men, and photos and comments about some of their housing choices. These are the two main features that make the book such a delight for me. Most of the quotes and descriptions would be funny even if they were stretching the truth a bit. The fact that they're accurate makes them even funnier. It really should be obvious why there's a filing cabinet in the back yard, though!
   
   Catch and Release is a book that I pick up and read sections of quite often when I need a chuckle. It's clear that Jane, Kelley and Patricia had a great deal of fun writing the book, and they've done a great job of sharing their experiences.
   
   Happy hunting, ladies!

No comments about Journey to caribou land.

2 comments about Hiking With Ghosts: The Chilkoot Trail, Then and Now (Raincoast Journeys).

1. I am bit surprised to learn that this book is out of print currently. Maybe that explained why I didn't find this book until now when it was published back in 1999. As far as I can tell, this is probably the best book written on the modern Chilkoot Pass Trail. I should know that much since I read most of them already.
   
   The author's description of the trail proves to be pretty accurate and she relates the old Chilkoot Pass Trail Gold Rush history of 1898 and tied them to the modern trail which I thought to be very neat idea and the book proves to be very informative. Author's long trip through this trail gave a nice view of the modern trail and how it relates to the history. Usually, most people hiked this trail in four to five days to get the most out of it. She took a week so she got a lot to write about. I enjoyed her narrative which proves to be very insightful and enjoyable to read.
   
   However, I was bit surprised by what author failed to point out in her book. She didn't mentioned that Golden North Hotel was the only hotel in Skagway that goes back to the Gold Rush era. I wonder if she stay there since I did when I hiked the trail two weeks prior to her hike. The hotel is no longer in business as of this review. She didn't mentioned the old 1950s sawmill which marked the half way point between the trail head and Finnigan's Point. Many hikers thought that structure was a leftover from the Gold Rush era. They were disappointed to learned that it was not. She also didn't make any mention of Stone Crib which ties with the Gold Rush era tramway system over the pass. I also thought she pondered too much on the plant life while ignoring the trail.
   
   But this reviewer have hiked through the Chilkoot seven times already so maybe I am being picky. As a guide, this book would be an very good reference material for anyone thinking about doing the hike. It would be nicer if you can get your hands on it.



2. We just completed the trail (a five star recommendation on it's own) and find the book and the reality are in lock step. A perfect read prior to taking the trek.

1 comments about Bell's Mile by Mile Alaska With Map: Yukon and British Columbia Travel Guide (38th ed).

1. This guide book covers everything you need to know about travel in and to Alaska. Brief but informative information given in an easy-to-find format makes it a great value compared to larger, more expensive guides. The convenient smaller size fits easily into your carry-on, briefcase,tote or glove box. I found it accurate and fact-filled!

1 comments about Alaska Wildlife Portfolio.

1. This book is Excellent. The photos are magnificant.
   It makes a lovely coffee table book.
   I would highly recommend this book.
   Thank you.