5 comments about Backstage Iditarod.

1. June Price does an excellent job of bringing you right there through it all.... if you really want to know what these mushers do, go through, and provide for their dogs, how much a part of the team they are, then read this book. It's a very well done account of the true happenings surrounding this great race. June has spent many years with these very people, researching, learning, and beautifully putting to paper, the extraordinary Iditarod, it's participants, and the dogs... Everyone who loves to gather more information about the inside of the race should put this on their MUST READ list. She takes you there, keeps you there, and gets you to the finish line... without even getting cold! :-) Thanks for a wonderful book, June.



2. This book is a fun read for those who have been to the Iditarod and those who wish they could go. Taking you thru all the steps leading up to the race, you'll think you are actually there. I've been to the race 3 times and helped a couple Iditarod mushers before the race. This book helps me relive those memories. I think you'll enjoy it very much!



3. Reading June's book is just like experiencing all the excitement and activity of being at the Iditarod. I've been at Anchorage for the ceremonial start and then at Skwentna to help the mushers, and reading June's book, I relived my experience. I pictured myself right there again, seeing, hearing and experiencing the Iditarod through June's descriptions. This is a must read for all who would go to Iditarod, and all those who have been, and everyone else, too! Thanks, June!



4. This is a fun behind the scenes look at staging and preparing for the Iditarod. A nice blend of Who, What, Where, When, How and Why that the level of detail never gets dull. Avid sled dog fans will enjoy this along with those newly discovering the sport.



5. This was a great background read for the preparations that go into the Iditarod. It's a fun and engaging read--even for long-time fans of the race. There's lots of interesting background info included. Thanks June!

1 comments about Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska.

1. A nice layout of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, Alaska which will come in handy on our next cruise to Alaska. A must if you rent a car.

5 comments about Death in the Grizzly Maze: The Timothy Treadwell Story.

1. This book is pretty far reaching. Obviously the author came into the book with preconceived judgments. It is less a book about Treadwell and more a book about Lapinski and his views on everything from psychology to hunting. There are great materials out there that provide a balanced account of the Treadwell story, this is not one of them. The author over dramatizes situations to his advantage and repeats his views over and over again as if to convince the reader he is right.
   
   The author tries to be subtle about his distaste for New Age ideas and animal rights activism, but it is evident throughout the book. He portrays the people who loved Treadwell and the way they choose to honor his memory as silly and those who object to Treadwell as enlightened. He tries to illustrate his understanding of Treadwell by comparing the adrenaline rush of killing a wild animal with that of getting close to one that is alive. This kind of lack of insight is evident throughout the book.
   
   Lapinski manages to blame Treadwell for everything except global warming in this book including making Treadwell responsible for bear haters hating bears more and for bear lovers engaging in risky behaviors. He also leans towards making Treadwell responsible for Amie Huguenard's death. She was a 37 year old, well educated outdoor enthusiast. It was not her first time at the park with Treadwell. She had also just left and chose to come right back a few days before she was killed. I think it dishonors her memory to portray her as a love struck girl not capable of making her own decisions or deciding what risks she was willing to take.
   
   The author finds nothing good in Treadwell's legacy and if you are one of the people who were touched by him, then you are just one of those animal-crazy eco people. In the end it is almost amusing to see this author, a hunter who has written books on hunting, taking a dead man to task for getting two bears killed.
   
   Certainly a critical look a Treadwell requires an analysis of his mistakes, but it also requires an objective outlook that this author just does not have.



2. I had watched the film on Timothy Treadwell's life and was very interested in reading more about what happened. I ordered this book hoping to learn more, which I did. I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in both sides of the story. Very well written.



3. Although this book cannot be tagged the Anti-Treadwell story, it represents the viewpoints of many professional biologists employed by Alaska and/or the federal gov. It is important to know both sides, and well worth your while to read this account. It may even explain some of the influences on Treadwell's death, although I am sure no one intended that. It is almost a rationalization offered in place of an apology. Go ahead - read it.



4. This book is the best of all, so far. I am not finished with the others I ordered yet. I was interested in the author's point of view of Mr. Treadwell. I was at first tempted to defend him, but at the end I found I agreed with the author's evaluation of him. I like books where you start out with one opinion and the writer turns your whole thought process around by the end. The descriptions of Alaska were breathtaking. I almost want to go there. Almost. I mean, there are bears, after all.



