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Walking Home: A Journey in the Alaskan Wilderness by Schooler, Lynn
Lynn Schooler had recently lost a dear friend and was feeling his marriage slipping away from him when he set out on a daring journey-first by boat, then on foot-into the Alaskan wilderness to clear his head. His solo expedition, recounted in "Walking Home," is filled with the awe and danger of being on one's own in the wild, being battered by the elements and even, for two harrowing days, becoming the terrified quarry of a grizzly bear.
But the formidable, lonely landscape is also rich with human stories-of trappers, explorers, marooned sailors, and hermits, as well as the myths of the region's Tlingit Indians. Relating his journey, Schooler creates a conversation between the human and the natural, the past and the present, to investigate-on a remote and uninhabited shore-what it means to be not only part of nature's wild web, but also a member of a human community in the flow of history.
Lynn Schooler is the critically acclaimed author of "The Blue Bear "and "The Last Shot." He has lived in Alaska for almost forty years, working as a commercial fisherman, shipwright, wilderness guide, and award-winning wildlife photographer.
But the formidable, lonely landscape is also rich with human stories-of trappers, explorers, marooned sailors, and hermits, as well as the myths of the region's Tlingit Indians. Relating his journey, Schooler creates a conversation between the human and the natural, the past and the present, to investigate-on a remote and uninhabited shore-what it means to be not only part of nature's wild web, but also a member of a human community in the flow of history.
Lynn Schooler is the critically acclaimed author of "The Blue Bear "and "The Last Shot." He has lived in Alaska for almost forty years, working as a commercial fisherman, shipwright, wilderness guide, and award-winning wildlife photographer.
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First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Lynn Schooler
11 books34 followersLynn is a critically acclaimed writer, guide, and outdoorsman whose work has been published in more than a dozen languages. His first book, The Blue Bear, was awarded the French literary prize Prix Littéraire 30 Millions d'Amis. His most recent non-fiction work, Walking Home, won the 2010 Banff Mountain Festival's 'Best Mountain Literature' prize. His first novel, published under the pen name Lynn D'Urso, was a finalist for the 2011 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and named as a USA Today Best Book. He was also the 2002 Editors at Amazon.com's #1 Choice of Nature Writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
June 30, 2010
I'm not sure why there are two editions of this recently released book, but I was so taken with this story that I will post my review again:
I can't remember when I was last so engrossed by a book. I stayed up late reading and forgot to feed the cat!
Author Schooler is clearly a renaissance man of the first order, cutting down trees and hewing them into wood to build a Japanese-style home, then going off into the wilderness to face awful weather, floods, and starving bears, while quoting Keats, Shelley, and Neruda . I read a lot of outdoor and nature books, but Schooler does all this without a hint of the machismo and or self-congratulatory tone that often puts me off in books by better-known climbers and adventurers. Indeed, the author ponders the slipping away of his marriage and mortality with such open-hearted honesty that I kept asking myself - at the risk of engaging in reverse sexism - if a man had really written this? There is a deft touch in the way the story blends geology, Native Indian culture, mythology, and natural history with Schooler's own story and fascinating tales of more recent prospectors, fishermen, and hermits to form a coherent narrative arc. For the first two-thirds of the book I kept wondering 'where is he going with all these different thoughts?' but the final pages wove everything together so exceedingly well that I was left both elated and disappointed when the story was over!
I hope we have not heard the last of Lyn Schooler, and I am certainly going to add his other books to my 'to read' shelf immediately!
I can't remember when I was last so engrossed by a book. I stayed up late reading and forgot to feed the cat!
