If you want to read a book about Alaska, this is not one to consider! I was amazed that such a reputable writer would publish a story that repeatedly betrays complete ignorance of Alaskan geography, culture, and history. Imagine reading a book written about your home state by someone who seems never to have looked at a map of it, much less visited it or made the least effort to learn its history. I was appalled! If I could have rated this one with negative stars, I would have.

This work of imaginative fiction is the closest John Hawkes ever came to writing an autobiography. His own sensibility informs the character of Sunny; his memories of Uncle Jake are drawn from memories of his own father. The Alaska in the novel is not the everyday cruise ship destination we see in brochures; it's a mysterious childhood world refracted through Hawkes'sensuous prose.

I can't believe I am the first one to review this book! I read it last year for a college literature class and found it absolutely captivating. The imagery of Alaska is perfect, but the best part is the outstanding characterization of Sunny and her father, Uncle Jake. It captures so poigantly the complexities of their relationship--the good points and the bad points. It also, without coming right out and saying it, explains both Sunny's and Uncle Jake's courses of action. I felt bad for Uncle Jake, who ultimately couldn't live up to his (and his perceptions of others') expectations for himself, but worse for Sunny who was left to deal with the consequences of her father's actions. And yet I did not, by any means, find this book to be depressing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, male or female.

The reviews and comments I had read about Mark Spitzer's novel CHUM intrigued me -- so I thought I would check it out. I was sorely disappointed in this book. The only character for whom I felt even mild, brief sympathetic feelings was the nun who appeared on one or two pages. Everyone else in this story is completely dispicable. The 'warning' on the inner jacket flap about the story being 'sex-obsessed, scatological, deeply offensive, violent...(&c)' is pretty accurate. The overall effect was like reading the toilet-seat fantasies of some adolescent...

I thought Spitzer's writing was skillful -- it just amazes me that he chose to focus his talents on such drivel. The quotes on the back comparing the novel to Melville (calling CHUM 'the Moby Dick of the millenium') and the work of Tom Robbins, and offering poshumous (always a safe gift) approval from the likes of Kafka, Kierkegaard and Ingmar Bergman were ludicrous at best.

The violence and degradation of women depicted in this book reminds me of nothing less than some of the more depraved 'underground' comics of the 1960s. What humor I found within its pages was not enough to redeem it. Sorry to be so negative, but that's how I feel.

For a vibrant, imaginative -- and by no means 'tame' -- story in a similar vein, check out Mark Richard's marvelous novel FISHBOY. It burns with the surreal qualities that I think Spitzer was shooting for (perhaps an unfortunate choice of words) in this book, and it's not nearly so morally reprehensible.

Mark Spitzer has written one of the finest novels I've ever read about what becomes of human beings in a savage land. Chum is dark, violent, funny, visceral, and incredibly profane - an icepick in the gut and a sledgehammer to the skull. It is, simply put, one righteous hum-dinger of a book.

Based on Spitzer's own translation of Secrets of the Island, an unproduced film treatment by Louis-Ferdinand Celine, Chum is a black fable of mad love and jealousy set among the people of a nameless rock of an island in the middle of the Bering Strait. The descendents of a boatload of Irish convicts originally bound for Australia, over two centuries of stultifying isolation and almost unbroken inbreeding have made them a race unto themselves. Violent and decidedly less than bright, the islanders exist in a meager and unchanging ecosystem: most of the men go out and dredge the ocean floor for bottom feeders to bring home to the women, who work in the cannery grinding the fish into dog food for the Russian and Japanese markets. When they're not working the men get drunk and rape their wives and daughters. The islanders are born and die breathing the cold, fetid air of despair. Nothing changes except the weather.

Chum begins with a storm, a black wall of weather that smacks the island with Old-Testament fury and washes two boats ashore. One is a fishing boat belonging to the father of nineteen-year-old Nadine Murphy, a girl with little in the way of brains but with enough dull beauty to aspire to better things than an islander's fate. These hopes increase exponentially with the death of her father and the survival of his good-looking crewman Yann, whom she decides on the spot she will have for her man.

Those hopes are tempered, however, when the owner of the other boat is discovered. She is young, blonde, wealthy, and beautiful in a way that makes her a goddess in the eyes of the island men and arouses the instant hatred of a group of diseased old seahags led by Mother Kralik, feared by all for her venomous invective and rumored powers of witchcraft. The girl, a B-movie actress named April Berger, is oblivious to the misery that fuels the island and, reveling in her anonymity among people who have never seen a movie or watched television in their lives, decides to stay there indefinitely. Suddenly what few charms Nadine possesses are rendered nonexistent next to April's, especially in the eyes of Yann, and so April becomes the object of all the vitriol Nadine can muster. The only problem is that Nadine also finds herself attracted to April...

What emerges is a bizarre triangle fueled by April's obliviousness, Yann's thick indecision, and Nadine's growing borderline-psychotic obsession with both of them, as all the while Mother Kralik attempts to engineer April's destruction with a manipulative skill that would shame Madame DeFarge. As it is anytime a new animal is introduced into a closed ecosystem, there is no question that something horrible is going to happen, and this book is driven by sheer schadenfreude. Spitzer's prose holds us in place to watch the spectacle like that contraption they strapped Li'l Alex into in A Clockwork Orange

Spitzer pulls the plow from start to finish here, from his breathtaking description of the storm in the opening chapter to heart-in-your-throat horror at the end. Even devices I normally despise, like excessive onomatopoeia, are used to great effect here: there is an entire page of nothing but the word "WHACK!", occasionally broken by a four- or five-word sentence, as the cannery women chop fish with their cleavers and work each other up into a frenzy of lunatic hate.

Even with these postmodern prose conceits, Chum lies solidly within that most terrifying of literary traditions, American Naturalism. Like Stephen Crane at his best and Herman Melville at his windiest, Spitzer pulls back from the human drama to show us that, as vicious and horrible as we human beings can be to each other, we are nothing before the implacable justice of nature.

Spitzer's shifts from the perverse microcosm of the island to the larger universe are daunting and ominous, tiny deliberate horrors reduced to their rightful scale in the face of the blind, chaotic Big Kahuna. This is not recommended reading for those looking for silver linings. But for those who believe that the real measure of savagery, in man and in nature, goes a long way beyond the artifice of Survivor, Mark Spitzer offers up a deluxe package tour of the abyss.

You will want to take a shower after reading Chum, and you might even need a support group. Roughly based on a play by Celine, author of Death on the Installment Plan, Chum drags us laughing through the lust, murder, and rape that the inhabitants of a small fishing village in the Bering Sea call recreation. Spitzer is a shockingly good student of human nature, and maybe that's why he can make us laugh at this stuff. Not haw haw academic "how clever" laughter. I mean really laugh as he spins his tale in the language of nasty porno and exploitation movies. Spitzer writes in American. Be afraid.

This book takes a good concept (retracing John Muir's travels) and indelible subject matter (southeast Alaska) and reduces it to mediocrity with dull anecdotes and amateurish writing. I got so bored that I stopped reading. I'm still waiting for a truly skilled author to do justice to Alaska and "get it right."

It is set on the page as prose but Nancy Lord's prose is poetry. Thought, emotion, reflection, and insight, blend together to form a simple eloquence that is at once the state of Alaska then and now. Following a 'millennial' voyage across this vast territory, Nancy manages to make us understand the ending of the last century, attitudes toward the world, the environment, its theft in some cases, and she does it in as few words as possible. Join her on her own journey as well as she brings into strong relief the changes that took place over the last 100 years and what has not changed. This is exceptional work and a must-read for anyone who wants to understand not only Alaska but also what it means to love the land.

Though I read the library's copy, now I have to buy it. Lord, New Englander turned long-time resident of Homer, AK, traces the route of the 1898 Harriman expedition, with many glimpses of her own work on a fishing vessel and of her fellow Alaskans. Amusing vignettes of Harriman and his fellow travellers, esp. the "Two Johnnies," Muir and Burroughs, and their opposite approaches to appreciating & protecting nature. Altogether, a riviting and poignant tale of the Bring 'em Back Dead school of science, but not too heavy on the eco-enlightenment, and well researched, using a wide net.

This book does not reflect art in Alaska. Rather, it is a self-serving piece of work by a gallery director to promote sales in her gallery. If you want to pay [$$$] for a 'Vanity Press' book, this is it. However, it in no way represents real and important art in Alaska.

