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Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska – A Woman's Literary Memoir of Coastal Beauty and Personal Reinvention
" Tide, Feather, Snow is about the resplendence and subtleties of coastal Alaska, and about one woman’s attempt to be fully present in them. Weiss serves as a skilled and poetic witness to a place undergoing incessant change." — Anthony Doerr, author of The Shell Collector
A memoir of moving to Alaska—and staying—by a writer whose gift for writing about place and natural beauty is reminiscent of John McPhee and Jonathan Raban. An extreme landscape in both its beauty and challenges, Alaska is a place where know-how is currency and a novice's mistakes can be fatal. But it is a place for glorious reinvention—a refuge for those desperate to escape . . . and for those looking for something more. Miranda Weiss, a young woman who grew up landlocked in a well-kept East Coast suburb, moved to Homer, Alaska, with her boyfriend, determined to make a place for herself in this unfamiliar country where the years are marked by seasons of fish, and where locals carry around the knowledge of tides, boats, and weather as ballast. In Tide, Feather, Snow , Weiss introduces readers to the memorable people and peculiar beauty of Alaska's vast landscape, as she takes us along on her remarkable personal journey of adventure, physical challenge, and culture clash.
A memoir of moving to Alaska—and staying—by a writer whose gift for writing about place and natural beauty is reminiscent of John McPhee and Jonathan Raban. An extreme landscape in both its beauty and challenges, Alaska is a place where know-how is currency and a novice's mistakes can be fatal. But it is a place for glorious reinvention—a refuge for those desperate to escape . . . and for those looking for something more. Miranda Weiss, a young woman who grew up landlocked in a well-kept East Coast suburb, moved to Homer, Alaska, with her boyfriend, determined to make a place for herself in this unfamiliar country where the years are marked by seasons of fish, and where locals carry around the knowledge of tides, boats, and weather as ballast. In Tide, Feather, Snow , Weiss introduces readers to the memorable people and peculiar beauty of Alaska's vast landscape, as she takes us along on her remarkable personal journey of adventure, physical challenge, and culture clash.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 1, 2023
Miranda Weiss writes of her experiences as a new resident of the south central coast of Alaska. She moved there to be with her boyfriend about ten years prior to the publication of the book. Bred to Maryland suburbs, it was a large shift from what had come before. But clearly she had a desire for that sort of experience. Her significant other was very much into the self-sufficiency that is requisite for life in such a place, and she was attracted to that, wanting not only to enjoy his skills, but eager to build her own.
There are passages in this book that I found almost magical. My favorite paints a picture of the community all out at once, participating in a mass orgy of dip-netting (only locals are allowed to use such nets—outsiders are restricted to hook and line) to take in a share of the annual salmon run. It was riveting.
I was of two minds about the book. I enjoyed the content of what Weiss was describing. There was new information in the book. One section tells of a religious community known as the Old Believers descendants of early Russian settlers, and committed to many ancient customs. Although it did not stop them from tooling around in the latest SUVs. It was interesting to learn about the challenges faced by the everyday locals, particularly new ones. And the nature writing was satisfying. But can one like the book and not the author?
I found it difficult to relate much to Weiss, at least what she chose to reveal of her inner thoughts. I always got the sense that she was holding back a huge chunk of herself from the reader. Of course that is her right. And her purpose was to tell of Alaska, not her personal travails, necessarily. But she tells enough about her personal dealings, particularly her relationship with her boyfriend, to make one wonder, when a large event takes place at the back end of the book, exactly what went into it. I found her minimal treatment of this annoying. I felt that it was a sort of tease, merely the visible tip to a calved slab of glacier. Ultimately, I would have much preferred for her to have omitted her personal relationship issues and stuck to a description of the externalities of her northern world, if she was not prepared to write of both with equal forthrightness.
PS - It would also have been nice to have some maps in the book, the better to gain a sense of her environment, both in Homer and when she and her boyfriend were out in the really wild delta near Bethel on a summer project. Yes, we do have internet access here in wildest New York City, (even where I live now, in Wilkes Barre, PA) but still.
Published - 5/1/2009
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Weiss's personal and FB pages
Weiss's articles for the Anchorage Daily News
There are passages in this book that I found almost magical. My favorite paints a picture of the community all out at once, participating in a mass orgy of dip-netting (only locals are allowed to use such nets—outsiders are restricted to hook and line) to take in a share of the annual salmon run. It was riveting.
She tells of life and culture in Homer, Alaska, with an emphasis on how the external world defines the rhythms of one’s life. Her naturalist point of view was appealing. She writes also about the difficulty of finding friends in such a small place. That loneliness was clearly problematic for her, at least during the time of which she writes.
Miranda Weiss - from her site
I was of two minds about the book. I enjoyed the content of what Weiss was describing. There was new information in the book. One section tells of a religious community known as the Old Believers descendants of early Russian settlers, and committed to many ancient customs. Although it did not stop them from tooling around in the latest SUVs. It was interesting to learn about the challenges faced by the everyday locals, particularly new ones. And the nature writing was satisfying. But can one like the book and not the author?
