Product Description
In the late 1800s, John Muir made several trips to the pristine, relatively unexplored territory of Alaska, irresistibly drawn to its awe-inspiring glaciers and its wild menagerie of bears, bald eagles, wolves, and whales. Half-poet and half-geologist, he recorded his experiences and reflections in Travels in Alaska, a work he was in the process of completing at the time of his death in 1914. As Edward Hoagland writes in his Introduction, “A century and a quarter later, we are reading [Muir’s] account because there in the glorious fiords . . . he is at our elbow, nudging us along, prompting us to understand that heaven is on earth—is the Earth—and rapture is the sensible response wherever a clear line of sight remains.”

This Modern Library Paperback Classic includes photographs from the original 1915 edition.Amazon.com Review
Take a trip to last century's Alaska through Muir's clean,easy-going, enthusiastic prose. He wrote the way he took pictures,with insight, attention, care and genuine feeling. It's a lovely lookinto a beautiful land and its inhabitants the way it used to be, toldin a flowing narrative that is far less rushed than contemporarytravel tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Breath taking
I have traveled to Alaska twice, and I simply cannot get enough of the glaciers.I wanted to read this because I had heard that Muir too felt the same that I feel of the glaciers.I was NOT disappointed!His trek to seek out the glaciers reminds me very much of how I would like to seek out each and every glacier.To me climbing the face of a glacier is just a dream, a dream that you can almost live out while reading this book.I felt like I was a part of the glacier crevices or part of the ice flow. I was traveling in the canoe right along with Muir.This was the first book of his that I read, and now I am hooked!!!

Travels With John: Better Than Ever 130 Years Later
Travelling Alaska with John is to see, hear, feel, taste, smell, experience the response of a God-intoxicated man to almost unearthly splendor.Muir's passions were elemental: apprehending the Divine through an understanding of nature, and hence, the protection and preservation of this voice of the sublime.

He travelled to Alaska five times over a 30 year period.This book, only completed a few years before his death, polishes the field notes of his earlier trips and offers almost unedited, his journals from the last journey. Muir's interests begin with geology, specifically how the U-shaped valleys of both Yosemite and the Alaskan fjord-land resulted from glacial actions.Beginning with ice, they include the land, the trees, the waters, the fish, the First Americans living in the harsh beautiful world, the scientists, the missionaries, transportation, food, and in a chapter that cries to be read aloud, Muir's experience of a sunrise like the eighth day of Creation and of the Northern Lights.

One remembers vignettes of one's own travels. So vivid, so immediate are these stories that they become part of your own memories.Raining is it?Experience laying your already soggy sleeping bag down in a bog so wet you strip off and shiver your way through the night, then arise---not like new-made bread---but to wring the water from your clothes and bag and slog on.Thinking of what it would be like to walk across that glacier?Start out early, accompanied by a dog who had more loyalty than brains and got over jagged ice frise-de-cheval points, across crevasses, up treacherous slopes----to get to the other side, and then come back at night, having to encourage the now-alarmed dog to leap those widening chasms, risking your own neck to get the crittur home.

Those going to Alaska could hardly have a better companion.The book is portable and a bargain.And those who travel widely through the frigates of books, like Emily, will find their world enlarged and enobled in the company of this good and brave man who did so much to preserve our wild, beautiful places.

A Visit To Pristine Alaska
"Travels In Alaska" is, essentially, a diary which John Muir kept during his three visits to Southeastern Alaska from 1879-1890.In the course of his travels he describes the Indians, plants, wild life, mountains and glaciers.He is especially interested in his explorations of the glaciers.He provides the reader with an insight into pristine Alaska.His comments about retreating glaciers are of interest given the current claims of man-made global warming.

The reader comes to respect Muir's love of nature and his bravery, as he paddles around ice bergs, camps on glaciers and enters the domains of bears and whales.

The downside of this is that there is very little analysis beyond what he recorded at the time of his journeys. While his observations hold your interest, Muir's writing style adds little to the narrative.This book pales in comparison to Ranch Life & the Hunting Trail by his friend, Theodore Roosevelt (see my Amazon review).

Overall I enjoyed "Travels In Alaska", but have read better nature books.Perhaps a reader more familiar with the Alaskan Panhandle or outdoor adventures would have a greater appreciation with this work.

