From Publishers Weekly
In this ambitious volume of adventure writing, editor Kaniut (Alaska Bear Tales) presents wide-ranging views of his beloved state. An Alaska resident since 1966, he celebrates the wonder and beauty of his adopted home. It is a place that "has lured men to her shores for over two centuries," he says in the introduction, a place that "continues to cast an aura of mystery, magic and mystique." The 25 pieces here focus on topics from fishing and flying to conflict and conservation. In "Coming Back Alive," for example, Spike Walker examines the dangers of commercial fishing. He writes of Skip Holden, who prefers to fish for salmon in the deep waters of the ocean-"He liked the sight of free, open spaces and uncluttered horizons. He'd been raised that way"-and recounts his harrowing rescue one day by the U.S. Coast Guard in Prince William Sound. In "Dogs on Ice in Alaska" and "Iditarod Classics: Mary Shields," authors Dana Stabenow and Lew Freedman, respectively, describe varying aspects of dog-sledding and the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome. (Its participants cover more than 1,100 miles in 10 to 17 days.) Perhaps the most entertaining piece in this eclectic collection, however, is one co-written by Jay Hammond and Jim Rearden, "Tales of Alaska's Bush Rat Governor." Hammond, governor from 1974 to 1982, talks of his stint in Juneau, his initial hesitation to campaign and the things that were eventually accomplished during his time in office. The discussion is honest and occasionally hilarious, a definite highlight in Kaniut's multifaceted tribute to the 49th state.
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From the Back Cover
"Larry Kaniut has a heart after Alaska, a nose for wilderness adventure, and the instincts of a timber wolf for cutting to the chase."
- Spike Walker, author of Coming Back Alive and Working on the Edge
Praise for Alaska Bear Tales
"This is a book full of stories that will keep the reader from putting the book down until the last page has been turned."
- The Indianapolis News
"A compelling collection of stories about mankind's adventures and misadventures with Alaska's ursine residents, some funny, others fearsome."
- The Milwaukee Sentinel
Praise for Cheating Death
"Each adventure has its own suspense, spine-tingling action, and lesson to be learned...."
- Capital City Weekly (Juneau, Alaska)
"These harrowing experiences will keep you glued to the pages of this book."
- Gannett Newspapers
