pennsnape's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book but there were definitely parts that dragged. The truth is I think that the expedition he was writing about wasn't that fascinating but Mark Adams' trip was interesting. In the past I haven't been too excited about Alaska but this book changed my perspective and I would very much like to visit Alaska. I am intrigued by the history of Alaska and also by the the people currently living in Alaska. It is definitely a different kind of living!
13anna17's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
mishmashreads's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book!! I read it (instead of listening to it as I often do with other books). The chapters were short so it’s easy to get through and you don’t nod off.
The book is full of history, more current stories of his personal experiences of his and the people he meets, and a bit of political context. The author, Mark Adams, does really well at incorporating humor and painting a picture of the people he talks with, as he experiences the places that the Harriman Expedition visited. He captures some bittersweet things and is incredibly respectful of the cultures and native people. Even though it’s a story focused around “explorers,” I appreciated they way he never let the reader forget there were always native people in these places before they were “discovered.” He also touches upon climate change which is appropriate because how else could you write about Alaska and ignore or deny it?!
This is a must read for anyone traveling to Alaska, particularly along the coast! I picked this up after a trip there, and it would have been perfect for a pre-trip read.
It was such a good book, I do plan to read this again, likely right before I visit Alaska again.
The book is full of history, more current stories of his personal experiences of his and the people he meets, and a bit of political context. The author, Mark Adams, does really well at incorporating humor and painting a picture of the people he talks with, as he experiences the places that the Harriman Expedition visited. He captures some bittersweet things and is incredibly respectful of the cultures and native people. Even though it’s a story focused around “explorers,” I appreciated they way he never let the reader forget there were always native people in these places before they were “discovered.” He also touches upon climate change which is appropriate because how else could you write about Alaska and ignore or deny it?!
This is a must read for anyone traveling to Alaska, particularly along the coast! I picked this up after a trip there, and it would have been perfect for a pre-trip read.
It was such a good book, I do plan to read this again, likely right before I visit Alaska again.
katielanza's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely informative and eloquently lands several themes that the author encountered regarding ‘booms,’ and the - to put it blatantly - hypocritical views of individualists who want their annual provision checks, climate change deniers who go to Alaska for its natural beauty and whose economy is largely dependent on tourism, wanting to expand drilling while suffering the environmental effects of oil spills, etc... but at points this was a real drag to read and the chronology and geography was hard to follow. Perhaps a drawn out timeline at the beginning would have been helpful.