Alaska Fiction Books?

[Gardyloo]

Or, for a very, very fictional Alaska story, but a cracking good mystery read by an outstanding author, try The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon.

[NoobCruise]

quick question before I download! Dana Stabenow and Kate Shugak each have a bunch of books. Are they in series that should be read in a specific order or can they be read in random order?

 

Thanks for the suggestions! These will help keep me busy while the long 6 months pass before my cruise lol

[Suitcasefull]

If you read them in order, you can watch the characters develop. Especially true of Kate and her relationship. I'd suggest doing that.

One of my favorite series and you get to "know" the people. Enjoy!

[NoobCruise]

Thanks! I'm gonna start it right now :)

[Pittypatbr]

I agree. They can be read out of order but make much more sense chronologically. I jumped in the middle with the first one I read and then realized I had to go back and look at copyright dates and get them in order for more enjoyment. Hope you like them as much as I do! I am about half way through.

[Eppiela]

What a great booklist! I'm getting started! Thank you.

[Alaskanb]

"Ten Thousand Miles with a Dog Sled" by the Episcopal archdeacon Hudson Stuck

This is available as a free Kindle download --but can also be downloaded to other devices.

[mfloser]

A very good youth novel is Far North by Will Hobbs. It is a very good read.

[themerle]

I enjoy reading about Alaska! Thanks to everyone for your recommendations! I've read some of the books I've seen on this thread and I'm now going to have a long list to read! Can't wait.

[jamminlion]

Just got this from the library's new books section:

 

The Floor of Heaven - A True Take of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush - by Howard Blum

 

So far, it's a pretty good read. About 3 guys who end up in Skagway, including Soapy Smith.

[PennyAgain]

For those with Kindles and other e-book readers, there is much gold to find in Alaska stories both fiction and non-fiction. Many are free or cheap.

 

Check out E-Reader Guides.

 

Also found a nice blog called Growing up Anchorage that is very interesting for those of us who knew Anchorage back then.

 

http://growingupanchorage.com/

[pattybaker]

Sue Henry and Dana Stabenow write mystery books located in Alaska. I enjoy both series and feel like I'm learning a bit about life in Alaska.

[themerle]

Thanks for sharing the link, PennyAgain!

[laughing husky]

only one book has talked about dog sledding....Iditarod Classics, by Lew Freedman....More Iditarod....by Lew Freedman....Actually anything he writes is good....and accurate.. Riding the Wild Side of Denali by Miki and Julie Collins. Almost any book by a musher....Lance Mackey, Jeff King, have all written their own story...Backstage Iditarod by June Price...good basic information about Alaska's race. Lew Freedman has also written a book on the Yukon Quest. There are musher calenders for sale...Some will be on the glaciers this summer....

[Alaskanb]

Just got this from the library's new books section:

 

The Floor of Heaven - A True Take of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush - by Howard Blum

 

So far, it's a pretty good read. About 3 guys who end up in Skagway, including Soapy Smith.

I'm in the midst of this one again too-got diverted into Pierre Berton's Klondike book and the Good Time Girls. :)

[erniesnuggle]

What a great idea, thanks! I am going to grab some of these ASAP to start reading!

[Pittypatbr]

Oh, my, so many books, so little time!! I am immersed in Dana Stabenow and Sue Henry for my fiction/mystery enjoyment, and just got from the library Coming into the Country.

 

I also got Four Quarters of Light by Brian Keenan, Passage to Juneau by Jonathan Raban, A Land gone Lonesome by Dan O'Neill, and Stalking the Ice Dragon by Susan Zwinger. If I run out of reading time before my trip in May, which of the last four would be most recommended?

 

I am trying to intersperse these with my guidebooks - Frommer's Alaska Cruises and Ports of Call, Fodor's Alaska, Anne Vipond's Alaska by Cruise Ship, Joe Upton's Alaska Cruise Handbook, and Alaska's Southeast, Touring the Inside Passage by Eppenbach.

 

Of course, I have to leave time for Cruise Critic browing, too!! :D

[Alaskanb]

Thought I would bring this thread back as it began when I was planning my first Alaskan Cruise. We will return in 2016. Does anyone have any new recommendations?

[DentoAlaska]

I read a novel that I quite enjoyed about Alaska homesteaders called "Snow Child". I'm sorry I don't remember the author but it was good read.

[5waldos]

I'm in the midst of this one again too-got diverted into Pierre Berton's Klondike book and the Good Time Girls. :)

 

Fun to go and see the tombstone- and the old graveyard where Soapy Smith and pals are buried. And an especially fun read for those of us in Denver where he got his start as a scoundrel.

[ChristieDPT]

A Wolf Called Romeo by Nick Jans is one I enjoyed. It's non-fiction, but tells the story of Juneau's "tame/wild black wolf" - it's definitely written with a slant/bias, but still makes for an interesting tale, especially to dog lovers. It has made me curious to go see the memorial to Romeo while in port in Juneau.

[bethohio3]

Have really enjoyed anything about Alaska but love Dana Stabenow's writings and characters.

 

Based on recommendions from this thread, I looked for Dana Stabenow's books from our local library ebook download. They didn't have the first books in either the Kate Shugan or Liam series, so I went to Amazon--both those books are currently free on Amazon.

 

Obviously, they're free so we'll read the first book of the series and then pay for future ones--but I downloaded them both and am looking forward to reading them!

[Singinman]

Set in Canada I think, but very good.

[KroozFoolz]

Has anyone read "Journey to a Dream" by Mary T. Lovel?

 

It was mentioned by the hostess/guide on our train ride from Denali to Anchorage. I wrote the name and author down in my McKinley Explorer guide book but haven't looked for it yet.

[Alaskanb]

Has anyone read "Journey to a Dream" by Mary T. Lovel?

 

It was mentioned by the hostess/guide on our train ride from Denali to Anchorage. I wrote the name and author down in my McKinley Explorer guide book but haven't looked for it yet.

Here is the link on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Dream-Mary-Lovel-ebook/dp/B005381PR6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429109502&sr=8-3&keywords=%22Journey+to+a+Dream%22

Looks fascinating.

I've just downloaded this http://www.amazon.com/Jessie-Story-Genteel-Frontier-Alaska-ebook/dp/B005O1T5RE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429109804&sr=8-1&keywords=Jessie+Alaska