People often write me asking for book recommendations. Frankly, I rarely read about Alaska. I live here and I experience it. However, after being asked this question so many times, I've decided to share my collection of Alaskana.
If you are planning a trip to Alaska, an invaluable aid is the
The Milepost.
It is updated every year and has a mile-by-mile description of the Alaska Highway as well as maps, Alaska State Ferry schedules, and useful information about cruise ships and the Inside Passage.
I've bought more than one copy of
The Milepost.
for trips we've taken. It has detailed descriptions and mileposts for all the highways in Alaska, as well as those coming from the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, and Northwest Territories.
I recommend you get this book before you leave home. It makes a great trip planner, and a lot of the advertisements
can help you make reservations ahead of time. By summertime, hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast establishments are usually booked.
Plan ahead so you won't be disappointed. Some bookstores will order it for you ($25.95) or you can order it online here (discounted price $17.13) by clicking on the book cover. Used copies are available at
.
An updated edition of
The Milepost
is published each year in March.
An audio version of
Coming into the Country
is also available, although it may have to be backordered.
The following books are ones that I have purchased for my own home library. After I started my web site, I realized that I had much to learn about the place I live.
Cole is a columnist for the Fairbanks Daily News Miner. His down-home style makes for an easy-to-read history of Fairbanks, stretching from the 1901 arrival of E.T. Barnette on the banks of the Chena River though the boom and bust of the pipeline-building days.
Compass American Guides presents
Alaska written by John Murray and photographed by Don Pitcher. Beautifully illustrated with full color photos, maps, wilderness lodges, native arts, wildlife viewing, luxury cruises, fishing chargers, and Alaska's national parks. Published by Fodor's.
The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska (24th Ed): With the Wacky Wisdom of Mr. Whitekeys
is a very useful resource for Alaska facts. Black-and-white photos and maps, demographics, zip codes, national historic places, geography, radio stations, glossary, hunting, fishing, furs and trapping, records, government, and a brief history of the state. This book is updated periodically.
Alaska Best Places : Restaurants, Lodgings, and Adventure (1997) edited by Nan Elliot is arranged by localities. In each area, you'll find descriptions of the restaurants, lodgings, things to do, places to visit, festivals and events, wilderness guides, winter time activities, and where to find the best cup of coffee in town.