I found it difficult to relate much to Weiss, at least what she chose to reveal of her inner thoughts. I always got the sense that she was holding back a huge chunk of herself from the reader. Of course that is her right. And her purpose was to tell of Alaska, not her personal travails, necessarily. But she tells enough about her personal dealings, particularly her relationship with her boyfriend, to make one wonder, when a large event takes place at the back end of the book, exactly what went into it. I found her minimal treatment of this annoying. I felt that it was a sort of tease, merely the visible tip to a calved slab of glacier. Ultimately, I would have much preferred for her to have omitted her personal relationship issues and stuck to a description of the externalities of her northern world, if she was not prepared to write of both with equal forthrightness.
PS - It would also have been nice to have some maps in the book, the better to gain a sense of her environment, both in Homer and when she and her boyfriend were out in the really wild delta near Bethel on a summer project. Yes, we do have internet access here in wildest New York City, (even where I live now, in Wilkes Barre, PA) but still.
Published - 5/1/2009
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Weiss's personal and FB pages
Weiss's articles for the Anchorage Daily News
December 5, 2011
I really wanted to like this book. I made it about half way before I finally gave up. I expected this to be a humorous memoir about life in Alaska. It wasn't. It seemed like nothing interesting ever really happened. If the author did start telling a story, she would digress for pages and pages about seemingly nothing. It would go on for so long that I'd forget about the story she was trying to tell. It was kind of like this:
We went kayaking across the bay and it was really scary (that took about 10 pages)...
There is a russian orthodox community ... blah blah blah.. (for about 20 pages)...
And on the shore, we saw some birds (oh, yeah, she was telling about the kayaking trip).
I don't mean to be cruel, but seems like a book about life in Alaska could be more interesting and more organized and could include a touch of humor.
We went kayaking across the bay and it was really scary (that took about 10 pages)...
There is a russian orthodox community ... blah blah blah.. (for about 20 pages)...
And on the shore, we saw some birds (oh, yeah, she was telling about the kayaking trip).
I don't mean to be cruel, but seems like a book about life in Alaska could be more interesting and more organized and could include a touch of humor.
January 29, 2015
I'm so happy to be done with this book! It was boring in so many ways but not bad enough not to finish. My biggest issue with this memoir was that instead of really telling her story, the author delved in to facts and figures about Alaska instead. It was almost as if telling her journey was too painful so she went off into tangents that has the reader not even remembering what the author was doing when we veered off the path.
August 6, 2011
I never finished this. I was floored that this woman could make her adventure so shockingly boring.
August 19, 2019
If I wanted a book about bird watching I’d buy a book about bird watching.
May 28, 2015
I think anyone who reads this book can find some part of themselves in the author's life. If you've ever been drawn to Alaska, this book will thrill you. It details the challenges of the rewards of carving a life out of a sparsely populated area.
September 20, 2009
Tide, Feather, Snow is a memoir of a young woman’s search for identity and self, set in the rugged beauty of Alaska. I’d been intrigued by the premise of this book, and once I saw it in the store, I succumbed to cover-lust – the beautiful, simply image of a kayak resting on a glacial lake pulled me in.
This is a fantastic armchair travel book. Weiss’ descriptions of Alaska’s wild beauty are breathtaking – perhaps among the best I’ve encountered in this genre to date. She made me wish I could hop the next ferry and stake my own claim on the fringes of Alaska.
What keeps me from giving this five stars is the underlying sub-story. Weiss chronicles the development and finally the implosion of the relationship that first brought her to Alaska’s shores. While I could understand how this story was woven intricately through her Alaskan experience, I felt that it interrupted my reading experience, and ultimately lessened my enjoyment of the book.
Nonetheless, if you are looking for an entertaining and vivid introduction to this land on the frontier, I can definitely recommend Tide, Feather, Snow.
A few passages that really struck me:
“On New Year’s Eve, John and I drove out to their place on a road white with new snow. It was the coldest night since we’d arrived in Alaska, well below zero. From the road, we skied down to their house under a sky cleanly pricked by stars. They had set lighted candles in small pockets dug into the snow, illuminating the way to the yurt. Inside, a dozen or so people sat on whatever they could find, drinking rhubarb wine and beer, sharing food. Most of the guests were neighbors who had skied over or traveled by snowmachine. Taro cut thick strips of raw flesh from a three-foot-long king salmon he had caught…”
” ‘You’re having a great experience,’ friends back East would say. I wanted to explain that this was just life, that it wasn’t hard enough or extreme enought, that I hadn’t proved anything to myself about how I could live or whether I could take care of myself. That I hadn’t let go of my lust for fancy shoes, I had just lost the opportunity to wear them in this life dominated by gravel, snow, and mud. Somewhere along all of our dreams and disappointments, we have to piece together a compromise. Nothing is clear-cut – not how we live, not our desires, not one love affair from its predecessor, not the differences between the life we lead and another we could make for ourselves somewhere else.”
“Sometimes we needed to break away, to cast off and start afresh. Each year, we watched it happen before our eyes: Trees dropped their leaves to save up for new ones; ducks molted their flight feathers and waited flightless for new primaries; the bay scraped its beaches clean and started over. Sometimes I wanted to do the same….but it was easier to stay put, there was comfort in the clutter.”
This is a fantastic armchair travel book. Weiss’ descriptions of Alaska’s wild beauty are breathtaking – perhaps among the best I’ve encountered in this genre to date. She made me wish I could hop the next ferry and stake my own claim on the fringes of Alaska.
What keeps me from giving this five stars is the underlying sub-story. Weiss chronicles the development and finally the implosion of the relationship that first brought her to Alaska’s shores. While I could understand how this story was woven intricately through her Alaskan experience, I felt that it interrupted my reading experience, and ultimately lessened my enjoyment of the book.
Nonetheless, if you are looking for an entertaining and vivid introduction to this land on the frontier, I can definitely recommend Tide, Feather, Snow.
A few passages that really struck me:
“On New Year’s Eve, John and I drove out to their place on a road white with new snow. It was the coldest night since we’d arrived in Alaska, well below zero. From the road, we skied down to their house under a sky cleanly pricked by stars. They had set lighted candles in small pockets dug into the snow, illuminating the way to the yurt. Inside, a dozen or so people sat on whatever they could find, drinking rhubarb wine and beer, sharing food. Most of the guests were neighbors who had skied over or traveled by snowmachine. Taro cut thick strips of raw flesh from a three-foot-long king salmon he had caught…”
” ‘You’re having a great experience,’ friends back East would say. I wanted to explain that this was just life, that it wasn’t hard enough or extreme enought, that I hadn’t proved anything to myself about how I could live or whether I could take care of myself. That I hadn’t let go of my lust for fancy shoes, I had just lost the opportunity to wear them in this life dominated by gravel, snow, and mud. Somewhere along all of our dreams and disappointments, we have to piece together a compromise. Nothing is clear-cut – not how we live, not our desires, not one love affair from its predecessor, not the differences between the life we lead and another we could make for ourselves somewhere else.”
“Sometimes we needed to break away, to cast off and start afresh. Each year, we watched it happen before our eyes: Trees dropped their leaves to save up for new ones; ducks molted their flight feathers and waited flightless for new primaries; the bay scraped its beaches clean and started over. Sometimes I wanted to do the same….but it was easier to stay put, there was comfort in the clutter.”
February 14, 2017
3.5 stars - maybe 3.75 even. This was particularly hard to rate for me. I picked up this book because I needed some escapism - the news cycle right now, paired with a crazy two weeks of work travel left me wanting something that made me feel far away. Alaska! Great! I love reading memoir-style books about people who make a life in wild or unusual places and nature writing is high on my list. The good: it's clear the author is a talented writer. The subject matter alone is enough to hold your interest. The book made me lonely for the Pacific Northwest and our cold, rocky beaches. When I read these kinds of books, it makes me homesick for the Puget Sound.
However, I found was that this book fell into an odd sub-genre: it rolled around somewhere in the Venn diagram between memoir, autobiography, a book about "place" (the flora, fauna, history, sociology, etc.), and a travel book. Unfortunately, it didn't quite stick the landing on any of those. There was nothing interesting enough in the author's life to drive it as a memoir, there was too much personal rumination for a book about place, and not enough happened to make it a compelling travel or adventure book. It takes a very special story to navigate that territory effectively, and I've only ever read one or two that really were successful.
Maybe I'm jaded since I've read so many similar books in this area? If this was your first "woman in Alaska" story, you might feel differently. There were certainly lovely turns of phrase, nuggets of wisdom, and lovely observations throughout - I marked passages! Unfortunately for me, they weren't enough to raise this above the level of so-so.
However, I found was that this book fell into an odd sub-genre: it rolled around somewhere in the Venn diagram between memoir, autobiography, a book about "place" (the flora, fauna, history, sociology, etc.), and a travel book. Unfortunately, it didn't quite stick the landing on any of those. There was nothing interesting enough in the author's life to drive it as a memoir, there was too much personal rumination for a book about place, and not enough happened to make it a compelling travel or adventure book. It takes a very special story to navigate that territory effectively, and I've only ever read one or two that really were successful.
Maybe I'm jaded since I've read so many similar books in this area? If this was your first "woman in Alaska" story, you might feel differently. There were certainly lovely turns of phrase, nuggets of wisdom, and lovely observations throughout - I marked passages! Unfortunately for me, they weren't enough to raise this above the level of so-so.
May 20, 2012
Very Entertaining and Well Written Book
I love books about the North, whether Canada, Alaska or Europe and I'm always willing to take a chance on a new author who wants to tackle this area. I grew up on Jack London, Farley Mowat and Pierre Burton and anything that puts me in that reminiscent state of mind is welcome.
Miranda Weiss has offered a book in Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska, that could be a bit of a stretch to place in that category but as I read the book I appreciated very much the skilled writing, and the use of poetic narrative. The subject matter, which in many cases could be considered mundane, really does come to life vividly. As I read and progressed through the book and came to realize that this was not a survivalist or extreme type of recounting that Arctic writing usually aims for, I came to appreciate the wonderful eye for detail and description that this author has and I found myself drawn along and appreciative of what this book is in its own right; namely a very tightly written and captivating nature memoir.
