Alaska: A History of the 49th State [Paperback]

Claus M. Naske (Author), Herman E. Slotnick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1994

The largest by far of the fifty states, Alaska is also the one of greatest mystery and diversity. Geological forces have made its more than half-million square miles a region of breathtaking beauty and awesome contrasts. And, as Claus-M. Naska and Herman E. Slotnick show in this revised and updated edition of their book, the history and development of Alaska’s peoples has matched the diversity of its landscapes and seascapes.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Claus-M. Naske is retired as Professor of History at the University of Alaska. A longtime resident of the state, he is the author of many works on Alaska history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press; Second Edition edition (March 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080612573X
• ISBN-13: 978-0806125732
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,062,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Time for a new edition, September 13, 2002

By 

Shana Loshbaugh (Fairbanks, AK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alaska: A History of the 49th State (Paperback)

I've lived in Alaska 21 years and found this a frustrating book. It was chocked full of information, but uneven. Although a second edition, it was rife with pathetic typos and mispelled names. The authors deal in authoritative (perhaps excruciating) detail with political haggling for landmark rulings such as the Native land claims and authorization of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Yet they omit any reference to arts, wildlife management or the way people's living conditions have changed. As examples of this patchy approach, they tell us exactly how many barrels of oil various wells produced in their early years, but never tell us how many Alaskans died in the 1964 earthquake. Also, the second edition is now sadly dated. This is a useful book, but it is about the Alaska of the politicians and fails to convey a sense of The Great Land and its pioneers.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, March 14, 2000

By 

Jason Kinikin (Deale, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alaska: A History of the 49th State (Paperback)

Although I am not from Alaska, nor have I ever visted it, I found this book very enjoyable. I was looking to learn more about the history of Alaska and boy did I. This is a big book and it provides alot of information from the prehistoric era right up to the late 20th century. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get a feel for the history of this very interesting state.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A political and economic history of a great land, December 20, 2008

By 

Happy Camper - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alaska: A History of the 49th State (Paperback)

The original version of this book was published by Eerdmans in 1979, and is now something of a collector's item. The 1994 update picked up 15 years of new history, but now another 15 years have passed without a new edition. Of course, the early history has not changed - just our perspective on it.

The best feature of the book is the great land that is its focus. Alaska's past and present is so different from other states that this historical study will be fascinating to most readers. It is more of a political and economic history than a social or natural history. The book will appeal primarily to those interested in adding to their understanding of the various powers that ruled the wild region and to those intrigued with the process of setting up a new state and resolving complex land claim issues.

The authors have included an excellent collection of historical drawings and photographs, though the reproduction quality is not the best. The complete footnotes will aid scholars, as will the statistical and historical information in the appendices. No single work can tell the complete story of Alaska. This one would be an excellent addition to any collection. It is very readable, insightful, and accurate.