Alaska Book Group discussion

read If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name recently. pretty good actually.

I know there's a ton of others. Michener's Alaska and L'Amour's Sitka also spring to mind.

I'm currently reading The Only Kayak, Kim Heacox, with lots of discussion re: conservation vs development

Hi Carol - welcome to the group. Glad to see you post!

The Only Kayak looks like a fascinating read. Can you imagine kayaking in Glacier Bay? or maybe you have yourself. I've visited there by ship, but it must be even more awe-inspiring by kayak. I've got a particular interest in the conservation vs. development theme myself, so that sounds appealing as well.

It also brought to mind two other Alaska books:
Coming into the Country by John McPhee
and
Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

welcome again, and if there are any books you'd like to read as a "group" please let me know! :)

I've read "Alaska," "Sitka" and "Coming Into The Country" and all three are worthy of being in an Alaskan's bookshelf. While "Alaska" and "Sitka" are fiction, there still is a lot of fact in them.

Another good read is "The Sea Runners" by Ivan Doig, which fictionalizes a true happening (four Finns/Swedes in Russian America as indentured servants decide to escape the Russians and head to Astoria, Ore., in a Tlingít canoe). The first couple of chapters are a struggle for some people, but once you get past them the book reads well.

Something SciFi ... Try my book Fe Fi FOE Comes

Thought I'd chime in and mention Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same by Mattox Roesch. It takes place in Unalakleet, AK (where the author lives). The New York Times said Roesch 'deftly portrays Unalakleet, where “every yard is littered with skeletons of four-wheelers and snow machines and fishing boats...'" You can find an excerpt here: http://issuu.com/unbridledbooks/docs/...

Unbridled wrote: "Thought I'd chime in and mention Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same by Mattox Roesch. It takes place in Unalakleet, AK (where the author lives). The New York Times said Roesch 'deftly portrays U..."

Thank, Unbridled. I added this to my list of books to read. It sounds interesting.

Sad Fe Fi Foe Comes takes place all over Alaska, but centers on my old homestead south of Chitna on the Copper River.

“I know. It’s time for them too Aris.”
“I understand.” She looked at him with misty eyes then. “It seems that Alaska is destined to be always at the brink of crisis … catastrophe.”
He reached out and touched her face through his gauntlet. “It is because Alaska is the place that came last and where the people must act first … else disaster or worse be our destiny,” he spoke the ritual.
She reached out and took his hand; she spoke quietly her eyes locked to his. “The only thing worse than disaster would be that I not have you.”
He kissed her then, his lips soft on hers, then broke away and told her firmly, “You must go inside now .. for both our sakes.” Idavold

Arctic wrote: "read If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name recently. pretty good actually.

I know there's a ton of others. Michener's Alaska and L'Amour's Sitka also ..."

I just read about this book and even though I'm just temporarily living in Alaska, I really want to read it

Jennifer wrote: "Arctic wrote: "read If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name recently. pretty good actually.

I know there's a ton of others. Michener's Alaska and L'Amour's [book:Sitka|..."

Michener's Alaska is NOT realistic at all. His research was poor and the storyline did not work. He wrote marvelous books about other places but Alaska was not among them IMHO.
biLL

I think I currently have 55 Alaska books on my Kindle alone. I have lived in Alaska for 27 years now and my husband is Alutiq which is Alaskan Kodiak Native. We collect Alaskan books. We have Alaskan Bear Tales 1 and 2 and I personally know (knew) one of the old men who was in the Bear Tale books (William "Bill" Brody). I would be willing to give you a list of Alaskan books if you are still trying to keep this an active site. Maybe that could help give people some ideas of more AK books to read.
Audrey

Hi Audrey

Your list would be greatly appreciated - at least by me. I've read Dana Stabenow's every Kate Shugak and Liam Campbell novel to date. I loved how the books whisked me all thew way to Alaska, to the forests, mountains and rivers and to the company of eccentrics trying to make a living there with various means. I'd love to see Alaska through someone else's eyes as well so it would be great to get a look at your list.

Audrey wrote: "I think I currently have 55 Alaska books on my Kindle alone. I have lived in Alaska for 27 years now and my husband is Alutiq which is Alaskan Kodiak Native. We collect Alaskan books. We have Alask..."

Larry's daughter and I were good friends in high school, and I had him for English. Putting that aside, his books are really wonderful.:)

Kelley Armstrong's book in her Women of the Otherworld series, Frostbitten has some great descriptions of Anchorage. I laughed very hard about what she said about Alaskans and coffee.

This debut novel is splendid storytelling. I'm loving it. There's a giveaway offer up at new york journal of books. Worth a shot, great writing:
http://nyjournalofbooks.com/giveaways...

I always enjoy Velma Wallis' books and I have 'Good Time Girls' by Morgan and 'The Yiddish Policeman's Union' by Michael Chabon in my stack right now. Oh, and 'The Blonde Indian.'

I thought Bear Down, Bear North: Alaska Stories by Melinda Moustakis contained some of the most stunning short stories I've ever read .... and they're set in Alaska!

Two of my facvorite books of all time are AK:

Barry Lopez: Arctic Dreams (partly Alaska, partly global Arctic)
John Haines: The Stars, the Snow, the Fire (beautifully written!)

