Alaska books recommendation please!

[nhtravels]

Any recommendation on a good book for our Alaskan cruise.  Something that may share some history and insight to the beauty of the area.  Something to pass the time as we anxiously wait for May, 2020

 

I'm not looking for a cruise guide (We have 3 of those!) -  but more something along the lines of "the Path Between the Seas" that David McCullough did for Panama Canal.  

 

What would you read? 

[disneyochem]

Some people have recommended James Michener’s Alaska.  Haven’t read it so no comments.

 

A couple of books that I’ve enjoyed reading on an Alaskan cruise (and would recommend) are The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah and The Snow Child.  Both describe challenges and joys of living in Alaska.

[Coral]

Race Across Alaska by Libby Riddles.

 

If you are on a Princess ship, she will autograph it.

[luvteaching]

Tip of the Iceberg by Mark Adams. A good read. He recreates Edward H.  Harriman's 1899 trip who organized a most unusual summer voyage to the wilds of Alaska: He converted a steamship into a luxury "floating university," populated by some of America's best and brightest scientists and writers, including John Muir. I found it quite interesting. 

 

Karen

[Glaciers]

Where the Sea Breaks Its Back by Corey Ford. About the Russian Alaska expedition with Vitus Bering & naturalist Georg Steller. 1741-42. It was so good I read two others about the same journey but this one was the best.  Steller was responsible for naming several animals in Alaska.

 

There are several threads on CC regarding good reads about Alaska, if you can find them.  Since Michener is mentioned in most of them (not always in a good way) you can do a quick search on this forum and they’ll come up.

[xlxo]

16 hours ago, nhtravels said:

Any recommendation on a good book for our Alaskan cruise.  Something that may share some history and insight to the beauty of the area.  Something to pass the time as we anxiously wait for May, 2020

 

Perhaps you can share which ports you will be visiting.  Is your cruise limited to the SE Alaska?

[disneyochem]

Just booked a Denali tour (Kantishna tour) through Denali Backcountry Adventures.  THey sent me an email listing some books they recommend while one is waiting to visit Alaska.  Thought I would share!  Hope it is allowed...

 

1. Coming Into the Country, by John McPhee. Not just a great (the best?) book about Alaska, McPhee's 1970 classic set a new standard for non-fiction writing. It follows McPhee on a journey into the lives and landscapes of Alaska at a crucial time in its modern history. This is the kind of book that changed people's lives and lead thousands to pack it all in and move to Alaska. 
2. The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild, by Lynn Schooler. Schooler's on a hero's quest to find meaning in his life. Brought together with a Japanese scientist and their shared obsession with photographing the elusive glacier bear, he finds meaning amidst the coastal fjords of southeast Alaska.
3. Where the Sea Breaks Its Back: The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska, by Corey Ford. As an explorer-naturalist during the 1741-42 Russian Alaska expedition, Steller documented the wilds of Alaska. Ford's reenactment is superb outdoor writing blended with historical research - all of it ultimately about the power of the natural world.

4. Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska, by Rockwell Kent. An artist and illustrator facing a crisis in his personal and professional life, Kent comes to an island off the coast of Seward with his son to find inspiration and solace. Kent's time on Fox Islandin 1918-1919, produced a body of work that relaunched his career, and reignited his insatiable life of adventure. This journal/sketchbook celebrates the power of wilderness.
5. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer. Although it's not really about Alaska (and many Alaskans feel very strongly about this book), Krakauer's best-seller explores the pull of the wilderness and the draw of the frontier spirit that's at the heart of so much in modern Alaska. Plus, it's just so well written. Christopher McCandless' journey into the wilds north of Denali is at once heartbreaking and inspiring.

[nhtravels]

Big thanks to all!  

 

My Amazon cart is full, my thirst for knowledge is going to be quenched AND our cruise can't get here fast enough!

[BobbySu]

These are all great.  Now the question is can I read them all before our cruise?

[donaldsc]

On 11/14/2019 at 5:56 AM, disneyochem said:

Some people have recommended James Michener’s Alaska.  Haven’t read it so no comments.

