This February, I was sitting in the library at the Selawik school -- just above the Arctic Circle, population 700; I was there as part of a program that sent authors to the Alaskan bush -- and I asked the librarian for a book recommendation. She went straight to THE LAST LIGHT BREAKING. I leafed through it and then bought it when I got home.

My favorite piece in this collection is "Beat the Qaaviks," Jans' account of an Arctic basketball game, but they're all excellent. I'm hoping to return to Selawik, and to take a friend with me. I gave him THE LAST LIGHT BREAKING to whet his appetite.

If you're reading this, you're already thinking about buying the book. Just buy it. It's great.

This collection of essays are the author's descriptions and reflections on aspects of life in rural Alaska. It's not a story of pioneering or stone age lifestyles, as the title "living among the eskimos" might suggest. Rather, Jans gives a vivid picture of how the lives of rural Alaskans are like a collision of the old and new worlds. It is a world of snowmachines, TV, and basketball, and caribou hunting. Nick Jans lived in the villages of northwest Alaska for decades. The reader benefits from his sense of the most striking or moving experiences he has collected and his perfect, crystal clear prose. I came away with the sense that Jans loves Alaska and when you read the book you can feel it yourself. I also highly..HIGHLY recommend his more recent book that incorporates stunning photography with essays.

A great descreption of what life is like in the Alaskan Bush

This is one of the finest books I have read about Alaska. This is a spare, unsentimental portrait of what life in Alaska is really like--both beautiful and harsh. This is not a book that romanticizes homesteading or the poverty of these homesteaders' lives; instead they come alive through the Brice's crystaline prose and her use of defining detail. Here is real life--people struggling to make lives for themselves in a country that is neither easy nor forgiving. The stark, black and white photographs that accompany the book add a beautiful and moving element. If you want to know what life on the frontier can really be like, read this book.

The author presents a thoughtful and thought provoking look at an oft misunderstood concept: homesteading in the wilds of Alaska. The reader is held in awe at the tenacity of these latter day pioneers who have chosen a lifestyle far removed from the experience of most of us in the lower forty-eight.

Intimate but respectful study of a unique breed of modern day pioneers in one of the last really remote places in America. Well done glimpse into a world of determination and dreams that most can only imagine.

As Siskel and Ebert would have said, 2 thumbs up. It's a great book to learn about the "shores" of Alaska. WTG Dr.Mason

2 thumbs up....... A book worth it's wait in gold, its a must for readers who want to learn the truth about the "shores" of Alaska.........WTG Dr. Mason

2 thumbs up....... A book worth its wait in gold, its a must for readers who want to learn the truth about the "shores" of Alaska.........

As an anthropologist trained in Alaska, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand something more of what they see in Alaska than they can get from a tour guide. It will enhance your sensitivity to the power and mystery of Alaska and you'll see more than you would have if you hadn't read it.

A fresh direction for anthropological study that is from the "inside." The author lives "among" the people and learns from them, taking pains to distinguish the influence of "western" cultural values. The relationship between this "outsider" and the people who recieve him among them should be the model for all such explorations.

I really enjoyed Nelson's book and found it helpful in my research on the Koyukon people. This is ed in specifics. Nelson presents a sensitive and unbiased ethnography that is well written and enjoyable to read.

If you buy only one book before venturing to Alaska, buy the Milepost. For the budget traveller who is driving the Alaska highway or sailing on the Alaska Marine Highway, the book is absolutely essential. It gives detailed information about lodgings, ferry schedules, attractions, history and any other information the traveller needs including the location of gas stations on remote highways (very important if the nearest station is 90 miles away). It is updated yearly so the information is always current. The only problem with the Milepost is that it is phone book sized so it is not very portable. In fact, when I backpacked on the marine highway, I bought two copies of the milepost -- one to disassemble so I could take the relevant pages with me and one that I used to plan the trip and to enjoy reading when I returned home. If I travel to Alaska again, this is the only book I will buy.

This was our first trip on the Alaska Highway and the Milepost was a great help, not only did it give a complete description of road conditions, but it helped pass the time as we drove. Reading about the historicial happenings was great. I would recommend to anyone taking this trip to purchase the Milepost and enjoy a wonderful trip.

Wow! This book does it all, mile by mile up the Alcan Highway not to mention even on the ferry system. At first the advertising bothered us, but after awhile we found that fun and valuable as well. This is a real good travel book. Wish they had something like this in other remote places, like the Baja.

My kids love to bake the simple and tasty treats out of this book all by themselves.

I have purchased several children's cookbooks recently, but this book has by far been the one we have used the most! It is really easy to use and has some very cute recipes in it. Everything is easy for the children to make and it all has been very good to eat. The cute little Alaskan themed names are unique as well. I highly recommend this book!

I'm a media specialist and I used this book for my first grade's Alaska Day held in the media center. I used several recipes for a cooking station that the students visited. They loved making the recipes because they were fun, easy, and had Alaskan names. They especially loved the snack-- Denali Peaks. Since the snacks are named after geographic locations, it was a great way to integrate a geography lesson, too. After we made the snacks, first graders located the town or region that the snack was named on a map. Kudos to the creator of this wonderful cookbook which makes a wonderful teaching resource on Alaska!

