After the Ice Age: The Return of Life to Glaciated North America  •  E.C. Pielou NATURAL HISTORY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 366 PAGES An environmental history of North America over the last 20,000 years. The author describes -- in vivid detail -- the changes in the physical and biological environment. With line drawings and maps. (ALA41, $22.50)
Alaska and Canada's Inside Passage  •  Coastal Cruise Tour Guides 1995 •  MAP This six-foot-long topographic map, at a scale of 1:1,000,000, folds into a handy booklet. It's attractive, useful -- and includes descriptions of the major points of interest along the route from Seattle to Juneau. (ALA12, $15.95)
Alaska Explorer Map  •  Ocean Explorer Maps 2002 •  MAP An informative, well illustrated map of Alaska. In addition to the double-sided large-scale map of Alaska (with the Inside Passage on the reverse), the map features information on native peoples, wildlife and exploration. Unlike many maps of its type, it includes the full chain of the Aleutians and Russia's chukotka peninsula at the same scale, all at 1:3,800,000. Published by a veteran expedition leader, the map is aimed at cruise and expediton passengers in the region. (ALA153, $11.95)
Alaska Light: Ideas and Images from a Northern Land  •  Kim Heacox NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES Kim Heacox, one of Alaska's most renowned photographers, turns his camera to landscapes and wildlife found throughout the state in this attractive book of photographs, complemented by informative essays. (ALA122, $22.95)
Alaska Map  •  ITMB 2004 •  MAP A map of Alaska on two sides, featuring the Aleutians, the Bering Strait, and much of neighboring Siberia, at a scale of 1:2,500,000. (ALA31, $8.95)
Alaska's Bears: Grizzlies, Black Bears and Polar Bears  •  Bill Sherwonit FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A shirt pocket guide to Alaska's bears, this slim book geared for the curious traveler covers the ecology, natural history and conservation of all three species. With color photography by Tom Walker. (ALA63, $12.95)
Alaska's Birds, A Pocket Guide to Selected Species  •  Robert H. Armstrong FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 124 PAGES With its color photographs and profiles of 200 species of birds, this pocket guide to selected species will delight and inform the novice birder. (ALA03, $14.95)
Alaska's History, The People, Land and Events of the North Country  •  Harry Ritter HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A lively, brief history with black-and-white photographs. The author, a historian, frequently lectures on cruise ships in Alaska. (ALA35, $12.95)
Alaska's Inside Passage  •  Kim Heacox NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES A beautiful overview of the Inside Passage, lavishly produced. This oversize hardcover captures the region's natural beauty in a series of color photographs and informative essays, an excellent introduction to Southeast Alaska's wild coastline, mountains and glaciers. (ALA43, $39.95)
Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, A Traveler's Guide  •  AAA Publishing  •  Andromeda Romano-Lax  •  Bill Sherwonit GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A compact, colorful guide to exploring the nature, history and wildlife of the region. Includes practical information, maps, color photos and informative sidebars. Andromeda Romano-Lax, who lives in Alaska, has written extensively on the area. (ALA167, $12.95)
Alaska's Seashore Creatures: A Guide to Selected Marine Invertebrates  •  Carmen Field  •  Conrad Field FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES This slim, illustrated guide contains information on more than 50 marine invertebrates one might encounter along the shores of Alaska. The color photographs, black-and-white illustrations, and helpful descriptions detail everything from clams and sea stars to the lion's mane jellyfish and octopuses. (ALA80, $12.95)
Alaska's Southeast, Touring the Inside Passage  •  Mike Miller GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 295 PAGES A popular, practical guide to the cruising the Inside Passage, including a wide-ranging overview of the area's natural history, culture and geography. With maps, town plans and 100 photographs. (ALA23, $17.95)
Alaska, An American Colony  •  Stephen Haycox HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 372 PAGES An engaging, scholarly history, neatly divided into Russian exploration and the American period. The author is a professor of history at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. The book takes as its theme the economic exploitation of the state and fate of the indigenous people of the region through Russian and American exploitation and colonization. (ALA160, $18.95)
Alaska, National Geographic Guide to America's Outdoors  •  Nan Elliot GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A practical, illustrated guide to Alaska featuring National Geographic's usual careful attention to maps and color photography along with suggested itineraries, resources and attractions. (ALA130, $24.00)
Alaska, Saga of a Bold Land  •  Walter R. Borneman HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 608 PAGES In this wide-ranging history, popular writer and scholar Walter Borneman captures the personalities, bravura and challenges of Alaska, describing the days of the fur traders and explorers, the gold rush, the building of the railroads and current controversies. Highly recommended as a well-written, informative overview of the state. (ALA187, $16.95)
Alaska, The Cruise-Lover's Guide  •  Paul Grescoe  •  Audrey Grescoe GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A compact handbook to Southeast Alaska and beyond, featuring a good overview of the nature and history of the region. The heart of the book is devoted to individual ports of call each featuring a large-scale map and suggestions for sightseeing. Organized alphabetically, it includes Kotzebue and Prufhoe Bay in addition to Skagway, Ketchikan and other typical ports along the Inside Passage. (ALA71, $17.95)