Author Schooler is clearly a renaissance man of the first order, cutting down trees and hewing them into wood to build a Japanese-style home, then going off into the wilderness to face awful weather, floods, and starving bears, while quoting Keats, Shelley, and Neruda . I read a lot of outdoor and nature books, but Schooler does all this without a hint of the machismo and or self-congratulatory tone that often puts me off in books by better-known climbers and adventurers. Indeed, the author ponders the slipping away of his marriage and mortality with such open-hearted honesty that I kept asking myself - at the risk of engaging in reverse sexism - if a man had really written this? There is a deft touch in the way the story blends geology, Native Indian culture, mythology, and natural history with Schooler's own story and fascinating tales of more recent prospectors, fishermen, and hermits to form a coherent narrative arc. For the first two-thirds of the book I kept wondering 'where is he going with all these different thoughts?' but the final pages wove everything together so exceedingly well that I was left both elated and disappointed when the story was over!
I hope we have not heard the last of Lyn Schooler, and I am certainly going to add his other books to my 'to read' shelf immediately!
October 3, 2011
I have read dozens of these wilderness adventure books and this one has just made it to my top 10 list. Page turner. Two notable elements that have stuck with me are (1) the description of walking across a raging glacier melt watercourse and (2) the two short sentences that describe in factual terms just how a grizzly eats a human. I have close to no experience in grizzly country, but I've traversed the High Sierras on the Pacific Crest Trail where I had some very frightening fords, and the author's narration of one of his own fords brought me visceral flashbacks that were genuinely uncomfortable. I also liked reading about the historical tragedies in the same territoriy that proceeded him. I wished there were some photos.
December 12, 2015
I tried to finish this book - I really did - but eventually I had to stop at 62%. Parts of it were beautifully written (mostly the descriptions of Tligit culture and Alaskan history). But here are the major problems: First, Schooler misfires by trying to bind this into an wilderness travel story. He takes a relatively short trip and drags it out by walking five feet (which he will describe in one sentence) and then spending 18 pages telling a backstory about a bird he just saw, or a history of boating disasters, of a litany of bear encounters. This removes us from the here and now and does not make us feel as if we are on the journey with him. Second, Schooler tries to involve us in the story of his failing marriage, but does not give enough detail to make us care. His wife, he says, has a career that makes her work late and has many meetings - but for some reason he will not tell us what that career is. Or, when the couple are on a romantic holiday in Hawaii that he thinks is going perfectly, "...she suddenly says, 'I don't want to be here. I have obligations and want to go back.' Stunned, I replied with something angry." So why do we get a quote from her and some vague '...something angry' from him? This lack of detail makes me very suspicious, and also causes boredom. Third, Schooler sometimes slips and writes overlong paragraph-length sentences that left me breathless and confused. This is not good writing; Hemingway would be appalled.
May 3, 2012
Schooler wraps a lot of histories around the threads of his personal account of traveling alone in the wilderness, which end up eclipsing his story. It starts to seem that he doesn't have much of a story, that his book is really an historical account of the Alaskan coast.
The emphasis and detail and weight of the histories weaken his story. The two don't seem to come together enough to support the narrative. Instead, every chapter reads like steps or compartments; here's the history part, and here's the personal travels part, without a solid literary technique connecting them. Instead, it's usually "and here I am now, probably standing in the very spot of the such-and-such in the history I just told you". It makes the book feel disjointed, like I'm reading two different texts that someone very opaquely mashed together.
His style is very "tell" vs "show". He explains things instead of weaving them into the narrative in a manner that would flow and also bring context. In some cases, there is this structure but he goes onto to spell out the link or transition anyway. It all makes it a bit clumsy feeling and self-conscious.
The physical descriptions are more scientific than literary. Along with the lack of connecting techniques (as well as a spotty backstory that begs more questions than it answers), the book feels more technical and linear than I typically like.
The emphasis and detail and weight of the histories weaken his story. The two don't seem to come together enough to support the narrative. Instead, every chapter reads like steps or compartments; here's the history part, and here's the personal travels part, without a solid literary technique connecting them. Instead, it's usually "and here I am now, probably standing in the very spot of the such-and-such in the history I just told you". It makes the book feel disjointed, like I'm reading two different texts that someone very opaquely mashed together.
