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ryan_oneil's review against another edition
2.0
So much meh. I couldn't actually finish. The writing become self-involved in a very unflattering way. There were a lot of places where the author was overly impressed with himself.
Also, certain word choices and phrasing made me think the writer is kind of a dillhole. I won't get into it but I just stopped caring about what he had to say, which is a shame. Alaska is a place that interests me.
Also, certain word choices and phrasing made me think the writer is kind of a dillhole. I won't get into it but I just stopped caring about what he had to say, which is a shame. Alaska is a place that interests me.
thegreenbean's review
5.0
Another great travel/adventure book. Will have to read more by Peter Jenkins.
mschmug's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed kayaking in the glaciers and the sled dog chapters. I must admit driving down the gravel road from Fairbanks to the Arctic Ocean does intrigue me but I need to learn strong survival skills first. If Peter and his family can do it, so can I.
richiew3's review against another edition
3.0
A solid book. Some parts a slow, but a lot of it is really good. The peek at "normal-day life" Alaska is awesome. It's very uplifting the faith that Peter Jenkins has in strangers and the amazing people's stories that he gets to tell on account of it. Makes me want to get out in the world and make new friends. Keep it up Peter.
kairosdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
I had read Peter Jenkin's Walk Across America and really enjoyed it. Because of this, when I saw Looking For Alaska on the shelf, I decided to snap it up. While I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other, it was still interesting and Jenkins is still a great writer.
Many years from his first book, Walk Across America, Jenkins has almost grown kids of his own and has explored many places of the world and America. His next stop is Alaska. Moving a portion of his family up (with the rest visiting from time to time)he lands in a place called Seward. But while he describes the beat and pulse of Seward, he also travels to many other different areas in Alaska and has some really wild experiences. He takes part in whale hunting, goes above the Arctic Circle, learns how to be a musher, and just travels to a wide variety of little visited places. But this book really isn't about his travel but more about the people of Alaska. And writing people is where Jenkins excels.
Jenkins loves to talk to people and it really shows in his book. He's almost always positive and despite the people being well, people, he writes them in a way that you really admire them despite any flaws. And he talks to so many that each chapter is basically a new story in this book. He talks to all different kinds of people with occupations such as musher, whale hunters, and others. And he gets time to know the Native people and get a glimpse into what their life is like.
His writing is very clear and you really get a sense of the people, if not the places that he's describing. Since he didn't focus too much on actual Alaska the place I was disappointed that more of the scenery wasn't described, but he made up for it in his excellent portrayal of the people. My other complaint would be that it seemed that he might have written this book in pieces and then put it together as numerous times information and facts were repeated just a chapter later than they first appeared. I also wasn't too fond of when he let his daughter write in on some of her experiences as I didn't find her as good a storyteller as her father.
Jenkins also includes many color and black and white photos of his adventures in Alaska and it was nice to put faces to names and see a bit of the area. A very interesting read on Alaska and anyone planning a trip there should definitely check it out.
Looking for Alaska
Copyright 2001
434 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
Many years from his first book, Walk Across America, Jenkins has almost grown kids of his own and has explored many places of the world and America. His next stop is Alaska. Moving a portion of his family up (with the rest visiting from time to time)he lands in a place called Seward. But while he describes the beat and pulse of Seward, he also travels to many other different areas in Alaska and has some really wild experiences. He takes part in whale hunting, goes above the Arctic Circle, learns how to be a musher, and just travels to a wide variety of little visited places. But this book really isn't about his travel but more about the people of Alaska. And writing people is where Jenkins excels.
Jenkins loves to talk to people and it really shows in his book. He's almost always positive and despite the people being well, people, he writes them in a way that you really admire them despite any flaws. And he talks to so many that each chapter is basically a new story in this book. He talks to all different kinds of people with occupations such as musher, whale hunters, and others. And he gets time to know the Native people and get a glimpse into what their life is like.
His writing is very clear and you really get a sense of the people, if not the places that he's describing. Since he didn't focus too much on actual Alaska the place I was disappointed that more of the scenery wasn't described, but he made up for it in his excellent portrayal of the people. My other complaint would be that it seemed that he might have written this book in pieces and then put it together as numerous times information and facts were repeated just a chapter later than they first appeared. I also wasn't too fond of when he let his daughter write in on some of her experiences as I didn't find her as good a storyteller as her father.
Jenkins also includes many color and black and white photos of his adventures in Alaska and it was nice to put faces to names and see a bit of the area. A very interesting read on Alaska and anyone planning a trip there should definitely check it out.
Looking for Alaska
Copyright 2001
434 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
lisacmiller's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
5.0
bibliomaineiac's review against another edition
4.0
Well written book about the author's time in Alaska. I read it as "prep" before my own upcoming trip to Alaska. Informative book, full of stories of Natives, as well as "outsiders". Amazing to learn how many live in an unforgiving environment, on their own terms, and with such happiness. Made me even more anxious for my trip, and hopefully see some of the same sights.
hollyfromthebigsky's review against another edition
4.0
I've never been to Alaska, but I've fallen a bit in love with the idea of the place. That, combined with my love for snow dogs and slight obsession with the Iditarod, drew me to this book, which I found really delightful armchair travel. Jenkins makes you wish you were there alongside him and his friends in the Alaskan bush at 50 below. His profiles of the people of the great state just fuel my travel lust. A great read....I've read Jenkins' first and now his most recent book, and will likely eventually make my way through the rest of his tales.
yulelogue's review against another edition
2.0
If you like travel writing, it’s fine. It’s fine.
It’s probably jump a star or two with some editing. A whole chapter of police blotter about bears digging in trash cans? Multiple entries from his daughter which are simply inane.
There is also a spirit of dishonesty. I believe he mentions having been to Alaska before. He paints a facade of blue-collar grit when he’s from Connecticut and flounces around the world with his kids. He gets melancholy as his father-in-law guns down a bull moose. Spare me.
It’s probably jump a star or two with some editing. A whole chapter of police blotter about bears digging in trash cans? Multiple entries from his daughter which are simply inane.
There is also a spirit of dishonesty. I believe he mentions having been to Alaska before. He paints a facade of blue-collar grit when he’s from Connecticut and flounces around the world with his kids. He gets melancholy as his father-in-law guns down a bull moose. Spare me.