The Alaskan

by James Oliver Curwood, 1stworld Library (Editor)

Captain Rifle, gray and old in the Alaskan Steamship service, had not lost the spirit of his youth along with his years. Romance was not dead in him, and the fire which is built up of clean adventure and the association of strong men and a mighty country had not died out of his veins. He could still see the picturesque, feel the thrill of the unusual, and - at times - warm memories crowded upon him so closely that yesterday seemed today, and Alaska was young again, thrilling the world with her wild call to those who had courage to come and fight for her treasures, and live - or die. Tonight, with the softly musical throb of his ship under his feet, and the yellow moon climbing up from behind the ramparts of the Alaskan mountains, something of loneliness seized upon him, and he said simply:

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, American Classics, Adventure

Paperback

First published January 1, 1923

About the author

Born in Owosso, Michigan he left high school without graduating but was able to pass the entrance exams to the University of Michigan where he studied journalism. In 1900, Curwood sold his first story while working for the Detroit News-Tribune. By 1909 he had saved enough money to travel to the Canadian northwest, a trip that provided the inspiration for his wilderness adventure stories. The success of his novels afforded him the opportunity to return to the Yukon and Alaska for several months each year that allowed him to write more than thirty such books.

By 1922, Curwood's writings had made him a very wealthy man and he fulfilled a childhood fantasy by building Curwood Castle in Owosso. Constructed in the style of an 18th century French chateau, the estate overlooked the Shiawassee River. In one of the home's two large turrets, Curwood set up his writing studio. Curwood also owned a camp in a remote area in Baraga County, Michigan, near the Huron Mountains.

An advocate of environmentalism, Curwood was appointed to the Michigan Conservation Commission in 1926. The following year, while on a Florida fishing trip, Curwood was bitten on the thigh by what was believed to have been a spider and had an immediate allergic reaction. Health problems related to the bite escalated over the next few months and infection set in that led to his death from blood poisoning.

Interred in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Owosso, his Curwood Castle is now a museum. During the first full weekend in June of each year, the city of Owosso holds the Curwood Festival to celebrate the city's heritage . Also in his honor, a mountain in L'Anse Township, Michigan was given the name Mount Curwood, and the L'Anse Township Park was renamed Curwood Park.

Reviews

[Tweety · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like about Curwood is he obviously loved nature, and it really shines through in his writing. He can pack a ton of bizarre happenings into a tale and then by the end make you almost believe that it could have happened.

But before I go on I must make a confession. I don't like westerns. I don't like the dry dust, the cattle stampedes or the gun fights. And yes, I know this book is set in ALASKA, not the West of the U.S.A.

Buuuut... Apart from the beginning being at sea and the Alaskan scenery in the first half, the ending felt like I was in Texas. The gun fight did it.

Apart from that I enjoyed the story, especially as some native people of Alaska were part of the story and they added a bit of the culture.

The romance completely engrossed me until about halfway when I found something out about the characters, (my spoiler is a character spoiler and a plot spoiler, it also gives away the end.) I found the heroine was married and the hero was still determined that somehow they would be together. Yes, her husband was a murderer, had tricked her into marring him and was through and through a brute bent on destroying the culture of Alaska. And I was hoping he'd die. But I didn't like that they were hugging and kissing while her husband was still alive, with no regrets or embarrassment. I know he was a brute. But I still feel it was wrong. But anyway, they did things right in the end. I just can't help but wonder, what would they have done if her husband hadn't died? The other Curwood I read wasn't like this when it included a married person. I figured all of his would be that way.

PG Some violence in the form of fighting, gunfights and we also have murder.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this audiobook from Librivox.org. It was very good, a romance, even! And he's a naturalist, so he makes Alaska seem like such a beautiful country!

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Spoilers in here) An odd book. Part natural history writing, part Alaska history, part Western. Mary Standish, our heroine, is "dead" about halfway through, but comes back to life. Alan Holt, our hero, is "dead" near the end but comes back to life. John Graham, the villain, gets shot in the wilds of Alaska by Holt and his men. (The ending could be in Texas.) Actually, I suspect this would make a terrific movie. Can't recommend it, though I'm not unhappy to have read it.

[Fonch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ladies, and gentlemen (if my mobile allows me) because it is at 19% battery (the heat has given a slight respite. Thank God at night the temperatures loosen our summer yoke.) Once we have already talked about "The Valley of the Silent Men", and "The Forest in flames" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... I think it is convenient to close the trilogy focused on James Oliver Curwood. That, despite this ending, which has not been to my liking, I consider the balance as very positive. It is not easy for a first reading to be given five stars, and the second four stars. As I read books to an author each time I demand a little more as is logical. That is why what authors like @juan_manuel_de_prada https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Professor Manuel Alfonseca https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., do, @jorgesaezcriado https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... has tremendous merit could add G.K. Chesterton to this list.https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , or Shusaku Endo https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... .
The problem with this novel is that it has not been as attractive as the other two previous novels that have already been talked about, despite a good start with Captain Rifle of a ship bound for Alaska, and to which a woman with what she wears called Maria Standish, who does not say it except in jest, but he could be a descendant of Miles Standish the Captain of the mythical Mayflower, which would accentuate the puritanical character of the character, and the founding myth of it. Captain Rifle tells him about Cordova, Skagway, Dawson, Juneau, and Alaska's most important and landmark cities. In the geographical aspects I give "Alaskan" a very good grade. It also tells us about the exploits of the Killshots, and the White Crazy, and other relevant events. The talk with the Captain (the introduction, and the presentation of the protagonist Alan Holt is very good) serves to introduce us to a certain Donald Hardwick, and the pioneer, and adventurer Alan Holt. Then Alan Holt (who will fall madly in love with Mary Standish from the first time he sees her). Admittedly, Mary Standish's foray with the clothes impressed the entire crew, and the ship's travelers for good. Anyway, the reader of this novel knows more than the characters in the novel, and they know, or suspect that Mary Standish is running away from something, and as @diegoblancoalbarova would say https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... is a woman with a secret. As did Jean Marie Bolain, and Marete Radisson by the way. That secret links her to plutocrat and monopolist John Graham, who is Alan Holt's enemy for several reasons. One confessable, and another that for spoiler issues I will not reveal to @goodreads users, nor to my followers, and friends of other social networks. Alan Holt would be a regionalist (hence the novel is called "Alaskan") is not an independentist, secessionist, but is someone who cares more about Alaska (his region, or with which he identifies) than the other 49 states of America. This contrasts with Mary Standish, who is a true American patriot. The class struggle between Alan Holt and John Graham is not to be seen in a Marxist tone https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... In fact, for me the novel is very conservative. It could even have problems, and be canceled by the woke since Alan Holt apart from that odious plutocrat (John Graham) considers that the yellow peril https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... That is, the emigration of population of Chinese origin, and Japanese to Alaska, and Bolshevism (words of Alan Holt himself) are the great problems of Alaska which makes me stand out from a similar writer such as Jack London https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... to whom James Oliver Curwood resembles. If we must analyze this novel, and the confrontation between Alan Holt we must see it as the attempt to create a third way as proposed by Hilaire Belloc https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., G.K. Chesterton, the Catholic Church https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or Frank Capra https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (in fact the villain could be compared to the Taylors, and Potters faced by the heroes of Frank Capra's films. Frank Capra's message was not understood, and so it was under suspicion by the Committee on American Activities. Speaking ill of capitalism does not mean that one is a socialist, or a communist as is my case. In fact for me Dostoyevsky has a greater knowledge of misery and the human heart than Karl Marx, and for me it is Dostoyevsky https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... together with Soren Kierkegard https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... the father of existentialism, and humanism above Albert Camus https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and Jean Paul Sartre.https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...) in his films against capitalism, and left-wing economic regimes. To this list of incursions in the third way could also be added Ernest F. Schumacher, and his "Small is beautiful" https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... .
This novel is a western in fact it looks a lot like Far Country, one of those wonderful films directed by Anthony Mann (Sara Montiel's husband) against greed, greed, and appetite as a corrupting element, if you look at the cover it looks a lot like the character played by James Stewart called Jeff Webster, who has to face the corrupt Sheriff/Judge Ganon (not the bad guy from the Zelda video game https://www.goodreads.com/series/2161..., no. A Judge much like Roy Bean.) This Ganon was based (vaguely according to Wikipedia) on a real character the very corrupt gang member Soapy Smith. James Stewart acts individualistically, and very selfishly following the model of the amoral characters of Ayn Rand https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or James Clavell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and Alan Holt. In fact, one of the things I didn't like this novel was because as this novel progresses Holt gets worse, while Jeff Webster gets better/changing thanks to the sticks that life gives him (losing the character played by Walter Brenan called Ben Tatem), and also the adorable character played by Corinne Calvette / Renee Vallon daughter of a doctor (physically reminds me of the Imoen of Baldurs Gates, except that she does not have pink hair), which despite being a girl was adorable, and is the counterpart to the character of Ruth Roman / Ronda Castle in the film Renee Vallon was called freckled face, or freckle I do not know in the original version as they would call her, in addition all the money that this character earned was sent to his father to go to study psychiatry in Vienna which gives us a sample of his generous, self-sacrificing nature. Unlike the "Silver Goblet" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (the film version), if Jeff Webster/James Stewart does not opt for /Renee VallonCorinne Calvette it is because due to his selfish nature he is more doomed to evil, than to good so he feels more comfortable with the loss of Ronda Castle / Ruth Roman. Although Renee Vallon / Corinne Calvette is a charm of a girl, as the film progresses she becomes more of a woman. The comparison is not trivial because both "The Alaskan" and "Far Country" take place in the same area on the border between Alaska and Canada.