Alaska: Reflections on Land and Spirit  •  Robert Hedin  •  Gary Holthaus ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES A wonderful collection of writing, both contemporary and historic, on the Alaskan spirit. Its companion book is The Great Land. (ALA48, $19.95)
Attu, Birding on the Edge  •  Charles Osgood BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  PAPER A memoir of 25 years birding on the western fringes of North America, including encounters with rare Asian migrants. Attu, westernmost of the Aleutians -- and nearly 1,500 miles form the mainland, is the place to encounter never before recorded birds in North America. With an annotated checklist, color photographs and maps. Contributors include Larry Balch, Paul Baicich, John Fitchen, Paul Lehman, and Macklin Smith. (ALA169, $35.00)
Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance  •  Stephen Herrero NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES Despite its frightening title, this book is a helpful introduction to the natural history and behavior of the bear by a long-term researcher in the field. With useful tips on "avoidance." Revised edition. (BST21, $16.95)
The Big Year, A Tale Of Man, Nature, And Fowl Obsession  •  Mark Obmascik NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Obmascik, himself an over-the-edge birder, recounts with glee and page-turning detail the race to see the most birds in North America in a year, a quest that has his three competitors on the road at a moments notice, heading out in the middle of the night, and combing the beaches. As he so winningly demonstrates, these people are driven. (BRD29, $14.00)
The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife  •  Christopher W. Leahy  •  Gordon Morrison NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1072 PAGES A handsome, fully illustrated survey of the birds of North America, organized A to Z, covering birds, bird biology, conservation and birdwatching. Published in cooperation with the American Birding Association. (NAM21, $19.95)
The Capture of Attu, A World War II Battle As Told by the Men Who Fought There  •  Robert J. Mitchell  •  Sewell T. Tying  •  Nelson L. Drummond HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A detailed, oral history of the battle fought in the outermost Aleutians, compiled by Lieutenant Robert J. Mitchell, a witness to the events he describes. (ALA149, $18.95)
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise  •  Kirkpatrick Sale EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A new edition of this wide-ranging and lucid portrait of the man and the legends surrounding him, originally published in 1990. Columbus is no hero in Kirkpatrick Sale's view but rather a sea-faring adventurer in search of glory, gold and god. (USA134, $15.95)
Commerical Fishing in Alaska  •  Terry Johnson NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES An engaging and authoritative overview of the seafood industry in Alaska, featuring color photos and drawings of fish and invertebrates and the gear used to harvest them. Ocean Treasure tells how to recognize fishing boats and gear, what the fish look like, and how good they taste. Readers are treated to an account of the fascinating history of Alaska fishing, insight into mariculture, how the fisheries are managed, and the lifestyle involved in subsistence fishing. The book also offers a bibliography, a glossary, and a full index. (ALA157, $25.00)
Compass Guide Alaska  •  John A. Murray  •  Don Pitcher  •  Nick Jans GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES This wonderfully written handbook features outstanding color photography, good maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and nature of Alaska. It includes archival photographs, literary excerpts and practical travel information. (ALA146, $22.95)
The Cruise of the Corwin  •  John Muir  •  William Frederic Bade EXPLORATION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Pieced together from Muir's diaries, published accounts and letters by his literary executor, this book is an account of an 1881 voyage in search of the lost Jeanette Expedition. It's an eyewitness report of little-known lands including the Chukchi Peninsula, Diomede, Wrangel and Herald islands. (ALA76, $16.95)
Denali National Park and Preserve Map  •  Trails Illustrated 1993 •  MAP A durable, fold-up topographic map of Denali and surroundings at a scale of 1:300,000. (ALA88, $11.95)
Distant Shores, The Odyssey of Rockwell Kent  •  Constance Martin  •  Rockwell Kent ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES Distant Shores present 80 paintings, prints and drawings by Kent (1882-1971), many in glorious color, and including an exceptional selection of work from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Inspired by remote and inhospitable regions, the book follows Kent's life and work at Monhegan Island, Newfoundland, Alaska, Tierra del Fuego and Greenland. Published in conjunction with an exhibition by the same name. With 68 color illustrations and 58 black-and-white photographs. (ART34, $24.95)
Enterprising Women, 250 Years of American Business  •  Virginia Drachman HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES Drachman profiles the most important women in American industry, spanning the period from colonial times through the 20th century. Lesser-known entrepreneurs are here, as well as Mary Katherine Goddard, who published the first signed copy of the Declaration of Independence; Madame C.J. Walker, the daughter of former slaves whose hair-care products were the ticket to a better life; and Hazel Bishop, the inventor of "kissable lipstick." (GEN317, $39.95)
Fairbanks, Alaska's Heart of Gold  •  Tricia Brown  •  Roy Corral GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 94 PAGES A slim, illustrated pocket guide to Fairbanks (founded during the 1902 Alaska gold rush), its geography, history, culture, wildlife and attractions. (ALA155, $12.95)
Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers  •  Verna Pratt FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 136 PAGES This convenient guide features 248 full-color photographs of the most common Alaskan flowers, trees and shrubs, color-coded for easy reference. Slim and easy to carry. (ALA40, $15.95)