Muir and Alaska
The beauty of this wonderful reprinting is how it shows John Muir as a person, how it helps us to understand the dynamic and overwhelming beauty of Alaska, and the changes in the people of Alaska.Muir's complete, tireless, and joyful commitment to nature comes through on every page.The book unintentionally provides an excellent portrait of the kind of inexhaustible devotion it takes to change the world as did Muir.The book also provides a stunning portrait of Alaska in the latter part of the 19th Century and allows one to compare the Alaska of those days with Alaska of earlier times and of today.The biggest changes are in the glaciers and in the people.The glaciers have receded dramatically as a natural part of their centuries' long retreat.It is interesting to compare what Muir saw with the experience of Vancouver almost exactly 100 years earlier (ca. 1793).Vancouver could hardly enter Glacier Bay.Muir could enter quite some distance, but the glaciers were still the dominant features.Today, the glaciers have largely receded into deep valleys.Muir encountered people in Alaska living largely as they had for centuries.They were hunters and fishermen and lived in small groups along the shore line.As Jonathan Raban points out in the intricately woven fabric of his sublime book "Passage to Juneau," the people of southeast Alaska considered the sea to be the real environment of their lives while the land was considered dangerous and unknowable.They lived along the shore and knew how to live off and with the sea year round.The lives of the Alaskan people are very different today but greatly influenced by the past.Raban often characterizes Muir's writing as overblown and florid.However, it is a portrait of a man, a maritime land and a people.To do justice to those three, the book had to be what it is - an astonishingly colorful and detailed portrait in words.

Southeast Alaska, Once Upon A Time
John Muir's "Travels In Alaska" is his accouts of his trips to Southeast Alaska in 1879, 1880, and 1890.Southeast Alaska 125 years ago was sparsely settled and poorly explored; Muir's adventurous spirit and enquiring mind led him to investigate the numerous inlets and glaciers in the area, including the magnificent and much-celebrated Glacier Bay.

Muir's simple, muscular prose weaves a fascinating narrative out of descriptions of the people, wildlife, and geology he encounters on his journey, suffused with his endless sense of wonder at the landscapes in which he saw the hand of God.The reader can hardly help but be carried along by Muir's enthusiasm.Muir's descriptions may be most relevant to those traveling Southeast Alaska by cruise ship, for a sense of what the landscape looked like before the population reached today's size and spread. Those not interested in the travel aspects of the book and in numerous descriptions of glaciers may find this book less interesting.

This book is highly recommended to fans of John Muir's writings, and to those planning a trip through Southeast Alaska. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Artic Schoolteacher
This book is a wonderful Alaskan documentary.Since visiting Alaska several times in the past 3 years I found it to be very enjoyable reading.

A moving story!

Abbie and Ed Morgan were adventurous and brave when they traveled to a remote Eskimo village to live among the people and serve them for two years.The actual photographs and details of their adventures are so interesting and transport the reader back to a time very different from today.
You might also enjoy a new release, another book of courage and survival that takes place in early Alaska.
When the Water Runs: Growing Up with Alaska

The best book I've read this year.
I came across Arctic Schoolteacher by accident.I had taken my kids to a summer program at a county library.While we waited for the show to begin, I browsed the shelves and came across this book.I have probably read 20-30 books this year, and Arctic Schoolteacher makes the top of my list.In it, the author tells the story of how she and her husband travelled to a remote Alaskan village in the 1930s as government employees.Abbie taught school, and Ed, her husband, oversaw the reindeer herd.I don't want to give away too much of the story, but the book is filled with the numerous joys and sorrows that Abbie experienced in her two year stay in the Last Frontier.I only wish that Abbie had mentioned more about her life before Alaska, and about how she and Ed met.I am glad that the book included an epilogue by Abbie's daughter that mentions what happened in Abbie's life after Alaska.

Worth Reading
A particularly moving story. This book takes place about the same time as "Tisha" but in the famed Bristol Bay Region in a village called Kulukak. It was published in 1992 and available in paperback, this book should be easy to locate.

