life on the koyukuk

[Vaultman]

My dad tells me he read a book he borrowed from a friend long ago. It was tilted "Life on the Koyukuk". About a person growing up or living on the Koyukuk River in Alaska. Being that he's mentioned it several times over the years I would love to read it. I have googled and amazoned it, but only come up with "Shadows on the Koyukuk" which I am told is incorrect.
Anyone here ever read / heard of it (and know the correct name / author)?

 

[beachbunny]

written by a woman?

 

[Redmammut]

look through the UAF library catolog online to see if you can find what you're looking for.

I use to do a lot of historical and ethnographic research in the Koyukuk Region. I've never heard of a book with that specific title. It might be a manuscript or study published by Annette Mcfadyen Clark who did a lot of Archelogy there in the 70s and has published a few ethnographic reports as well. There were also a lot of elder biographys published by yukon koyukuk school district in the 1980s.

Shadows on the Koyukuk is a must read. His brother wrote "on the Edge of Nowhere" which is as good as Shadows. Richard Nelson's "Make prayers for the Raven" is good too. The only other Koyukuk memoir I can think of off hand is "Arctic Village" by Robert Marshall.

 

[Vaultman]

He said authored by a man.
It's about a boy and his brother and their survival on the river. Apparently there is a chapter about a bear that he said would make an impression. I seem to think it has to be "Shadows on the Koyukuk", but he seemed convinced that was incorrect.
@Redmammut , does that sound right? I don't want to know everything in the book, but I would like to know I am in the right book.

 

[Tod osier]

He said authored by a man.
It's about a boy and his brother and their survival on the river. Apparently there is a chapter about a bear that he said would make an impression. I seem to think it has to be "Shadows on the Koyukuk", but he seemed convinced that was incorrect.
@Redmammut , does that sound right? I don't want to know everything in the book, but I would like to know I am in the right book.

That is the book given your description.

 

[Redmammut]

There was a chapter in Jimmy's book about three bears that definitely left an impression on me, even after a decade after reading the book.

It sounds like it was either Shadows on the Koyukuk or Edge of Nowhere. Looking on Amazon, the full title to Shadows is "Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native's Life Along the River"

Do yourself a favor and buy both and read both. Life was real back then.

 

[wyodan]

I've read "Shadows on the Koyukuk" and believe that is the book you are referring to. The author is Jim Reardon, who writes several very good biographies, and I generally don't enjoy non fiction too much.

 

[alaskalund]

"Shadows..." is by Sidney Huntington and Jim Reardon contributes.
Nick Jans is a prolific Alaskan writer and lived in the area and wrote extensively about it. "The Last Light Breaking" and "A Place Beyond" are exceptional.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

written by a woman?

What kind of creep would allow his woman to learn to write??? what is this world coming to???

 

[Vaultman]

Thanks y'all! It's on my list!

 

[beachbunny]

That is the book given your description.

Roger,I was thinking of another book

 

[Tod osier]

What kind of creep would allow his woman to learn to write??? what is this world coming to???

Same kind that lets them be involved in boat purchasing.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Same kind that lets them be involved in boat purchasing.

Hey it’s not my fault that I’m a trophy husband and my wife makes that medical profession $$$$.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

I just finished that book and it is a great read! Readings these old time.books sometimes makes me feel like a pansy when out in the woods.

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[Voyageur]

Really appreciate the heads up on these books. Thanks to all.

 

[Vaultman]

Really appreciate the heads up on these books. Thanks to all.

I came here asking about 1 book and now I have a bunch to read! Great suggestion on here.

 

[AK Troutbum]

It’s definitely “Shadows on the Koyukuk”, that you’re describing. I met Sidney back in ‘08 and had a cup of coffee with him one morning in Galena. He was quite the character and a super interesting person with many stories to tell.


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[Vaultman]

I am very close to finishing this book (Shadows on the Koyukuk). Everyone on here who said it was a "Must read" was 100% CORRECT"!

 

[william schmaltz]

If you enjoyed Shadows of the Koyukuk, "Make Prayers to the Raven" is worth adding to your list as well. They later did a video series titled "Make Prayers to the Raven" that's on youtube. I would recommend both - the video series is different than the book and was more so just a chosen name for a videography of the Koyukon people.

 

[JLMUELZ]

Read 'On the Edge of Nowhere' by his brother James Huntington. I actually liked it more. Both are amazing books.