ALASKA
More Books

After the Ice Age: The Return of Life to Glaciated North America  •  E.C. Pielou
NATURAL HISTORY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 366 PAGES
An environmental history of North America over the last 20,000 years. The author describes -- in vivid detail -- the changes in the physical and biological environment. With line drawings and maps. (ALA41, $22.50)
  After the Ice Age: The Return of Life to Glaciated North America
Alaska Light: Ideas and Images from a Northern Land  •  Kim Heacox
NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES
Kim Heacox, one of Alaska's most renowned photographers, turns his camera to landscapes and wildlife found throughout the state in this attractive book of photographs, complemented by informative essays. (ALA122, $22.95)
 
Alaska's Bears  •  Bill Sherwonit
FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES
A shirt pocket guide to Alaska's bears, this slim book geared for the curious traveler covers the ecology, natural history and conservation of all three species. With color photography by Tom Walker. (ALA63, $12.95)
  Alaska's Bears
Alaska's History, The People, Land and Events of the North Country  •  Harry Ritter
HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES
A lively, brief history with black-and-white photographs. The author, a historian, frequently lectures on cruise ships in Alaska. (ALA35, $12.95)
  Alaska's History, The People, Land and Events of the North Country
Alaska's Inside Passage  •  Kim Heacox
NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES
A beautiful overview of the Inside Passage, lavishly produced. This oversize hardcover captures the region's natural beauty in a series of color photographs and informative essays, an excellent introduction to Southeast Alaska's wild coastline, mountains and glaciers. (ALA43, $39.95)
  Alaska's Inside Passage
Alaska's Mammals, A Guide to Selected Species  •  Dave Smith
FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 94 PAGES
This handy pocket guide is a surprisingly useful, informative and illustrated introduction, covering 35 sea and land mammals, from caribou, to humpback whales, to walrus. (ALA79, $12.95)
  Alaska's Mammals, A Guide to Selected Species
Alaska's Prince William Sound, A Traveler's Guide  •  Mary Beth Holleman
GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES
An illustrated pocket guide, featuting information on attractions and background on the history, culture and nature of the region. (ALA183, $12.95)
  Alaska's Prince William Sound, A Traveler's Guide
Alaska's Seashore Creatures: A Guide to Selected Marine Invertebrates  •  Carmen Field  •  Conrad Field
FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES
This slim, illustrated guide contains information on more than 50 marine invertebrates one might encounter along the shores of Alaska. The color photographs, black-and-white illustrations, and helpful descriptions detail everything from clams and sea stars to the lion's mane jellyfish and octopuses. (ALA80, $12.95)
  Alaska's Seashore Creatures: A Guide to Selected Marine Invertebrates
Alaska, An American Colony  •  Stephen Haycox
HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 372 PAGES
An engaging, scholarly history, neatly divided into Russian exploration and the American period. The author is a professor of history at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. The book takes as its theme the economic exploitation of the state and fate of the indigenous people of the region through Russian and American exploitation and colonization. (ALA160, $18.95)
  Alaska, An American Colony
Alaska, National Geographic Guide to America's Outdoors  •  Nan Elliot
GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES
A practical, illustrated guide to Alaska featuring National Geographic's usual careful attention to maps and color photography along with suggested itineraries, resources and attractions. (ALA130, $24.00)
 