Another success of James Oliver Curwood is that he shows Mary Standish the rest of the travelers from an English nobleman who hunts cardiak bears, to some beautiful thinkit Indians. I do like that about this novel that opts for miscegenation instead of racial uniformity. There will be romance between pre-Columbians and WASP as Stampede Smith (for me the real hero of the novel, and not Alan Holt). In "Alaskan" it happens a bit like in the novels of Sir. Walter Scott that the secondary ends up stealing the novel from the main character. He asked me if Stampede Smith, who got rich by finding a deposit in Bonanza Creek will be a real character. Of course he stays with Nawadok the pre-Columbian who is Alan Holt's other love option until Mary Standish crosses his path. There is an engineer Treatwell who falls in love with Mary Standish, and Rossland the right hand of the evil John Graham, and this will arouse the jealousy of Alan Holt. The first 80-90 pages are the boat, and it serves to tell us what Alaska is like. Rossland is a lewd man, and increasingly spends more time with Mary Standish (however, despite the rejection that Alan Holt produces does not hide the respect that inspires this character), but then meets with Alan Holt, and tells him that he has to help her fake his death, and disappear. Something Holt does not accept. Should the reader ask what Mary Standish is running away from? The truth is that he falls overboard, and Rossland is injured. I thought it was the engineer who had done it, but no. After arriving at her destination at the request of Captain Rifle, who has grown fond of the young woman, and Alan Holt following his love impulses looks for a friend of his father named Olaf Erikson who has a ship called the Norden, and they go in search of Mary Standish (it is a pity that the novel had not gone there). At the end of the search he meets the McCormick couple (Sandy, and Emily), leaving the search at a standstill. However, Emily McCormick will ask Alan Holt some personal questions concerning Mary Standish. That will be key to the development of the novel. Because I believe, that almost everyone who reads this novel knows, or suspects that Mary Standish is not dead, and that she is as alive as Laura the character created by Vera Kaspary https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... of the homonymous novel, or the Harry Lime of Graham Greene's "Third Man" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . When after this futile search (it is a pity that Curwood took us to a place that leads nowhere, apparently, and has not made a better profit from this subplot, which was very interesting), and then a few days later Mary Standish arrives who has managed to reach Alan Holt's Ranch after threatening Alan Holt's friend Stampede Smith at gunpoint, although as compensation he gave him some shirts. Alan Holt lives with several pre-Columbians who work for him Sowenna (who will be the one who inspired the final event of the novel), Tautuk, Amik Toolish, and the Keok women, and Nawadok (the love interest of Stampede Smith, and the alternative of Mary Standish, if the romance fails). It is at the ranch when Mary Standish tells Alan Holt her secret, and the link that binds her to millionaire John Graham, the evil antagonist of this novel. This gives a Dickensian, Wilkiecollinseco, and Lyttonesque touch https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... to the novel. But that's when the novel is going to spoil, and from here it will plummet.
In "The forest in flames" it is possible to eliminate adultery in a somewhat bizarre way, and very caught by the hair, but morale was maintained. Here unfortunately they opted for adultery instead of exploring other ways (give you another link with John Graham I want to remember that I do not think it is bad that he is the villain remember that today people like this are the greatest threat of our world. In the end the temptation is that of "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... where Henry Ford https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... he ended up taking the place of God, and the other two persons of the Trinity.) It is true that this marriage if the parties were Catholics (which they are not) could have been annulled, because the woman married deceived by the tricks of the lawyer Sharpeleigh. It is a pity that it has not been possible to delve deeper into this character, and that it has not had a greater journey during the novel. I think there were other alternatives that Curwood didn't want to explore. The blackmail of Rossland (which precisely, although Holt tried to present him with the best possible lights does not remain as a gentleman, precisely), and the final duel with John Graham (this is the novel by James Oliver Curwood that has more action of all). But, despite all the accounts that Alan Holt has with John Graham that in the end everything was in a mess of skirts. Yes, I know that I will remain as an anti-romantic, but despite what Homer told us about the Trojan War https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... I do not think it started because Helen is kidnapped / or, eloped with Paris. But there were other geo-political-economic components more important than romance, which for me was an excellent casus belli. The only thing that made me happy about the final third of this novel is that in the end it is not Holt who is the hero, but that the knight in radiant armor is Stampede Smith in a conclusion that reminds me of High Noon / or Only in the face of danger https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.... It is not only adultery is that Holt is becoming increasingly self-centered, and ruthless with his enemies, and I encourage everyone to read the wonderful last article by Juan Manuel de Prada entitled Sin Perdón edited in the XL Semanal in its section Pets of Company, because it is more current than ever, and it is a true reflection of what is going wrong in the world (see June 25, 2023 issue), and Alan Holt is a reflection of that. In the end he becomes ruthless, and only seeks, that Mary, and he survive, that his cause was just, but he has fought for the most ignoble motive, and in the worst way can be seen with Rossland, and with a wounded band member whom he regretted not having finished. Besides the novel until the final third is slower. It's a shame to do without Olaf Erikson, and other things could have been taken advantage of. With everything it has good things, and of all the ones that I have put this is the one that has more quality, and that has left me worse taste in my mouth, or a certain remorse. I hope to be able to read more James Oliver Curwood novels in the future, and that I like them better than this one. My final grade is (1'5/5).

