Rating: 
Summary: What is that?
Review: >>>>>Alaska by James Michener, March 30, 2002
Reviewer: Cathy Sweetser from Maine
I gave the rating a 1 star since I haven't heard it yet. I never received the Audio tapes. I was charged for them and never got them. The seller claims to have sent 2 copies? I am very dissapointed with the marketplace. The seller said that they would refund my money but never did. Original order was back in Oct.This is March. I leave for a trip to Alaska very soon and wanted to listen to this book on tape while I read other books. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title <<<<<Why rate the book bad because someone didn't send you the tape. Deal with that person, don't put the book down. I thought the book was great, I learned a lot about the state of Alaska. My favorite Michener book is still Mexico, but Alaska is up there too.
Rating:
Summary: What is that?
Review: >>>>>Alaska by James Michener, March 30, 2002
Reviewer: Cathy Sweetser from Maine
I gave the rating a 1 star since I haven't heard it yet. I never received the Audio tapes. I was charged for them and never got them. The seller claims to have sent 2 copies? I am very dissapointed with the marketplace. The seller said that they would refund my money but never did. Original order was back in Oct.This is March. I leave for a trip to Alaska very soon and wanted to listen to this book on tape while I read other books. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title <<<<< Why rate the book bad because someone didn't send you the tape. Deal with that person, don't put the book down. I thought the book was great, I learned a lot about the state of Alaska. My favorite Michener book is still Mexico, but Alaska is up there too.
Rating:
Summary: ALASKA--THAT WORD SAYS IT ALL
Review: As a mystery author with my debut novel in its initial release, I found myself booked for a number of promotional appearances in Alaska. I re-read Mr. Michener's ALASKA to help me prepare for my journey. ALASKA, while a work of fiction, is amazingly informative and educational. James Michener is a masterful story teller, yet he always gives his reader a thorough feel for the setting he is writing about. In ALASKA, Michener covers that vastness we know as Alaska--from its earliest history to its present day challenges. When I arrived in Alaska, I felt most comfortable in that unique state because I had just read this book. It is a master work.
Rating:
Summary: One of Michener's finest books
Review: As always with Michener, the description of the locale and people is outstanding. This book takes you from the very beginning of the territory of Alaska to the present time. I was very interested in the Russians who settled in Alaska and the environmental issues that were raised even then. This is a long book, typically Michener, but it is divided into sections that allow you to start and stop (if you are able) at your convenience. I like Michener's works because I always learn something, as well as enjoying a wonderful story. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER GREAT BOOK BY MICHENER.........
Review: AS HE DID IN CENTENNIAL AND CHESAPEAKE, HISTORY IS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING FORMATS. TO READ ABOUT SOME-
ONE, A FAMILY, OR A PLACE IN A PERSONAL WAY MAKES THE UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORY MORE INTERESTING AND CREATES MORE PEOPLE
WHO WILL EXPLORE OUR HISTORY. THIS IS A MUST READ AS ARE HIS
OTHER BOOKS.
Rating:
Summary: Another brilliant accomplishment from Michener
Review: By chance, I brought this book to read on a fishing/camping trip. I had no idea how captivating it would be to learn the life cycle of a salmon along with the captivating story line Michener never fails to pull off. By far, this is no simple fishing tale. It is packed with the richest of scenes and fascinating characters. My appreciation for the history and people of Alaska will forever be with me because of this book. There is no one that can duplicate Michener's literary skills, or even that come close. Don't let yourself be intimidated by the volume of the novel for the story is action packed difficult to put down. You will not be disappointed in Alaska.
Rating: 
Summary: Do NOT buy this flawed audio book!
Review: Do yourself a favor and pass on this one. While Michener's novel is incredibly wonderful, this audio book does not do it justice. Having read the book shortly before I bought the audiocassette so that my family could listen while on a driving vacation, I know that there are horrific gaps in the plotlines. This might be excusable, considering the length of the novel, but the taping quality is very bad. There are many distracting gaps, often as if it was edited in mid-sentence. At one point in the middle, another narrator even takes over for a sizable reading before Peter Graves returns! This is by far the worst audio book I have ever heard.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must for Canadians
Review: Every Canadian should read this book as our northern frontier people and the NWMP come out very well in it, especially when you compare it to the chaos that reined in Alaska for so many years after America purchased it. I found this book extremely entertaining and of course the similarities of climate and people in Alaska to our Yukon makes it seem like almost like a history of our northern territories as well. Anyone who is a Michener should not consider their readings of his works complete until they read this book. It's more of fictionalized than a lot of Michener's books, but that makes it even more entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: EPIC, but a bit too drawn out
Review: I am lucky enough to have taken 2 cruises to Alaska and it is, by far, one of my favorite places in the world! Shortly after my 2nd cruise, I snatched at everything I could get my hands on to learn more about the history and background of this area. When I saw that Michener wrote the be-all, end-all novel on Alaska, I raced at the opportunity to read it.
For those who don't know, this book is NOT necessarily dubbed as an accurate representation on the "history" of Alaska. Michener creatively takes real historical happenings but devises made-up characters and stories around events such as The Gold Rush, the settling of certain areas/cities, the salmon industry, etc... This allows the reader to associate with engaging story lines while simultaneously learning a fair amount regarding the historic progression of Alaska and all events surrounding the creation of our 49th state. Some chapters are better than others throughout the book, but most of the book keeps the reader engrossed with Michener's imaginative stories. One particular chapter, entitled 'Salmon,' is my personal favorite, outlining the life duties of a single fish and its journey through different bodies of water. Michener has a very innovative way of tying in the lives of the characters and their duties (primarily in the salmon cannery industry) in with the life-long (short) voyage of a fish he calls Nerka. This chapter can be a single story within itself! Lastly, I feel the book is generally appreciated more by people who have visited Alaska since the visual association with areas Michener mentions in the book are so memorable.
So, why only 4 stars? To begin, it's a very long book (as with most of Michener's novels). Be very patient reading it! Additionally, there are points of the novel that are jumpy, inconsistent, and tend to really drag on. Sure, it all ties in eventually, but Michener goes to the "nth degree" with details about certain characters, only for the reader to find out later they were fictional all along. Unfortunately, the end of the novel seems to be the most guilty part of this characteristic, which unfortunately concludes with an oddly anti-climactic ending. I give the author credit for putting the amount of time and research it took to create such a gem. However, I feel myself gravitating toward a history book on Alaska to see just what is fact and what is fiction after all.
Rating:
Summary: A great historical realistic fiction book
Review: I believe that this book is the best book written by James Michener, with Carribean, Hawaii and Chesapeake following closely. This book has a generally good plot all around, and is deserving of a longer hold on the top 100 bestsellers list...
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