Alaska, Reflections on Land and Spirit  •  Robert Hedin  •  Gary Holthaus
ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES
An excellent sampler of some of the best writing on Alaska, this anthology includes 22 selections by John Muir, John McPhee, Barry Lopez, early explorers, Alaskan natives, naturalists and others. (ALA48, $19.95)
  Alaska, Reflections on Land and Spirit
Alaska, Tales of Adventure from the Last Frontier  •  Spike Walker
ANTHOLOGY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES
This diverse anthology of 31 tales, classic and modern, includes Jack London's famous tale of the Yukon, How To Build a Fire, Muir's discovery of Glacier Bay, and Gary Paulsen's account of racing the Iditarod. (ALA188, $16.99)
  Alaska, Tales of Adventure from the Last Frontier
Alaska, The Cruise-Lover's Guide  •  Paul Grescoe  •  Audrey Grescoe
GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES
A compact handbook to Southeast Alaska and beyond, featuring a good overview of the nature and history of the region. The heart of the book is devoted to individual ports of call each featuring a large-scale map and suggestions for sightseeing. Organized alphabetically, it includes Kotzebue and Prufhoe Bay in addition to Skagway, Ketchikan and other typical ports along the Inside Passage. (ALA71, $17.95)
  Alaska, The Cruise-Lover's Guide
Anchorage & Fairbanks Map  •  Rand McNally Maps
MAP
A street map of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Two Sides. 36x26 inches. (ALA156, $5.99)
  Anchorage & Fairbanks Map
Arctic Crossing, A Journey Through the Northwest Passage and Inuit Culture  •  Jonathan Waterman
HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES
A riveting account of a 2,200 mile solo journey across the Arctic from Prudhoe Bay to the Gulf of Boothia by kayak, accomplished in stages from 1997-1999. Waterman, who has also written of his sailing and climbing adventures in Alaska, includes a portrait of the Inuit people and villages that he encountered along the route. (ARC98, $16.95)
  Arctic Crossing, A Journey Through the Northwest Passage and Inuit Culture
Attu, Birding on the Edge  •  Charles Osgood
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  PAPER
A memoir of 25 years birding on the western fringes of North America, including encounters with rare Asian migrants. Attu, westernmost of the Aleutians -- and nearly 1,500 miles form the mainland, is the place to encounter never before recorded birds in North America. With an annotated checklist, color photographs and maps. Contributors include Larry Balch, Paul Baicich, John Fitchen, Paul Lehman, and Macklin Smith. (ALA169, $35.00)
  Attu, Birding on the Edge
Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance  •  Stephen Herrero
NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES
Despite its frightening title, this book is a helpful introduction to the natural history and behavior of the bear by a long-term researcher in the field. With useful tips on "avoidance." Revised edition. (BST21, $16.95)
  Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance
The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Region of Wonders  •  Terry Johnson
NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES
An up-to-date, fact-filled illustrated primer on the region, its geography, marine and terrestrial life, mineral resources, industry and culture. With good color photographs of seabirds, marine mammals and marine life. (ALA197, $25.00)
  The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Region of Wonders
The Big Year, A Tale Of Man, Nature, And Fowl Obsession  •  Mark Obmascik
NATURAL HISTORY •  2011 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES
Obmascik, himself an over-the-edge birder, recounts with glee and page-turning detail the race to see the most birds in North America in a year, a quest that has his three competitors on the road at a moments notice, heading out in the middle of the night, and combing the beaches. As he so winningly demonstrates, these people are driven. (BRD29, $15.00)
  The Big Year, A Tale Of Man, Nature, And Fowl Obsession
The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife  •  Christopher W. Leahy  •  Gordon Morrison
NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1072 PAGES
A handsome, fully illustrated survey of the birds of North America, organized A to Z, covering birds, bird biology, conservation and birdwatching. Published in cooperation with the American Birding Association. (NAM21, $19.95)
  The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife
Call of the Wild, White Fang, and To Build a Fire  •  Jack London
LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES • FAMILY
London's 1903 novel about the dog Buck, who is forced to confront the harsh realities of survival in the brutal Arctic, is accompanied by the novel White Fang and a short story, To build a fire. Apart from its literary themes, the book is rich in details of history and geography, flora and fauna -- and it gives an awful lot of information about Klondike sled dogs. (ARC10, $7.95)
  Call of the Wild, White Fang, and To Build a Fire
Canada's Yukon and South Central Alaska Map  •  Coastal Cruise Tour Guides
1998 •  MAP
Featuring handsome topographic maps that fold down into a booklet, this guide also includes sections on visitor attractions and highlights. With seven fold-out maps of Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island, Denali National Park, Katmai and Kenai Peninsula. Two Sides. 12x72 inches. (ALA55, $15.95)
  Canada's Yukon and South Central Alaska Map
The Capture of Attu, A World War II Battle As Told by the Men Who Fought There  •  Robert J. Mitchell  •  Sewell T. Tying  •  Nelson L. Drummond
HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES
A detailed, oral history of the battle fought in the outermost Aleutians, compiled by Lieutenant Robert J. Mitchell, a witness to the events he describes. (ALA149, $18.95)
 
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise  •  Kirkpatrick Sale
EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES
A new edition of this wide-ranging and lucid portrait of the man and the legends surrounding him, originally published in 1990. Columbus is no hero in Kirkpatrick Sale's view but rather a sea-faring adventurer in search of glory, gold and god. (USA134, $19.95)
  Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise
Commerical Fishing in Alaska  •  Terry Johnson
NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES
An engaging and authoritative overview of the seafood industry in Alaska, featuring color photos and drawings of fish and invertebrates and the gear used to harvest them. Ocean Treasure tells how to recognize fishing boats and gear, what the fish look like, and how good they taste. Readers are treated to an account of the fascinating history of Alaska fishing, insight into mariculture, how the fisheries are managed, and the lifestyle involved in subsistence fishing. The book also offers a bibliography, a glossary, and a full index. (ALA157, $25.00)
 
The Cruelest Miles, The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic  •  Gay Salisbury  •  Laney Salisbury
HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES
The gripping tale of the 1925 serum run from Seward to Nome, a tribute to the spirit and gumption of the dog drivers and sled dogs of Alaska. Drawing on archives and interviews with descendents of the drivers, the authors bring the individual men, their dog teams and the conditions of early 20th-century backcountry Alaska to life in vivid detail. The story created a public sesnsation in its day with gold medals, commendations and accolades. A statue of Balto, most famous of the sled dogs, stands in New York's Central Park. (ALA173, $15.95)
  The Cruelest Miles, The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic
The Cruise of the Corwin  •  John Muir  •  William Frederic Bade
EXPLORATION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES
Pieced together from Muir's diaries, published accounts and letters by his literary executor, this book is an account of an 1881 voyage in search of the lost Jeanette Expedition. It's an eyewitness report of little-known lands including the Chukchi Peninsula, Diomede, Wrangel and Herald islands. (ALA76, $18.95)
  The Cruise of the Corwin
Distant Shores, The Odyssey of Rockwell Kent  •  Constance Martin  •  Rockwell Kent
ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE
Distant Shores present 80 paintings, prints and drawings by Kent (1882-1971), many in glorious color, and including an exceptional selection of work from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Inspired by remote and inhospitable regions, the book follows Kent's life and work at Monhegan Island, Newfoundland, Alaska, Tierra del Fuego and Greenland. Published in conjunction with an exhibition by the same name. With 68 color illustrations and 58 black-and-white photographs. New. (ART34, $125.00)
  Distant Shores, The Odyssey of Rockwell Kent
Enterprising Women, 250 Years of American Business  •  Virginia Drachman
HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES
Drachman profiles the most important women in American industry, spanning the period from colonial times through the 20th century. Lesser-known entrepreneurs are here, as well as Mary Katherine Goddard, who published the first signed copy of the Declaration of Independence; Madame C.J. Walker, the daughter of former slaves whose hair-care products were the ticket to a better life; and Hazel Bishop, the inventor of "kissable lipstick." (GEN317, $39.95)
 
Fairbanks, A Gold Rush Town That Beat the Odds  •  Dermot Cole
HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES
A fascinating history of Fairbanks -- a town born from a cargo boat accident and the Klondike gold rush -- by a local historian and newspaper columnist. In a centennial edition illustrated with archival photographs. (ALA186, $19.95)
  Fairbanks, A Gold Rush Town That Beat the Odds
Fairbanks, Alaska's Heart of Gold  •  Tricia Brown  •  Roy Corral
GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 94 PAGES
A slim, illustrated pocket guide to Fairbanks (founded during the 1902 Alaska gold rush), its geography, history, culture, wildlife and attractions. (ALA155, $12.95)
  Fairbanks, Alaska's Heart of Gold
Faith, Food, and Family in a Yupik Whaling Community  •  Carol Zane Jolles
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES
For this detailed survey of the history, society, religion and culture of the whalers of St. Lawrence Island, the author draws on interviews with villagers, archival records, and field work. Carol Zane Jolles is on the faculty at the University of Washington. (ALA182, $26.95)
 
Flyfishing Alaska  •  Anthony J. Route
GUIDEBOOK •  1995 •  PAPER  • 229 PAGES
A useful guide to getting more out of fly fishing in Alaska with good coverage of the variety of fishes, equipment and tactics for Salmon, trout, char and other Alaskan specialties. (ALA138, $17.95)
 
Frigid Embrace: Politics, Economics, and Environment in Alaska  •  Stephen Haycox
HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES
In this hardhitting economic history of the state, Haycox looks at how Alaska makes its money in fur, oil, timber and fish. The author is a professor of history at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. (ALA161, $21.95)
  Frigid Embrace: Politics, Economics, and Environment in Alaska
From the Land of the Totem Poles, The Northwest Coast Indian Art Collection at the American Museum of Natural History  •  Aldona Jonaitis
ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES • COMING IN
An illustrated portrait of the people of the Northwest coast and their art, this handsome paperback features illustrations of the collection at the American Museum of Natural History as well as insightful, provocative essays by Aldona Jonaitis. (ALA14, $45.00)
 
Gilead  •  Marilynne Robinson
LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES
This long-awaited second novel by the author of Marilynne Robinson follows the fate of an Iowa minister. She weaves a fictional history of Kansas during the years of abolition. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. (USW441, $14.00)
 
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Map  •  Trails Illustrated
MAP
A folded, full-color topographic map of Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve at a scale of 1:94,000. Printed on tear-proof, water-resistant tyvek. Two Sides. 26x38 inches. (ALA112, $11.95)
  Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Map
Glacier Bay National Park, A Backcountry Guide to the Glaciers and Beyond  •  Jim DuFresne
GUIDEBOOK •  1987 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES
A slim guide to Glacier Bay for the adventurous traveler with much good general information about geology, history and wildlife. It includes descriptions of major kayaking and hiking routes. (ALA127, $10.95)
  Glacier Bay National Park, A Backcountry Guide to the Glaciers and Beyond
Glacier Bay, The Wild Beauty of Glacier Bay National Park  •  Peggy Bauer  •  Erwin A. Bauer
NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES
A photographic tribute to Glacier Bay by a husband and wife team. A short essay on the region's history and nature accompanies the dazzling images of glaciers, forests and marine life. (ALA120, $14.95)
  Glacier Bay, The Wild Beauty of Glacier Bay National Park
The Great Land, Reflections on Alaska  •  Robert Hedin  •  Gary Holthaus
ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES • COMING IN
A grand tour of the state as seen through the eyes of great writers such as John Muir, Edward Hoagland, and John Dos Passos. (ALA49, $19.95)
  The Great Land, Reflections on Alaska
Grizzlies of Mount McKinley  •  Adolphe Murie
NATURAL HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES
Murie's classic natural history of the grizzlies in Denali National Park, culled from 25 years of observation. Originally published in the 1940s, it's still an elegantly written, evocative portrait of the grizzly. (ALA194, $22.50)
 
Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska, The Best Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay  •  Jim Howard
GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES
A compact, practical guide to 41 kayak trips from Ketchikan to Gustavus with detailed local maps, mile-by-mile descriptions of suggested routes, launching and landing sites and trip-planning. (ALA136, $15.95)
 
A History of Prince William Sound Alaska  •  Jim Lethcoe  •  Nancy Lethcoe
HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 275 PAGES
A locally published history of the region from fur trading center to tourist destination. With photographs, illustrations and maps. (ALA141, $19.95)
 
Ice Ages, Solving the Mystery  •  Katherine Palmer Imbrie  •  John Imbrie
NATURAL HISTORY •  1986 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES
An examination of the geologic evidence explaining the Earth's ice ages, written for a general audience. (GEO17, $27.00)
  Ice Ages, Solving the Mystery
Ice Window: Letters from a Bering Strait Village, 1892- 1902  •  Kathleen Lopp Smith  •  Verbeck Smith
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 488 PAGES
A chronicle of daily life, customs and struggles on the Bering Strait at the turn of the century. With 350 letters, more than 90 period photographs, maps, drawings from the letters, and reproductions of the five issues of "The Eskimo Bulletin, " as edited by the granddaughter of Ellen Kittredge and Thomas Lopp, two Christian teachers in a small village facing Little Diomede on the Bering Strait in Northwest Alaska. (ALA152, $45.00)
 
Iditarod, The Great Race to Nome  •  Bill Sherwonit
HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 133 PAGES
A history of the Iditarod and dog races in Alaska, featuring both color and archival illustrations. (ALA185, $23.95)
 
John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide  •  John Shaw
REFERENCE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES
An updated edition of Shaw's guide to taking better photographs of plants, animals and landscapes. The book offers solid advice on equipment, and basic techniques, highly recommended as the best reference for the wildlife photographer. This revised edition includes the complete range of newer films, and more attention to autofocus and autoexposure. Apart from any attention to equipment and technique, he cautions that to be a better photographer, you need to become a better naturalist. Like many nature photographers, Shaw uses a Nikon and Fujia Velvia film -- and has a Web site: johnshaw.com. (PHT01, $24.99)
  John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide
Katmai National Park & Preserve Map 248  •  Trails Illustrated
MAP
A folded, full-color topographic map of Alaska's Katmai National Park & Preserve at a scale of 1:272,000. Printed on tear-proof, water-resistant tyvek. Two Sides. 38x26 inches. (ALA111, $11.95)
  Katmai National Park & Preserve Map 248
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Map  •  Trails Illustrated
MAP
A durable, folded, topographic recreation map of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Chugach National Forest, on a scale of 1:105,000. Two Sides. 37x26 inches. (ALA33, $11.95)
  Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Map
Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand  •  Kenn Kaufman
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES
Kaufman's absorbing account of coming-of-age as a Wichita teenager on the road in 1973 with a summer's pay in his pocket and the goal of seeing as many birds as he could in a year. He tallied 671, impressive by any account and extraordinary if you count birds per buck. He did it all for $1,000. This cult classic was originally published in 1973. (BRD27, $14.95)
  Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand
Lonely Planet Alaska  •  Jim DuFresne  •  Lonely Planet
GUIDEBOOK •  2009 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES
A comprehensive practical guide to Alaska in the hallmark Lonely Planet style. It features 79 regional maps, an illustrated overview of flora and fauna and much practical detail. It has good coverage of offroad adventure including backpacking, rafting and hiking. (ALA171, $21.99)
  Lonely Planet Alaska
Looking at Totem Poles  •  Hilary Stewart
ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES
An excellent survey of 110 totem poles set along the coast of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Introductory chapters feature essential background information of the making, history and spiritual meaning of the carvings. Illustrated. (ALA13, $17.95)
 
Looking Both Ways, Heritage and Identity of the Alutiiq People  •  Aaron Cromwell  •  Amy Steffian  •  George Pullar
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 266 PAGES
A marvelously illustrated, absorbing introduction to the coastal people of the Kodiak archipelago and South-central Alaska, covering history, art and contemporary culture. The book, edited by the curators, is the catalogue to an exhibit organized by the Alutiiq Museum, Alutiiq Heritage Foundation, and the Smithsonian Institution's Arctic Studies Center. (ALA180, $24.95)
 
Looking for Alaska  •  Peter Jenkins
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES
An account of an Alaskan adventure complete with eccentric local characters, by the best-selling author of "Walk Across America," who spent 18 months in Seward with his family. (ALA166, $16.99)
 
