The Great Land: Reflections on Alaska

Alaska, that harsh and unforgiving land, is chronicled on a grand scale here by 20 writers from the 19th and 20th centuries, including such well-known names as John Muir, Edward Hoagland and John Dos Passos. The essays cover a diversity of topics ranging from local reaction to the Exxon Valdez disaster to a Russian missionary's fascinating 19th-century observations about the Aleut people. Many of the accounts are highly personal, such as the excerpt from Libby Beaman's diary (1879-1880). The first non-Native American woman to reside in the remote Pribilof Islands, she writes of being captivated by the islands' many seals, only to later witness a slaughter for their pelts. ``Wake of the Unseen Object: Black River'' by Tom Kizzia gives readers an inside look at a contemporary village where old customs are ``part of a separate world lying beneath the visible surface.'' All of the stories touch upon the beauty of nature in some way, with rich firsthand descriptions of whales, sea otters, grizzly bears, spawning salmon and more. A worthy book for those interested in Alaska and the rugged individuals who call it home. (May)