Caroline Van Hemert, an ornithologist who loved the outdoors, was frustrated with so many hours in the lab as she finished her PhD. Her husband, Pat FCaroline Van Hemert, an ornithologist who loved the outdoors, was frustrated with so many hours in the lab as she finished her PhD. Her husband, Pat Farrell, an artist, home designer, and builder, shared her avid interest in outdoor adventures. They planned a 4,000 mile trip starting from Bellingham, Washington, heading north through Canada and Alaska, and then west through the Arctic to Kotzebue. The six-month journey was self-powered by foot, rowing, skiing, and rafting, as well as occasional swimming to ford rivers. Caroline carried a 65 pound pack for long distances.
The most amazing part of the trip for them was seeing thousands of caribou migrate as they stood a short distance away. The worst part of their experience was paddling through the McKenzie River delta on their way to the Arctic coast, and dealing with swarms of mosquitoes for days. There were several scary events such as being stalked by an aggressive bear, and Pat's raft overturning in the frigid Arctic Ocean. Both Caroline and Pat were able to reduce risk with intelligent reasoning and good skills, but they knew that sometimes luck is a very important ingredient in survival.
The duo had lots of energy and determination, and a shared love of nature. The trip gave Caroline the time to decide what type of scientific job she wanted to pursue. It also gave the couple the opportunity to decide whether they wanted to have children, and how they might meld family life with outdoor fun. This was a compelling adventure story, a thoughtful memoir, and an interesting look at the Alaskan wilderness. 5 Big Stars!!...more
"In Alaska you can make one mistake. The second one will probably kill you."
Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam War veteran, had spent several years in a POW ca"In Alaska you can make one mistake. The second one will probably kill you."
Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam War veteran, had spent several years in a POW camp before returning home as a changed man. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and paranoia. When he inherits a cabin in Alaska from a war buddy that didn't make it home, he decides to move his family to Alaska for a fresh start. Teenager Leni, her mother Cora, and Ernt travel north in a VW bus to find a neglected cabin with no electricity and running water. They are fortunate to have good neighbors to teach them the survival skills needed to get through an Alaskan winter. But the eighteen hours of winter darkness aggravates Ernt's mental health problems. Cora and Leni tiptoe around him because they fear his violence. But Cora always forgives Ernt since they share a passionate love.
The bright spot in Leni's life is Matthew, and they fall for each other in a teenaged Romeo and Juliet type of romance. Leni is torn between her love for her parents, and the wish to escape from her domineering father. The book builds up in suspense as Ernt's behavior becomes more erratic and dangerous.
"The Great Alone" is populated with characters the reader will care about. Kristin Hannah writes great descriptions of the beauty of Alaska, and the hard life during the Alaskan winters. She's an author whose writing seems to get better with every new book. 4.5 stars, rounded up....more
John Muir and a little dog named Stickeen had a life threatening adventure crossing a wide crevasse while exploring a glacier in Alaska in 1880. The dJohn Muir and a little dog named Stickeen had a life threatening adventure crossing a wide crevasse while exploring a glacier in Alaska in 1880. The danger bonded the naturalist with the remarkable Stickeen.
Thanks to Renata for putting this short story on my radar. It's a free story (without illustrations) on Project Gutenberg....more
Eowyn Ivey's second novel is centered around an 1885 expedition in the Alaskan wilderness. Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester and the other explorers Eowyn Ivey's second novel is centered around an 1885 expedition in the Alaskan wilderness. Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester and the other explorers travel up the fictional Wolverine River into central Alaska, then head west to the sea. They find natural beauty and minerals. But they also have to cope with terrible weather, insufficient food, illness, and difficult terrain. The Native Americans are usually friendly, but some do not have food to trade. Some things cannot be explained as myth and reality merge, especially in a Native American shaman and a raven who foretells danger and death. Allen keeps a journal so he can share his experiences with his beloved wife Sophie when he returns.
Sophie is newly pregnant, misses Allen, and writes her thoughts in a diary. She lives in the barracks, has an independent spirit, and has little use for the other gossipy women. Sophie is a nature lover, and finds joy in the new art of photography as she captures images of hummingbirds.
The story is told through the journal, diary, photographs of Alaska, and newspaper articles. A contemporary framing correspondence adds another level as Allen's great nephew donates these family papers and artifacts to the curator of the Wolverine Museum. Through the curator we can see how information gathered by the 1885 expedition led to mining and railroads. The old ways of the Native Americans are disappearing, and some are disturbed because disease, alcoholism, and loss of hunting grounds occurred. Others are happy because it brought them jobs and prosperity.
"To the Bright Edge of the World" is a wonderful adventure story. It is also a story about love in the best sense of the word--Allen and Sophie's steadfast love and strong support for each other as they each face challenges. Highly recommended....more
During World War II the Japanese occupied Attu and Kiska, two of the islands in the Aleutians which stretch westward from mainland Alaska. The captureDuring World War II the Japanese occupied Attu and Kiska, two of the islands in the Aleutians which stretch westward from mainland Alaska. The captured American citizens on those islands, mostly native Aleuts, were taken to labor camps in Japan. The US government relocated the Aleut people from the other islands to the Alaskan panhandle. In an effort to prevent panic from the American people who might fear that the Japanese soldiers would invade mainland Alaska and work their way down the west coast, the American military banned press coverage of the fighting in the Aleutians.
John Easley had visited the Aleutian Chain on a National Geographic assignment. When his brother dies in the war in Europe, John feels grief and wants to do something to honor the forgotten servicemen in the Aleutians. He goes north to Alaska, and talks a pilot into taking him up in his plane to observe the action. When the plane is shot down, he and a young Texan airman are the only survivors. They have to forage for food and driftwood, sleep in a cave, and avoid the Japanese soldiers on the island. The Aleutian weather is brutal with cold, gusty winds and rain, making it difficult to stay dry. The harsh, treeless landscape almost becomes another character.