In terms of how most people live in Alaska I suspect this is more reflective of reality and rather than romantic and emotional appeals on a grand scale, the routine, mundane and average experiences of a resident of Homer, Alaska come alive in a way that maybe less observant and reflective people would miss, to their loss.
I recommend this book enthusiastically. Once started you'll have little trouble continuing and enjoying the author's evident skills in her craft.
4 Stars.
Bart Breen
I love books about the North, whether Canada, Alaska or Europe and I'm always willing to take a chance on a new author who wants to tackle this area. I grew up on Jack London, Farley Mowat and Pierre Burton and anything that puts me in that reminiscent state of mind is welcome.
Miranda Weiss has offered a book in Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska, that could be a bit of a stretch to place in that category but as I read the book I appreciated very much the skilled writing, and the use of poetic narrative. The subject matter, which in many cases could be considered mundane, really does come to life vividly. As I read and progressed through the book and came to realize that this was not a survivalist or extreme type of recounting that Arctic writing usually aims for, I came to appreciate the wonderful eye for detail and description that this author has and I found myself drawn along and appreciative of what this book is in its own right; namely a very tightly written and captivating nature memoir.
In terms of how most people live in Alaska I suspect this is more reflective of reality and rather than romantic and emotional appeals on a grand scale, the routine, mundane and average experiences of a resident of Homer, Alaska come alive in a way that maybe less observant and reflective people would miss, to their loss.
I recommend this book enthusiastically. Once started you'll have little trouble continuing and enjoying the author's evident skills in her craft.
4 Stars.
Bart Breen
February 3, 2010
I'm kind of a sucker for books with cover art that includes a kayak floating in dark water in front of snow-covered mountains. But I think there's going to be more than a good cover to this book. I am also a sucker for sentences like this one, early in the book: "It looked as though a monstrous needle had been stitched through the very fabric of the land and smocked it along the coast." This, while the author is taking the ferry from WA to Alaska. I also quite liked the color/texture of water described as "a skin of mercury pulled taut, or gray, windblown silk."
I've now finished the book. It's much more than a travelogue, although it will probably reinforce most ideas that you have about Alaska. The interesting journey, though, is the one that Ms. Weiss takes through her thoughts and feelings. It was occasionally disconcerting to take a jump of (apparently) a few years, when reading what seemed to be a moment-by-moment description. (I'm thinking here of her time on the Y-K Delta.) And towards the end of the book I thought time, events and thoughts were telescoped in what seemed to be an effort to bring the book to a close.
All that said, I really enjoyed reading what I would classify as a meditation on being in Alaska. I'm very glad that the cover art drew me in so skillfully!
I've now finished the book. It's much more than a travelogue, although it will probably reinforce most ideas that you have about Alaska. The interesting journey, though, is the one that Ms. Weiss takes through her thoughts and feelings. It was occasionally disconcerting to take a jump of (apparently) a few years, when reading what seemed to be a moment-by-moment description. (I'm thinking here of her time on the Y-K Delta.) And towards the end of the book I thought time, events and thoughts were telescoped in what seemed to be an effort to bring the book to a close.
All that said, I really enjoyed reading what I would classify as a meditation on being in Alaska. I'm very glad that the cover art drew me in so skillfully!
January 19, 2011
What first caught my attention about this book was its cover. The front cover photo is truly beautiful. Second, I was intrigued by the subject. For me Alaska has always been a far away and mysterious place, so I thought this could be an interesting approach to get to know more about the state. The book delivered what I expected from its title. Miranda Weiss takes the reader through a beautiful tour by different places of the state and describes colorfully its wide palette of habitants, their activities, likes, dislikes, and ways of life. The description she makes about the fauna of the place is also very interesting. She lives in Homer, and from there she goes places to explore the territory.
She does this while baring her own feelings and adjusts to all the landscapes of her new home. She writes about the experience of building her own kayak, fishing exploring, teaching, and even skinning an otter. She talks about the seasons in Alaska, how tough the winters are with such short hours of daylight. I did enjoy this book a lot. It’s entertaining and interesting. If you are curious about what life can be like in such a remote place like Alaska, specially for a woman, this is a good book to start with.
She does this while baring her own feelings and adjusts to all the landscapes of her new home. She writes about the experience of building her own kayak, fishing exploring, teaching, and even skinning an otter. She talks about the seasons in Alaska, how tough the winters are with such short hours of daylight. I did enjoy this book a lot. It’s entertaining and interesting. If you are curious about what life can be like in such a remote place like Alaska, specially for a woman, this is a good book to start with.
November 4, 2021
If I ever get to go to Alaska it will likely be on a cruise and however small the ship I will only get a glimpse of the edge of it. This book takes the reader into Alaska, and illustrates in depth to what it is like to live there in a small isolated community shaped by Alaska's demanding environment.