5. I was very grateful that Mike Lapinski took the time to investigate and write this book. It's well worth reading. His research and conversations with so many key people help clear up alot of rumor, bias and speculation. There is alot of valuable details that help clarify a broader, balanced viewpoint on Treadwell's life and final days in Alaska.
   I also appreciated the info concerning Amie, Tim's girlfriend. In the end, I think this book gives a more complete picture, filling in alot of blank spots and helping bring closure to a tragic event.

3 comments about Alaska Wilderness: Exploring the Central Brooks Range.

1. This is Marshall's account of exploring the area which is now Gates of the Arctic National Park. Marshall was the first to systematically explore and describe it, in the 1930s. Introductions by his brother George update the information to 1970. There are wonderful, hilarious anecdotes. I read this to help plan my first trip there (summer 2000); can't imagine going without it.



2. It seems hard to believe that as recently as the 1930s large chunks of American territory were completely unexplored. These uncharted regions were in northern Alaska, and for Robert Marshall the chance to be the first to set foot in them was irresistable.
   
   "Alaska Wilderness" is the surprisingly engaging story of Marshall's visits into the unknown reaches of the Alaska's Brooks Range.
   
   On the face of it, this book doesn't seem to have a whole lot going for it. There are only a few moments of peril and drama, and just a sprinkling of humor. Marshall's descriptions of the people he meets and travels with are fairly one-dimensional. Mostly, the book is a chronological account of Marshall's hikes and boat trips, with the author spending a lot of time describing in detail the mountains and landscape he discovers. It seems like this should be dull.
   
   But Marshall is such a likeable guy and his enthusiasm for nature is so genuine that you can't help but enjoy going along with him on his explorations. Before long, the reader is just as eager as Marshall to find out what is over the next ridge or around the next bend. The book's good maps help the reader follow Marshall's travels.
   
   Marshall valued exploration just for the sake of exploration and his plain-spoken opinions on the subject are refreshing. For example:
   
   "There is something glorious in traveling beyong the ends of the earth, in cutting loose from the bonds of world-wide civilization. Such life holds a joy and an exhilaration which most explorers today cannot understand, with their radios and aeroplanes which make the remotest corners of the world just a few days or even hours away in distance. Modern mechanical ingenuity has brought many good things to the world, but in the long list of high values which it has ruined, one of the greatest is the value of isolation."
   
   Or:
   
   "As I see it, Peary's discovery of the North Pole, Amundsen's journey to the South Pole, Byrd's junketing in Antarctica, or the impending ascent of Mount Everest do not make the road of humanity as a whole the least bit happier. In fact, one could argue, the net result of these activities is to make mankind a little poorer because when an exploration is made there is that much less possibility left in the world for others to experience the joy of exploration in hitherto unknown regions. The justification, if one is needed, for present-day exploration, therefore is almost exclusively the selfish one of giving oneself the exhiliration of that most glorious of all pastimes, setting foot where no human being has ever trod before."
   
   We are lucky that one of the first men to explore the Brooks Range was such an able writer as Robert Marshall, and that he so honestly shares the experience with us.



3. Robert Marshall explored unmapped Alaska during the years of the Great Depression and World War II, going where no man (at least of the white variety) had gone before. Despite a few scraggly settlers and pioneers in the area, most of the central region of the Brooks mountain range was unmapped at the time, making it one of the last remaining unknown areas in the US. Marshall describes his various journeys of great hardship with a cool understated style that makes the whole endeavor look like a piece of cake, despite navigating treacherous rivers (including one near-death experience in a flood), climbing countless mountains, confronting grizzly bears and other predators (he describes one bear as being big as "two elephants plus a rhinoceros"), and generally sojourning with just a few partners for weeks at a time and hundreds of miles from the nearest civilization. Unlike some modern "adventure" writers, Marshall steers clear of bombast and extreme sports boasting, and describes the amazing scenery and thrill of discovering new geography with unassuming and occasionally moving prose such as "an unpeopled universe where only the laws of nature held sway." He's not afraid to dig deeper either, occasionally giving shocking details of the hard life of the local settlers, and the feeling of natural isolation from the unhappy outside world of the time. This is a great read for anyone who loves the exploration and thrill of discovery that are increasingly rare in modern times. [~doomsdayer520~]

5 comments about Walking My Dog Jane: From Valdez to Prudhoe Bay Along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

1. Having traveled in Alaska, I think many others have had the desire to take a similar journey.The story was very well written as my interest was held from the moment I started reading.The author does an excellent job of telling his and Janes many adventures along the trip.It makes you fell you are right there with them.I recommend the book for anyone who has had that l ifelong desire to do something they have never found time to do.I really enjoyed the book.Made me feel I was back in Alaska.



