Amazon.com
"God, he was a smart kid..." So why did Christopher McCandless trade a bright future--a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm--for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska? This is the question that Jon Krakauer's book tries to answer. While it doesn't—cannot—answer the question with certainty, Into the Wild does shed considerable light along the way. Not only about McCandless's "Alaskan odyssey," but also the forces that drive people to drop out of society and test themselves in other ways. Krakauer quotes Wallace Stegner's writing on a young man who similarly disappeared in the Utah desert in the 1930s: "At 18, in a dream, he saw himself ... wandering through the romantic waste places of the world. No man with any of the juices of boyhood in him has forgotten those dreams." Into the Wild shows that McCandless, while extreme, was hardly unique; the author makes the hermit into one of us, something McCandless himself could never pull off. By book's end, McCandless isn't merely a newspaper clipping, but a sympathetic, oddly magnetic personality. Whether he was "a courageous idealist, or a reckless idiot," you won't soon forget Christopher McCandless.
Book Description
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.
Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild.
Jon Krakauer constructs a clarifying prism through which he reassembles the disquieting facts of McCandless's short life. Admitting an interst that borders on obsession, he searches for the clues to the dries and desires that propelled McCandless. Digging deeply, he takes an inherently compelling mystery and unravels the larger riddles it holds: the profound pull of the American wilderness on our imagination; the allure of high-risk activities to young men of a certain cast of mind; the complex, charged bond between fathers and sons.
When McCandless's innocent mistakes turn out to be irreversible and fatal, he becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines and is dismissed for his naiveté, pretensions, and hubris. He is said to have had a death wish but wanting to die is a very different thing from being compelled to look over the edge. Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity , and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding--and not an ounce of sentimentality. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, Into the Wild is a tour de force. The power and luminosity of Jon Krakauer's stoytelling blaze through every page.
Customer Reviews:
Life Changing Read.......2007-10-10
This book is an inspiring read. The letter to Mr. Franz is enough to move someone if not the whole book. Some people may think Chris was ignorant in trying to live in the Alaskan wilderness, and may have made some mistakes, but he did something he had been dreaming about, and I admire his rejection of society and living independently for 2 years. Yes, his wild adventure cost him his life, but I think he was happy in the end, and I think that's all that matters!
Into the Wild is Wild - Must Read.......2007-10-10
I just finished reading this book again after 10-years. With the movie release in Sep 07, I wanted to be current on the book so that I could compare mental notes with the movie. I particularly enjoyed sharing the mindset of the main character through Jon's careful research into his life. Before judging Chris' actions you should remember that he is young, and to put yourself back at his age. If you like this book, you may also enjoy the accounts of TJ Burr in "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". TJ's book is similar to "Into the Wild" as an account of a young person's love for the wilderness and high country adventure. It is getting harder to find copies of this book, but some are still available.
DYING IS EASY. IT'S THE LIVING THAT'S HARD........2007-10-10
I have sympathy for a life wasted and it's cost to those who loved him, but this kid should have read the poems of Robert Service.
How about this from "Lost"
Somebody seemed to whisper: "Fight to the last, my boy."
Fight! That's right, I must struggle. I know that to rest means death;
Death, but then what does death mean?--ease from a world of strife.
Life has been none too pleasant; yet with my failing breath
Still and still must I struggle, fight for the gift of life.
Robert Service wrote about real ordinary heroes-that is ordinary men who struggled and fought for life in that very same wilderness.
Great read!.......2007-10-08
This was one of the best stories I've read in years! I totally related to Chris and his quest. It was thought provoking and I couldn't put this book down. I read it 3 times in a row!
This kid was just plain stupid.......2007-10-08
Sorry folks, why are you trying to sentimentalize a young, rebellious kid who was hiked into the Alaskan woods without enough planning or provisions? That's not brave or adventuresome in my book. Where I come from that's just plain stupid. I'm still at a loss as to why Sean Penn made a movie about this dumb kid. Now don't get me wrong, I'm truly sorry for the loss of his life, and my heart goes out to his parents. But for God's sake, he did a stupid, dumb act in the name of getting back to nature. There's nothing more to it than that.
Book Description
This international bestseller is a completely updated edition with new information on adventure hiking and land travel. With coverage of ports from Seattle to Anchorage and the Bering Sea, this book is the benchmark of cruise guides to Alaska. The author covers all areas of interest, including new itineraries, port attractions, history, wildlife and native culture. Includes all Alaska cruises, land tours and shore excursions. Detail on Denali Park and tours to far north of Alaska as well as the Yukon and Canadian Rockies. Full-color photos and maps throughout. 368 pp. Updated in 2005
Customer Reviews:
Excellent !!!!!!!!.......2007-10-06
We are going on our dream trip...An alaskan cruisetour.We are investing a lot of time and money...we needed help with details...I am so grateful that we found this perfect guide book. It is helping us choose excursions and educating us to the opportunities available.We have such a little amount of time to see so much..we have to choose wisely..and with "Alaska by cruise ship" we can.Alaska by Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide to Cruising Alaska with Giant Pull-out Map (5th Edition)
Fanctastic Trip Planner.......2007-10-03
What a wonderful resource! Terrific information that helped us plan - and enjoy a wonderful trip.
A little ponderous for my taste.......2007-09-12
This book contains a ton of information. However, it's very "text-booky". I found it hard to stay engaged while reading it.
Alaskan Cruise.......2007-09-03
My business is travel and many of my clients enjoy cruising. This book was very helpful is assisting me with my clients in planning their Alaskan Vacations. My family and I do plan to go to Alaska in the near future, sounds like an exciting vacation!
Billy Wannyn
A little dry.......2007-06-26
The map is good, but overall, I didn't find the book very engaging -- a little bit dry.
Book Description
To live in a pristine land . . . roam the wilderness . . . build a home. . . . Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. Here is a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.
Customer Reviews:
True to the man.......2007-09-29
Ten years ago I spent a summer volunteering for the National Park Service at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, in Alaska. My remote rangers cabin was located at Twin Lakes. Being on the lower lake, I was about 9 miles from my nearest neighbor- Dick. We spoke daily on our walkie-talkies, checking in about the weather, any visitors, or interesting wildlife viewings. I trekked up his way several times over the summer, and enjoyed a few meals with him. I can't remember if it's in his book, but his favorite sandwich was the "Twin Lakes Special": sourdough flapjaks, raw onion, and honey; don't knock it 'til ya try it! Just like his book, he was a gracious, thoughtful man, a true naturalist. Also the most spry 82-year-old I think I'd ever seen! I was saddened to hear of his death several years ago, and was grateful the NPS kept his cabin as a historical site; it is a cozy place, dark inside, smelling faintly of woodsmoke and 1948 sourdough starter, with wonderful decorative touches throughout. Dick was truly a special person, and this book captures his voice, his no-nonsense manner of talking, as well as his appreciation of the beauty of the natural world, perfectly.
A modern day "Thoreau".......2007-09-16
You cannot visit Alaska without reading this book FIRST! Just the photography alone will make you want to go. I dentify in many ways with Dick as I lived in a cabin in the White Mountains of NH for many years. He didn't intrude on nature...he simply lived in harmony with it. He appeals to all of your senses in his simple but beautifully written words, never mind the pictures. He is definitely portrayed as a "loner" but that is a good thing..for a loner has much higher self esteem and sense of character than those who can't survive in the world without people around them all the time. Dick is a true steward of the land because of his deep, abiding love and connection for this piece of God's Creation. His beautifully chronicled life in Alaska will remind you of Robert Frost's words.."We love the things we love for what they are." Enjoy!
Just as Good the Second Time.......2007-09-12
I was telling my husband about this book as I started reading it. He said, "Don't you remember, we read that many years ago when Alaska Magazine published it"? I knew that Babe, the pilot, seemed familiar. It didn't matter. I was happy to read it a second time which is unusual for me. Oh, how I would have loved to have been able to do what Mr. Proenneke did and to live where he lived. There is nothing dull about this book and I suspect the people who find it dull haven't any interest in living in the wilderness without Blackberries, i-pods, automobiles and restaurants.
Even though most of us who enjoyed the book probably don't begin to have the skills that Richard Proenneke had which made what he did possible (and a pilot friend who delivered for free) I think we all wish we could do what he did. I know I do. I didn't realize that a sequel exists. It costs big bucks, but if it's anything close to as interesting as this book, it's worth it. Maybe I'll find out if the Mission Girls ever showed-up.
Homesteading in Alaska.......2007-08-16
The year was 1968. The setting, the Alaskan bush. The mission, to live simply, deliberately, and self-sufficiently off the land, free of the trappings of contemporary society. The protagonist, clearly not what you might expect given the era. He was not some young, free spirited hippie, luddite, or draft dodger. Rather, he was a skilled hard working machinist/woodsman, who at age 51 decided to permanently leave the rat race behind.
Why this man, Dick Prenacke, suddenly left behind his conventional existence to live in a remote and unforgiving section of Alaska is never fully explored in the book. While snippets do reveal his distain for modernity, it never fully embellishes on what ultimately drove the author to do what few would ever conceive of doing. Perhaps Dick realized that at 51, the physical and physiological fortitude required to make such a transition would soon be out of his reach. More likely however, he foresaw the end of an era. No more than a few years after his departure into the wild, Alaska would enact laws prohibiting trappers and homesteaders from freely trudging off into the woods to live the quintessential "Alaskan experience." Soon Alaska would become like the rest of the lower 48, where people like Dick would be considered trespassers and evicted from any land that they did not rightfully own. Fortunately for the author, the laws were grand fathered in.
While the book is essentially a personal account of Alaskan homesteading, the author episodically weaves social commentary into his writings. He laments a society that is wasteful and superficial. The hunters that come into his Alaska, products of such a society, leave garbage and animal meat behind, unaware that the author cleans up after as well as makes use of their squander.