Make Prayers to the Raven, A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest  •  Richard Nelson
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1986 •  PAPER  • 292 PAGES
A literate and meditative portrait of the Koyukon people by the author of "The Island Within." (ALA59, $25.00)
  Make Prayers to the Raven, A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest
Mammals of North America  •  Roland W. Kays  •  Don E. Wilson
FIELD GUIDE •  2009 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES
A comprehensive guide by two noted mammalogists and featuring 108 color plates, illustrating 442 species. Range maps and descriptive text on ecology, habitat and behavior complement the wonderful paintings. (NAM11, $19.95)
  Mammals of North America
Mammals of North America, Temperate and Arctic Regions  •  Adrian Forsyth
NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES
A handsome, illustrated reference to the mammals of North America from polar bears to bison, mountain lions and the black squirrel. Forsyth ("Tropical Nature"), includes not only up-to-date information on taxonomy and distribution but also discusses the behavior and ecology of each species. With range maps and hundreds of color photogrpahs. (NAM02, $29.95)
 
Marine Mammals of the Eastern North Pacific  •  Sea Grant Alaska  •  Pieter Folkens
FIELD GUIDE •  2010 •  PLASTIC CARD  • 8 PAGES
A convenient, 8-panel waterproof card illustrating 50 species of whales, dolphins, sea otters and pinnipeds found in the North Pacific from Alaska and the west coast of North America to Hawaii. It's handsomely illustrated, and includes full-color panels with typical behaviors, whalewatching guidelines and identification tips. Co-sponsored by the Alaska Whale Foundation and the University of Alaska Sea Grant Program, It's an excellent, weatherproof identification guide. (ALA143, $10.00)
  Marine Mammals of the Eastern North Pacific
Moon Handbook Alaska  •  Deke Castleman  •  Don Pitcher
GUIDEBOOK •  2010 •  PAPER  • 588 PAGES
From whitewater rafting to dog sledding, sightseeing and hiking, this comprehensive guidebook is an excellent overview of the places, culture and nature of Alaska and the Yukon. With color photographs, maps and illustrations. (ALA90, $21.95)
  Moon Handbook Alaska
Moose  •  Valerius Geist  •  Michael H. Francis
NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES
A natural history of the moose, by one of the leading authorities, Valerius Geist. Their migration, social interactions and mating rituals are all covered, along with issues concerning their natural habitats and conservation. The informative text is complemented by wonderful color photographs. (BST56, $21.95)
 
Mount McKinley, The Conquest of Denali  •  Bradford Washburn
EXPLORATION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 206 PAGES • COMING IN
Breathtaking full-page photographs of the mountain, mostly by Washburn, illustrate this comprehensive climbing history of North America's highest peak. (ALA95, $27.98)
 
My Lead Dog Was a Lesbian, Mushing Across Alaska in the Iditarod – the World's Most Grueling Race  •  Brian Patrick O'Donoghue
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES
An entertaining account of an amateur musher's ill-advised attempt to compete the 1991 Iditarod, a story of hardship and will, infused throughout with the author's good humor. (ALA178, $13.95)
 
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Western Region  •  Richard Spellenburg  •  National Audubon Society
FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 862 PAGES
A photographic field guide to 654 species of wildflowers found from the Mississippi to California and Alaska. Recently revised it contains 941 color photographs, short descriptions and an identification key. (USW406, $19.95)
 
National Geographic United States Atlas for Young Explorers  •  National Geographic
REFERENCE •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)
This colorful guide is chock full of readable information for kids. With color-coded maps of each state and region of the U.S., tables and statistics, and 250 photographs, drawings, charts and graphs, this is an ideal atlas for young travelers. (USA93, $24.95)
  National Geographic United States Atlas for Young Explorers
The Native People of Alaska  •  Steven Langdon
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES
A brief overview of the indigenous peoples of Alaska, with 55 photographs, maps and illustrations. Organized by group, it includes chapters on the northern, Bering Sea and Aleut Eskimos, people of the interior and Pacific Northwest coast. With black-and-white photographs and illustrations throughout. (ALA181, $9.95)
  The Native People of Alaska
Native Universe, Voices of Indian America  •  Clifford E. Trafzer
ANTHOLOGY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES
This anthology of personal and historical essays, as well as over 300 color illustrations of Native American art, is being published to accompany the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. It includes selections from several modern Native American writers, including Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie. (USA95, $22.00)
 
A Naturalist in Alaska  •  Adolphe Murie
NATURAL HISTORY •  1990 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES
Engaging, informative stories of wildlife encounters and observations by Denali's premier naturalist, Adolph Murie. First published in 1961, this old-fashioned book by the great Murie is a wide-eyed look at the cycle of animal life in Alaska. With pen-and-ink drawings by Adolphe's brother. (ALA44, $19.95)
  A Naturalist in Alaska
Northern Lights  •  Calvin Hall  •  Daryl Pederson  •  George Bryson
NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES
These color photographs capture the dazzling majesty and mystery of the aurora borealis while journalist George Bryson provides a short essay on the history of the phenomenon. (ARC126, $19.99)
  Northern Lights
The Northern Lights, The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis  •  Lucy Jago
SCIENCE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES
The compelling story of long-forgotten Kristian Birkeland, the turn-of-the-century Norwegian scientist who devoted his career to the quest to understand the aurora borealis. In telling the story of the scientist, Jago also tells of the science, history, myth and romance of the Northern Lights. (ARC104, $16.95)
  The Northern Lights, The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis
Northland Stories  •  Jonathan Auerbach  •  Jack London
LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES
London's turn-of-the-century tales of life in the remote wilderness, inspired by the Gold Rush of 1897. Originally published as three separate books. (ALA131, $16.00)
 