His style is very "tell" vs "show". He explains things instead of weaving them into the narrative in a manner that would flow and also bring context. In some cases, there is this structure but he goes onto to spell out the link or transition anyway. It all makes it a bit clumsy feeling and self-conscious.
The physical descriptions are more scientific than literary. Along with the lack of connecting techniques (as well as a spotty backstory that begs more questions than it answers), the book feels more technical and linear than I typically like.
March 6, 2014
Love the travel aspect but as the book moves along it delves rather uncomfortably into the author's belly button. He wool-gathers and ponders on the meaning of life as birds become souls and a prayer rag is as a tap on the shoulder.
blurb - In recent times, people he has known have died and his closest friend, Luisa, is dying of cancer. He is fifty-one years old and concludes that time is short.
In an attempt to make sense of things, he abandons his project and prepares to journey solo into the Alaskan wilderness, to try to circumnavigate Mount Fairweather by boat and foot.
Lynn Schooler is the critically acclaimed author of The Blue Bear (2003) and The Last Shot (2006). He has lived in Alaska for almost forty years, working as a commercial fisherman, shipwright, wilderness guide, and an award-winning wildlife photographer.
Reader: Colin Stinton
Producer: Rosalynd Ward
Broadcast on:
BBC Radio 4, 9:45am Monday 2nd August 2010
Duration:
15 minutes
Available until:
10:02am Monday 9th August 2010
Categories:
Factual, Life Stories, Lifestyle & Leisure, Travel, Drama
blurb - In recent times, people he has known have died and his closest friend, Luisa, is dying of cancer. He is fifty-one years old and concludes that time is short.
In an attempt to make sense of things, he abandons his project and prepares to journey solo into the Alaskan wilderness, to try to circumnavigate Mount Fairweather by boat and foot.
Lynn Schooler is the critically acclaimed author of The Blue Bear (2003) and The Last Shot (2006). He has lived in Alaska for almost forty years, working as a commercial fisherman, shipwright, wilderness guide, and an award-winning wildlife photographer.
Reader: Colin Stinton
Producer: Rosalynd Ward
Broadcast on:
BBC Radio 4, 9:45am Monday 2nd August 2010
Duration:
15 minutes
Available until:
10:02am Monday 9th August 2010
Categories:
Factual, Life Stories, Lifestyle & Leisure, Travel, Drama
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2025
This is an adventure story, a survival manual, a history book, and a nature guide all rolled into one beautifully written package. It's also the author's quest to find himself and deal with some personal issues in his life. I think the lesson to go out alone into nature to work things out is a sound idea, just not in such dangerously wild territory!! The author runs into bad weather, swollen creeks, and one injured predatory bear that is the stuff of nightmares (although I confess I did feel sorry for the bear too). This is another book that has convinced me to put Alaska on my "life list" of places to visit (also see A Wolf Named Romeo).
September 25, 2011
Lynn is a masterful story teller. Passage on sensing answers to life's deepest question in flocks of passing shorebirds is brilliant.
January 6, 2022
Excellent account of a guy walking in the wilderness of Alaska. including his terrifying experience of meeting a bear
October 12, 2020
Outstanding.
June 25, 2021
I recommend this book to anyone who loves good writing and who wants to spend time with a storyteller. Exceptional book.
January 12, 2022
This book is 1/3 "Alaska is constant natural disasters, nasty bears and miserable weather; only real men can take it", 1/3 "Ohmygawsh I know so much outdoorsy stuff (plus I am woke), I am so impressive, bow down before me", and 1/3 butthurt that his ex didn't agree.
What did he love about her? Vague clues would indicate that she was hot and had money. Oh and she was Asian (cue the stereotypes about the tastes of neckbeard white guys). Sounds kind of shallow. Could be that there wasn't much about her personality that he was into and she maybe picked up on that? We'll never know but that's okay. Quite possible that if a guy hasn't married by 50, there's some reason.
I mean, this guy is so pretentious that he has to tell us at length about his "silver tape", "originally designed to seal the joints in metal air ducting". Can we just call it duct tape already? Naturally he needs it to help save his life. (Although it's mostly his own awesome cleverness.)
His good friend is near death, and he finds lots of ways to justify planning to go away for a while so he won't have to deal with it, or supporting her widower afterwards. He gets back in time for the memorial service but finds a way to justify skipping it. Nice.
I picked up this book because I want to plan a family trip to Alaska to see wildlife and wanted to know more about the state. After reading this, I am under the impression that the weather will stink and any attempt to observe nature will be an extreme test of machismo, which we will lose. Unless we have duct tape.
What did he love about her? Vague clues would indicate that she was hot and had money. Oh and she was Asian (cue the stereotypes about the tastes of neckbeard white guys). Sounds kind of shallow. Could be that there wasn't much about her personality that he was into and she maybe picked up on that? We'll never know but that's okay. Quite possible that if a guy hasn't married by 50, there's some reason.
I mean, this guy is so pretentious that he has to tell us at length about his "silver tape", "originally designed to seal the joints in metal air ducting". Can we just call it duct tape already? Naturally he needs it to help save his life. (Although it's mostly his own awesome cleverness.)
His good friend is near death, and he finds lots of ways to justify planning to go away for a while so he won't have to deal with it, or supporting her widower afterwards. He gets back in time for the memorial service but finds a way to justify skipping it. Nice.
I picked up this book because I want to plan a family trip to Alaska to see wildlife and wanted to know more about the state. After reading this, I am under the impression that the weather will stink and any attempt to observe nature will be an extreme test of machismo, which we will lose. Unless we have duct tape.
October 1, 2022
Grāmata, kas pēc virsraksta un sižeta apraksta liek domāt par vienatni, bet pēc izteiktās domas ir daudz vairāk par to, cik ļoti cilvēks ir saistīts ar citiem cilvēkiem, un cik svarīgi ir būt sabiedrībā. Daļa satura ir veltīta interesantiem vēsturiskiem notikumiem par Aļaskas dienvidaustrumu daļas atklāšanu, par pasaulē lielākā cunami rašanos un pārdzīvošanu un daudziem citiem neparastiem, varonīgiem un savdabīgiem notikumiem šajā reģionā. Tur ir gan druskas, kas interesēs gan kuģotājiem, gan pārgājienu cienītājiem. Un gluži negaidīti pašās pēdējās nodaļās saskāros ar patiesi baisāko šausmu epizodi, kas pie tam nav balstīta parastos biedēšanas mehānismos un izdomājumos. Lasīju un nespēju aiziet gulēt gan tāpēc, ka gribēju zināt atrisinājumu, gan tāpēc, ka sapratu, ka ar šādām nepabeigtām ainām nepagulēšu par savas istabas drošībā. Nobeigums ir savā ziņā laimīgs, tomēr ne pūkaini rozā. Nesteidzīga, informatīva un kaut kādā ziņā meditatīva grāmata ar negaidīti sapurinošām epizodēm. Iesaku cilvēkiem, kam patī iet sevis atklāšanas ceļu vai vienkārši iet dabā un uzzināt kaut ko vairāk.
March 15, 2023
I am generally not the one who gives a 5 star review. This book is like a dessert that you don't want to finish - i had to ration myself to read couple of pages a day for the fear that it will get over. Voyage on the sea and nautical terms are generally off-putting in my case, but things are explained so well - that i never felt the need to look them up. The walk in itself is a thing of beauty - made me want to walk. The way it is written makes it seem like the reader is an onlooker to this incredible journey. The additional bits about tsunami, the merchant ships do not jar the narrative, just reinforces the fact that how a remote part of Alaska which is often sidelined, has its own history.
