The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild [Paperback]

Lynn Schooler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 2003

With a body twisted by adolescent scoliosis and memories of the brutal death of a woman he loved, Lynn Schooler kept the world at arm's length, drifting through the wilds of Alaska as a commercial fisherman, outdoorsman, and wilderness guide. In 1990, Schooler met Japanese photographer Michio Hoshino, and began a profound friendship cemented by a shared love of adventure and a passionate quest to find the elusive glacier bear, an exceedingly rare creature, seldom seen and shrouded in legend. But only after Hoshino's tragic death from a bear attack does Schooler succeed in photographing the animal -- completing a remarkable journey that ultimately brings new meaning to his life.

The Blue Bear is an unforgettable book. Set amid the wild archipelagoes, deep glittering fjords, and dense primordial forests of Alaska's Glacier Coast, it is rich with the lyric sensibility and stunning prose of such nature classics as Barry Lopez's Arctic Dreams and Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard.

Editorial Reviews

From The New Yorker

Schooler, who has worked for many years as a guide in the unpredictable waters of the Alaska Panhandle, has distilled a life of unusual intensity into his first book. The story centers on the renowned nature photographer Michio Hoshino, a client who became a friend, and the two men's ongoing search for the elusive glacier bear, a blue variant of the North American black bear. (Hoshino was killed by a grizzly in Russia, in 1996.) In telling that story, the author wanders, like a good conversationalist, into absorbing asides—about harrowing episodes in his own past, about the natural history of Alaska, about hardy fellow-eccentrics he has known. As a writer, Schooler is an amateur in the original sense of the word; his writing reveals an abundance of wilderness savvy, and a mind scrupulous about getting the world down as accurately as possible.
Copyright © 2005 The New Yorker

Review

“The Blue Bear is sublime. [Schooler] threads us into the intimacy of Alaska’s nature.” (New York Times Book Review )

“The strength of this beautifully crafted memoir lies in its evocation of the overpowering Alaskan landscape....” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“Set amid the awe-inspiring beauty of Alaska’s Glacier Coast, The Blue Bear is a graceful book....” (Oregonian )

“[Schooler’s] prose is pure cinematography, with Alaska made a character in the story.” (Seattle Times )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060935731
• ISBN-13: 978-0060935733
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #730,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Mammals
  • #77 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Bears

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Haunting, Eloquent and Soulful Work, May 16, 2003

By 

M. Alden "mainemike" (Maine, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild (Paperback)

Sprinkled with interesting forays into Alaskan biology, history, culture, oceanography, the ups and downs of running a guide service, and the challenges, rewards, and hardships inherent with living in a place like Alaska, "The Blue Bear" is a book that defies categorization in many ways because it seems to be about so many different things, but Lynn Schooler writes with a clarity and depth of perspective which prevents the book from seeming trivial or glossed over. Some people are not patient with books which plunge into a section or chapter that may or may not relate directly to the underlying narrative thread. I for one do not mind these "offshoot branches" in books, so long as they hold my interest, as is the case with this book. A casual reader might think for a moment that Schooler is merely grandstanding and showing off his vast knowledge of his subjects, flexing his outdoor experience and intellect....but look just a bit deeper.... it becomes readily apparent that this is a writer who is unafraid of questioning himself or freely admitting that he is not always correct, who openly acknowledges and discusses his own faults (and we all have them) in a candid and refreshing way.

Reading this book also made me wish that I had the opportunity to meet Michio Hoshino, the late wildlife photographer whose work is respected worldwide. This is another testament to Lynn Schooler's writing. In all probability, my trails may have intersected with Michio's at different times during my years in Fairbanks while attending UAF and working on photography symposiums as a volunteer, but sadly, I never had the chance to meet the man whose work I admire very much, and worse yet, I never will. Here again, Lynn Schooler succeeds in relating his personal accounts and anecdotes of his time spent with Michio, a man who seemingly befriended just about everyone he ever met while bringing out the best in people and setting an inspiring example of living life to the fullest.

If you are even remotely interested in any of the topics or issues I have touched upon in this review, don't hesitate to buy a copy of this book. I'm betting that something in "The Blue Bear" will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful story, December 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Blue Bear (Hardcover)

I received this book from my husband for Xmas. I sat down to read and when I turned the last page a scant day and a half had passed.

It was a magical story about the wildlife in Alaska but moreso the love and friendship between two men searching/waiting for magical moments when the right light or animal would wander into their viewfinder. The elusive Blue Bear was the unseen elastic that kept bringing these two friends together over the time it took to finally capture the bear. Life's lessons are too true when Lynn was robbed of sharing his great moment with his friend.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to lose about a day and a half to time well spent. I lost myself in a very good read and now am feeling at a loss when the last page has been turned and I am wishing there was at least another 1000 pages to go.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome writing, January 6, 2005

By 

Albert Frost - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild (Paperback)

An amazing story coupled with great writing makes for a great read. I've traveled to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest three times and have never read a book that does a better job of summing up the power and beauty of the region. Lynn Schooler adds such personal touches that I feel I was there with him and Michio. His feelings about nature, glaciers, and the grand scheme of life and death remind me of the book 'Freedom is the Highest Good' by Tim Hammell