Northwest Territories  •  ITMB
2008 •  MAP
A traveler's map of the region at a scale of 1:1.3 million with good topographic relief, showing roads, physical features and nature preserves. Two Sides. 27 x 39 inches. (ALA89, $12.95)
  Northwest Territories
An Observers Guide to the Geology of Prince William Sound  •  Jim Lethcoe
FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES
A locally published overview and guide to the geology of Prince William Sound with 78 photographs, maps and descriptions of 124 sites. It includes a history of mines and mining. (ALA139, $17.95)
 
Out of the Channel, The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound  •  John Keeble  •  Natalie Fobes
HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 350 PAGES
First published in 1990, this book has been updated to reflect the impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, ten years after the event. Keeble includes material on the cause of the ship's grounding on Bligh Reef, the fate of Captain Hazelwood, the effects of the spill on the region's wildlife and humans, the 1993 fisherman's tanker blockade, and Exxon's response to the spill. Considered to be one of the most devastating ecological disasters of the twentieth century, the Exxon oil spill continues to raise questions about oil shipping procedures and environmental protection. (ALA86, $14.00)
  Out of the Channel, The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound
Out of Work, A History of Wage-Earning Women in the United States (20th Anniversary Edition)  •  Alice Kessler-Harris
HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES
A historical examination of the changing role of women in the workplace in the United States. Kessler-Harris focuses on class, race and ethnicity, the relationship with men in the workforce with respect to gender inequalities, and the transformation of the perceived role of women in society, from mothers and homemakers to wage laborers. With a new Afterward by the author for the 20th anniversary edition. (GEN318, $24.95)
 
Peoples of the Northwest Coast, Their Archaeology and Prehistory  •  Kenneth Ames  •  Herbert Maschner
ARCHAEOLOGY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES
A readable, nicely illustrated survey of the culture and history of peoples along the along the Pacific Coast of North America from California to Alaska. Written by two noted anthropologists, the book covers the ecology, cultural traditions, art, war, hunting practices, and other aspects of daily life from prehistory to the modern era. With photographs and diagrams throughout. (PNW106, $24.95)
 
Poet of the Appetites, The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher  •  Joan Reardon
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES
"When I write of hunger," MFK Fisher said in 1990, "I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it." Fisher chronicled her love for food and travel in more than 30 books over 50 years. Reardon researched Fisher's personal letters and interviewed family and friends to create this biography of the woman who John Updike called the "poet of the appetites." (GEN316, $45.00)
 
Race Across Alaska, First Woman to Win the Iditarod Tells Her Story  •  Libby Riddles  •  Tim Jones
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES
An inside look at the Iditarod from a woman who won the race in 1985. With a selection of articles by newspaper editor Tim Jones. (ALA177, $21.95)
 
Remember D-Day, Both Sides Tell Their Stories  •  Ronald J. Drez  •  David Eisenhower
HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS
An engaging and well-constructed history of the D-Day invasion for readers in grades 5 to 8, complete with anecdotes from soldiers, black-and-white photographs, plenty of historical information, and an introduction by David Eisenhower which paints a personal portrait of his grandfather, Dwight. (USA96, $17.95)
 
Return to Wild America, A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul  •  Scott Weidensaul
NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES
Weidensaul follows in the footsteps conservation pioneers Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher in this homage to their 1953 journey, modern travelogue and eye-opening report on wilderness in America. (USA123, $16.00)
  Return to Wild America, A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul
Roadside Geology, Alaska  •  Cathy O'Connor  •  Daniel O'Haire
NATURAL HISTORY •  1988 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES
Designed for the roadside traveler, this series explains in detail the geologic history of Alaska as seen through the window. Though there are few roads in Southeast Alaska, the book treats the Inside Passage as part of Alaska's "marine highway" ferry system, and is a great introduction to basic geomorphology and how the dramatic landscapes were formed. Features black-and-white photographs complementing the amazingly detailed geologic maps. (ALA46, $20.00)
  Roadside Geology, Alaska
The Settlement of the Americas, A New Prehistory  •  Thomas D. Dillehy
ARCHAEOLOGY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES
A well received, engaging survey of new theories on the peopling of the Americas, a hotly debated topic. Dillehy's controversial (but convincing) findings at Monte Verde in Chile form the backbone of his argument, which focuses on his work in South America. Dillehy places the first inhabitants in South America at 15,000 years earlier than originally argued. Other still hang on to the theory that the first inhabitants crossed the Bering Strait 12,000 years ago, making their way south to Tierra del Fuego over the ensuing millennia. Dillehy's book is nonetheless a valuable contribution to the controversy over when -- and how -- humans populated the New World. (NAM52, $29.95)
  The Settlement of the Americas, A New Prehistory
Shaman Pass  •  Stan Jones
MYSTERY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES
The second installation in Jones's Nathan Active mystery series, starring an Alaska state trooper from Anchorage living in Chukchi. Active investigates the theft of an Inupiat mummy in this mystery, noteworthy for its fully realized Arctic setting. (ALA214, $14.00)
  Shaman Pass
Sold American: The Story of Alaska Natives and Their Land, 1867-1959  •  Donald Craig Mitchell
HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 492 PAGES
A provocative, scholarly history of U.S. government relations with Alaska's original inhabitants -- and of the people who descended upon Alaska in search of fame and, especially, fortune. The author, Donald Craig Mitchell, former vice-president and general counsel of the Alaska Federation of Natives, fought for the historic Alaskan land claims settlement. (ALA162, $29.95)
 
Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas  •  Ronald Wright
HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES
A powerful history of imperialism and resistance in the Americas, with a focus on the Aztec, Maya, Inca, Cherokee and Iroquois. Wright's illuminating account, told largely from the point of view of the losers, details the rapid collapse of cultures and societies in the Americas following the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. Wright draws on an impressive range of archival material in reconstructing this classic account, originally published in 1993. Wright is also the author of Time Among the Maya. (NAM20, $24.95)
  Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas
The Thousand-Mile War, World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians  •  Brian Garfield
HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 456 PAGES
A gripping account of the Aleutian Island campaign (1942-43), originally published in 1969. Many of the islands, depicted in black-and-white photographs, are littered with WWII era runways, huts and other relics. (ALA114, $24.95)
  The Thousand-Mile War, World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians
To See Every Bird On Earth: A Father, A Son, And A Lifelong Obsession  •  Dan Koeppel
NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES
Ostensibly about birds and birdwatching, this enormously appealing book is a memoir by a talented writer of his father, a father who happens to be in the elite cadre of major birders. Dan Koeppel chronicles his father's growing interest in birds in this enormously appealing memoir of a life devoted to birds. Richard is a member of an elite group who have tallied more than 7,000 species. Koeppel includes his own travels tagging along and brief profiles of other eccentric listers. (BRD28, $14.00)
  To See Every Bird On Earth: A Father, A Son, And  A Lifelong Obsession
To the Top of the Continent  •  Frederick A. Cook
EXPLORATION •  1996 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES
The 90th anniversary edition of the much-debated account by Frederick Cook of his first-ever ascent of Mount McKinley (1903-1906), published by the Frederick Cook Society and including a history of the controversy, additional corroborating source material and a report of a 1994 expedition by Ted Heckathorn. With a selection of archival photographs and illustrations. Here you can read what the explorer himself said about the expedition. Apart from any question of Cooks character or claims, his book is a classic of mountaineering. (ALA83, $19.95)
  To the Top of the Continent
Tongass, Pulp Politics and the Fight for the Alaska Rain Forest  •  Kathie Durbin
NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES
An environmental history of North America's largest temperate rainforest -- and the shenanigans that resulted in throwing open the region to commercial logging. Durbin, a journalist, weaves hundreds of interviews in this blow-by-blow campaign against Ketchikan Pulp in Alaska's era of pulp. (ALA105, $19.95)
  Tongass, Pulp Politics and the Fight for the Alaska Rain Forest
Trains of Discovery, Railroads and the Legacy of the National Parks  •  Alfred Runte
HISTORY •  2011 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES
A thoroughly revised and expanded successor to Alfred Runte's Trains of Discovery: Western Railroads and the National Parks, the new edition now includes protected landscapes and historical sites east of the Mississippi made possible or influenced by railroads: the Hudson River Valley; Delaware Water Gap; Harpers Ferry; Indiana Dunes; Gettysburg; Steamtown; and Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia National Parks. An illustrated tribute to American railroads and national parks, featuring period advertisements, posters and memorabilia of Glacier, Grand Canyon and Denali National Parks. (USW56, $24.95)
  Trains of Discovery, Railroads and the Legacy of the National Parks
Treasures of Alaska, Last Great American Wilderness  •  Michael Melford  •  Jeff Rennicke
NATURAL HISTORY •  2010 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES
A magazine-style portrait of the Alaskan wilds in the National Geographic Destinations series. The intrepid author and photographer capture the range of beauty and experience of the Alaskan frontier from Juneau to the Aleutian Islands. (ALA170, $15.00)
  Treasures of Alaska, Last Great American Wilderness
Trout, An Illustrated History  •  James Prosek
NATURAL HISTORY •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES
A gifted multi-talented prodigy, Prosek chronicles the variety and history of the fish, both in words and 70 stunning watercolor paintings illustrating the various species of magnificent trout, both common and rare. (FSH03, $35.00)
 
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival  •  Velma Wallis
LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS
A retelling of a traditional Athabaskan legend by Velma Wallis, an Athabaskan woman born and raised in Fort Yukon on the upper Yukon River. It's an inspiring tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe who must make their own way, alone, through the winter in the Alaskan wild. With line drawings throughout. Teens and adults are the appropriate audience. (ALA64, $13.99)
  Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
Under Northern Lights, Writers and Artists View the Alaskan Landscape  •  Kesler Woodward  •  Frank Soos
NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES
Sixteen essays and 38 color plates are juxtaposed in this sampling of the glorious diversity of the Alaskan natural landscape. (ALA132, $39.95)
 