July 27, 2024
One of many books by Alaskan authors that really help you understand how insignificant you are in comparison to the wildness of nature. You really feel for the author as he goes on an introspective journey in the wilderness to sort through the unhappiness of his marriage, but at the same time you wonder why he's not at home, trying to work through those problems. In closing the author seems to realize that it's not important, that the Earth's plates will continue to shift, causing earthquakes and tsunamis, that bears will continue to roam and birds will continue to migrate regardless of the issue that's consuming him.
June 4, 2017
The book started slow but turned out to be a fantastic read as well as very uplifting. The author wrote about his walk through the wilderness of Alaska to ponder life as his marriage was failing and a good friend died from cancer. He wrote in a very descriptive manner, and I felt as though I was experiencing the journey, as well. The ending is wonderful and leaves you with lots to ponder. A great read about a fantastic adventure both into the wilds of Alaska and a journey into one man's soul that will resonate with everyone.
October 25, 2020
Lynn Schooler writes about what he knows best, Alaska. Having spent 40 years there and most recently in Juneau. His adventure begins in Juneau and he sails North along the coast , just north of Glacier Bay. After anchoring his sailboat, he outfits himself for a hike along the coast to Dry Lake. Rugged terrain. He includes not only the natural history but the human history of his remote coastline.
September 27, 2017
A really well written and informative account of the authors journey into the wilderness. Weaving throughout the narrative are historic events that took place such as the incredible 1958 tsunami that struck the surrounding area. His encounter with an injured grizzly kept me riveted and reminded us of the unpredictability of nature and the elements.
July 9, 2020
Took a long time to get going. Lots of detail about preparation, less about the journey itself.
I would have found some more detailed maps interesting and useful. Pictures of the type of terrain too.
Complicated explanations about crossing of rivers, generally getting things to work etc. Could have included a diagram or two.
I would have found some more detailed maps interesting and useful. Pictures of the type of terrain too.
Complicated explanations about crossing of rivers, generally getting things to work etc. Could have included a diagram or two.
December 14, 2020
I read Lynn Schooler's book, The Blue Bear, a number of years ago and was was fully captivated by the story. Not realizing that Walking Home had been released some 15 years ago can only be called, "My bad." This was as enjoyable as his first book. If you've never read his books, pick one up and enjoy.
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July 29, 2021I have a question, I only finished the book yesterday and can't remember... When the stalking bear finally gives up is it because he is scared of the big creature, that actually is the author with a some tarp on top of him? Then it is said that the bear was insured and blind? I returned the book to the library today, otherwise I'd find out myself. Thank you 🙂
August 16, 2017
This was an interesting read. I liked the natural world narrative, it was almost like being there. I enjoyed the historical snippets. I had hoped for a different ending, but I would imagine the author did as well.
January 17, 2018
I thought it was going to be a book about his hike and when it turned out to be mostly about wildlife I lost interest. I finished it, because if I started a book I have to finish it. But it took a long time because I never really wanted to pick it up.
April 19, 2021
My daughter has lived in Juneau, AK for 3+ years. I thought I would enjoy reading this book, however, it was a little of a slow read for me. I had trouble staying interested. I liked it and didn't like it all at the same time.
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March 23, 2022Thought it was interesting, and definitely worth the read. The descriptions of the beauty and the harshness of the Alaskan wilderness was eye opening. And he kept it real - not a bear around every tree. Just realistic!
August 6, 2022
I’m so glad I discovered Lynn Schooler’s books. I have extended my Alaska vacation by two weeks. I just love his descriptive use of language, and the learning I do while being entertained. Thank you from a newly retired librarian.
December 16, 2024
Wow, what a superb book. Wild life, geogaphy, biology, horrible weather wrapped into the authors personal story. He was lucky to survive. The best and the worst nature throw at you. I'm very glad I don't live in Alaska.
January 14, 2018
The part with the bear is breathtaking, in a scary way.
February 7, 2018
Loved this book
March 9, 2019
Didn't finish...
June 9, 2019
Loved this book. Personal story interspersed with AK history and educational.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews