Alaska Homesteader's Handbook: Independent Living on the Last Frontier

I read every book I can find on Alaska, and was happy to find this one among titles I didn't already own. It's written with a separate chapter for each person or couple who have been homesteading in Alaska. Some stories are about people who passed away in the last few years but lived in Alaska most of their lives. Some are from younger people who are currently living there. But all of the stories are full of hard-working, resourceful, tough people who have survived by their determination and the Alaskan spirit.There are many maps in the book, showing where various homesteaders live, and each highlighted homesteader gives his or her own tips for living in Alaska - like how to dress for below-zero temperatures, how to care for sourdough, how to identify edible berries, how to make birch syrup, etc. There were photos and recipes and side-bars that really added to the stories.I was pleased to recognize some of the names in the book from other books I've read or products I've used - Jim Helmericks (Arctic Hunter, We live in Alaska), Lisa Frederic (Alaska's Golden Spoon sourdough), Leslie Leyland Fields (Surviving the Island of Grace), and Glen Alsworth (son of Babe Alsworth of Richard Proenneke fame).This book is a quick read but one that any homesteader or fan of Alaska and her residents will enjoy.

This is a great book if you don't live in Alaska and don't know a thing about living up here. For someone like myself who has been born and raised here, its still a good book. I enjoyed reading about others experiences here, and reading more into homesteading. Some chapter's I already knew quite well about, such as those darn moose attacking you broccoli and cauliflower, and outhouses. But things such as the sourdough, gold mining, and making yourself a cold storage were nice information. This book is informative and great for starting into Alaska living and homesteading. I would suggest people read this book with the expectation of needing to seek other sources for more in depth information on some subjects. But this book is great for letting you know what you need to ask and where to start.

With all the interest in anything Alaskan these days, I think this book is interesting and quite a fun read - a great gift.In a unique approach, Tricia Brown and Nancy Gates have gone to great lengths in finding a variety of Alaskan characters, offering snippets of why and how they got to where they are, with details for solving some of their not-so-common challenges with living in remote Alaska.Ever wonder how "two's a crowd" on a remote island? Or how to keep a moose out of your garden? Or how to dress for 50 below zero? Check out the articles on Leslie Leyland Fields, Ann D. Roberts and Jim Helmericks. Think living off the grid is hard when you have to start a generator to heat the oil for your car - before heading off to work? Kris Capps explains with great humor in Chapter One. You'll get hooked there, and read right on through to How to Survive Alaskan Winters in a Tent.No, you won't be qualified to live in bush Alaska after finishing this book. You will though, better understand how folks do some of the crazy things they consider totally mundane in their every day lives in Alaska, and along the way meet real people just living their lives.

More about the people, their stories of how they ended up there... not really a technical book on survival skills, but a good evening's read if you like brief tall tales of adventure, in short two or three page lumps. I had a good time reading it, but it did not make me want to sell everything and move to Alaska, instead, I was VERY happy to realize that the prairie was a nice place to land all by itself...

We love this book, and have purchased nearly a dozen copies to give to our adult children and close friends. Very thoughtfully compiled and written, this book will be of interest to Alaska residents as well as those who may not have ever been to this great state. Stories written by homesteaders and pioneers about how they have survived the elements and forged a life in this raw, beautiful place.

I learned a lot about what is required to survive in the outback. I think it is a great book. Some of the diagrams were not the clearest but I was able to get the idea. There were some pretty interesting stories in there as well. Not exactly a foxfire book, but you will be able to get the flavor of the book. I think the message was for me: Here are some successful stories of folks who survived, but be ready to work, because survival is totally up to you!

When I purchased this book, I was looking for more details because we plan on moving there to live in the wilderness. Each topic is divided into 2-3 pages but not a whole of detail is given. If you just want a brief overview this is great however.

I love this book.

Lots of snippets of nice information, was in an unusual style and I felt like it could have provided more information about certain subjects.

Good value for money.

Lovely book ,easy to enjoy

I asked for a paperback version nit kindle! How do I sort this

Not what I expected!