It was notabout teaching, but about her life in Kulukak.
I ordered this book because I like reading books about teachers in various parts of the world. This book was not about teaching,but about her life in Kulukak. That part was well written, but depressing. I guess it is what life was like there. Abbie Morgan handled the depressing landscape with humor and love. I was disappointed because it was not what I was looking for, but it does not mean that it is not a good book. If you are looking for a description of 1930 Alaska, then this is your book. Morgan describes life in this town with clarity and handles lifes disappointments with grace. She was an amazing woman to have worked there. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1898.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

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Product Description
Text and illustrations present the history, geography, people, politics and government, economy, customs, and attractions of Alaska. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is both a discussion of key decisions Alaskans must make in coming years and a case study of problems of public finance and policy that accompanies shifts in power. ... Read more

Product Description
Created by and for a specific American Indian community and offering special materials related to the tribe itself, a tribal library may also serve as homework center, a reading room, a tribal archive or a community center.

Entries offer information on each tribe's ethnology, language and history, location and contact details, as well as a description of collections, services and access policies. Input from library staff and patrons about what makes their libraries unique and important to their communities is also included. Maps are included to show the locations of the libraries in each state. ... Read more

Product Description
Hannah helps her new friend adjust to life in Alaska, where moose, bears, and thirty-pound cabbages are common experiences. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
After a runt sled dog is raised by a young boy, the dog's cruel owner demands his return. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Scrub Dog of Alaska
Book was a turning point in my youth that I was excited to share with my family.That they loved it as well was a wonderful bonding experience.

Pivotal Book
I think the kids have pretty well covered why they love these books, so I thought I'd talk about it from the point of view of a grown-up kid.I read my first edition so many times that the book is battered and I have parts of it memorized.For me it was pivotal in the formation of my attitudes about racism.Morey doesn't tell you racism is bad, he shows you.He gets you thoroughly involved with David Martin, makes you see him as a person and a very kind, strong and responsible person and then immerses him in a whole new culture where he is no longer beloved son David, but that thieving half-breed.You don't even know one of his parents is Inuit until that point.And by that point you have grown to love him so much that you ache for him every time you see the words on the page.Much of the torment comes from family members, which makes it even more painful.If you think Harry Potter suffered, this poor boy has it just as bad, or worse.The lesson has stayed with me for nearly 40 years and it will stay with your kids too.

Adventure in the vein of Jack London.
This is an enjoyable yarn that takes place in Alaska, my birth-state, and revolves around a half-indian boy and a sled-dog named Scrub.The story is adventurous, humorous, poignant and heart-wrenching at times, and a little dated.The dated aspect is that back in 1971 running a trap-line was a way of life.These days it is considered politically incorrect to wear fur of any kind.Besides that, the author neglects to inform the reader of what actually happens near the top of the planet, such as it is dark for six months of the year and then the sun doesn't dip below the horizon for the other six months.Perhaps that would be too much for a young mind to understand, so it isn't even mentioned.The writing is good for the most part, the plotting accelerated (as all children's books must be for their short-attention-span demographic), but occasionally I was reminded that I was reading a book for kids.One paragraph I remember actually made me chuckle as nearly every sentence began with 'The', as in "The sun..." or "The dog...", but for the most part that was kept at a minimum.A lot of the dialog was decent, though occasionally sketchy and repetitive (again, kids memories are not focused yet so this is ultimately forgivable).There is also a shocking plot twist about midway through the story that should have all parents scrambling to avoid questions from their children.But all kids really care about is plotting and characterization, and this book is good at both.Thank you.

Excellent Read for kids and adults alike.
I read this book for the first time when I was 9.I couldn't put it down and read it through in one day!(needless to say, my mother could get nothing else done with me that day!).I reread it a few years later as a teen.This is one book from my childhood that has stuck in my mind, and I was ecstatic to find it is still available, as I want to order this book for my 12 yr old niece, who is now also into reading nature books, but esp stories of wolves and/or huskies.

Two thumbs up to a book greater than Harry Potter!
I found "Scrub Dog of Alaska" a very interesting book. The story
took place in Alaska. When Scrub was a puppy he was owned by a man called Smiley Jackson. Jackson did not like Scrub. Jackson
raced dogs for a living and Scrub was not a good race dog when he was young.After a while Jackson let Scrub go in the woods
Jackson alomost killed Scrub in the process.