Brutally honest, but not so cynical that it's annoying.

This is a query as to what happened to the On the Loose Series. Did the big boys (Fodors, Frommers, Let's Go swallow them up?) Any information about the demise of these student writers would be appreciated.

This is the best guidebook I've ever read. It's brutally honest, concise, and seriously funny. Offers great resources and detailed maps. Have fun !

This is a story with just enough suspense and a great ending - good for young children. While it begins with a message that, "being different is okay," it ends with a mother's love making everything wonderful again. On his quest for identity, the little Puffin meets wonderful characters along the way. They are funny, unique, colorful and attention to the detail of each "critter" is amazing. The tongue-in-cheek whimsy is delightful and very cleverly thought through. Notice the smallest details ... smart, very smart.

What a beautiful book! The illustrations are wonderfully rich and the artist truly has a sense of humor. The story is a tale of a young Native girl wishing to catch a king salmon. It is a confidence building story for any child. It is the favorite nighttime book for my son who is 4. I have bought some of the other Misty Mountain books and have found them all very enjoyable. What a nice find!

I love this book! We live in Colorado and have never seen a puffin, but after reading this book our kids want to travel to Alaska just to see a puffin. They feel that they already know the bird personally. The illustrations are funny and there are little secrets tucked away within the book that my kids are discovering each time they read it. You cant go wrong with this book!

A great manual for anyone who plans to hunt dall sheep. many tricks that I am sure most quides don't use. Clear and well written it is enteraining as well as informative. I wish I had read it years ago. Tricks on using camoflage to sneak up on sheep. I am an experienced sheep hunter and I learned more from this book than I expected.

Tony lets us have it all -- holding nothing back!
A hunter of Dall sheep can easily refer to this book to avoid dangerous and costly mistakes made from relying on improper equipment. Just follow the easy-to-read gear guidelines and make note of Tony's favorites when making your own purchasing/packing list.
This book is packed with information on sheep habitat and habits, giving you the knowledge necessary to be successful in pursuit of the most sought-after trophy in Alaska -- The Dall sheep!

This is a must read for all sheep hunters be they novices, experinced sheep hunters, or folks thinking of trying sheep hunting for the first time.
It's one of those books that after you read it, you'll recommend it to your friends, and buy copies for your buddies.

Marcia Simpson delivers another satisfying tale, SOUND TRACKS, the second in the series following Liz Romero, bookmoboat librarian/delivery service in Alaska. Her first, CROW IN STOLEN COLORS, was an excellent debut of this new series and I couldn't put it down. Simpson's moody descriptions take you right to the scene of dripping pines, foggy harbors and the "last frontier" atmosphere of the region. Although the crime itself isn't followed in a traditional whodunit style, both books have fascinated me and I can highly recommend them for their in-depth characterizations and skillfully woven plots. CROW was a bit more hit-in-the-gut suspense, with a young boy's life in peril, while TRACKS follows the bay water's endangered whale population. You easily get caught up even in the quirky secondary characters. Simpson is a true storyteller.

As a mystery author with my debut novel in its initial release, I can easily predict that Marcia Simpson will develop into a major talent in our mystery genre. Alaska is a grand land (I was recently there to appear at Anchorage's LEFT COAST CRIME mystery convention) and Ms. Simpson makes the most of her setting. Liza Romero captains a freighter that services the islands south of the state capital. Along this stretch of water, strange events begin to happen. Among these strange events, healthy whales are beaching themselves. The wildlife expert, Henry Sizemore, who investigates the cause of the beached whales apparently drowns in an accident. So launches Liza Romero's second mystery. Liza remains a strong character in this new novel. Newcomer, Scott Beringer also proves interestingly conflicted. The most fascinating elements of SOUND TRACKS, though, are the ecological underpinnings of this story. SOUND TRACKS is a terrific follow-up to Ms. Simpson's stunning debut, CROW IN STOLEN COLORS.

Off the coast of Alaska, whales are acting out of character and crashing into things they normally avoided like rocks and boats. Sea captain Liza Romero knows first hand the problem when a whale crashes into her boat. Even more shocking is the realization that healthy whales are beaching themselves for no apparent reason. The Alaskan State Wildlife Protection Agency whale expert Henry Sizemore investigates the phenomena, thinking sound may be the problem. However, before he can complete his inquiries, Henry drowns in what appears to be an unfortunate accident.

San Diego-based Scott Beringer is sent to replace Henry as the whale expert. He wants to say no because of his custody fight with his spouse over their child, but heads north to Alaska anyway. As Scott begins to learn the truth about what is causing the whales to behave aberrantly, he finds his personal life has followed him to his new job as Liza wonders how safe sailing in any of the waters is with rogue whales running wild.

SOUND TRACKS is an excellent environmental mystery that showcases the raw beauty of Alaska as rarely seen in a novel. The story line never slows down as events keep piling upon each other and that adds up to quite a tale. Liza remains a strong character as she returns after quite an appearance in her debut, CROW IN STOLEN COLORS. Scott is a reluctant hero always striving to do the right thing for the state and for his daughter. Marcia Simpson provides an enjoyable regional mystery that showcases a state, a way of life, and her talent.

Harriet Klausner