Weiss's beautiful prose envelopes you in life there, the beauty as well the necessary ugliness of some aspects of life. You are alongside her as she learns to adapt to life there, negotiate the norms of the community and the challenges that living in such an environment entails. You feel the cold, the fear and the delight and watch her form connections with the independent and resilient people she lives among.
Miranda Weiss is a gifted writer. She has taught writing classes and if I get the chance I hope to attend one, one day if only to hear her speak about her approach to writing.
I loved this book and will read it again.
Weiss's beautiful prose envelopes you in life there, the beauty as well the necessary ugliness of some aspects of life. You are alongside her as she learns to adapt to life there, negotiate the norms of the community and the challenges that living in such an environment entails. You feel the cold, the fear and the delight and watch her form connections with the independent and resilient people she lives among.
Miranda Weiss is a gifted writer. She has taught writing classes and if I get the chance I hope to attend one, one day if only to hear her speak about her approach to writing.
I loved this book and will read it again.
December 5, 2016
This was a three and a half. I liked the author's honesty on whether she was in the right place and I recognised her desire for her immersion in the landscape to be total or not at all. I'm not a fan of writers "finding themselves" on their chosen path, or at least it not being the reason for the book and this skirted the line several times. Of course relationships/bereavements/life's problems are important and part of the overall narrative, but not at the price of having it become more important than their experience of the world. But that's my preference, of course.
The writing was assured and descriptive, and the tone was honest. I enjoyed those elements of the book.
The writing was assured and descriptive, and the tone was honest. I enjoyed those elements of the book.
January 16, 2016
Miranda Weiss moves to Homer, Alaska with her boyfriend. Miranda's descriptions of the land and wildlife are inviting. The rest of the book feels detached and unemotional, like her relationship with her boyfriend. The book wants to be open and honest but her wall is forbidding it. Plus the lack of full disclosure of why things went this way not that way left me with a sour taste for her. I wanted to love this book and did in the beginning but the more I read the more I lost interest in her life.
March 27, 2019
I wanted to like this book, but it just came off as another psuedo-intellectual memoir. There are just too many books where non-Alaskans go to Alaska seeking... something... and write about it as though it were a commodity to be consumed in order to get some pre-determined result. Either "I wanted to change my life so I went to Alaska for adventure" or "I just got my MFA and I needed something interesting to write about." Or both. That's how this one came off to me.
November 14, 2018
I liked all of the facts about Alaska that she shared. What was disappointing to me was that she didn't really have any great experiences, she didn't do anything great! It didn't even really seem like she liked it there. She moved there with her boyfriend who she also dumped. It seemed more like her boyfriend was the one having the great Alaska adventure. He should have written the book instead.
June 2, 2017
There were parts of this I loved: hearing about how the natives adapt to the harsh environment, the history of the state, and the author's personal story. Unfortunately the gratuitous descriptions of things like moss and morning dew on the rocks really slowed the pace.
June 27, 2017
This was more a long, flowing description of the flora and fauna of Alaska than anything else. After awhile, her whining about not being as competent as the boyfriend got old.
August 30, 2010
In this memoir of a first season spent living in Alaska, Miranda Weiss takes her readers through both the harshness and the beauty of one of the most beautiful places in America. When Miranda decides to leave Oregon and relocate to Alaska, she is unsure of many aspects of her future. Though she quickly becomes enamored of both the people and the land, she finds herself struggling in her personal relationship with John, the man she has traveled to Alaska with. Miranda is constantly and studiously trying to learn about herself and her surroundings in order to be prepared for every eventuality and to really know herself and this land she now calls home. As Miranda relates her stories of struggle and joy, she intersperses a wealth of little known information about Alaska, from its land to its people to the creatures that inhabit it. From the brazen and discordant sea that surrounds her, to the unspoiled yet littered lands that she lives on, Miranda shares her reflections on the many subjects that make Alaska simultaneously foreign and familiar. Though she is no doubt freer here in this wild place, Miranda is also beset by shifts both in her emotions and in her thoughts about the way of life she now leads. She speaks of the amazing and the everyday with equal respect and awe, and relates how this underdeveloped and under-examined piece of land can be both startling in its raw beauty and brutally dangerous in its complications. In this unflinching look at a life lived in Alaska, Miranda Weiss shares her unique perspective as both a resident and an outsider in a world that has not been completely tamed.
I am very much an armchair traveler, and when I get the chance to read a book about a place that I have never visited, I find that my interest in that place is heightened to the point of considering travel plans. The best memoirs of places unknown always inspire such a wanderlust in me and this book was certainly no exception. While reading this story, a little piece of my mind was trying to figure out a way to leave all my possessions behind and move out to what can only be described as a hauntingly beautiful landscape complete with local flavor, scenic views and a wonderful array of flora and fauna.