2. I spent my teenage years in Fairbanks and traveled from Bristol Bay to the Arctic Circle, though not even nearly as intimately and exhaustively as Ned Rozell. But luckily I found his book through a family member there who knows him. His descriptions of the landscapes, the characters, the attitudes, and even the whine of the mosquitoes all take me back to Alaska. It's absolutely true to the people and places I knew and it makes for a delightful read! Plus, I can't tell you how grateful I am to escape to the land of the midnight sun when it is 112 degrees here in central California. I hereby solemnly swear to take my kids to canoe on the Chena and pick wild blueberries on Ester Dome next summer!



3. This was a good book about a fellow who decides to walk the Alaska Pipeline from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay with his Chocolate Lab, Jane. He took all summer to do it and chronicles the trip in the book. He did some research on the places he visited as well as the pipeline so it was very interesting from that point of view but also from his writing about walking, solitude, and his dog.



4. Even though I love Alaska and most books about it, I found this book pretty slow. I like the fact that the book tells the stories of people who live along the pipeline, but I was probably expecting more adventure...
   Therefore, it took me more than a month to finish it...
   I enjoyed the extracts about Jane and the affection he feels for her, but unfortunately they are very rare exceptions.



5. This would be a nice beach book: not to deep, reasonably well written. And some nice reflections on an Alaska that is changing, and the people who live there.

4 comments about Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call 2007: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii & More (Frommer's Cruises).

1. I have cruised many times before and found this book to be quite honest in its observations. We are sailing to Hawaii and I was able to find the information I wanted. I think this is a great resource for anyone considering a cruise vacation.



2. I have always turned to Frommer's for honest reviews of just about any destination. Their website is full of great info too



3. These books are great tools. I have cruised many times and I still consult them before every cruise. I would say they are must haves for first timers. They summarize the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, as well as many debarkation ports. What I find most useful is the information provided on each of the cruise lines and cruise ships. If you are unsure which ship would be best for you and your family this book will definitely help you decide. I would caution potential buyers visiting very small or less popular islands. Places like Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago are noticeably absent from the book.



4. Great book to throw in your backpack and take with you on the cruise. You can bone up on a bit of the history and it will get some ideas ffor excursions or places to visit on the islands.

5 comments about Alone Across the Arctic: One Woman's Epic Journey by Dog team.

1. Dear Pam,
   I am from Burton Valley Elementry and in third grade.You did an amazing show!I loved it!I have one of your books .I have 'Big Enough ,Anna.Ihope to get more of your books.You have amazing and incredible adventures!I am a BIG fan of your work.Can we buy another copy of Big Enough, Anna and have it signed by you? (...).Thank You for your great books and presentations!
   
   Thank you,
   Iris Wagner



2. I needed something to read during the benchmarks, so I ran to the library during passing time and grabbed the first book I could find on mushing (I'm an addicted musher). I had a hard time putting it down. The pictures were wonderful, and the story was great. It was a pretty fast read, I finished it that day, but I enjoyed it. I've reread it twice since I bought my own copy.



3. This is a great book that will inspire you to be a stronger, more adventursome person than you might otherwise be. I like the way the author incorporates diary entries from her expedition, and also the text inserts including helpful background information that might otherwise have bogged down the flow of the story. I bought both this (the version for adults or teens) and the companion book, Big Enough Anna, which tells the same story in a manner appropriate for young children. Both are fantastic, and I plan to give copies to friends as gifts. Way to go, Pam Flowers!!!



4. Excellent true story, well told with many explanations so the reader understands what is going on.



5. As I read this book, I felt like I was with Pam as she crossed Alaska. A truly well written book which gives the reader a wonderful insight into the beauty of Alaska and most of all into the human emotions of such an arduous journey. It is a book of truimph, beating all the odds!