 

A couple of books that I’ve enjoyed reading on an Alaskan cruise (and would recommend) are The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah and The Snow Child.  Both describe challenges and joys of living in Alaska.

 

In haven't read Michner's Alaska but I have read or at least started to read some of his other books.  I find them to be very Euro-Centric books that do not respect the native cultures of any of the places he writes about.  

 

DON

[Kevin's girl]

I read both of these while waiting for our Alaska cruise last year. They are both a quick read and available in book and Kindle form. The author is so genuine about their experiences.

[Canuker]

"The Alaska Cruise Handbook" by Joe Upton.

 

The title sounds like just another typical cruise tourist guide. But it's not.

So far I've read about 6 Alaska cruise books and this one takes the gold.

It's a mile-by-mile guide of what you will see / experience, starting in Seattle or Vancouver and ending in Seward (for Anchorage). It's packed with interesting stories and snippets of information. And it's all linked to what are by far the best anotated cruise maps (4 of them in a pull-out section) that I've come across.

Nothing about which cruise ship to choose or who has the best matresses. 

Imagine you are on your balcony or out on deck and you have your own private guide who's going to tell you what you're looking at - and what you may otherwise miss.

 

Brilliant. Last published (to my knowledge) in 2012 but the subject matter is all but timeless.

Large paperback format. 288 pages full colour glossy pages with as much illustration as text.

 

Don't leave home without (having read) it.
Thoroughly recommended. 

PS for an anotated photo montage of the Inside Passage (more of a coffee table book) I'd also mention "Cruising The Inside Passage. Puget Sound to Alaska", by Peter Vassilopoulos (2015), 272 pages. Beautiful scenic photography.

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Canuker

[Mommyof3sweetboys]

On 11/16/2019 at 2:53 PM, nhtravels said:

Big thanks to all!  

 

My Amazon cart is full, my thirst for knowledge is going to be quenched AND our cruise can't get here fast enough!

Are you an Amazon Prime member? If so, the December First Reads free books include Toward the Midnight Sun by Eoin Dempsey. It's a historical fiction book about the Klondike Gold Rush. Have mine downloaded, but haven't started it yet! 

 

 

[Coral]

On 11/17/2019 at 8:47 PM, Canuker said:

"The Alaska Cruise Handbook" by Joe Upton.

 

The title sounds like just another typical cruise tourist guide. But it's not.

So far I've read about 6 Alaska cruise books and this one takes the gold.

It's a mile-by-mile guide of what you will see / experience, starting in Seattle or Vancouver and ending in Seward (for Anchorage). It's packed with interesting stories and snippets of information. And it's all linked to what are by far the best anotated cruise maps (4 of them in a pull-out section) that I've come across.

Nothing about which cruise ship to choose or who has the best matresses. 

Imagine you are on your balcony or out on deck and you have your own private guide who's going to tell you what you're looking at - and what you may otherwise miss.

 

Brilliant. Last published (to my knowledge) in 2012 but the subject matter is all but timeless.

Large paperback format. 288 pages full colour glossy pages with as much illustration as text.

 

This book was somehow commissioned by Princess in conjunction with the writer (he also did a Panama Canal book). Princess sold it on their ship for years. They now have a different author (Rachel Cartwright) who writes a very similar (better) book: https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/gifts-and-services/ 

 

This newer book is now sold on Princess ships.

Edited December 5, 2019 by Coral

[geoherb]

National Geographic Destinations: Treasures of Alaska: The Last Great American Wilderness by Jeff Rennicke. I was lucky to find a copy at a thrift store before my cruises last summer. You can get a used copy for under $10 on Bookfinder.com or Amazon.

[Canuker]

Thank you Coral.

On your recommendation I've reserved a copy at my local library.

[gottagoacruzn]

Well, you should get "Inside passage walking Tours", by Julianne Chase Patton. The book explores Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway & Sitka. The book tells you what you will see, & it might take awhile to see everything, but well worth the time.

[bottom-dragger]

On 11/14/2019 at 6:37 PM, Glaciers said:

 Since Michener is mentioned in most of them (not always in a good way) you can do a quick search on this forum and they’ll come up.