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book. Alaskan adventure written by someone other than Jack London? I had to pick it up! After struggling through Curwood, I am definitely going back to London. Not worth the free Kindle price tag in my opinion.

Many of the reviews I read of this book indicated how the author, being a naturalist, paints a picture of a beautiful Alaskan landscape. I was also excited to read more about the political fight for the soul of Alaska at the time. My hopes were dashed on both counts. This book is a romance disguised as a better book. The dialogue is heavy handed. I also did not see the attraction to the book's "heroine" Mary Standish, who did not show any spark of life until the climax in the last 10% of the book.

There is one redeeming character named "Stampede" Smith who I would love to read a whole novel about. A gold digger who has struck it rich multiple times only to go bust over and over. I'll look to see if Curwood wrote a book about this one character's early adventures. If not, I see no reason to pick up another by this author.

What could have been an intriguing, beautiful, saga of Alaska turned into a sappy romance that I could not wait to finish. Perhaps I've been spoiled by Jack London and James A. Michener, but if you're looking for history and adventure, look somewhere other than this book.

[Pamela A. Schmeckpeper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not what I expected! An old-timey story, with twists and turns. I couldn't put it down.
Also adding to my appreciation of this book is that the author was respectful of Natives and their cultures. This was perhaps rare for the time. Off to find more by this man.

[Shon Rand]

Didn't find it interesting, for the most part. Dialogue seemed pretentious and overwrought. Gave up part way in.

[Phair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Curwood's stories of manly men in the wilderness and the virtuous women they fight to protect. This one was a little more "civilized" being set at least in part in a more developed Alaska. The story looks at the conflict between what you might call "corporate" exploitation of Alaska's resources and locals who want to work and profit in a way that preserves nature and the indigenous cultures. Amazing how this story from the 1920s remains so relevant that it could almost be taking place today. Wonder if the cattle and hog barons of the time had not had their way, would we all be eating reindeer burgers today as this book's hero had envisioned while he developed his vast reindeer herds in the northern tundra. We did get Curwood's typical fight against adversity, both from nature and man as our manly, honor-before-all hero and the womanly, virtuous, but feisty heroine win out against the odds. Alas, reindeer meat never did become a big thing.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2025 hardback keep

Copyright 1923

Written by one of the most popular authors of his day. One who became quite wealthy writing adventure novels.

