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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Alaska", sorted by average review score:
The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska (25th Edition)
Published in Paperback by Alaska Northwest Books (October, 1901)
Average review score: 
If I ever head to Nome, this book will go with!
Mr. Whitekeys is an Alaskan treasure!Alaska is as unique as it is beautiful, and this book captures it's essence beautifully! The only other way to comprehend this is to take a trip up there and experience it for yourself. And while you're there, stop in and say hello to Mr. Whitekeys at the Fly-By-Night Club in Anchorage!!
Essential Facts---and Some Fun Things---About AlaskaAs a resident of Barrow, Alaska, the farthest north city in Alaska and the United States, I am used to inaccurate and sometimes even mean-spirited descriptions of this big, beautiful and diverse state.
So this Almanac is valuable for anyone who might want to visit our state someday, or even just learn more about what truly is the "Last Frontier."
Barrow does get quite cold ---It is about 30 below in late February as I write this review, but the Almanac also notes how dry it is here. Barrow holds the record for least precipitation in a year ---1.61 inches in 1935.
It also devotes considerable coverage to the Native peoples of the state, and their history and culture. For example, if you fly to the beautiful village of Anaktuvuk Pass (population about 300) in the Brooks Range, you can visit the Simon Paneak Memorial Museum, which includes a description of Paleo-Indian people who occupied the Mesa Site in the Brooks Range more than 11,000 years ago.
And as other reviews note, Mr. Whitekeys contributes SPAM and humor to break up the facts with all kinds of interesting tidbits ----including research on the northern tundra which reports up to 9,000 mosquito bites per minute. I've been out on the tundra in summer, and well maybe it just seems like thousands of mosquitos buzzing around. I try to focus on the beauty of the tiny flowers and the magnificent birds and wildlife all around.
So this Almanac is valuable for anyone who might want to visit our state someday, or even just learn more about what truly is the "Last Frontier."
Barrow does get quite cold ---It is about 30 below in late February as I write this review, but the Almanac also notes how dry it is here. Barrow holds the record for least precipitation in a year ---1.61 inches in 1935.
It also devotes considerable coverage to the Native peoples of the state, and their history and culture. For example, if you fly to the beautiful village of Anaktuvuk Pass (population about 300) in the Brooks Range, you can visit the Simon Paneak Memorial Museum, which includes a description of Paleo-Indian people who occupied the Mesa Site in the Brooks Range more than 11,000 years ago.
And as other reviews note, Mr. Whitekeys contributes SPAM and humor to break up the facts with all kinds of interesting tidbits ----including research on the northern tundra which reports up to 9,000 mosquito bites per minute. I've been out on the tundra in summer, and well maybe it just seems like thousands of mosquitos buzzing around. I try to focus on the beauty of the tiny flowers and the magnificent birds and wildlife all around.
Alaska Waters
Published in Hardcover by 1stBooks Library (August, 2002)
Average review score:
Insite into AlaskaAs someone who has always wanted to visit Alaska,I found the author's description of the area, and the salmon fishing industry to be interesting and informative, as well as a story that was a page turner. The family, although individual in every way, was a typical one that we can all relate to. A short novel that I enjoyed. I think the author, although it was his first work of fiction, has a very promising career ahead of him.
Insight into relationshipsThis author has obviously lived the fishing life in Alaska. His characters are complex and fascinating. Mr. Lape has the knack of making you care about what happens to all of them. His characters ride out difficult relationships with fascinating results, an inspiration to us all. I am waiting with baited breath (pun intended) for Mr. Lape's next novel.
Alaska Waters-A must for all!In today's literary world, inundated with contrived plots and well-worn predictable patterns, it is refreshing to encounter a novel as honest, thoughtful and as keenly written, as Alaska Waters.
Conflicted with his sexual identity and fulfilling the obligations as a son, Will, the young protagonist of the story, returns to the rugged beauty and harsh reality of the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. Struggling with the fate of the family's fishing legacy and reconnecting with his son,Adam, Will's father, faces the reality of his mortality as he battles for survival as a fisherman, father and husband.
Mr. Lape has skillfully woven the realities of love, truth, and acceptance in the midst of a suspenceful, action-packed plot; he brings dignity and class to the theme of sexuality and focuses a spotlight on the fading father-son relationship. The beautiful Alaskan landscape is the proverbial, "icing on the cake" that wraps this story together in one amazing package.
The reader is challenged to reflect on his/her own truth, and within the pages of each chapter, the same phrase is repeatedly echoed, "In the absence of love there is nothing."
The Milepost 2001: Trip Planner for Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta & Northwest Territories (Milepost, 53rd Ed)
Published in Paperback by Morris Communications Corp (March, 2001)
Average review score:
You can a lot of things onlineThis book is convenient. But you can also find many things online for free if you are willing to do some research.
INFORMATION! INFORMATION! INFORMATION!If I was ever able to drive the Alaska Highway, the only way I'd do it is w/the MILEPOST. It's very detailed & I've found it fun just looking through the book & checking out all the websites. It's a must-have!
The best Alaska road guide for 50 yearsThe Milepost provides the Alaska and Yukon bound drivers with all of the support (lodging, gas stations, dining, vehicle repairs, medical, etc.) and sight-seeing information needed to have a safe, comfortable and informative journey. It details this information on mile-by-mile basis which allows the traveler to know the joys and potential hazards of the trip. It also provides this same detail for all of the major roads that lead to and from the Alaska Highway - within NW Canada and throughout Alaska. Also a necessary reference for the traveler who flys to Alaska and rents a car in Anchorage or Fairbanks. It also provides history and trivia of many of the little towns in the Alaska Wilderness. Alaska adventurers should also consider getting Discovering Denali if they are going to explore Denali National Park.
Mr. Whitekeys' Alaska Bizarre: Direct from the Whale Fat Follies Revue in Anchorage
Published in Paperback by Alaska Northwest Books (November, 1995)
Average review score:
Bizarre! Outstanding!I read this book and was amazed at the bizareness of it, so I had to see the show! It is everything they say; where do these guys get their ideas? Of course, I had to try the coconut beer battered Spam.......delicious!
I must read for anyone thinking of coming to Alaska!
The Alaska we sourdoughs know..This is pretty much right on about the state of things in our Great State. People from Outside will scratch their heads at somethings, but let me tell you, it's all (just about) true! A great memory for a great state, or a good thing to send out when you are just tired of trying to explain the better things of life on the Last Frontier. Long live Spam...
make way for the saturday night live of Alaska!!!From the moment I opened the sleazy pages of this political and moral incorrectness, I was moved. I was also in the bathroom at the time, but anyway,I was amazed at the humor , it's unique, clever and inventive. Something someone might expect if you visited a class full of third graders who were mutants, childish humor expressed in such an intellegent way, to make the stonchiest old republican titter. It really captures the crazy lifestyle of those isolated Alaskans and endears them to my heart. Because Iam one by the way has no bearing on this review...I'll be the first to tell you there are some real home grown stinkers come outa here ... Anyway, if you've got a funny bone grease it up and sit back with this book, it's got enough stories of fun, when passed on, It'll make you the highlight of many parties to come!! I highly recommend this creature for reading. A million laughs!! Thanks!!, Diva that digs it.
A Sacred Place: A Novel
Published in Paperback by Broadman & Holman Publishers (July, 2000)
Average review score:
A Sacred PlaceBonnie Leon paints the pages of "A Sacred Place" with skillful insight. Drawing upon her rich family history, Bonnie's tale is carried upon all the faith-shaking emotional drama of an arranged marriage, the aching suspense of wilderness survival, the physical and spiritual stretching of two lives dependent upon the other, and the eery horror of learning they are less than alone on the island upon which they must remain. A must read, the enduring lessons of this journey will stay with the reader long after the book is shelved.
Love and dramaIn a Scared Place the author has captured the incredible hardships of the far north and described the setting so vividly the reader can feel the cold and terror of being so isolated. The growth in the character of the 2 main people is skillfully developed while keeping the reader's attention and showing how God can transform someone who is afraid to love.
A Sacred PlaceA Sacred Place, by Bonnie Leon, tells of the troubles and hardships two people face on a fox island in Unalga. Being trapped on this deserted island, Sean and Mary learn to trust each other and learn how to live life the hard way. They run into some dangerous mishappenings including almost getting killed by a poacher, near death from the cold, and almost not having enough food for survival. This book deserves a 10 because it not only shows how to survive difficulties in life, but it shows how someone can learn to trust and follow God. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about God and what He has for their life.
Udder Confusion: An Alaska Homesteader's True-Life Adventures
Published in Paperback by Publication Consultants (December, 1998)
Average review score:
Udder ConfusionThis book was well worth reading but even tho they move to Alaska and build a log cabin on their homestead they don't live off the land. Eventually they build a dairy farm.
The husband has to hold down jobs till they get the dairy farm going.
I guess I expected more of a "live off the land type book"
All the descriptions of picking wild berries and catching salmon makes your mouth water !!
Inspite of the silly title it was pretty good.
Literary MasterpieceIt is rare in this modern age of cynicism and apathy to find such an example of family values and caring as was portrayed in the pages of this matchless work. Turn one page and be touched by a family ceaseless struggle to make it in "The Great Land", turn another and be refreshed by humorous vignettes of homestead life, turn another and be moved to tears with memories of a REAL family ( so much like my own) that laughs together and works together. Ms. Lincoln has truly captured the American spirit is this glorious telling of one family's dream.Second only to the genious who wrote this book, must have been the one who illustrated it. From what I have seen, this illustrator will surely go down in history as the greatest who ever wielded a crayon! READ READ READ!
It's so good, that I've read it over and overI thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has everything you could want in reading material, action, adventure, drama, humor, and that unique spirit that makes it truly Alaskan. This book is a great representation of how things used to be and in some respects how they still are. Nothing beats small town, Alaskan life and nothing beats my Grandma!
Alaska Blues: A Season of Fishing the Inside Passage
Published in Paperback by Sasquatch Books (June, 2003)
Average review score:
Very real!Easy to read and to get 'involved in the story'. I have fished many of the areas described and the author is very accurate. Great reading if you have spent any time in Alaska.
Preping for TravelWe are preparing to Experience the Inside Passage during the summer of 1999. This will be our first trip. We wanted to read a book that would give us an idea of history, and what to expect on this first trip. This book is excellent on preparing one for a trip to this magestic country. Not only do you learn about the fishing industry, you learn about history, the summer weather, how residents survive in this country, its wildlife and senery. The maps in the book and their description of travel through the many inside passages is great and we now have a much better idea of what to expect when we arrive.
Certainly worth reading if you have an interest in the coast line from Seattle to Skageway.
Gary Beach
An education on the Inside PassageWhat a great account of cruising the Inside Passage from Seattle to Alaska from a fisherman who has been there and done that! It is a book I could not put down. You get an education on the cruising challenges, the weather, the fishing industry and breathtaking beauty of the Area. Joe Upton's experience from a small boat is nature in your face and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is full of great pictures and maps showing Joe's cruising routes during his 7 month season of fishing. This book gave me an education on what to expect cruising the Inside Passage which I want to do someday in a small boat. Anyone who wants to know more about the Inland Waters will love this book. Someday a movie will have to be made about this true story. Thank-you Joe for writting this book... it is a classic of history.
City Smart: Anchorage
Published in Paperback by Avalon Travel Publishing (July, 2000)
Average review score:
Good but starting to get out-of-dateWe used this book for a trip we took in January of 2003 and found that a few of the items are starting to get out of date. i.e. one of the museums listed in the book no longer exists and resturant names have changed. The book is copyrighted in 2000 so it's time for a new edition.
I liked the format and the info it gave, just beware and double check the listings.
very entertaining and helpfulI read this book before my trip to Anchorage and was not disappointed with the advice. My friends and I found the info to be concise and accurate. The Arctic Roadrunner, a recommended restaurant, was every bit as good as the book says.
I would recommend this to anyone considering visiting or moving to the lovely city of Anchorage.
News from the authorI just found out that "City Smart Anchorage" has won a bronze medal in the 16th annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, a national contest sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. Among the judges' comments: "An especially common-sense book that is well organized, concisely written and with much useful information...Contains a lot of "dos and don'ts" and local terms and trivia that will help a visitor quickly feel at home."
Trip Planner for Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta & Northwest Territories Spring 2000-Spring 2001 (Milepost, 52nd Ed)
Published in Paperback by Morris Communications Corp (March, 1900)
Average review score:
Not writen in stone!Having worked for a number of summers in the Yukon's hotel industry, I just wanted potential purchasers to be aware that the information here is not always accurate regarding businesses. Do not be surprised if the establishments do not offer the services mentioned, or the prices differ, from what The Mile Post publishes and be prepared!
On the whole, the book gives a glimpse of what life on the highway is like.
The only book you need if you're heading to Alaska!My wife and I picked up a copy of the Milepost before we went to Alaska for 2.5 weeks. We traveled around Anchorage and Fairbanks and found the book to be indespensible. If we changed plans at the last minute, we pulled out the book and found a new place to stay or destination to visit. It made a flexible itineray easy to manage. And more importantly, the information was extremely accurate and we found no surprises in terms of prices or availability in the trip.
A must for anyone driving to or from AlaskaI lived in Alaska for 17 years and now live in the Lower 48. Although I've made the trip both ways a dozen times or so, I still pick up a new copy for every trip. It tells me what to expect along the way, even down to the tenth of a mile. This is VERY important for remote highways. For instance, one year a forest fire wiped out several roadhouses, increasing the distance between gas stations. Without my Milepost, I wouldn't have known!
Alaska on Foot: Wilderness Techniques for the Far North
Published in Paperback by Countryman Pr (January, 2003)
Average review score:
Great First Book on Hiking AlaskaThis book gives a brief overview of the various regions in Alaska to consider, but focuses more on providing knowledge needed to backpack successfully in the state. The chapters on techniques (including river crossing, snowfield travel, and glacial travel) and wildlife are particularly useful. There is also a chapter on navigating via compass and map, which is helpful since there are very few trails in Alaska. This is a good first read for someone planning their initial backpacking expedition in the nation's largest state. For the more advanced Alaskan, it probably would not be too helpful.
GOOD GUIDE FOR AK!THis book is almost perfact for those people who are looking for an Alaska guide book. Some information good be more specific though..
Excellent and comprehensive on important detailsAs always, Molvar gives us an in-depth look at what we need to know: the weather, the terrain, the animals and their normal habitats, reading from maps, packing supplies, essentials on clothing, what foods on the trail to avoid and what to watch for, how to interpret the forests, etc. There is very little in the book that a backpacker or angler would not find pertinent to his visit to Alaska. The writing flows smoothly and evenly, and no part gets greater treatment than the rest. I recommend this as a useful manual to hikers and campers ready to visit Alaska, both novice and veteran. Molvar's firsthand experience shows on every page.
I loved this book -- before opening it, I knew very little about Alaska. Now, I know more than I could ever need, unless I got caught in the Iditarod and needed something to eat (Spam doesn't freeze).
I liked the book's format, broken down alphabetically by subject -- Agriculture, Baidarka, Cabin Fever, etc -- and I especially loved Mr. Whitekeys, originator of the infamous "Whale Fat Follies", and his bits of whimsy. For example, did you know....Alaskans rank no. 1 in the consumption of ice cream and no. 2 in the per capita consumption of SPAM?
Books like these contain a lot of infomration packaged in a very clever format...good concept, great fun!
Enjoy!