Customer Reviews

Where the Sea Breaks Its Back: The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska

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A true account of Vitus Bering's voyage from Russia to discover what is now Alaska. Anyone interested in the history of Alaska should start by reading this book, or someone looking for an actual true life adventure story that makes one appreciate the dangers encounted in the 1700's by these amazing explorers. This book is written from the journals of Georg Stellar, the naturalist on-board the boat that discovered Alaska. The first written account and identification of many species that Stellar discovered and writes about in his journals. One of which is extinct today and his writings are the only account of the massive Stellar Sea Cow. A fabulous account of these adventurors and their interaction with the beautiful, but deadly, Alaska coast and it's native people.

Excellent story of the discovery of Alaska by the famous explorer,Vitus Bering and naturalist, Georg Steller. Combines text from Steller's extensive notes and observations of the author.

Great historical read of the Russian Bering/Stellar voyage to Alaska. Corey Ford's writing is vivid, flowing, has first hand knowledge of the Bering Sea islands, gifted nature writer. I've given this book as a must read to several friends.

This was a terrific story about the quest to find what is now Alaska. It gives insight into just how courageous these early exployers were. I can't comprehend of enduring those sort of hardships. Ford is also a good biologist and gives interesting commentary on the animal life. He also describes what may have been the first observation of a diving reflex in a marine mammal, the now extinct Northern sea cow. If you read this, it would be hard to complain about our current quality of life.

This is the story of Vitus Bering's journey from eastern Russia to Alaska. The account details the nature of the journey and the hardships suffered by the crew. It is full of a cast of characters including a recalcitrant Russian seafarer and a German naturalist, Georg Steller. On the voyage Steller made some lasting natural discoveries including two species that have since gone extinct. Steller was able to discover and describe numerous species of plants and animals that had never been documented. All this despite only spending 10 hours on the mainland of Alaska. Bering, and many of the crew, died on the return voyage of scurvy, a common malady of seafarers of the 1700's. Bering's ship the St. Peter was wrecked on a deserted island off eastern Russia (named Bering Island) on the return voyage and the surviving crew were forced to winter over and hunt sea mammals and birds to survive. The following spring they fashioned a new boat from the wreckage and managed to sail back to Kamchatka to complete the voyage. The book is well-written and concise. Highly recommended.

good all around.....a bit delayed on the delivery . but i believe that was due to all the storms back east.