The author also reveals his anxiety for a society that is increasingly consumed by materialism. He feels that man is entrapped by things that he doesn't need and he seeks to avoid the superfluous at all costs. To the outsider, surviving in the wilds of Alaska would seem to require an extravagant amount of equipment and gear. One can only imagine the bill the average suburbanite would amass at the local REI in preparation for such an endeavor. Yet the author demonstrates just how little is required to not only to survive but also to prosper in such an inhospitable region.
The book closes with some thoughts on technology, and the rapidity of change that comes with it. The author's words are both haunting and prescient as he elaborates on his first year in Alaska and how his experience conflicts greatly with society at large.
inspiring.......2007-07-14
Inspiring book. Diarist was over 50 when he began this journey. Helps me look to the future for myself.
Book Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go— they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Alaska features gorgeous color photos of the spectacular scenery and amazing wildlife that await you in America's last frontier. This extraordinary and detailed guide is personally researched by a lifelong resident, who offers insights into how to discover the real Alaska. You'll find complete details on whale watching, sea kayaking, hiking, salmon fishing, funky small towns, Gold Rush saloons, glaciers, scenic drives, and more. You'll even get an up-to-date cruise planner and a free color fold-out map!
Download Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might goâ they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Alaska features gorgeous color photos of the spectacular scenery and amazing wildlife that await you in America's last frontier. This extraordinary and detailed guide is personally researched by a lifelong resident, who offers insights into how to discover the real Alaska. You'll find complete details on whale watching, sea kayaking, hiking, salmon fishing, funky small towns, Gold Rush saloons, glaciers, scenic drives, and more. You'll even get an up-to-date cruise planner, a free color fold-out map, and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap.
Customer Reviews:
Very informative.......2007-10-08
This book has been very informative in helping us to select which cruise line, tours and offshore excursions we plan to take advantage of while in Alaska. I highly recommend reading this BEFORE BOOKING and taking it along as a guide on your trip. It gives insider tips you may not have thought about when planning a trip. JPB
Frommer's Alaska 2007.......2007-07-15
Doing a road trip via Motor Home...great explanations of camp sites, fishing, etc. Very helpful for a first time visitor for sure!
review of Frommer's Alaska 2007.......2007-05-08
Excellent book. Gave us very good tips for B&B's in Ketchikan.
Frommer's Alaska.......2007-05-07
This is a good summary book to have. I found it informative. Although this book by itself is not enough for planning a trip to Alaska. It gives highlights but I found myself needing additional information.
A good buy
Great Travelers Guide for the whole state.......2007-03-17
Great reviews on places to go throughout the state. I always like to visit the restaurants that the locals go and Frommer lets you know where they are at. If you are going to Denali National Park, make sure you pick up a copy of Discovering Denali.
Amazon.com
Fueled by a passion for running dogs, Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod--the 1150-mile winter sled-dog race between Anchorage and Nome-- in dangerous ignorance and with a fierce determination.
Winterdance is his account of this seventeen-day battle against Nature's worst elements and his own frailty.
Book Description
Paulsen and his team of dogs endured snowstorms, frostbite, dogfights, moose attacks, sleeplessness, and hallucinations in the relentless push to go on. Map and color photographs.
Customer Reviews:
One of his best..........2007-08-10
I'm an educator who has been reading and recommending Paulsen books for quite awhile now. I had given this book to my husband for his birthday and began reading it aloud to him on a road trip. Shortly into the book we were both laughing aloud marveling at both the adventure and Paulsen's writing. This book does not disappoint, and readers will find out more about both the man and the "Madness"
The best yet!.......2007-06-14
There is a reason that this book has no less than a four and five star rating. It is the best read I have had in a very long time. Like the man sitting on the public bus, I tried to read this book sitting in a Doctor's office. I'm sure the patients in the waiting room were surprised I didn't come out in a straight jacket. Paulsen has once again created another great read. As a Siberian owner I too have some good stories of being drug down dusty roads screaming at the top of my lungs WHOA! The book is a great read even if you are not a dog owner. I love Paulsen's love for nature and his choice to rough it rather than contribute to it. I'm sure the choice was not easy and the life style a balance between wants and needs. Pick it up and read it then pass it along to a friend who needs a good laugh.
-S
Wonderful!.......2007-06-02
This is by far one of the most enjoyable books on the topic for a long time. The author uses humour in such a gorgeous way to make his points, I laughed so bad my girlfriend thought I'd fall off the couch when I read about both the dog-training and the race itself. Having experience with sleddogs myself, I found it very easy to identify myself with the author's experiences.
fantastic. Read it from cover to cover in one sitting!.......2007-05-02
Once I picked it up I couldn't stop. This is an action packed, yet, informative read.
It's an inspiring, yet tragic tale of a man's battle with the unknown. Some of the things that this guy goes through are just insane! Not just for dog lovers! This is a truly great book.