John's wife, Helen, is desperately worried since she has not heard anything from her husband. She pretends to have experience as a singer and joins a USO troupe scheduled to entertain the servicemen in Alaska. She questions the troops at every stop to see if anyone has seen John. Her strong faith, and emotional bonding with the USO entertainers both bring her some comfort.
This is a love story, a war story, and a riveting survival tale. It introduced me to a part of history that I had never read about previously. The book is heart-wrenching in some parts, and always held my interest....more
A diphtheria epidemic was starting in Nome, Alaska in 1925 and antitoxin was desperately needed. Nome, located close to the Arctic Circle, was no longA diphtheria epidemic was starting in Nome, Alaska in 1925 and antitoxin was desperately needed. Nome, located close to the Arctic Circle, was no longer accessible by boat since the Bering Sea was already frozen. Some serum was transported from Anchorage to Nenana by train. Then a relay of twenty dog sled teams ran day and night for 674 miles to bring the lifesaving serum to Nome. The heroic men and their dogs traveled through blizzards and exceptionally frigid conditions--down to minus 60 degrees.
The authors provided lots of interesting background material about diphtheria, Nome, the Gold Rush, and the Native Alaskans. They also discussed the dog sled teams, especially the lead dogs, and the responsibilities of the drivers. The second half of the book was especially exciting as the teams made the harrowing journey. Exceptionally intelligent lead dogs, such as Togo from Leonhard Seppala's team, pulled them out of potentially deadly situations. The two authors, cousins Gal Salisbury and Laney Salisbury, wrote a book that is both informative and full of human (and canine) drama....more
Jack London drew on his experiences in the Klondike gold rush when writing The Call of the Wild. He headed north to Canada in 1987 to search for gold,Jack London drew on his experiences in the Klondike gold rush when writing The Call of the Wild. He headed north to Canada in 1987 to search for gold, and published this book in 1903. The Call of the Wild is a book about the fight for survival and the transformation of a St Bernard/shepherd mix dog named Buck. The dog was a pet in California before he was stolen and shipped north. The gold rush had created a huge demand for strong sled dogs. Buck and the other dogs were clubbed by the dog traders who taught them obedience. He was sold to some mail carriers where there was an intense, violent rivalry between him and the lead dog. Later he was bought by some inexperience, abusive owners, and was eventually rescued by John Thornton.
There was mutual love and loyalty between John and Buck. John and his two friends traveled deeper into the Canadian North prospecting for gold. Buck became more attracted to life in the wild, and bonded with a pack of wolves. The story shows the transformation of Buck from a pet in civilization to an animal following his natural wild instincts.
Somehow I managed to get through my childhood without reading this famous book. There is a large amount of violence in the book with the owners beating the dogs, and making them run on long trips with little rest and meager rations. There is also fighting to the death between the rival dogs in their wish for domination. Some people, especially sensitive children and animal lovers, might be upset by the realistic portrayal of the challenges the dogs faced. The story was both a compelling adventure, and an interesting look at the Klondike gold rush. ...more
This enchanting book was one of my favorites from 2012 so I was happy to read it again for a book discussion. The Snow Child is a delightful combinatiThis enchanting book was one of my favorites from 2012 so I was happy to read it again for a book discussion. The Snow Child is a delightful combination of hard reality with the magic of a Russian folktale. Jack and Mabel are childless, older homesteaders in Alaska in 1920. The life is harder than they had visioned with the long, dark winters and short summers. But they have good, helpful neighbors and a deep love for each other that helps them through their first year in Alaska. When the snow first falls, they play in the snow like children, building a snow child which they decorate with a red scarf and gloves, and yellowed grass for the hair. In the morning, the show child is gone. But they occasionally see a little blond girl with a red hat and gloves lurking behind the trees in the following weeks. The illustrator, Alessandro Gottardo, has beautifully pictured her on the cover. She is a child of the wilderness that Jack and Mabel soon love like a daughter. Is she a real girl, or is she an imagined child that brings great joy to this childless couple? This is a beautiful tale about love, children, nature, resilience, helping others, and magic.
Alaskan state trooper Nathan Active was posted to Chulchi, his birth village. His mother, an unmarried Inupiat teen, had given him up for adoption andAlaskan state trooper Nathan Active was posted to Chulchi, his birth village. His mother, an unmarried Inupiat teen, had given him up for adoption and he had been raised by a white adoptive couple in Anchorage. He's learning about the Inupiat culture as he is dealing with his police work.
Nathan is investigating a string of questionable suicides. The investigation leads him to information that might implicate managers at the GeoNord copper mine.
The author has been an editor at several Alaskan newspapers as well as a bush pilot. His portrayal of the northern Alaskan people add immensely to this mystery. The mystery was not fast paced, but I give this book 4 stars because of its fascinating look at Alaskan, including Inupiat, culture....more
Gary Paulsen's passion in life is running sled dogs. This book is an account of training the dogs in Minnesota and then running the Iditarod, a 1,180 Gary Paulsen's passion in life is running sled dogs. This book is an account of training the dogs in Minnesota and then running the Iditarod, a 1,180 mile race in Alaska. His description of the bond between him and his fifteen dogs is wonderful. Paulsen is an exciting, humorous storyteller who will glue the reader to the page until the end of the punishing race. He came close to death several times during the race, but chose to go back and race the Iditarod again two years later. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a good adventure set in a frigid, beautiful area....more
Loading...
