Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska My favorite Alaska books

I collect the old whalers accounts and diarys, gold seekers jounals, and most anything published.

My favorite is the Arctic, and further the personal accounts, no matter when, 200 years ago or yesterday. Explores and first contacts, accounts fromthe Franklin Expeditions, etc.

Of those, I love the descriptive first hand accounts of the Revenue Cutters and the scientists they brought along.
The Revenue Service (predates the Coast Guard) and the Navy both sent cartographers up the Kobuk and Noatak Rivers in the summer of 1884 and mapped the places. Kobuk River has mostly Inupiaq names, as they were accompanied by locals who could name them, though the guys who mapped the noatak had no loacls along, nor met any while they went up the river. (At that time of year people were down at the Ocean Hunting/Fishing, or on the mountain/ridges looking for Summer Caribou)

Anyways, these also came with the very first maps made of the areas, which is extra kiss kiss special, to me at least, as collecting maps is also a hobbie, and I have afew really good ones..





The map has the name ''Koowak'' spelled phonically, which was first named by the Dane Otto von Kotzebue, and its Germanic pronunciation, so its a ''long V'' rather than a ''W'' Koo-vuck'', later englishized to Kobuk..........

Thank you Captain Obvious...

Gees turkey give you indigestion and make you super grumpy?

Hell when is Someone going to publish a book on Joe Want.. I buy that thing right now..

You just need to come over some evening when Joe and I are having a few beers 😁

10,000 campfires by Jay Massey. It is an incredible book and one that is rare and expensive. Massey had a real knack with words and writing.

Many others were mentioned. I have some that are great. I really like the fleshed out style of Duncan Gilchrist and the Trophy Rams of the Brooks Range. It isnt as flowery as some but it reads very well.

Russell Annabelle's storytelling in any of his books is very good. Hunting and Fishing in Alaska is a superb book. I recommend it highly!

I collect the old whalers accounts and diarys, gold seekers jounals, and most anything published.

My favorite is the Arctic, and further the personal accounts, no matter when, 200 years ago or yesterday. Explores and first contacts, accounts fromthe Franklin Expeditions, etc.

Of those, I love the descriptive first hand accounts of the Revenue Cutters and the scientists they brought along.
The Revenue Service (predates the Coast Guard) and the Navy both sent cartographers up the Kobuk and Noatak Rivers in the summer of 1884 and mapped the places. Kobuk River has mostly Inupiaq names, as they were accompanied by locals who could name them, though the guys who mapped the noatak had no loacls along, nor met any while they went up the river. (At that time of year people were down at the Ocean Hunting/Fishing, or on the mountain/ridges looking for Summer Caribou)

Anyways, these also came with the very first maps made of the areas, which is extra kiss kiss special, to me at least, as collecting maps is also a hobbie, and I have afew really good ones..





The map has the name ''Koowak'' spelled phonically, which was first named by the Dane Otto von Kotzebue, and its Germanic pronunciation, so its a ''long V'' rather than a ''W'' Koo-vuck'', later englishized to Kobuk..........

Dang, glad to read this thread, now I have several more books I want to get ahold of.

What about Butch King, did he ever do any writing?

Back when Title Wave was in a little tiny shop, no coffee shop or knitted hats they knew me by name and had a few books ready from my want list almost every time.