Winter Dance.......2007-04-07
Winter Dance gives a comical and yet realistic glimpse of what the Alaskan Iditarod Race is all about. After reading this account, I understood the running of the dogs and the human challenges and I laughed all along the way.
Average customer rating:
- Michenerholism - Craving a rich tapestry of history and tales
- alaska
- Historical Storytelling with a Dash of Social Commentary
- Alaska
- Epic state, epic story
|
Alaska
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Michener, James
| ( M )
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Hawaii: A Novel
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Chesapeake: A Novel
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Alaska by Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide to Cruising Alaska with Giant Pull-out Map (5th Edition)
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Centennial: A Novel
ASIN: 0394569814
Release Date: 1988-06-12 |
Book Description
The high points in the story of Alaska since the American acquisition are brought vividly to life through more than 100 characters, real and fictional.
Customer Reviews:
Michenerholism - Craving a rich tapestry of history and tales.......2007-09-06
First, let me announce my bias: I was born and raised in Alaska.
When I saw this novel on the bookshelves when it first came out, I promised myself I'd read it even tho I had never read anything by Michener. Well, some 20 years later, I finally read it. And -- boy! -- do I wish I hadn't waited so long. It's a long book (close to 1,000 pages) and I was so engrossed that I almost lost sight of the real world for the duration.
Of course, being from Alaska helps. I could orient myself geographically with little trouble. I had the broad outlines of the history already. And the historical names were almost all familiar to me if not the details of their lives.
But what Michener did which I most appreciate about his novel is painlessly impart the details of history by interweaving it so tightly with his colorful fiction that it was hard for me during the reading to separate the two. Yet I'm sure I know what is historical and what isn't. It's a contradiction, I know. And a compliment to this man's storytelling skill.
I let out a satisfied "whew!" when I closed the book a final time and returned to reality. Then I suffered withdrawal symptoms for days, maybe weeks. I found myself gazing wistfully at some of his other large works in the bookstores. Did you know there's no Michenerholics Anonymous? I've just begun reading THE SOURCE. I couldn't help myself.
alaska.......2007-08-12
it's a wonderful book that I have read before and have always wanted to own!!!
Historical Storytelling with a Dash of Social Commentary.......2007-07-01
"Alaska" is a well-researched, well-told, 900-page story of the exploration and settlement of our nation's 49th state, with a characteristically Michener-like blend of fact with fiction, breathing life into an otherwise-dry train of historical events: geologic beginnings with "clashing terranes" a billion years ago, the first human settlers who wandered eastward from Eurasia 14,000 years ago when glaciation raised the polar ice caps and exposed a land bridge connecting present-day Alaska and Siberia, Vitus Bering's exploratory voyages sponsored by Peter the Great in the 1700s, Russia's controversial $7.2 million sale of Alaska to the U.S. in 1867, the Yukon and Nome gold rushes of the late 1890s, the establishment of salmon canneries in Alaska's southeast by profiteering Seattle-based companies in the early 1900s, the government-supported "seeding" of Matanuska Valley through relocation of starving settlers from Minnesota during the Depression years, the entanglement of the Aleutian Islands in battles against the Japanese during World War II, Alaska's political fight for statehood in 1958, and the impact of the discovery of Prudhoe Bay oil on the lives of North Slope native Alaskans through the 1980s (book published in 1988). True to form, Michener weaves together ostensibly disparate events into a captivating, colorful parade of multi-generational characters, often so endearing that you'll want to cheer and cry alongside these memorable pioneers in their courageous and spirited struggle to eke out a living from, understand and exploit Alaska's harsh and wild, expansive and endlessly enticing, resource-rich and rewarding frontier.
Superlatives aside, compared to Michener's "Hawaii" (published in 1959), I find "Alaska" to carry a weaker, less hopeful message. "Hawaii" establishes a powerful, encouraging theme of how cultural diversity--despite our being inevitably encumbered by parochial beliefs, social prejudice and economic avarice--has the very real potential to "bear new fruit." On the other hand, "Alaska" unfortunately fails to lift humanity higher. In their unbounded greed for otter and seal skins, early Russian merchants turn native men into their slaves, while abusing and raping native women. With few exceptions, American whalers are ethically no better, devastating entire native villages through exploitative sale of rum and guns. During the gold rush, lawless settlers from the mainland U.S. selfishly bend mining rules in their own favor, stripping away claims from Norwegians, Siberians, Eskimos and others who got there first. Seattle businessmen extract tons of salmon from Alaskan waters, offering neither employment nor compensation to the native people. Even when oil taxes bring wealth to native Eskimos and Indians, the intricacies of the Settlement Act allow lawyers and accountants from the "lower 48" to line their own pocketbooks by charging exorbitant rates for professional services, effectively pilfering assets from the native people. Ultimately, it seems that, although natives now have their snowmobiles and opportunities that college education offers, they remain lost between the "native" and "modern" worlds, unable to derive adequate fulfillment from either and, too often, sadly resorting to alcoholism and suicide to escape from their emotionally devastating dilemma.