Despite the fact that I have a relative living in Alaska, I know very little about the area. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Weiss' solid and no-nonsense memoir was densely packed with information, relating both to her stay and to the land. Some of the facts revealed here laid out a very different picture than the one I had been expecting. For example, did you know that the Alaskan government actually pays its residents oil dividends each year? In essence, each resident gets a check every year, just for being part of the community. Also, in Alaska, there is a certain period when residents are allowed to wade into the bay during salmon spawning season and catch as many fish as they can entice into their nets. As Weiss explains, this is a very easy way for the inhabitants to catch enough fish to put away for the long cold winter. Such things seemed like novelties to me, but for Weiss and her fellow Alaskans, it was all a part of the way of life. Much mention was made about conservation of natural resources and it was interesting to me to find out that the parts of Alaska that were not being exploited for oil and other resources were primarily wild and uninhabited spaces. Weiss also speaks of the changes that have occurred in the recent years to fishing in Alaska. It seems that when one resource is exhausted, like shrimp and crab for example, another resource is tapped for the benefit of fisheries that ship all over the world.
One of the things I liked about this book was the way Weiss describes her life and stay in Alaska. I found her personal dramas to be some of the most compelling sections of the book, but I often felt that these were not explored in enough depth. It was curious that just when she would start to open up about her concerns over her relationship and way of life, she would quickly return to factual information about the land she has made her home. I came to feel that she was hiding within her narrative and I would have liked to see more of her heart and read more about her thought processes. Over all the layers of hurt and confusion, there seemed to be a patina of facts that, while they enabled me to get to know more about the land, kept me further and further away from the feelings of the actual woman who was penning this story.
Part of Weiss' conundrums over living in Alaska had to do with the qualities of the land itself. She explains that while it's a beautiful place, much of it has been spoiled by the constant pollution of its people. She relates how some stretches of land are littered with broken down and rusted vehicles, crab pots and other refuse. She comes to conclude that parts of the land are literally overrun by litter, which causes the landscape to look more dilapidated than it should. She also speaks about the environmental damage caused by fisheries and oil drilling. I was shocked to find out that oil was allowed to be drilled from private property over the objections of the owners. I think this has to do with unfettered access to the land that was sold to other countries. In all, Weiss paints a picture of a society and way of life that seems in danger of collapsing, which is really sad when you stop to think about it.
Not surprisingly, the relationships that Weiss forms with her neighbors and with others in her community seem to be a large part of survival in this hostile place. Time and time again, Weiss relates the ways in which one neighbor or friend helps another and the ways that these strings of acquaintances shape and affect the way that one can live successfully on the land. I find this to be really fascinating, for in most parts of this country, people have very little to do with their neighbors and community and it seems this is another foreign aspect to living in such a place. Alaskans, as Weiss notes, don't make judgments about the way that other people live, and whether it's in a trailer, tent or yurt, people seem to accept all ways and permutations of living their lives.
I really enjoyed the time I spent reading this book, and although I wish it there had been a little more of a personal bent to this story, I was excited to get the chance to learn so much about a place that was unknown to me. I think those readers who enjoy a comprehensive study of areas that might be unfamiliar to them would probably enjoy this book, but if you are looking for a memoir that deals with the more personal subjects of a life lived in Alaska, you might not find it here. Overall, this was a book that inspired me to want to travel, if not permanently, than at least for the short term!
I am very much an armchair traveler, and when I get the chance to read a book about a place that I have never visited, I find that my interest in that place is heightened to the point of considering travel plans. The best memoirs of places unknown always inspire such a wanderlust in me and this book was certainly no exception. While reading this story, a little piece of my mind was trying to figure out a way to leave all my possessions behind and move out to what can only be described as a hauntingly beautiful landscape complete with local flavor, scenic views and a wonderful array of flora and fauna.
Despite the fact that I have a relative living in Alaska, I know very little about the area. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Weiss' solid and no-nonsense memoir was densely packed with information, relating both to her stay and to the land. Some of the facts revealed here laid out a very different picture than the one I had been expecting. For example, did you know that the Alaskan government actually pays its residents oil dividends each year? In essence, each resident gets a check every year, just for being part of the community. Also, in Alaska, there is a certain period when residents are allowed to wade into the bay during salmon spawning season and catch as many fish as they can entice into their nets. As Weiss explains, this is a very easy way for the inhabitants to catch enough fish to put away for the long cold winter. Such things seemed like novelties to me, but for Weiss and her fellow Alaskans, it was all a part of the way of life. Much mention was made about conservation of natural resources and it was interesting to me to find out that the parts of Alaska that were not being exploited for oil and other resources were primarily wild and uninhabited spaces. Weiss also speaks of the changes that have occurred in the recent years to fishing in Alaska. It seems that when one resource is exhausted, like shrimp and crab for example, another resource is tapped for the benefit of fisheries that ship all over the world.
One of the things I liked about this book was the way Weiss describes her life and stay in Alaska. I found her personal dramas to be some of the most compelling sections of the book, but I often felt that these were not explored in enough depth. It was curious that just when she would start to open up about her concerns over her relationship and way of life, she would quickly return to factual information about the land she has made her home. I came to feel that she was hiding within her narrative and I would have liked to see more of her heart and read more about her thought processes. Over all the layers of hurt and confusion, there seemed to be a patina of facts that, while they enabled me to get to know more about the land, kept me further and further away from the feelings of the actual woman who was penning this story.