 

 

there are many good books, michener's Alaska is not one of them

 

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2014/06/24/the-top-10-alaska-books-and-tons-more-to-add-to-your-reading-list/

 

https://www.thealaskalife.com/blog/33-alaska-books-that-are-a-must-read/

 

 

 

 

 

[oaktreerb]

An Alaska Native’s Life Along the River:  Sidney Huntington’s book “Shadows on the Koyukuk“.  This is not a travel book.  It is a true story about Sidney Huntington’s life in Alaska as told to Jim Rearden. 

 

 

[Melinda Brasher]

"The Great Alone" by Kristin Hannah was indeed good...but dark.  I enjoyed "Cold Spell" by Deb Vanasse.  Also rather dark.  "The the Bright Edge of the World," by Eowyn Ivey was strange in a good way.  Try the "Alaska Sampler 2014" (free on Amazon), The Alaska Reader:  Voices from the North," or "Travelers Tales Guides, Alaska" for a little bit of everything (essays, short stories, novel excerpts)...and to find new authors you like.   "Tip of the Iceberg" by Mark Adams (Nonfiction) was very interesting, especially since it talked about place you'll be.  Also great nonfiction:  "Animal Stories; Encounters with Alaska's Wildlife" by Bill Sherwonit.

[Bellie]

I liked "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name" by Heather Lende. It's about living in Haines, Alaska (the good and bad).

[oaktreerb]

13 hours ago, Bellie said:

I liked "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name" by Heather Lende. It's about living in Haines, Alaska (the good and bad).

 I read it while on our Alaska cruise last year.  The title did not interest me originally but I found the book in the ship library on the Maasdam....loved it!  

[Ferry_Watcher]

Thanks for all the suggestions!  I just purchased 4 (used) books.

 

Earlier I purchased The Alaska Cruise Handbook:  A mile-by-mile Guide by Joe Upton

 

Thanks again!

[nhtravels]

So many books!  So little time before May!  With every new title I get more and more excited!  

[TheSecondSister]

I'm a book-a-holic and love to share my reading lists (because who has just one reading list??) In addition to Joe Upton's book, and a definite 2 thumbs up for Where the Sea Breaks Its Back, you might want to take a look at these:

 

Travels in Alaska; by John Muir. (1915). Experiences, reflections and geography that reads like poetry. If you can, find a copy with the original photographs.

 

Rescue at the Top of the World: The True Story of the Most Daring Arctic Rescue in History; by Shawn Shallow. (2005) In 1897, nearly the entire American whaling fleet was trapped in pack ice, stranding over 300 men. Three officers from the early U.S. Coast Guard and two missionaries volunteered to travel over 1,500 miles through the Arctic winter to reach the shipwrecked whalers. I can’t even imagine …

 

Two Years in the Klondike and Alaskan Gold-fields; by William Haskell. (1898) This book is a fascinating first-hand account of a two-year trip to the Yukon River valley’s gold fields. Haskell and his best friend/partner set off for Alaska in 1896 (just before the Klondike gold strike). It’s an easy read, part memoir, part field guide. The primitive conditions, personal deprivations, and extremes of environment they experienced are nothing short of incredible.

 

Thousand-Mile War: World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians; by Brian Garfield. (1969) The story of the Japanese invasion of Alaska in 1942.  Not your typical battle/war story. A bit of dry humor and a great narrative style make this an interesting read. (Fact I didn’t know until I read this book: when American and Canadian forces invaded Attu Island to take it back from the Japanese, it was the largest Pacific invasion since Guadelcanel and in terms of casualties as a percentage of troops committed it ranked only behind Iwo Jima.  The reprint (in 1995) includes additional archival material.

 

If you're into nature/field guides:

The Nature of Alaska: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals and Outstanding Natural Attractions; by James Kavanaugh.  Great preview of wild flora and fauna in the state of Alaska. Well organized, great pictures; highlights more than 325 familiar plants and animals and dozens of the state’s outstanding natural attractions.

 

Guide to the Birds of Alaska; by Robert H. Armstrong. If you’re a bird watcher, you need this book.  I especially like it because it breaks Alaska down into geographical regions and shows what birds can be found in that region.

 

Happy reading!