In the last section of the novel, the debate between the two lawyers, Jeb Keeler and Poley Markham, while mountain goat hunting, reveals Michener's sentiment: Jeb speaks out for helping Alaskan natives retain their ownership of land and maintain a subsistence lifestyle, while Poley is eager to "pick them off" for his own personal profit when natives on the verge of bankruptcy become forced to liquidate their corporate assets to pay off accumulated debt. When an unexpected submarine earthquake unleashes a massive tsunami, Poley succeeds in scrambling up the mountainside, while Jeb is consumed by the swiftly retreating waters and washed out to sea, issuing a final cry: "Go it, Poley. You win!" Interpretation: in with the new and exploitative, out with the old and traditional--whether we like it or not. In the 30 years between the publication of "Hawaii" and "Alaska," did Michener's youthful optimism darken into a more pessimistic realism, or is the ending of "Alaska" just not as carefully composed? The optimist in me suggests that Michener rushed into delivering a half-baked ending to "Alaska," when he could have (and should have!) put more effort into reaching a more profound conclusion. From Michener, the masterful writer of historical fiction, I would expect a message with more far-reaching impact, particularly after all the years of research and drafting that certainly went into the novel's production.
Alaska.......2007-06-14
An absolutely amazing "read" that has kept me up too many late nights. Very well written with excellent historical research and such wonderful character development that it is hard to remember that it is fiction. I will be sorry when it is finished (only a few more evenings.)
Epic state, epic story.......2007-03-10
Alaska is a harsh environment with fantastic resources, and the stories of the people who chose to go to Alaska to harvest those riches make for a compelling, epic novel. The characters vary from the early hunters, to the Russian traders, to gold rushers, to the oil drillers, and on and on, but the theme is clear: Alaska punishes and rewards those who make their lives there.
Going on a trip to Alaska? You'll enjoy it much more with an understanding of the history of the Great Land, and there's no better way to absorb history than through great storytelling like Michener's.
Book Description
Qiviut, or musk ox down, is a world-class fiber--luxurious, warm, and lightweight. People who experience it become obsessed. Qiviut makes perfect hand-knitted lace, as demonstrated by the Alaskan artisans of Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-op. This book presents how-tos for knitting and designing lace, projects suited to new as well as experienced lace knitters, yarn sources, and comprehensive cultural background.
Customer Reviews:
qiviut knitting.......2007-09-22
Our trip to Alaska visiting the musk ox farms and knitting shops selling qiviut, as well as the native knitters' co-op, Oomingmak, was enriched by reading Artic Lace. The author has gathered info and images of the lace patterns used by seven villages, tells the history and current status of musk ox herds in Alaska, with a few references to Canadian and Greenland herds. The lace knitting projects relate to, but do not duplicate, the patterns used in the villages. We saw items at the state fair in Palmer said to be part of a forthcoming second volume. We trust it will be as rich in cultural information and develops more info on the process of qiviut yarn production and sources.
Attention combination and new knitters!.......2007-09-02
Don't be afraid to try lace! Even if you've never picked up a pair of needles before, you can start knitting lace with just this book alone. It includes clear, complete instructions with pictures of how to cast on and off, work even the most basic stitches, backgrounds, and borders. There is a very helpful discussion of pros and cons of yarns suitable for knitting lace, then a lace knitting "workshop" discusses straight and circular needle materials and size, yarn weight, full chart reading instructions, and leads you through 3 progressively harder lace swatches. All patterns are charted which is very combination knitter friendly.
This wonderful book is full of tips to practically ensure your success in learning to knit lace even if you've never knit before. One of the best features is that it includes full instructions for making your own lace patterns with a library of lace stitches to use and tips on making your own charts. A variety of easy projects will get you started if you're not feeling adventurous enough to try designing your own yet.
There is a lot of interesting information about the native Alaskan co-op and musk oxen where the luxurious qiviut yarn comes from, as well as pictures (but not patterns) for each village's signature lace pattern. Although the pictures are black and white, it really doesn't detract from the book and the high contrast makes the lace patterns are very visible. This is one of my most treasured knitting books.
spinning gal.......2007-08-12
I am now spinning some wool to work on a pattern that is in this book.
Beautiful Book.......2007-08-11
This is a wonderful book. I've been to Alaska and bought a scarf made from one of the villages shown in this book. It has lots of wonderful stories of Alaska and beautiful lace patterns. You'll love it.
Great for History Buffs; So-So for Knitters.......2007-05-31
This book is great if you're into anthropology or history. I enjoyed reading about the different Eskimo cultures and about the musk ox. I love qiviut, and the book provides an interesting look at how the fiber travels from musk ox to yarn. However, I was quite disappointed that the book is all in black-and-white, on average-grade paper. The book would be spectacular with full-color photographs and a higher grade paper. I also was somewhat disappointed with the knitting patterns. As other reviewers have mentioned, the patterns will not stretch or excite you if you are already a lace knitter.
Book Description
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.
