Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Suggested Reading

Read Up on Alaska


We know that it’s always nice to read a few books about the area you’ll be visiting, so we’ve listed a few of our favorites here for you. Hope you’ll enjoy them!

Where the Sea Breaks it’s Back: The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska
by Corey Ford and Lois Darling

The classic and moving story of naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who served on the 1741-42 Russian Alaska expedition with explorer Vitus Bering. Steller was one of Europe’s foremost naturalists and the first to document the unique wildlife of the Alaskan coast.

Brittle Stars & Mudbugs: An Uncommon Field Guide to Northwest Shorelines & Wetlands
by Patricia K. Lichen

Alaska abounds in natural wonders, and this field guide is as interesting as the world it describes. Filled with both amazing and amusing true-life tales about Northwest plants and animals, this uncommon field guide will appeal to the casual observer and the avid naturalist alike.

The Thousand Mile War: World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians
by Brian Garfield

A powerful story of the battles of the United States and Japan on the bitter rim of the North Pacific. This book has been acclaimed as one of the great accounts of World War II. The history of the brave men who had served in the Aleutians is very compelling and this is the first full-length history of the Aleutian campaign. The book remains a favorite among Alaskans.

The Quiet World
by Douglas Brinkley

Acclaimed historian Douglas Brinkley offers a riveting, expansive look at the past and present battle to preserve Alaska’s wilderness. Not merely a record of Alaska’s past, Quiet World is a compelling call-to-arms for sustainability, conservationism, and conscientious environmental stewardship.

Coming Into the Country
by John McPhee

This book is an unforgettable account of Alaska and Alaskans. It is a rich tapestry of vivid characters, observed landscapes, and descriptive narrative, in three principal segments that deal, respectively, with a total wilderness, with urban Alaska, and with life in the remoteness of the bush.

The Complete Guide to Kenai Fjords National Park
by Jim Pfeiffenberger

Written by a Seward local, this book offers information about the Kenai Fjords National Park’s plants, animals, geology, and history. It also includes suggestions on what to see & do, as well as information on nearby Resurrection Bay, Seward, Kachemak Bay State Park, and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

Looking Both Ways: Heritage and Identity of the Alutiiq People
by Aron Crowell

Looking Both Ways is an extraordinary introduction to the indigenous people and the vital culture of Alaska’s south-central coast. Combining archaeology, history, and oral tradition, it traces the Alutiiq path through ancestral generations to contemporary life, including today’s compelling issues of cultural identity and autonomy.

Looking for Alaska
by Peter Jenkins

Looking for Alaska is Peter’s account of eighteen months spent traveling over twenty thousand miles in tiny bush planes, on snow machines and snowshoes, in fishing boats and kayaks, and on the Alaska Marine Highway searching for what defines Alaska. Hearing the amazing stories of many real Alaskans–from Barrow to Craig, Seward to Deering, and everywhere in between–Peter gets to know this place in the way that only he can. His resulting portrait is a rare and unforgettable depiction of a dangerous and beautiful land and the people that call it home.