When I picked this up in the used bookstore, I thought it would be all adventure. It was more a love story with a little action thrown in. The love story was old fashioned Victorian honor filled fluff. A little draggy at times. A couple real villains. An old fashioned hero, and my favorite, an old fashioned gunfighter. Its description of Alaska, was too brief. It did have a nice plot twist or two. The heroine was a combo of strength and cunning, along with fainting femininity. They painted a positive, albeit a tiny bit condescending picture of eskimos.

I’ll keep this book for now as a picture into what culture was like in 1923.

[J. Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is extremely dated material and probably enjoyable to someone who loves being immersed in extravagant prose. That may not be enough to overcome the racial attitudes implicit in the narrative. There are quite a few pejorative terms and an overriding sense of white supremacy. If you can get past all of that it's still not his best work. It was my second listen but I didn't pick up on the word "clough" the first time because the Scandinavian narrator had some unusual pronunciations of common words and I didn't bother to follow up.

A clough is a narrow ravine. I thought he was using an alternate pronunciation of cleft.

[Heather Bode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.

While it’s not without its flaws and certainly a product of its time (the 1920s and all the societal standards within), I found it to be a beautifully written adventure romance novel.

Curwood did a masterful job in describing the breathtaking landscape of the Alaskan tundra, making the reader feel as if they truly are among those mountains and hills.

Sure, the romance between Alan and Mary Standish is a bit hokey and dime-store-novel-esque, but it seemed fitting in the grandeur of the Alaskan frontier.

It was a lovely tale of adventure, nature, and romance, and a much-needed bit of escapism.

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book that starts out with a somewhat frightened lady on a steamer. She meets a man who she learns to trust and that is where the story begins to unfold. It is hard to determine what the story is actually about, or how it will end. James Oliver Curwood takes one on a ride and the story isn't complete until the last page. There are elements of adventure, chivalry, and even a little romance. I really liked the story, and I will likely read more from this author.

[Dawn Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl that goes on a journey of adventure weaved with many fateful coincidences. She solves a mystery, gets to know many new people and helps her father outfox his enemy.

If you've never visited Alaska, this book gives you a sense of its freedom and freshness as well as it's beauty and wild possibilities.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty dime-novelly but with a conservation message. Fairly high body count, some casual racism and some nice depictions of Alaskan wilderness tempered with some bullshit colonialism. So you know, the 1920s.

[Christopher Stroud · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent damsel in distress story with a twist. It's old school but it appeals to the honourable chivalric side.

[Piyush Sakorikar · Rating 2 out of 5]

The name suggests it has a put of adventure and thrill while It starts with romance some what suspense and then ends with a common experience of drama. Nothing more then that....

[Norah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet short and still exciting. Very good land descriptions

[susan c toppings · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too wordy at times. Story kept dragging on

[Jennifer Hampton (Pierce) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Gabriele Mencagli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but nothing special. It has a good plot, and a compelling description of characters and of the nature. The boundless landscape of Alaska is described giving a very realistic feeling of freedom to the reader. The writing is very attractive and sometimes poetical, especially in the description of the female heroine, Mary. I think that everybody who likes old books will definitely enjoy this reading.

[Jeff Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. Written in 1923, this novel gives a great glimpse into the early years of Alaska. Fast moving with plenty of action, this story is very gripping. Stumbled across this author while researching early authors of the 1900's and thought his titles looked interesting. I looked him up on Amazon and found several of his titles for free. This is the first one I have read and I look forward to the next one.

[Naulayne Raiche Enders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focused on Alaska. Good story with romance and adventure. A litte melodramatic in te writing, typical if early 1900s. Worth reading.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out slow, but climbs in interest as the novel progresses. Adventure, romance, danger, interesting Alaskan historical anecdotes, and an engaging story.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't say I enjoyed it much.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Udmærket skrevet, men dybest set bare en banal kærlighedsroman.

Meget skuffende.