Though these women have been known to complain more than contribute, they now must either survive on their own or die trying. In simple but vivid detail, Velma Wallis depicts a landscape and way of life that are at once merciless and starkly beautiful. In her old women, she has created two heroines of steely determination whose story of betrayal, friendship, community and forgiveness "speaks straight to the heart with clarity, sweetness and wisdom" (Ursula K. Le Guin).
Customer Reviews:
Don't Underestimate an Older Person.......2007-06-24
In this well-told tale of two tribewomen who are in their old age we see what determination can do. Having earned the respect of their tribe these two women have been content to let others do for them over the years. But their age hinders the tribespeople's movements and they are facing a brutal winter. The chief makes the decision to turn these two out into the harshness of the bleak Alaskan Yukon to live or die.
Together these two women forge a bond of friendship and recall the skills of their younger days, conquering the pain of unused muscles and fear of the unknown to survive even the harshest of conditions. The story comes full circle when they again meet up with their tribe and the chief who once turned them out now finds he and his people have need of their wisdom.
A wonderful book for just about everyone. Full of hope and determination.
A classic story takes a new form.......2007-05-27
A very classic story takes a new form here- two old women are the victims of betrayal from their tribe when it's too cold to continue to support them. The two women must venture out of their own and make a life for themselves. The book comes full circle when the old women themselves are in the position to save the tribe themselves.
The story of the courage to overcome the odds, and the stregth and struggle of the two women is a wonderful tale. Classic in that you learn you should not over estimate anyone, and you never know who in life you'll need. It's a touching tale, and well-told. It's a quick read.
Got a mom? Send this book to her!.......2007-05-26
This book is the best. I read the reviews and thought it would make a nice gift for my 76 year old mom for Mom's Day. Well, when I got in the mail I decided to take a peak. There was no putting it down. It's the most beautiful story of courage, friendship, determination and reflection. The story is very well written. The author brings you into the journey of these two women. Not just a geographical journey but a journey of reflection. I'm telling you, you'll love it. I sent it to my mom but I really want another copy just to keep under my pillow. Corny - read it.
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival.......2007-05-20
I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone. Young readers would enjoy it too. It's about two old women and survival in an area that seems to have very little to survive with. They were very innovative. As happens so often they were able to help their families in the end even though the young thought the elders had lost their usefulness.
Simple really is profound.......2007-02-14
As a teacher, I appreciate a book that can be read by any student at any age level. The life lessons taught in this tribal legend are timeless. The story unfolds begging the question of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few or the one(Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn).
The chief of the tribe must make choices - difficult ones at that. The conditions are harsh, the two old women have been using their age as a tool to get the younger tribe members to serve their whims - they even fake some physical maladies to play upon the Peoples' compassion. This, it turns out, backfires on them. The chief makes the decision to banish them from the tribe to serve the needs of the trible. He is concerned that the women will bring the tribe down.
There are times when people in charge have to make decisions that are unpleasant - this is a reality.
The women are left to fend for themselves and the tribe moves on. The issues of family, societal expectations, and betrayal loom heavily in the reader's mind.
It brings about the discussion of modern society's obsession with youth and our disdain for those who are aged. Our nation's homes for the elderly are brimming - this book speaks to that issue. Getting old does not mean useless!
The women call upon lessons learned in youth to survive. They also discover that they need each other in more ways than one.
While the book is an easy read-don't let that mislead you into thinking it is not sophisticated fare. The life-lessons taught are important for everyone to learn and take to heart. I am astounded by this book! It gets my highest recommendation. Buy it-read it-learn from it.
Book Description
An argument for the urgent danger of global warming in a book that is sure to be as influential as Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
Known for her insightful and thought-provoking journalism, New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert now tackles the controversial subject of global warming. Americans have been warned since the late nineteen-seventies that the buildup of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere threatens to melt the polar ice sheets and irreversibly change our climate. With little done since then to alter this dangerous course, now is the moment to salvage our future. By the end of the century, the world will likely be hotter than it’s been in the last two million years, and the sweeping consequences of this change will determine the future of life on earth for generations to come.
In writing that is both clear and unbiased, Kolbert approaches this monumental problem from every angle. She travels to the Arctic, interviews researchers and environmentalists, explains the science and the studies, draws frightening parallels to lost ancient civilizations, unpacks the politics, and presents the personal tales of those who are being affected most—the people who make their homes near the poles and, in an eerie foreshadowing, are watching their worlds disappear. Growing out of a groundbreaking three-part series for the New Yorker, Field Notes from a Catastrophe brings the environment into the consciousness of the American people and asks what, if anything, can be done, and how we can save our planet.
Customer Reviews:
Eloquent But Only Notes.......2007-10-09
The title of this book is apt: Field Notes. Whether the word Catastrophe is equally apt, or merely good salesmanship, can be left undecided for the moment. Chapter by chapter, Ms Kolbert has written honestly and earnestly. Chapter 2, for instance, recounts the historical development of the concern over global warming, clearly and fairly, in a mere nine pages. Chapter 3 outlines the recent studies of glaciers, and the possible implications of those studies, with equal brevity and clarity. Chapter 1 sets a passionate tone for the whole book, confronting the fearful sense of global warming at the level of villagers whose lives are already impacted; I have kayaked many times in the Seward Peninsula region, over a span of 25 years, and I've personally felt the real urgency that Ms. Kolbert reports. Each chapter of the book is in fact an essay unto itself. Ms. Kolbert is a front-line journalist, not a climatologist. That is the source of her stylistic clarity, obviously, and of her daring in reporting on the crisis at multiple levels. It also makes her vulnerable to the dogmatic deniers of anthropogenic climate change, as is colorfully exhibited in the several ranting one-star reviews on this page.
This is the University of Washington common book for 2007-8.......2007-10-04
The University of Washington has selected this book as its "Common Book" for the 2007-2008 academic year. That means each of the UW's 10,000+ incoming freshman this year have received a copy of the book and are reading it.
An Extraordinary Work: Important and Readable.......2007-09-23
`Field Notes From a Catastrophe' is Elizabeth Kolbert's masterpiece of conciseness and clarity explaining current climate change science and the political obstacles (read the US, Republicans, and Bush Administration in ascending order) to getting serious about attacking the problem. Originally published in 2005, the paperback version has an afterword written in 2006.
Kolbert takes a journalist's approach to explaining the climate change phenomenon (the book began as a series in the New Yorker). She takes the reader to Shishmaref, Alaska an island village rapidly becoming an untenable place to live due to climate-induced sea ice changes, to the North Slope, to the great Greenland ice shield and she brings the story down to a human scale.
Kolbert also leads the reader through the science of global warming making understandable seemingly arcane topics like "dangerous anthropogenic interference" (DAI), which is basically the point where something truly major goes haywire. Kolbert brings the joy of learning to the reader, until one ponders the potential consequences of what she lays out for us. Perhaps most disturbing is the evidence she marshals that the climate has already changed. For example, the climate has warmed sufficiently to allow numerous butterfly species to migrate to new previously too cold locations and to cause the extinction of certain frog species.
Scientists do not, of course, understand everything about climate change (indeed, it is in the very nature of science that an endpoint of total knowledge is never achieved). Those political and economic forces (primarily in the United States) that benefit from the status quo latch on to the uncertainties to create doubt among the public and forestall action. Her interviews with Bush administration officials strike an odd note - they stonewall with robotic incantations. While Europe and most of industrialized world has acted, the US has dithered, delayed, and denied.
Kolbert explains why scientists conclude that it is virtually certain that under the current `business as usual' approach, greenhouse gas concentrations will reach a level that causes massive coastal flooding, large scale extinctions, and crop failures leading to starvation (DAI). These outcomes will not be evenly distributed and are likely to fall heaviest on the poorest countries. Scientists do not, however, know what level of greenhouse gas concentration will cause these impacts. The Bush administration uses that uncertainty as a reason to do essentially nothing and Congress too has failed to force any action.
Kolbert's book inspires the reader to search out even more current information (NOAA's Arctic Change web site is one good source). And the news is alarming. This stuff is not just a tree hugger's paranoid delusion: global heating is happening, it is happening now, and it is getting worse faster than anticipated.
Kolbert's book is a work of journalism (and given the rapidly changing reality, journalism is probably the best source of information) that informs on both the science and the politics of climate change without stridently hectoring the reader. Kolbert presents the facts. The reader would have to be a dim bulb indeed not to get the picture.
Absolutely the very highest recommendation. Kolbert's Field Notes From a Catastrophe deserves more than 5 stars.
Some very misleading reviews here.......2007-08-09
Reviewer T. Ferrell says "The author comes from an assumption that climate was once stable and has recently become unstable. She states this directly several times and it is the overall impression she intentionally leaves."
I'm not sure if the reviewer didn't actually read the book or is deliberately trying to smear it, but Kolbert states many times that the climate has changed in the past.
This is clearly written sober account of global warming and the effects it is having, and will have, on the environment. An excellent, concise read.
Climate has never been "stable".......2007-07-04
While the book was well written as prose, it was intellectually myopic. The author comes from an assumption that climate was once stable and has recently become unstable. She states this directly several times and it is the overall impression she intentionally leaves. Certainly climate change has an effect on people, flora and fauna, but that does not mean that you ignore the fact that there are winners with climate change as well as losers. Example, as the globe warms agriculture moves north expanding into areas previously too frigid to support farming. No mention of this?
But it is not that she just focuses just on the losers. She glosses over issues that might complicate her simple thesis that man is responsible for climate change as "not understood." This is the explanation she gives for example when discussing how atmospheric CO2 was historically low during the ice ages and was high during periods of warming. This is "unknown." She simply ignores the fact that the worlds oceans hold most of the planets CO2 both directly as an absorbed gas, its concentration being directly related temperature. She also ignores the carbon bank in phytoplankton. I believe she does this because it would bring into question her simple thesis. What warmed or cooled the worlds oceans before man was on the scene.