Seth Kantner is doing great fiction AND nonfiction about living a subsistence life in the western Arctic...

And Sherry Simpson: The Accidental Explorer: Wayfinding in Alaska is great.

Shannon wrote: "Two of my facvorite books of all time are AK:

Barry Lopez: Arctic Dreams (partly Alaska, partly global Arctic)
John Haines: The Stars, the Snow, the Fire (beautifully written!)

Seth Kantner is do..."

Shannon wrote: "Two of my facvorite books of all time are AK:

Barry Lopez: Arctic Dreams (partly Alaska, partly global Arctic)
John Haines: The Stars, the Snow, the Fire (beautifully written!)

Seth Kantner is do..."

I have never read anything by Barry Lopez or John Haines. I'll try to read these two books. I agree that Seth Kantner is a wonderful writer.

Please read Dry Bay, The House of the Frog:

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

You can find at Amazon.com website:

http://www.amazon.com/Dry-Bay-House-F...

I've added this to my to-read shelf!

I'm currently reading The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant. Not *all* about Alaska it's a true story revolving around the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii. Anyone read this one before?

Hi, in case you are interested, Dry Bay, The House of the Frog, is free on Amazon.com starting today. The free promotion will start at 12:00 AM Pacific Standard, March 29, 2013 and will end at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time, March 31, 2013. Please follow the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Dry-Bay-House-F...

Rachel wrote: "I'm currently reading The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant. Not *all* about Alaska it's a true story revolving around the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii. Anyone read this one before?"

I got a little bogged down in it- look forward to hearing what you think!

North of Hope: A Daughter's Arctic Journey has a giveaway going on leading up to and through launch next week...hope you might enjoy it! http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

"Alaska! Up North and to the Left," Takes place in Bethel. It shows everyday living in an isolated community through the eyes of a local pilot and his wife who is a physician in a small hospital.
http://www.amazon.com/Alaska-North-Le...

And "The Raven's Gift" by Don Rearden

Thank you Rachel.

Steven wrote: "Thank you Rachel." I added the one you just posted about to my Amazon wish list, looks neat!

Rachel wrote: "Steven wrote: "Thank you Rachel." I added the one you just posted about to my Amazon wish list, looks neat!"

I just bought "The Raven's Gift," on Amazon! Thanks again Rachel.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...

Infection (Alaskan Undead Apocalypse #1)
by Sean Schubert

Zombie story set in and around Anchorage.

My list of Alaska Books:

A Distant Enemy Vanasse, Deb *
A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou Kantner, Seth *
A Walk on the Tundra Hainnu, Rebecca
A Wolf Called Romeo Jans, Nick
Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic Niven, Jennifer *
An Alaska Flyfisher's Odyssey: Seeking a Life of Drag-Free Drift in the Land of the Midnight Sun Hoffman, Daniel P.
Becoming Earth Saulitis, Eva
Black-winged Raven! Peterson, Susan
Blueberry Shoe Dixon, Ann
Bold Women in Alaska History Cochrane, Marjorie
Can Dogs Talk Shields, Mary
Coming Out of Nowhere: Alaska Homestead Poems Schandelmeier, Linda
Denali's Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak Hall, Andy *
FINDING SAVOONGA: Letters from the Edge of America Ray, Doris D.
Flight of the Golden Plover: The Amazing Migration Between Hawaii and Alaska Miller, Debbie S.
From Chicken to Eagle: Seven Women Paddling Whitewater and Navigating Life Bremer, Kamala
Hostile Territory Greci, Paul
I Am Still Alive: Library Edition Marshall, Kate Alice *
Island War Giff, Patricia Reilly
Julie of the Wolves (Julie of the Wolves, #1) George, Jean Craighead
Like a tree to the soil : a history of farming in Alaska's Tanana Valley, 1903 to 1940 Papp, Josephine E.
Lucky Hares and Itchy Bears Ewing, Susan *
Mosquito Girl Gwin, Sally
One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey Keith, Sam
Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier Kizzia, Tom *
Raven House Mouse: How a Lonely Orphan Came to be Accepted into a Tlingit Clan Steinbright, Jan
Ride the Big Machines in Winter: My Big Machines Series Mok, Carmen *
Riding the Wild Side of Denali: Alaska Adventures with Horses and Huskies Collins, Miki
Roar of the Sea: Treachery, Obsession, and Alaska's Most Valuable Wildlife Vanasse, Deb *
Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native's Life Along the River Huntington, Sidney
Song for a Whale Kelly, Lynne *
Surviving Bear Island Greci, Paul
Ten on the Sled Norman, Kim *
The Equinox: Alaska's Trailblazing Marathon Saari, Matias
The Getting Place Soos, Frank
The Great Alone Hannah, Kristin *
The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet Fountain, Henry
The Smell of Other People's Houses Hitchcock, Bonnie-Sue
The Sun Is a Compass: A 4,000-Mile Journey into the Alaskan Wilds Van Hemert, Caroline *
The Yiddish Policemen's Union Chabon, Michael
This Much Country Pace, Kristin Knight *
To the Bright Edge of the World Ivey, Eowyn *
Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival Wallis, Velma
Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North Braverman, Blair *
Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in Alaska Stihler, Chérie B.
Writing on the Edge James, David