Saturday, January 26, 2008

Alaska: Saga of A Bold Land

Alaska. That's almost all that needs to be said. It is the last American Frontier and a treasure of history. Walter Borneman's book "Alaska: Saga of a Bold Land" is a great place to enrich yourself with the story of it's early exploration, purchase, and subsequent adventures. Mitchner's "Alaska" is better known at this point, but it is fiction and the real story is so interesting that I recommend going with Borneman.

Each chapter provides an excellent break-down of an era. The stories are full of larger-than-life characters such as John Muir and Bob Marshall, both personal heroes. The only critique could be that the book is too long. I love this subject and still found it overwhelming. The maps are a great support to the text. Overall, one of my favorite books of the year.

No comments: