Danger Stalks the Land: Alaskan Tales of Death and Survival (Paperback)

by Larry Kaniut (Author) "The GI struggled in the waist-deep muck of upper Cook Inlet not many miles north of Anchorage, Alaska..." (more)
Key Phrases: pickup date, locator beacon, missing pilot, Alaska State Troopers, Glen Alps, Cook Inlet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A pair of youthful newlyweds embarks on a gold-panning outing, but only one returns alive. Twelve climbers, roped together in groups of four, plunge down a mountainside, landing in a twisted heap of mangled bodies. A geologist on a mapping expedition radios to her superiors: "I'm being eaten by a bear!" These are just some of the vividly rendered disasters and close calls Alaskan writer Kanuit details in this collection of true life adventures. Stretching from the mid-19th century to the recent past, the 43 pieces are plenty scary, but Kanuit, a former high school teacher who has lived in Alaska since 1966, also uses the stories to teach valuable lessons about character, loyalty and courage. In some cases, the difference between survival and death is no more than happenstance. But in others, disaster is due to inexperience or the failure to recognize a dangerous situation. Adeana Dickison, the 18-year-old newlywed who died when her leg got stuck in the mudflats surrounding Anchorage, was a recent arrival from Nevada. She and her husband had no idea of the strength of the tides at high latitudes, and by the time the water started rising, they had waited too long to seek help. Short introductions and brief teasers leading to the next story help move the reader through the book, and an appendix contains valuable information on what it takes to have a chance of survival in the Alaskan wilderness. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
YA-This book, another in a list of titles of harrowing true-life, people-against-the-elements tales as told to Kaniut, will be just right for the adventure-minded and those who like short, action-packed stories. The protagonists get into trouble because of ignorance of local outdoor conditions, carelessness, or bad luck. In the opening story, several people try various desperate methods to save a fisherman whose legs had become mired in tidal mudflats. Even a chopper trying to pull him up and out was unsuccessful, and the young man died when the incoming tide covered his face. Most of the selections are contemporary, but a few range back to times when clothing and equipment were more primitive; one of these involves a young Billy Mitchel, of later court-martial fame (whose name is misspelled throughout), falling through river ice with his dog team. Kaniut is a good storyteller, and his tales will keep teens interested and on the edge of their chairs. A survival appendix is included.
Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (November 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312241208
• ISBN-13: 978-0312241209
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #75,787 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #7 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Excursion Guides > United States > Alaska
  #16 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Travel > Ecotourism
  #35 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Environment > Natural Disasters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mind numbing true adventure!, November 19, 1999

By A Customer

This is easily the best collection of true adventure tales ever assembled. I was blown away by the courage, danger, and pure adrenaline running through these stories. My advice: run to your nearest bookstore and BUY THIS BOOK!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are going to Alaska, think about reading this., January 11, 2005

By	Bryan Newman "alaskanoutfitting.com" (St Paul, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Larry Kaniut is the king of Alaskan, true-life stories of adventure and survival. He has made a franchise Alaskan bear attacks and tales from tragedy to the miraculous and written a library of white-knuckled reading. It's car accident stuff that you can't put down until you know how it turns out. It at once makes you glad to be in a secure place and at the same time it calls you out to the wilds.

The individual stories were selected to represent a wide variety of themes. A few of the stories get repetitive, like the downed bush plane stories. Then again, if you read the Anchorage Daily, you get the same feeling of déjà vu.

With the thrills, comes education about being prepared. One of the amazing things about the book is that the majority of these stories do not come from isolated wilderness but mostly within just a few miles of the road. I read it just before a trip to Alaska and it changed the landscapes I was driving through. Driving down the Seward Highway I realized - that's where that lady was airlifted out, that was where newlyweds drowned, that's where a man lost his hunting buddy. It points out that this is Alaska and your decisions can be as important as life and death here.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book made me want to stay indoors forever, October 13, 2003

By	P. K. Berman MPH (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

I could not put this book down. It is so gruesome, but every story is true! There are bear attacks, people falling through ice, plane crashes, ice storms...you name it; if it can happen in Alaska, then someone has lived to tell about it! I find it facinating to read about unbearable situations that people have survived. This book isn't for those of you who don't want to read the gory details, but if that's what you live for, then this is your book!!