5 comments about Inside Passage Walking Tours: Exploring Major Ports of Call in Southeast Alaska.

1. Sure, Alaskan Cruise Ships offer guided shore excursions which usually entail a bus tour. But Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Sitka are all so much better on foot!

   If you decide to check out these ports of call at your own pace, be sure to get this great little book. I loved it because it fit right in my pocket. The maps were easy to follow, simple to understand, and the advice was right on the mark. It's ideal --especially if you're on a limited time schedule. The author even suggests a few terrific dining spots in each town. She also notes them again with a knife and fork icon right in the text description of the tour, so you can't miss them as you go along.

   You'll be sure to enrich your Alaskan cruise if you bring this book!




2. Not too much, not too little and good fun.

   This cute little book is easy to read, and full of all the right kinds of stuff. I didn't have to waste time sussing things out on my own. I knew what to expect before I got to each location, and when I did arrive I knew what to do every step of the way.

   Good on ya, Julianne Chase .. great book!




3. We took this book with us to each port that we went to and were able to find a number of little off-the-beaten-path treasures as a result. The book gives detailed directions that even the directionally-impaired (like myself) can follow, and offers street names, landmarks, and amounts of walking time in order to assist you in getting from place to place.

   In our case, our scheduled shore excursion in Juneau was canceled, so we just set out with the book. We got to see parts of Juneau that nobody else on our tour saw, and really enjoyed getting to know the city better. Some of the port towns in Alaska are very touristy, and this allowed us to plot out our own routes that would take us away from the crowds to see some of the lesser-known but just as fun landmarks. In both Juneau and Ketchikan, we found this book invaluable. I highly recommend it for anyone planning a cruise to Alaska - and especially for those who are doing it on a budget. By touring Juneau on our own instead of through a ship-planned shore excursion, we saved nearly five hundred dollars. Great book.




4. What a fantastic guide for Alaska cruisers!!! This book helped us make the most of our time in the ports of call.



5. Although dated this is a useful guide for people who wish to independently explore Alaskan tourist ports .

5 comments about Alaska by Motorcycle: How to Motorcycle to Alaska.

1. Dr. Frazier covers all the essentials in preparation for a motorcycle trip to Alaska. His book is full of helpful hints ranging from what to take to where to gas-up. The book is compact and easy to carry in your tank bag. Alaska by Motorcycle is an easy and enjoyable read. I read several other books about traveling to Alaska but found Alaska by Morotcycle the most complete and accurate guide as to what to expect when traveling by motorcyle. Another book I found helpful was The Alaska Highway, An Insider's Guide (revised edition) by Ron Dalby. I disgarded the Mile Post half-way through the our 3 week trip and relied on the books by Dr. Frazier and Ron Dalby. I believe that Dr. Frazier has another book about motorcycling through Europe which will undoubtedly inspire future motorcycle adventures.



2. ...than I am giving it, because it gives a detailed description of "how to.." drive through Alaska. It even has little maps, and gives all possible helpfull advice. It doesnt tell much of a story though, and should rather be used as a reference for your trip.



3. This is a quick read on a possible way you could motorcycle through Alaska. There is not a lot I couldn't think of before going. The maps are primitive and only cover certain areas.
   
   The author is knowledgeable and includes lots of pictures. I just felt uninspired and not much smarted after reading.



4. This book was not as helpful as I had hoped with our trip planning. Seems like he dwells on the negative things that can happen while traveling. I expected more encouragement. Lots of black and white pictures. I guess it would depend on how much you are using other resources for information.



5. While the book may be considered a decent read, the DVD is sure a waste of time. It consists of a series of slides while Greg talks over them. Some of the pictures are nice, but as far as a useful preparation DVD for your trip, forget it.
   I thought it would consist of some reviews of equipment, views of how to prepare for the trip, highlights to look for, recommendations for places to go and how to get there, and at least a little useful info. Instead, it is a slide show with a narration over the top. Save your money and just buy the book. If you MUST have it, buy it used so you won't feel so bad when you view it.....

1 comments about How to Speak Alaskan.

1. The book is good for a few laughs of local Alaskan lingo and customs.
   Also, you learn a lot, too. Fun for Alaskan enthusiasts.