The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder  •  Peter Cashwell
NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 269 PAGES
A memoir of the birding life, its pleasures, obsessions and pitfalls. Based in the Carolinas (where he teaches English), Cashwell recounts in these essays the birds he's encountered, the why and wherefores of the birding life and some very entertaining anecdotes. Along the way, Cashwell traces his own development from casual novice to life lister (with a desire to see all the birds of North America). (BRD26, $16.95)
  The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder
The Way of the Grizzly  •  Tom Walker  •  Larry Aumiller
NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES • COMING IN
A natural history of grizzlies at Alaska's McNeil River by a nature writer and the manager of the river's sanctuary. First published as "River of Bears," this nicely illustrated photo-essay documents the bears, their behavior and habitat. The action takes place just north of Katmai on the Gulf of Alaska. (BST83, $22.95)
  The Way of the Grizzly
The Way of the Masks  •  Claude Levi-Strauss
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1988 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES
Famous French anthropologist Levi-Strauss interprets the social meaning behind a variety of spectacular masks created by the haida, Kwakiutl and other Pacific Northwest Indian cultures. This classic bridges the worlds of the visual and anthropological, revealing much about the native ethnic groups of the region. (PNW58, $22.50)
 
Whales and Dolphins in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book  •  James Mead  •  Flip Nicklin  •  Joy Gold
NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES
A clever idea, well-executed. James Mead, the Smithsonian's curator of marine mammals, answers common, unusual and salient questions about whales and dolphins, as asked by the curious public via phone calls and letters to the Institution. With much excellent color photography by Flip Nicklin. (OCE78, $24.95)
 
Where the Sea Breaks Its Back  •  Corey Ford
EXPLORATION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 206 PAGES
A gripping tale of naturalist Georg Steller and Bering's Second Expedition in 1741. Chronicling one of the great stories of exploration, Ford paints a vivid portrait of Steller and his first encounter with the wildlife of the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Alaskan coast. A classic, first published in 1966, it's subtitled "The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska." (ALA07, $16.95)
  Where the Sea Breaks Its Back
White Sky, Black Ice  •  Stan Jones
MYSTERY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES
This first-rate murder mystery has as a considerable added bonus its authentic Arctic setting. In this book state trooper Nathan Active (star of the series) returns to Chukchi from Anchorage to confront a memorable cast of characters -- and figure out why two young men have killed themselves. Jones weaves serious cultural issues into his thoroughly engaging story. Nathan Active, a likeable guy born in Chukchi but raised in Anchorage, dances between native and transplanted cultures, skeptical of both. (ALA164, $14.00)
  White Sky, Black Ice
Wilderness at Dawn: The Settling of the North American Continent  •  Ted Morgan
HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 541 PAGES
A compelling history of the colonization of North America from the first crossing of the Bering Strait to the American revolution by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Ted Morgan. (USE144, $33.95)
 
The Wilderness of Denali, Explorations of a Hunter-Naturalist in Northern Alaska  •  Charles Sheldon  •  C. Hart Merriam
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES
Originally published by Scribner's in 1930, this classic memoir covers Sheldon's three years camping and hunting the area of Alaska surrounding Mt. McKinley. (ALA108, $23.95)
  The Wilderness of Denali, Explorations of a Hunter-Naturalist in Northern Alaska
Winter Watch  •  James Ramsey  •  Laura Dasson
HISTORY •  1989 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES
A journal of almost a year in the Brook's Range of Alaska, which helpfully includes a list of supplies and the books he read over the winter. Not completely isolated, the author writes of his friends and neighbors as well as the changing seasons. With drawings by Laura Dasson. (ALA78, $9.95)
  Winter Watch
Winterdance, The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod  •  Gary Paulsen
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES
Teenagers will especially enjoy Paulsen's spellbinding account of the 17-day journey (which could also be read aloud to youngsters). Paulsen, a novice, survived the journey with his sense of humor intact. (ALA58, $15.00)
  Winterdance, The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod
The Wolves of Mount McKinley  •  Adolphe Murie
NATURAL HISTORY •  1985 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES
Murie's classic, originally published in the 1940s, is both a natural history of wolves and an overview of the ecology of in Denali Natural Park. He focuses, not surprisingly, on the relationship between predator and prey. (ALA195, $22.50)
  The Wolves of Mount McKinley
Working on the Edge, Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession  •  Spike Walker
HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES
Enthralling, if not somewhat pulpy, these true-life tales of crab fishing expeditions off the coast of Alaska capture all the danger and adrenaline that go with making a living at sea. For authenticity's sake, the author served as a crewman on numerous boats and saw first-hand the risks -- and the money -- involved in Alaska's commercial fishing industry. (ALA158, $15.95)
  Working on the Edge, Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession

 
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