Field Guide to the Grizzly Bear  •  Lance Olsen FIELD GUIDE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 48 PAGES • COMING IN A brief introduction to the ecology, natural history and conservation of the grizzly sponsored by the Great Bear Foundation. (BST38, $6.95)
Flyfishing Alaska  •  Anthony J. Route GUIDEBOOK •  1995 •  PAPER  • 229 PAGES A useful guide to getting more out of fly fishing in Alaska with good coverage of the variety of fishes, equipment and tactics for Salmon, trout, char and other Alaskan specialties. (ALA138, $17.95)
The Forgotten War, A Pictorial History of World War II in Alaska and Northwestern Canada, Vol. 2  •  Stan B. Cohen HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES A concise, illustrated history of Alaska during World War II, with much of the action taking place on the Aleutian Islands. (ALA150, $14.95)
Frigid Embrace: Politics, Economics, and Environment in Alaska  •  Stephen Haycox HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES In this hardhitting economic history of the state, Haycox looks at how Alaska makes its money in fur, oil, timber and fish. The author is a professor of history at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. (ALA161, $21.95)
From the Land of the Totem Poles, The Northwest Coast Indian Art Collection at the American Museum of Natural History  •  Aldona Jonaitis ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES An illustrated portrait of the people of the Northwest coast and their art, this handsome paperback features illustrations of the collection at the American Museum of Natural History as well as insightful, provocative essays by Aldona Jonaitis. (ALA14, $45.00)
Gilead  •  Marilynne Robinson LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES This long-awaited second novel by the author of Marilynne Robinson follows the fate of an Iowa minister. She weaves a fictional history of Kansas during the years of abolition. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. (USW441, $14.00)
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A folded, full-color topographic map of Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve at a scale of 1:94,000. Printed on tear-proof, water-resistant tyvek. (ALA112, $9.95)
Glacier Bay National Park, A Backcountry Guide to the Glaciers and Beyond  •  Jim DuFresne GUIDEBOOK •  1987 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES A slim guide to Glacier Bay for the adventurous traveler with much good general information about geology, history and wildlife. It includes descriptions of major kayaking and hiking routes. (ALA127, $10.95)
Glacier Bay, The Wild Beauty of Glacier Bay National Park  •  Peggy Bauer  •  Erwin A. Bauer NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES A photographic tribute to Glacier Bay by a husband and wife team. A short essay on the region's history and nature accompanies the dazzling images of glaciers, forests and marine life. (ALA120, $14.95)
Glacier Ice  •  Austin Post  •  Edward R. LaChapelle NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 145 PAGES An extraordinary book of aerial photographs of mountains, glaciers and ice accompanied by explanatory text by two devoted glaciologists. Much too beautiful to be called a textbook, this collection of striking black-and-white photographs introduces the major surface features, varieties of glaciers and diversity of ice. With a glossary and annotated bibliography for further reading. An obvious choice for mountaineers and polar explorers, this book will appeal to any curious traveler -- or even anyone who has ever looked out the window of an airplane en route over Greenland. In cooperation with the International Glaciological Society. A modern classic, originally published in 1971. (SCI07, $35.00)
The Great Land, Reflections on Alaska  •  Robert Hedin  •  Gary Holthaus ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES A grand tour of the state as seen through the eyes of great writers such as John Muir, Edward Hoagland, and John Dos Passos. (ALA49, $19.95)
Green Alaska, Dreams From the Far Coast  •  Nancy Lord TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES In this meditative account, the author journeys from Cook Inlet along the Alaskan coast to the Aleutian Islands in the wake of the 1899 Harriman Expedition. She mixes a deep appreciation for nature and history with scholarship, some ruminations on colonialism and good old-fashioned ecological outrage at the changes wrought since 1899 in this extraordinary part of the world. (ALA77, $13.00)
A Guide to Alaska Seabirds  •  Alaska Northwest FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 46 PAGES Designed to take along on a trip to Alaska, this booklet features a handsome full-page black-and-white illustration of each bird, a range map and detailed description. (ALA69, $4.00)
Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska, The Best Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay  •  Jim Howard GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A compact, practical guide to 41 kayak trips from Ketchikan to Gustavus with detailed local maps, mile-by-mile descriptions of suggested routes, launching and landing sites and trip-planning. (ALA136, $15.95)
A History of Prince William Sound Alaska  •  Jim Lethcoe  •  Nancy Lethcoe HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 275 PAGES A locally published history of the region from fur trading center to tourist destination. With photographs, illustrations and maps. (ALA141, $19.95)
How To Be A Bad Birdwatcher  •  Simon Barnes NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES According to Simon Barnes, the only good birdwatcher is a "bad" birdwatcher. A funny and refreshingly straight-talking guide to birdwatching from a London Times sportswriter. (BRD25, $17.95)
Ice Ages, Solving the Mystery  •  Katherine Palmer Imbrie  •  John Imbrie NATURAL HISTORY •  1986 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES An examination of the geologic evidence explaining the Earth's ice ages, written for a general audience. (GEO17, $23.00)
Ice Window: Letters from a Bering Strait Village, 1892- 1902  •  Kathleen Lopp Smith  •  Verbeck Smith BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 488 PAGES A chronicle of daily life, customs and struggles on the Bering Strait at the turn of the century. With 350 letters, more than 90 period photographs, maps, drawings from the letters, and reproductions of the five issues of "The Eskimo Bulletin, " as edited by the granddaughter of Ellen Kittredge and Thomas Lopp, two Christian teachers in a small village facing Little Diomede on the Bering Strait in Northwest Alaska. (ALA152, $45.00)
In Denali: A Photographic Essay of Denali National Park and Preserve  •  Kim Heacox NATURAL HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 93 PAGES This handsome portrait of Denali, by a well known writer, photographer and naturalist, features color photographs along with an overview of the wildlife, landscapes, human history and environmental challenges of the immense park. With a bird checklist and list of 101 common flowers and plants. (ALA26, $22.95)
Into the Wild  •  Jon Krakauer EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES The gripping tale of a young man searching for experience, wilderness and himself, who meets death during a solo journey into the Alaskan wilds north of Mt. McKinley in 1992. (ALA52, $13.95)
The Island Within  •  Richard Nelson EXPLORATION •  1991 •  PAPER  • 284 PAGES A beautifully written tribute to the Pacific Northwest. Drawn from the author's journals, this is an account of the natural and cultural history of an island in the waters of Haida Strait, focusing on geology, marine life, wildlife, habitats and Koyukon heritage. Much in the tradition of Barry Lopez, the author focuses on the relationship between people and the land. (ALA17, $15.00)
John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide  •  John Shaw REFERENCE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES An updated edition of Shaw's guide to taking better photographs of plants, animals and landscapes. The book offers solid advice on equipment, and basic techniques, highly recommended as the best reference for the wildlife photographer. This revised edition includes the complete range of newer films, and more attention to autofocus and autoexposure. Apart from any attention to equipment and technique, he cautions that to be a better photographer, you need to become a better naturalist. Like many nature photographers, Shaw uses a Nikon and Fujia Velvia film -- and has a Web site: johnshaw.com. (PHT01, $24.95)
Katmai National Park & Preserve Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A folded, full-color topographic map of Alaska's Katmai National Park & Preserve at a scale of 1:272,000. Printed on tear-proof, water-resistant tyvek. (ALA111, $9.95)
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A durable, folded, topographic recreation map of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Chugach National Forest, on a scale of 1:105,000. (ALA33, $9.95)
Killer Whales of Prince William Sound  •  Craig Matkin FIELD GUIDE •  1987 •  PAPER A guide to the history and ecology of orcas Prince William Sound by Craig Matkin, a marine mammal specialist with the North Gulf Oceanic Society in Homer, Alaska. He has also published a catalog of individual whales. Since the 1970s, more than 300 different killer whales have been documented entering the waters of Prince William Sound. (ALA142, $12.95)
Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand  •  Kenn Kaufman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Kaufman's absorbing account of coming-of-age as a Wichita teenager on the road in 1973 with a summer's pay in his pocket and the goal of seeing as many birds as he could in a year. He tallied 671, impressive by any account and extraordinary if you count birds per buck. He did it all for $1,000. This cult classic was originally published in 1973. (BRD27, $14.00)
The Klondike Fever, The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush  •  Pierre Berton HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 457 PAGES The classic history of the Yukon and Alaska gold rush by the great Canadian historian Pierre Berton was first published in 1958. A master storyteller, Berton captures the spirit of the rowdy days of old in loving detail. (ALA20, $16.95)
Lonely Planet Alaska  •  Jim DuFresne  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER A comprehensive practical guide to Alaska in the hallmark Lonely Planet style. It features 79 regional maps, an illustrated overview of flora and fauna and much practical detail. It has good coverage of offroad adventure including backpacking, rafting and hiking. (ALA171, $21.99)
Lonely Planet Hiking in Alaska  •  Jim DuFresne GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series. (ALA172, $19.99)
Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast  •  Hilary Stewart ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1979 •  PAPER  • 111 PAGES A concise, illustrated overview of the diverse art produced by the peoples of the Pacific Northwest. It focuses on the spiritual and cultural meaning of common motifs in the carvings, weavings, and masks that characterize the rich art of the area. (PNW06, $17.95)
Looking at Totem Poles  •  Hilary Stewart ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES An excellent survey of 110 totem poles set along the coast of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Introductory chapters feature essential background information of the making, history and spiritual meaning of the carvings. Illustrated. (ALA13, $17.95)
Looking for Alaska  •  Peter Jenkins TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES An account of an Alaskan adventure complete with eccentric local characters, by the best-selling author of "Walk Across America," who spent 18 months in Seward with his family. (ALA166, $15.95)
Make Prayers to the Raven, A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest  •  Richard Nelson CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1986 •  PAPER  • 292 PAGES A literate and meditative portrait of the Koyukon people by the author of "The Island Within." (ALA59, $19.00)
Mammals of North America  •  Roland W. Kays  •  Don E. Wilson FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A comprehensive guide by two noted mammalogists and featuring 108 color plates, illustrating 442 species. Range maps and descriptive text on ecology, habitat and behavior complement the wonderful paintings. (NAM11, $19.95)