This is a problem for me because a wider view of climate change would reveal the true issues. At one point in time the earth was a snowball entirely covered with ice. At another point in our past the oceans were much higher and the poles were nearly devoid of ice. If global climate has always been in flux do we now propose that man should control the world's climate? If so, what is the best climate? Is it the best thing to have a sizeable portion of the worlds surface are covered in ice or too cold to support agriculture? Who decides? If man does control the weather is the only way to do it to cut back on fossil fuel useage? The author appears to believe so. Does the entity who controls climate take responsibilty for the weather and its effects? A freeze occurs in a temperate agricultural region. Is this now someone's fault?
It's very easy to look who loses with climate change. It is much more difficult to consider the bigger picture. I was not impressed by this book.
Book Description
In A Deeper Sleep, P.I. Kate Shugak has been working on a case for the Anchorage D.A. involving the murder of a woman by her husband. Louis Deem has been the subject of investigations before, and hes never been convicted. But Kate and state trooper Jim Chopin are convinced that this time hell be punished for his actions. When hes found not guilty, Kate and Jim and the rest of Nilniltna, Alaska, are certain that a man has gotten away with murder and that its only a matter of time before he tries again. Sure enough, a few weeks later a woman and her son are shot, the victims of an apparent robbery. But this time, Kate and Jim have a witness, and theyre not going to let Deem get away again. Or will he?
Customer Reviews:
Contrived Ending.......2007-10-05
In this fifteenth Kate Shugak outing, Stabenow has fallen short. This outing lacks passion, it feels obligatory, the ending seems contrived and unrealistic.
Yes, it's a mystery - of sorts. There's a killer on the loose in the Park. Everyone knows who has done the deed. But the killer is like teflon - the charges against him don't stick. When an eyewitness accuses the killer killing a mother and her child, the Park Rats know that the killer will be sent away. But will he? Not if his luck holds.
No one hates the killer more than Kate Shugak. She and Jim Chopin investigate the killing, but can't seem to put him at the scene despite the eyewitness. The case against the killer goes from bad to worse in a very short time.
The ending, involving the aunties, is just not believable. It's as if Stabenow got only so far in her writing and couldn't figure out how to end the book so she contrived the ending. This is not a good ploy for Stabenow fans.
Stabenow has, for years, been one of the best writers of procedurals around. Her characters have remained vibrant and interesting over the years. Stabenow's writing has improved from very good to outstanding. It's too bad that this book was published as is.
A tight knit community faces an internal threat.......2007-03-16
Although Kate Shugak believes deep in her heart that justice usually prevails, she's having a hard time reconciling that belief to the facts in the case of Louis Deem, a loathsome miscreant who literally destroys the women unfortunate enough to succumb to his charms. Despite being charged with several crimes towards women, Deem has never been convicted; he seems to lead a charmed life in that regard. Remarkably, he's also unafraid of Kate, who's able to intimidate every other man who's crossed her path.
Coming off yet another failed attempt by the legal system to take him off the streets for good, Deem sets his cap for young Abigail Smith. Kate and the rest of her community know that bad things are on the horizon, but are helpless to act. But are they, really? A Deeper Sleep provides the troubling answer to that vexing question.
It's really not sufficient to merely heap the usual praises upon Stabenow and her Kate Shugak books--although they're certainly well written and prove satisfying to mystery and thriller fans, they're really beginning to transcend genre. Stabenow's characters live (and sometimes die), breathe, love, and most importantly, evolve, changing from book to book because of the events chronicled therein. The books are also about a lot more than the adventures of a tough female PI--in the final analysis, they're about community, and the individual's place in and responsibility to that community, an aspect of these novels that becomes almost painfully evident in A Deeper Sleep.
Very good, but not her best.......2007-03-11
Kate Shugak and Trooper Jim Chopin are after Louis Deems. They know Deems has killed, but they've never been able to convict him. Once again, a woman and her son are murdered, Deems is the prime suspect, but they lack evidence. Now Demms has turned up dead.
This really is a Kate and Jim Chopin book. While always enjoyable, it did seem less than her previous books; less Kate, less Alaska, less suspense. What this did have was a very intriguing ending. I enjoyed this book but don't feel it is Stabenow's best. As always, recommend reading the series in order.
Fantastic.......2007-03-01
Really enjoyed this book, as always the characters are well-written and well-defined. Would not hesitate to recommend this book.
A Deeper Sleep.......2007-02-12
Superb story of the Alaskan country and native cultures. As an American Indian and an "Auntie" I love Stabenow's portrayal of the importance of "Aunties" in our cultures. Fine story line and great all around reading.
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- Life : A Complete Operating Manual : The Secret to Life Unveiled : Who You Really Are, How Life Really Operates, and How to Unleash the Incredible Power Within!
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- March
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- Master and Commander
- Medical Terminology: A Programmed Systems Approach
- Miss Julia Strikes Back (Miss Julia)
- Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners -- Easy, Delectable Recipes for Any Occasion
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