"ICEBREAKERS: Alaska's Most Innovative Artists" 1999 by Julie Decker is a labor of love: the love of artists and what they make. I bought one of these beautiful books even though I am not in it, and you may find it useful as an overview of the institution and academia sanctioned artists who formed careers around the defunct Visual Arts Center in the early 1980's in Anchorage, Alaska. This book features sumptious color and black and white photographs of the works of fifty artists who work in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Homer, or Juneau, as well as some from the villages and others who have since moved outside. Artist's statements are included with biographies showing the impressive careers of these talented individuals.

In her introduction, Ms Decker details the criteria she proposed for a survey to discover the 'top' artists considered. These include the following: exceptionally high quality production, substantial body of work, respect of peers, income derived from art, recognizable style, individual works make statement 'beyond pure representation', production for 'Art's sake' without commercial consideration, willingness to experiment and 'push boundaries', significant impact on regional art scene.

Such are the seemingly contradictory hoops that Art Heroes have to jump through. Derive your income from art made without commercial consideration, and by experimenting, significantly impact your region without losing the respect of your peers.

This book is packed with text contributed by art movers and shakers in Alaska, and will enjoy first place as a primer on the lively Alaskan art scene. It will prove valuable to collectors of Alaskan contemporary art.

Note to aficionados: Ms Decker has released a new book titled "Found and Assembled in Alaska", another overview of Alaskan artists who turn trash into junk art.

Who knew such cutting-edge art was being created in Alaska? It is interesting to learn about this unique place and the unique artists that have called it home. The book is full of photographs of artwork that will appeal to a wide range of people. Very nicely done. A high-quality art book. Worthy of any coffee table and great as a gift.

This book was disappointing. Although it boasts the, as always, lovely National Geographic photographs, the information and the writing are dated. It needs to be updated, at least.

This guide is well structured, the chapters on the states are color-coded and make it easy to find trips for the state you're interested in. I liked the classification with stars for locations - the reader knows at a glance which trip offers a lot of "must-sees" and/or interesting places to visit. And because it is a National Geographic guide, it also features lots of beautiful photographs.

The guide is ideal for people who are on a schedule, and would still like to get the most out of a short trip. However, it does NOT offer tips on accomodation or restaurants. Although the appendix lists 800-numbers for hotel & motel chains, this isn't helpful when you plan to stay overnight in, let's say, Ritzville, WA, because there is no information which, if any hotels/motels are in that town.

People who are looking for in-depth travel information would be better off with another guide. But if you don't want to carry a heavy book around or spend hours reading up on your destination, and you're just looking for hands-on tips on where to go, I would recommend this guide.

Excellent maps , photos and facts. You do not need more details for plannin a trip to Alaska. Is really perfect.

This book is really two books: one, a biography and story about the Duke of Abruzzi and his expedition (in the early 1900's) to climb Mt. St. Elias in Alaska; and two, the author's story of his own attempt to climb the same mountain in the 1990's. I found the material on the Duke to be fascinating. When the book switched over to the author's own story however, I usually lost interest.

In his attempt to do justice to the historical accomplishments of the Duke, and to try to experience the mountain on some of the same terms, the author tries to climb the mountain without some the benefits of the technological advances since the Duke's time. He eschews airplanes, for example, and sails a small boat from Seattle up to Alaska then hikes all the way in from the ocean to the base of the mountain. Sounds like the basis for a great story, right? In my opinion, it doesn't live up to its potential.

First, the author's claim to be doing without the technological marvels of our times has a lot of holes in it. Yes, he uses no GPS system to navigate his boat to Alaska; but he does use Loran -- and there are several other similar examples (clothing, boots, etc.). Second, I found his longwinded soul-searching and attempts at self-analysis tiresome and I do not think it added much to the reader's experience. Third, I found his treatment of his partners to be downright insulting. My sense is that he really didn't like his partners much and they didn't like him. I myself would certainly not want to climb with this man. I think I would have loved to climb with the Duke.

Most seriously, I lost interest in his story mostly because I thought his failure to climb the the mountain was largely due to his own poor plans and decisions. He underestimates the amount of food they will need on the mountain (they almost starve to death) but he does bring a large, heavy video camera along to record the climbing. In my opinion, a stupid and vain decision. I doubt very much if the Duke would have made these kinds of mistakes!