Mammals of North America, Temperate and Arctic Regions  •  Adrian Forsyth NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A handsome, illustrated reference to the mammals of North America from polar bears to bison, mountain lions and the black squirrel. Forsyth ("Tropical Nature"), includes not only up-to-date information on taxonomy and distribution but also discusses the behavior and ecology of each species. With range maps and hundreds of color photogrpahs. (NAM02, $29.95)
Marine Mammals of the Eastern North Pacific  •  Sea Grant Alaska  •  Pieter Folkens FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PLASTIC CARD  • 8 PAGES A convenient, 8-panel waterproof card illustrating 50 species of whales, dolphins, sea otters and pinnipeds found in the North Pacific from Alaska and the west coast of North America to Hawaii. It's handsomely illustrated, and includes full-color panels with typical behaviors, whalewatching guidelines and identification tips. Co-sponsored by the Alaska Whale Foundation and the University of Alaska Sea Grant Program, It's an excellent, weatherproof identification guide. (ALA143, $8.95)
The Milepost: Trip Planner for Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta & Northwest Territories  •  Kris Valencia Graef GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 800 PAGES This comprehensive guide, published annually in March, is an essential reference and trip planner for an extended trip to Alaska. With detailed information on lodging, transportation, national parks and activities, as well as numerous helpful maps, it covers Alaska and northwestern Canada in depth. (CND115, $27.95)
Moon Handbook Alaska  •  Deke Castleman  •  Don Pitcher GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 588 PAGES From whitewater rafting to dog sledding, sightseeing and hiking, this comprehensive guidebook is an excellent overview of the places, culture and nature of Alaska and the Yukon. With color photographs, maps and illustrations. (ALA90, $21.95)
Moose  •  Valerius Geist  •  Michael H. Francis NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES A natural history of the moose, by one of the leading authorities, Valerius Geist. Their migration, social interactions and mating rituals are all covered, along with issues concerning their natural habitats and conservation. The informative text is complemented by wonderful color photographs. (BST56, $21.95)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Western Region  •  Richard Spellenburg  •  National Audubon Society FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 862 PAGES A photographic field guide to 654 species of wildflowers found from the Mississippi to California and Alaska. Recently revised it contains 941 color photographs, short descriptions and an identification key. (USW406, $19.95)
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America  •  National Geographic FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 502 PAGES From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. Practical to use in the field, it has maps, illustrations and descriptions of the birds on facing pages. The scale of the maps changes with the range of the bird, which means you get a more detailed regional map for those birds with a restricted range. This fully revised fifth edition features nearly 700 color range maps, bigger and better than ever. (FG09, $24.00)
National Geographic United States Atlas for Young Explorers  •  National Geographic REFERENCE •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) This colorful guide is chock full of readable information for kids. With color-coded maps of each state and region of the U.S., tables and statistics, and 250 photographs, drawings, charts and graphs, this is an ideal atlas for young travelers. (USA93, $24.95)
Native Universe, Voices of Indian America  •  Clifford E. Trafzer ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES This anthology of personal and historical essays, as well as over 300 color illustrations of Native American art, is being published to accompany the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. It includes selections from several modern Native American writers, including Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie. (USA95, $40.00)
Natives of the Far North, Alaska's Vanishing Culture in the Eye of Edward Sheriff Curtis  •  Shannon Lowry  •  Edward S. Curtis CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 140 PAGES A collection of black-and-white photographs and stories collected by Curtis. A member of the 1899 Harriman Expedition, he went on to spend 30 years among the Aleut and other peoples of the Bering Strait. Shannon Lowry, who provides an introduction to modern anthropological research in the region, puts the photographs in a historical context. Chapters are devoted to the people of Nunivak Island, King Island, the Diomede Islands and Kingigan (today called Wales). (ALA145, $29.95)
A Naturalist in Alaska  •  Adolphe Murie NATURAL HISTORY •  1990 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES First published in 1961, this old-fashioned book by the great Alaskan naturalist is a wide-eyed look at the cycle of animal life in Alaska. With pen-and-ink drawings by Adolphe's brother. (ALA44, $19.95)
The Nature of Southeast Alaska  •  Rita O'Clair  •  Robert Armstrong  •  Richard Carstensen FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES An authoritative general field guide to the natural history of the region, its plants and animals, marine mammals and habitats. With line drawings and color photos. With 130 line drawings and 64 color photos. (ALA24, $18.95)
The Northern Lights, The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis  •  Lucy Jago SCIENCE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES The compelling story of long-forgotten Kristian Birkeland, the turn-of-the-century Norwegian scientist who devoted his career to the quest to understand the aurora borealis. In telling the story of the scientist, Jago also tells of the science, history, myth, and romance of the Northern Lights. (ARC104, $14.00)
Northern Lights: The Science, Myth and Wonder of Aurora Borealis  •  Calvin Hall  •  Daryl Pederson  •  George Bryson NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES • COMING IN Taken mostly in Alaska, these photographs capture, in dazzling color, the majesty and mystery of the aurora borealis. Journalist George Bryson provides a short essay on the history of human interpretation of the phenomenon. (ARC126, $19.95)
Northland Stories  •  Jonathan Auerbach  •  Jack London LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES London's turn-of-the-century tales of life in the remote wilderness, inspired by the Gold Rush of 1897. Originally published as three separate books. (ALA131, $13.00)
An Observers Guide to the Geology of Prince William Sound  •  Jim Lethcoe FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A locally published overview and guide to the geology of Prince William Sound with 78 photographs, maps and descriptions of 124 sites. It includes a history of mines and mining. (ALA139, $17.95)
Out of Work, A History of Wage-Earning Women in the United States (20th Anniversary Edition)  •  Alice Kessler-Harris HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES A historical examination of the changing role of women in the workplace in the United States. Kessler-Harris focuses on class, race and ethnicity, the relationship with men in the workforce with respect to gender inequalities, and the transformation of the perceived role of women in society, from mothers and homemakers to wage laborers. With a new Afterward by the author for the 20th anniversary edition. (GEN318, $24.95)
Passage to Juneau  •  Jonathan Raban TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 435 PAGES Setting out from his home in Seattle, sailing alone aboard a 35-foot ketch, Jonathan Raban made his way through Alaska's Inside Passage. This book is the story of that voyage, but it is more than just a travelogue. Raban delves into the past, trying to discover what draws men to the sea, and he ultimately learns a great deal about himself. A favorite writer, Raban (Bad Land, Coasting) is a British expatriate living in Seattle. (ALA94, $15.95)
Peoples of the Northwest Coast, Their Archaeology and Prehistory  •  Kenneth Ames  •  Herbert Maschner ARCHAEOLOGY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A readable, nicely illustrated survey of the culture and history of peoples along the along the Pacific Coast of North America from California to Alaska. Written by two noted anthropologists, the book covers the ecology, cultural traditions, art, war, hunting practices, and other aspects of daily life from prehistory to the modern era. With photographs and diagrams throughout. (PNW106, $24.95)
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska  •  Andy MacKinnon  •  Jim Pojar FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES For those with wide-ranging botanical interest, we recommend this terrific handbook to nearly 800 species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens. It features over 1,100 color photographs, and 1000 line drawings, color range maps, and a keys to identifying the plants in each family. Revised edition (PNW02, $24.95)
Poet of the Appetites, The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher  •  Joan Reardon BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES "When I write of hunger," MFK Fisher said in 1990, "I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it." Fisher chronicled her love for food and travel in more than 30 books over 50 years. Reardon researched Fisher's personal letters and interviewed family and friends to create this biography of the woman who John Updike called the "poet of the appetites." (GEN316, $15.00)
Portrait of Alaska's Inside Passage  •  Kim Heacox NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES This oversize paperback captures the region's natural beauty in a series of color photographs and informative essays, an excellent overview of Southeast Alaska's wild coastline, mountains and glaciers. (ALA36, $12.95)
The Presence of Whales, Contemporary Writers on the Whale  •  Frank Stewart NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 319 PAGES In this well chosen series of essays, some of our best modern writers enlighten and entertain on the subject of whales. In addition to a number of reports from the Pacific Northwest, the collection includes a Roger Payne piece on the humpback, Diane Ackerman's essay on the right whales of Patagonia and Barry Lopez's extraordinary thoughts on the narwhal. (BST02, $15.95)
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird  •  Phillip Hoose NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An engaging and well-researched history of the ivory-billed woodpecker, and the struggles surrounding its survival. It's a suspenseful and entertaining book about modern conservation and environmental issues for middle-school readers, featuring John James Audubon and others. The bird, only recently rediscovered, once ranged across the southeastern United States. With black-and-white photographs throughout. (BRD30, $21.00)
Remember D-Day, Both Sides Tell Their Stories  •  Ronald J. Drez  •  David Eisenhower HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS An engaging and well-constructed history of the D-Day invasion for readers in grades 5 to 8, complete with anecdotes from soldiers, black-and-white photographs, plenty of historical information, and an introduction by David Eisenhower which paints a personal portrait of his grandfather, Dwight. (USA96, $17.95)
Return to Wild America, A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul  •  Scott Weidensaul NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES Weidensaul follows in the footsteps conservation pioneers Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher in this homage to their 1953 journey, modern travelogue and eye-opening report on wilderness in America. (USA123, $15.00)
