In this unforgettable and astutely observed travel classic, Pulitzer Prize winner John McPhee journeys into the wild frontiers and frigid climate of Alaska - exploring the diverse terrain of this northern US state. Travelling by foot and canoe, helicopter and dog team, McPhee traverses total wilderness, urban landscape, and the depths of the bush, drawing a rich and comprehensive history of this vast land and its varied inhabitants. With his keen eye and poetic sensibility at the helm, we paddle with McPhee through the salmon-filled waters of the Brooks Range rivers, meet a young chief of the Athapaskan tribe, and become well-acquainted with the habits of the barren-ground grizzly bear. We enocounter settlers along the way and discover the extraordinary dreams that impel them to survive on one of the most remote regions on Earth.