People putting out travel books today should take a lesson from this guy's series. Unlike lesser picture books, the "A picture Book to Remember her by" series is CHOCK FULL OF PICTURES! I've got several in this series including the one for Chicago and I find it really makes you feel like you've been there. If it's the pictures of a place you are after in a travel book, this is the way to go.

I wish there were more!

The beauty of the pictures on this calendar are beyond words.

Heretofore, little has been written about United States' early years governing their new territory of Alaska nor of the governmental thread that kept this vast territory intact. Archives do hold much of this history and that is where the two authors of this book went for sources for this intriguing tale of a little known service executing an enormous responsibility.

The U.S. Revenue Cutter Service arrived in the Bearing Sea soon after the purchase of Alaska in 1867. For the next forty-eight years, until it became the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, this small group of men, in mostly wooden ships, became the foundation for the government that established the sovereignty leading to the firmly established state it is today.

The cuttermen explored vast unknown areas in their multi-mission role. They provided humanitarian relief following natural disasters, brought medical care to isolated areas, fed starving North American natives, and rescued shipwrecked sailors, charted territories discovering isolated tribes in the wilderness and brought law to hostile surroundings. The small crews created a veneer of civilization in the rough frontier and the isolated settlements by their presence. Solutions to problems solved by a lonely unsupported sailor at the scene, a hundred years later became the laws of the new state so sensible were some of their actions.

From widely scattered documentation and records, maritime historians Truman Strobridge and Dennis Noble chronicle events in the service's colorful history. The story, filled with episodes high drama as well as events of historical significance, includes a number of notable figures. One is Capt. Michael A. "Hell Roaring Mike" Healy, the black revenue cutter captain who became a legend of the Alaskan frontier and was memorialized in James Michener's novel, Alaska.

The authors noted, "The early cuttermen have never received the credit due them for their efforts as seagoing policemen who served the indigenous people of an isolated region." Readers will quickly come to understand why the USRCS became so admired throughout the new territory and appreciate the effect the service had on the political, economic, and social life of this north Pacific region.

Each chapter can be made into full-length books from the materials developed by the authors' research. Most notable for biographies are two of the Service's officers: the above mentioned Healy and Lt. John C. Cantwell, who in addition to his shipboard duties, explored via river and land treks, a remote region of north-west Alaska.

This is a must read for students of Alaska history and it is a rare volume for maritime historians, as it covers one phase of the history of the mostly unrecorded U.S. Revenue Cutter Service.

The book is end noted, referencing rare and widely scattered original sources. The bibliography is extensive and the book is indexed. It is an excellent first choice for researchers and historians.

Truman R. Strobridge was an archivist and historian in the federal government for more than thirty years including being the Coast Guard's historian and a college teacher in Alaska. He is the author of nearly one hundred articles and two books.

Dennis L. Noble retired from the Coast Guard as a senior chief marine science technician where he made six Arctic voyages and two to the Antarctic. Following Coast Guard retirement he earned a Ph.D. in U.S. history is the author of nine books, seven on U.S. Coast Guard history.

Alaska Broker is multimillionaire relator Edward Boyd's engaging autobiography spanning his life's story from 1927-1985, and encompassing terrible wars, dreams for the future, dogged pursuit of an honorable career, and much, much more. A highly enjoyable, articulate, and personal narrative, as well as a close look at life in the northernmost state of the United State, Alaska Broker makes for dynamic, entertaining, and highly recommended reading.

The information we get from the media about forest fires doesn't begin to tell us the excitement, danger and even fun that is shared by firefighters. This book lets us see some of these things from someone who has seen and done it all. It is fun and sometimes heartrending to read.

The third in the Marco series. Marco's ship goes down on a reef, the cat gets ashore but runs into hostile bears and has trouble finding food. He is found and adopted by native children. A rich source of Alaskan lore, including totem stories. Very popular with children AND adults, has been on Alaska ferry systems, home school choice for Alaska, etc.

Author Chris Kiana plunges the reader into a story with the contrasing images of the cruel and raw Alaska with the urban and seedy side of New York City. I particularly liked his pacing, and his introductory chapter gives us a taste of the shaman-like figure and his mission for his trip to New York.
Kiana sprinkles home spun wisdom and native humor into his tale, with his main character showing his shaman-like tendencies. The culture clash is quite evident on his adventures in the city. I liked his revelations on the use of "paper" in our lives to have great insight. In summation, the story is good and compact, with short chapters and was quite entertaining for the reader. Humor is imbedded in the plot along with unexpected flashes of terror.

This is a great little book packed full of very interesting and amazing information. This book is a great little read when you have a spare minute or two.

I have always been disappointed in the usual albums that attempt to capture the pristine splender and overwhelming viceral expierence that Alaska presents. In this book, it is impossible to put it down before absorbing the entire book, not once, but two or three times! It makes it crystal clear that there is no other part of the world that comes close to matching Alaska's mystery, wilderness, and unbelievable panoramas of seemingly endless spectaclar mountain ranges that collectively make the final frontier a truely "once in a lifetime" experience! To say less would not do it Justice!

This is a really great book for anyone gardening in the north, not just Alaska. Filled with the advice of the experts all over the state, and research from the Georgeson Botanical Gardens at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (formerly the UAF's Experiment Farm). Generously illustrated (over 200 charts, diagrams and photos), it actually has 352 pages if you count the 17 page index! I am very impressed with this book, as you can tell!