Roadside Geology, Alaska  •  Cathy O'Connor  •  Daniel O'Haire NATURAL HISTORY •  1988 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Designed for the roadside traveler, this series explains in detail the geologic history of Alaska as seen through the window. Though there are few roads in Southeast Alaska, the book treats the Inside Passage as part of Alaska's "marine highway" ferry system, and is a great introduction to basic geomorphology and how the dramatic landscapes were formed. Features black-and-white photographs complementing the amazingly detailed geologic maps. (ALA46, $18.00)
Seabirds of the World, A Photographic Guide  •  Peter Harrison FIELD GUIDE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES • COMING IN A field edition of Harrison's definitive seabird identification guide, featuring 740 color photographs. It illustrates all the world's seabirds, many in a variety of plumages. The book also contains a convenient key to identifying the confusing albatrosses, petrels and other tubenoses, as well as range maps and information about habitats and distribution. This is the book that you'd carry on any sea voyage; our ten-year-old edition has been everywhere. (FG16, $29.95)
The Settlement of the Americas, A New Prehistory  •  Thomas D. Dillehy ARCHAEOLOGY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A well received, engaging survey of new theories on the peopling of the Americas, a hotly debated topic. Dillehy's controversial (but convincing) findings at Monte Verde in Chile form the backbone of his argument, which focuses on his work in South America. Dillehy places the first inhabitants in South America at 15,000 years earlier than originally argued. Other still hang on to the theory that the first inhabitants crossed the Bering Strait 12,000 years ago, making their way south to Tierra del Fuego over the ensuing millennia. Dillehy's book is nonetheless a valuable contribution to the controversy over when -- and how -- humans populated the New World. (SAM43, $22.00)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America  •  David Sibley FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 474 PAGES A compact, geographically-specific version of the Sibley Guide with all-new range maps, the same glorious illustrations and expanded, extremely valuable descriptions of each bird with status, habitat, range, voice and identifying marks. The book covers 703 species of birds occurring west of the Rockies, including Alaska, the western Canadian provinces, Baja California and portions of northern Mexico. Maps show the range throughout North America. For birders living east of the Rockies, you'll want to use Sibley's "Birds of Eastern North America" (USE262). (USW418, $19.95)
Sold American: The Story of Alaska Natives and Their Land, 1867-1959  •  Donald Craig Mitchell HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 492 PAGES A provocative, scholarly history of U.S. government relations with Alaska's original inhabitants -- and of the people who descended upon Alaska in search of fame and, especially, fortune. The author, Donald Craig Mitchell, former vice-president and general counsel of the Alaska Federation of Natives, fought for the historic Alaskan land claims settlement. (ALA162, $29.95)
Spirited Waters: Soloing South Through the Inside Passage  •  Jennifer Hahn EXPLORATION •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 213 PAGES A plucky Alaskan naturalist and kayak guide, Hahn blends her own experiences with keen observations on natural history, navigation and local peoples in this captivating account of a 750-mile journey. (ALA163, $24.95)
The Stars, the Snow, the Fire  •  John Haines BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 162 PAGES A beautifully crafted series of quiet essays on wilderness, wildlife and making a home in the tundra and boreal forest on the Tanana River in Alaska (where the author homesteaded for 25 years). Haines' vision as a poet shines in his sparkling images and prose. Originally published in 1989, many of the chapters were first published in magazines. (ALA154, $15.00)
Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas  •  Ronald Wright HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A powerful history of imperialism and resistance in the Americas, with a focus on the Aztec, Maya, Inca, Cherokee and Iroquois. Wright's illuminating account, told largely from the point of view of the losers, details the rapid collapse of cultures and societies in the Americas following the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. Wright draws on an impressive range of archival material in reconstructing this classic account, originally published in 1993. Wright is also the author of Time Among the Maya. (NAM20, $17.00)
The Thousand-Mile War, World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians  •  Brian Garfield HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 456 PAGES A gripping account of the Aleutian Island campaign (1942-43), originally published in 1969. Many of the islands, depicted in black-and-white photographs, are littered with WWII era runways, huts and other relics. (ALA114, $24.95)
To See Every Bird On Earth: A Father, A Son, And A Lifelong Obsession  •  Dan Koeppel NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Ostensibly about birds and birdwatching, this enormously appealing book is a memoir by a talented writer of his father, a father who happens to be in the elite cadre of major birders. Dan Koeppel chronicles his father's growing interest in birds in this enormously appealing memoir of a life devoted to birds. Richard is a member of an elite group who have tallied more than 7,000 species. Koeppel includes his own travels tagging along and brief profiles of other eccentric listers. (BRD28, $14.00)
To the Top of the Continent  •  Frederick A. Cook EXPLORATION •  1996 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES The 90th anniversary edition of the much-debated account by Frederick Cook of his first-ever ascent of Mount McKinley (1903-1906), published by the Frederick Cook Society and including a history of the controversy, additional corroborating source material and a report of a 1994 expedition by Ted Heckathorn. With a selection of archival photographs and illustrations. Here you can read what the explorer himself said about the expedition. Apart from any question of Cooks character or claims, his book is a classic of mountaineering. (ALA83, $19.95)