This book showed a very strong relationship between a dog that
needed help and a boy that needed a companion after loseing his family.The strong part of the book was in the beginning and the end. The book did seem to drag a bit middle.Overall it was a very good book I strongly reccomend it... ... Read more

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FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Michener at the Top of his Game
The best Michener work I've read so far. (othes I have read include Tales of the South Pacific, Return to Paradise, Sayonara, Chesapeake, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, and Hawaii) So what makes it so good?

Writing History Well
Michener selects excellent historical highlights to give us a sense of the place: Russian exploration of the Aleutians, gold rush boomtowns along the Yukon River, Eskimo villages in the Arctic, salmon fisheries in the southern panhandle, and pipeline construction in the central interior. I also liked his handling of the philosophical aspects of settlement- particularly in the 1800`s. On one hand, trade and development could only begin with adventurous, entrepaneurial spirits, working independently -free of micromanaging government or corporate home offices. Many of these people were in one way or another disenfranchised from mainstream American or Canadian society (e.g. Mr Klope in Dawson City). For them, Alaska was a a fresh start in a land culturally and physically apart from the rest of the world. Rugged, self-reliant figures carved out empires for themselves, according to their own rules, and guided by self-interest. This view romanticizes Libertarian aspects of frontier life; but Michener tempers this well with the downside of lawlessness: gangs and renegades like Soapy Smith terrorized honest citizens like Tom Venn. Michener's delivery of these issues elevates the entire book above mere storytelling, or the recitation of historical facts. It is historical fiction at its best.

Readability
Alaska was published in 1988, late on in James Michener's career, when his experience and craft were at their peak. Despite its heft, it reads fast. In fact, I would place it on par with Hawaii for readability. Hawaii comes across well because of the author's obvious love for the subject; he had personal ties to the Islands. Alaska`s readability, I think, is more attributable to his growth as a writer. Since the narration continues over several centuries, there are by necessity a lot of transitions as old characters die off, and new ones are introduced. Also, since Alaska is such a big place and Michener is eager to show us so much of it, there are a lot of shifts in setting. Alaska's transitions are smoother than Hawaii and Chesapeake's. Those earlier works were more compartmentalized in time and space... characters would be introduced, play out their drama, and then the close of their era would end each chapter. Subsequent chapters would start fresh in a new time and place, without much carryover of characters (with a few exceptions, like Hoxworth in Hawaii). In Alaska, Michener employs a lot more carryover to link chapters. Staggering character entrances and exits creates a much more natural- feeling rhythm to the work. He also deftly blends space and time transitions. Take, for example, the story arc of Ciddaq: her movement from the Aleutians to Sitka early in life transport the story's physical setting, and then her life in Sitka raising her son (Arkady) moves the timeline smoothly into the next generation.

Readers` Aids
The three detailed maps are sufficient to show all the places mentioned in the text, which is an improvement over past Michener works. Better still, pages vii-viii of the foreword lay out clearly which elements in the story are fictional, and which are faithfully-depicted historical fact. Every work of historical fiction should have this. If an author wants to mix the historic record with fiction, I'm willing to grant a lot of artistic license, but at some point, I want to be able to sort out which was which. It can be fun to read historical fiction in preparation for travel, but you don't want to be the idiot at the back of the tour group, asking "Can we see the place where Luke Skywalker and those peasants stormed the Bastille?"

Great Character Builder, Great Story Teller and Great Adventure
I learned so much I never knew about the migrations of people and animals, about the climatic changes in Alaska and about the Russian presence there.I learned a lot I wished I didn't learn about the truly horrific exploitation of native populations, but I suppose that goes with world history.

But most of all, this book was a wonderful distraction from daily life. It was, for a short time, my get-away.It's hard to find a good book that just takes you away from thoughts of work and life and Alaska is just such an adventure to get lost in.

Good read as always with Michener
Slow to start....I liked how Michener mixed fact with fiction...obviously, well-researched....Long, but worth the read if you are interested in the great state of Alaska and its history

Long book!
I am enjoying this book but it is long and because I only have a short time to read each day, it will take me a while to finish it.It is very interesting.There is a lot of historical information in this book that will create a good background of knowledge for me when I take a trip to Alaska in the near future.

Hard to put down.
This is a classic.It provides so much of Alaska history, even though the characters are fitional. ... Read more