Part of Weiss' conundrums over living in Alaska had to do with the qualities of the land itself. She explains that while it's a beautiful place, much of it has been spoiled by the constant pollution of its people. She relates how some stretches of land are littered with broken down and rusted vehicles, crab pots and other refuse. She comes to conclude that parts of the land are literally overrun by litter, which causes the landscape to look more dilapidated than it should. She also speaks about the environmental damage caused by fisheries and oil drilling. I was shocked to find out that oil was allowed to be drilled from private property over the objections of the owners. I think this has to do with unfettered access to the land that was sold to other countries. In all, Weiss paints a picture of a society and way of life that seems in danger of collapsing, which is really sad when you stop to think about it.
Not surprisingly, the relationships that Weiss forms with her neighbors and with others in her community seem to be a large part of survival in this hostile place. Time and time again, Weiss relates the ways in which one neighbor or friend helps another and the ways that these strings of acquaintances shape and affect the way that one can live successfully on the land. I find this to be really fascinating, for in most parts of this country, people have very little to do with their neighbors and community and it seems this is another foreign aspect to living in such a place. Alaskans, as Weiss notes, don't make judgments about the way that other people live, and whether it's in a trailer, tent or yurt, people seem to accept all ways and permutations of living their lives.
I really enjoyed the time I spent reading this book, and although I wish it there had been a little more of a personal bent to this story, I was excited to get the chance to learn so much about a place that was unknown to me. I think those readers who enjoy a comprehensive study of areas that might be unfamiliar to them would probably enjoy this book, but if you are looking for a memoir that deals with the more personal subjects of a life lived in Alaska, you might not find it here. Overall, this was a book that inspired me to want to travel, if not permanently, than at least for the short term!
February 24, 2021
Give me a good book, describing the land that I havent seen and I would travel without moving an inch.
This book showed me Alaksa, when I had less than 500 rupees in my pocket. I dont think I can ever afford to see the land of the free and the home of the brave. But the literature that has been pouring out from that distant land in last two centuries has shown me things that I would have never seen. I loved everything about this book. This book was more than just a travel book. It was more like getting to that far frontier, still pristine and mostly untouched by humans and getting down to set a life on it. It was more about seeing the seasons change, snow fall, melt, coming of Spring and sweet summer with daylight and chirping birds. The only part that I didnt like about this book was the last few pages where, well, you know how female centric books from women cant help but venture into the territory of 'love' and 'love-lost'. Well, that part. I believe love has been way too overdone as a topic. For me, just watching nature through a book, feeling the cold alaskan wind over a frozen lake would do just fine. In the time period, I was reading this book, I was also watching the series 'Northern Exposure' set in Alaska of 1990s. That tv series gave me good background scenery for this book to enhance. Very enjoyable book. Thank you, Miranda.
Beautiful Alaska!
This book showed me Alaksa, when I had less than 500 rupees in my pocket. I dont think I can ever afford to see the land of the free and the home of the brave. But the literature that has been pouring out from that distant land in last two centuries has shown me things that I would have never seen. I loved everything about this book. This book was more than just a travel book. It was more like getting to that far frontier, still pristine and mostly untouched by humans and getting down to set a life on it. It was more about seeing the seasons change, snow fall, melt, coming of Spring and sweet summer with daylight and chirping birds. The only part that I didnt like about this book was the last few pages where, well, you know how female centric books from women cant help but venture into the territory of 'love' and 'love-lost'. Well, that part. I believe love has been way too overdone as a topic. For me, just watching nature through a book, feeling the cold alaskan wind over a frozen lake would do just fine. In the time period, I was reading this book, I was also watching the series 'Northern Exposure' set in Alaska of 1990s. That tv series gave me good background scenery for this book to enhance. Very enjoyable book. Thank you, Miranda.
Beautiful Alaska!
December 8, 2019
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I confess that, had I written my review 6 months ago when I finished this book in June, it would have been much more thoughtful and specific. Reading this book set primarily in Homer, AK, and on the Kenai Peninsula while I was in Homer, I found it interesting and educational in so many ways that I felt I needed some time to reflect upon it before writing the review. Days turned into months....and now it is December.
Like the beautiful and appropriate cover of the book, the narrative is thoughtful and contemplative, full of beauty but also impending danger and hardship. It records a memoir of change, struggle, learning, and growth for Miranda Weiss as she moves to AK from the mainland, experiences a complete change of lifestyle, and confronts the difficult decision of whether or not to remain in AK for the long haul. The story is also full of interesting tidbits of history, culture, geography, and the people of Alaska and Homer, as well as exquisitely detailed nature writing about native flora and fauna, making it a superb traveling companion for Outsiders journeying to AK.
Like the beautiful and appropriate cover of the book, the narrative is thoughtful and contemplative, full of beauty but also impending danger and hardship. It records a memoir of change, struggle, learning, and growth for Miranda Weiss as she moves to AK from the mainland, experiences a complete change of lifestyle, and confronts the difficult decision of whether or not to remain in AK for the long haul. The story is also full of interesting tidbits of history, culture, geography, and the people of Alaska and Homer, as well as exquisitely detailed nature writing about native flora and fauna, making it a superb traveling companion for Outsiders journeying to AK.
December 5, 2021
In Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska, Miranda Weiss luminously weaves geological, historical, and pragmatic information about Alaska with reflections on her personal life, while conveying a scientist's evolutionary knowledge and an indigenous awareness of her surroundings' deep past, present, and future. As she challenges herself to claim competencies of new skills necessary for living close to nature, and to nurture personal relationships in an unfamiliar remote landscape, Weiss immerses the reader in her adventures, discoveries, and accomplishments. Weiss' sentient journey is full of wonder, made more meaningful by expanded knowledge and understanding. This captivating book is beautifully written. Highly recommended.
March 19, 2019
I enjoyed how Miranda describes the details of what she was experiencing- the animals, weather, topography, her feelings. I have lived in Alaska in the past and I enjoyed hearing, from her, about the nature that I experienced that magical time in AK. I like the words Miranda used to describe things. I am crazy about Alaska so I really enjoyed this book. She does a great job painting a picture with her words. Not only is this book interesting, it is informative as well. I learned many new-to-me plant and animal species.
November 17, 2020
“The sea held stars, moons, and fiery rocks in its midst.”
Tide, Feather, and Snow follows a woman’s move to Alaska and the seasons that followed her change in life and lifestyle. She gives beautiful accounts of the vast mystery of living in one of the most isolated places in the US while keeping us informed about the technical aspects of life in the bush. I enjoyed a lot of this book however there was a lot of terminology, names, and specifics I could have done without. It was a beautiful story without explaining every tide, animal, and seasonal pattern with such detail. At times I wanted to put the book down for its overt scientific terminology but I’m glad I stuck it out, and really it’s a quite short read.
Tide, Feather, and Snow follows a woman’s move to Alaska and the seasons that followed her change in life and lifestyle. She gives beautiful accounts of the vast mystery of living in one of the most isolated places in the US while keeping us informed about the technical aspects of life in the bush. I enjoyed a lot of this book however there was a lot of terminology, names, and specifics I could have done without. It was a beautiful story without explaining every tide, animal, and seasonal pattern with such detail. At times I wanted to put the book down for its overt scientific terminology but I’m glad I stuck it out, and really it’s a quite short read.
July 28, 2022
This is a quick read. The descriptions of Alaska's terrain, inhabitants, wildlife and flora are beautiful. But I found it a shame that the author seemed to enjoy very little of it. Whether coming from a lack of confidence, a competitive streak, a need to be right and proficient in everything, an inability to be assertive...whatever it was(is?) it was a shame. My thoughts toward the end were that I hoped she never dragged anyone else through her inability to "be ok" with herself, but it seems she has. I hope it goes well for them.
December 21, 2025
I saw the mixed reviews after reading half of this book and couldn't have disagreed more. I loved this story. Miranda writes in a naturalists tone of many things Alaskan, but she also writes of change, excitement, loss and reclamation.
I very much enjoyed the different tones, the beautiful descriptions that only a naturalist would describe, but also the fears, the challenges and ultimately the redemption she found in her move and her eventual life in Homer.
Please, doubt the mixed reviews and learn for yourself if this one is for you or not. I'm glad I did.
I very much enjoyed the different tones, the beautiful descriptions that only a naturalist would describe, but also the fears, the challenges and ultimately the redemption she found in her move and her eventual life in Homer.
Please, doubt the mixed reviews and learn for yourself if this one is for you or not. I'm glad I did.
March 4, 2019
Ms. Weiss's evocative, nuanced, exuberant prose style is perfect for her story of life in Alaska, a state like no other. Her powers of observation--and, clearly, her note taking skills!--are amazing. Her account brims over with perception and heart. I was captivated in spite of being allergic to nature (except, of course, as depicted in museums, especially ones with outstanding cafes). Annie Dillard would be pleased to have written this book!
September 9, 2024
60% poorly written field guide to Homer, Alaska and 40% choppy meandering journal of a girl trying to find herself. I wanted so much more from this book. It takes 30+ pages to tell a simple plot line of "we went fishing" jumping from types of birds, songs of birds, types of seaweed/plants/insects, the synonym vomit, and the endless poetic waxing verses; I was over it all. I think the only reason I kept reading was because I saw the potential of the story.
January 2, 2019
I read this as research for the book I'm writing, set in Alaska. I got some good notes, but I never would have finished it otherwise. Often long-winded. Beautiful language at times, but there wasn't much of a story structure. I did a lot of skimming.
July 24, 2019
I read this book after having visited Alaska, my husband read it before we visited.
It was a fascinating read, very informative and descriptive. I loved the adjectives used - made for great mind pictures.
It made me realize how fragile Alaska is and how we must protect it.
It was a fascinating read, very informative and descriptive. I loved the adjectives used - made for great mind pictures.
It made me realize how fragile Alaska is and how we must protect it.
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