Tongass, Pulp Politics and the Fight for the Alaska Rain Forest  •  Kathie Durbin NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES An environmental history of North America's largest temperate rainforest -- and the shenanigans that resulted in throwing open the region to commercial logging. Durbin, a journalist, weaves hundreds of interviews in this blow-by-blow campaign against Ketchikan Pulp in Alaska's era of pulp. (ALA105, $19.95)
Trains of Discovery, Western Railroads and the National Parks/Collector's Guide  •  Alfred Runte HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A celebration of the romance of rail travel, this book features wonderful period advertisements, archival and modern photographs, showing how the railroad contributed to the development of the National Park System. An illustrated tribute to American railroads and national parks, featuring period advertisements, posters and memorabilia of Glacier, Grand Canyon and Denali National Parks. (USW56, $19.95)
Treasures of Alaska, Last Great American Wilderness  •  Michael Melford  •  Jeff Rennicke CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES A magazine-style portrait of the Alaskan wilds in the National Geographic Destinations series. The intrepid author and photographer capture the range of beauty and experience of the Alaskan frontier from Juneau to the Aleutian Islands. (ALA170, $15.00)
Trout, An Illustrated History  •  James Prosek NATURAL HISTORY •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES James Prosek, a recent graduate of Yale who has already garnered great respect as a writer, illustrator and fly fisherman, offers up this portrait of the trout. The book chronicles the variety and history of the fish, but its main focus is on its more than 70 watercolor paintings illustrating the various common, rare and extinct species of trout in the world. (FSH03, $35.00)
Under Northern Lights, Writers and Artists View the Alaskan Landscape  •  Kesler Woodward  •  Frank Soos NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES Sixteen essays and 38 color plates are juxtaposed in this sampling of the glorious diversity of the Alaskan natural landscape. (ALA132, $39.95)
The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder  •  Peter Cashwell NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 269 PAGES A memoir of the birding life, its pleasures, obsessions and pitfalls. Based in the Carolinas (where he teaches English), Cashwell recounts in these essays the birds he's encountered, the why and wherefores of the birding life and some very entertaining anecdotes. Along the way, Cashwell traces his own development from casual novice to life lister (with a desire to see all the birds of North America). (BRD26, $14.95)
The Way of the Grizzly  •  Tom Walker  •  Larry Aumiller NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES A natural history of grizzlies at Alaska's McNeil River by a nature writer and the manager of the river's sanctuary. First published as "River of Bears," this nicely illustrated photo-essay documents the bears, their behavior and habitat. The action takes place just north of Katmai on the Gulf of Alaska. (BST83, $22.95)
The Way of the Masks  •  Claude Levi-Strauss CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1988 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES Famous French anthropologist Levi-Strauss interprets the social meaning behind a variety of spectacular masks created by the haida, Kwakiutl and other Pacific Northwest Indian cultures. This classic bridges the worlds of the visual and anthropological, revealing much about the native ethnic groups of the region. (PNW58, $22.50)
Whales and Dolphins in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book  •  James Mead  •  Flip Nicklin  •  Joy Gold NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A clever idea, well-executed. James Mead, the Smithsonian's curator of marine mammals, answers common, unusual and salient questions about whales and dolphins, as asked by the curious public via phone calls and letters to the Institution. With much excellent color photography by Flip Nicklin. (OCE78, $24.95)
Wilderness at Dawn: The Settling of the North American Continent  •  Ted Morgan HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 541 PAGES A compelling history of the colonization of North America from the first crossing of the Bering Strait to the American revolution by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Ted Morgan. (USE144, $24.95)
The Wilderness of Denali, Explorations of a Hunter-Naturalist in Northern Alaska  •  Charles Sheldon  •  C. Hart Merriam TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES Originally published by Scribner's in 1930, this classic memoir covers Sheldon's three years camping and hunting the area of Alaska surrounding Mt. McKinley. (ALA108, $21.95)
Winter Watch  •  James Ramsey  •  Laura Dasson HISTORY •  1989 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A journal of almost a year in the Brook's Range of Alaska, which helpfully includes a list of supplies and the books he read over the winter. Not completely isolated, the author writes of his friends and neighbors as well as the changing seasons. With drawings by Laura Dasson. (ALA78, $9.95)
The Wolves of Mount McKinley  •  Adolphe Murie NATURAL HISTORY •  1985 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES Murie's classic, originally published in the 1940s, is both a natural history of wolves and an overview of the ecology of in Denali Natural Park. He focuses, not surprisingly, on the relationship between predator and prey. (ALA195, $16.95)
Working on the Edge, Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession  •  Alan Walker HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES Enthralling, if not somewhat pulpy, these true-life tales of crab fishing expeditions off the coast of Alaska capture all the danger and adrenaline that go with making a living at sea. For authenticity's sake, the author served as a crewman on numerous boats and saw first-hand the risks -- and the money -- involved in Alaska's commercial fishing industry. (ALA158, $15.95)