When I read a book such as this, I want to admire the people in it, or at least feel that I have learned something significant from the actions of the protagonists. Well, I certainly learned a lot about the Duke and gained an admiration him, but I certainly did not admire the actions of the author; nor do I believe I learned anything of much value from his story.

A Most Hostile Mountain was about a mountain climber, the author, who was addicted to mountaineering and alpinism. He had reached the peaks of many Alaskan mountains and was getting settled to climb one last mountain. While on Mt. Fairweather, he spotted the nearby Mt. St. Elias a few miles away. He was captivated by the mountain's beauty and so he decided as the last mountain he would ever climb, he would summit Mt. St. Elias. He needed a partner, so he called up his friend, Jeff, to accompany him to the peak. They packed up their supplies and set off in a yacht to the mountain. Jonathan Waterman also compares his journey with the Duke of Abruzzi's trip. The Duke was the first one to reach the top of Mt. St. Elias, also called Yasetaca, and because of his trip, he made Italy famous. The Duke also traveled by ship to the mountain with his whole team of climbers, this was in the early 1900s, with heavy equiptment and luxuries a climber today would never bring on his or her trip. So as the Duke faces many difficulties on his climb, Jonathan also faces difficulties physically and mentally as well.

I thought the book was interesting in the way that I've never read a book that was more like a journal of someone's trip. Also, I never knew that much about mountain climbing before I read the book, but this book taught some important skills in mountaineering. Furthurmore, I like how Jonathan Waterman tells the real truth about people and their weaknesses while in a stressed and uncomfortable condition. The daily routines of a mountaineer is reavealed in this book and I can see why mountain climbing is such a difficult sport and why alpinists are so addicted to this hobby of theirs.

My favorite is when Jonathan and Jeff starts to get irritated at each other and accidents starts to happen. For example, when Jonathan mistakened the yellow gaderade bottle as Jeff's kindness towards him, but really, it was Jeff's bathroom wastes. Also, when Jeff and Jonathan first landed on the shores of Yasetaca, the swarm of mosquitos came buzzing at the two climbers and tried to suck the climbers dry. Desperately, Jonathan sets up their tent and so the two victims hide in the tent. Inside, the climbers watch as the mosquitos try to get past the mosquito netting but the bugs get their needles stuck in the holes. Joyfully, Jeff and Jonathan pull the needles off of the mosquitos as the insects continued to struggle. A good book for the reality reader.

"A Most Hostile Mountain" is a very satisfying read. A skilful and entertaining weaving of the historic climb by the Duke of Abruzzi and the contemporary recreation by Jon Waterman and Jeff Hollenbaugh. Enjoyable for both the history and adventure. A risky sailboat approach to a very dangerous mountain and an adrenaline charged climb, and yet I sometimes laughed out loud as I read. Good reading for fans of adventure or climbing, but approachable even by someone new to this type of story. Some of the best of this genre and some of the best of Waterman.

I received this book as a wedding gift and it is a beautiful coffee-table book with wonderful photos of one of the most picturesque areas in North America. The pictures of flora and fauna, glaciers and landscapes are enhanced by quotes and poems. A gentle book.

I have always dreamt of going to Alaska but never have, this book took me there. As my eyes came to rest on the first few pages, I was auh struck and could not stop turning from one magnificent photo to the next. Each picture made me feel as if I were standing right there, looking over a vast plain or giving close inspection to berries scatered amongst a rainbow blanket of fallen leaves. Crystal blue glaciers, wild life, old mining camps, quaint villages and the local inhabitants were all captured in the splender of this rugged part of the world. If you've never gone to Alaska and want to, step into the pages of this magnificent collection of photos and enjoy, Alaska, truley one of Americas last frontiers.

A really fascinating topic but a very disappointing read. I had high hopes for this one but found it written at about the 5th grade level. I don't know why Vern didn't write the book himself. He couldn't have done any worse than Freedman.

About a true hero. As cool as the snow that surrounds him; a man of simple ways and grand accomplishments. It is a rare experience and an honor to tag along on this historical expedition. The reader is drawn into this adventure! I read this after I met Vern and found his ways to be genuine and sincere. Vern is a great friend, regardless of whether you meet him in person or in the book. Enjoy!