Best Alaska Books to Purchase for Your Alaskan Road Trip: From Culture to History to Travel

As I mentioned last week, I wanted to start sharing with y'all some recap posts on the last Alaskan Road Trip that we did in 2019 and I hope that it encourages you to consider taking a road trip of your own this summer to this beautiful part of the world. With the world slowly opening back up to travel, the places that we went to and explored are a really good option, especially for those (who like myself) are extremely cautious with health reasons as we were outside and separated away so much.

If you are interested in planning an Alaskan Road trip in the future, then you may be curious about what (if any) books you should purchase before your trip or to bring along on your trip. I will say that before every blog writing trip that I take, I do a ton of research on the area. I know that research is not a substitute for seeing and experiencing a place, but whether it is the "learner heart" in me or not, I love to read and research a lot before a trip. This probably sounds very nerdy of me, but I have found that the more I learn and research ahead of time about a place I have never been to, the more that I have loved the trip.

I love reading different books, watching movies (or you tube videos from other travel bloggers) or listening to podcasts from those in the area. To me this is an exciting way to prepare for the trip and it always further excites me to think about all that I am going to see! I also feel like I end up more in the experience of where I am and love the surroundings even more. Do y'all feel the same way?

I do think that first-hand information is the absolute best and so I was so incredibly grateful for those who talked with me about the trip for weeks and months leading up to it. I know I have said this before, but first-hand words are priceless. If you are looking for books for your trip here are a few that I definitely recommend. Whether you are planning a trip to Alaska in the near future or planning a Road trip down the road, here are some of the best books to purchase for your upcoming trip:

Travel Books

(1) Moon Guides- Anchorage, Denali, & The Kenai Peninsula

For this road trip that we were taking we were going to be spending the most time in this area so this definitely became one of the most used books that I referred to and consulted for these areas as far as travel books are concerned. Also- this is the only guidebook for these specific areas, so if you are taking a trip here than you will definitely want to get this! You can purchase the book HERE.

(2) Moon Guides- Alaska

Another helpful Moon book is this general state Alaska Moon Guides. It covers the entire state and has a ton of helpful information in it for those who are looking for a "broader" book. You can purchase the book HERE. Also, I was honored to be part of this book- the back inside cover has a picture from our trip! Thank you again Moon for the honor!

(3) Fodor's Travel Alaska

This book I used a lot in my beginning research for writing about why you should dream about a trip to Alaska and one that was helpful in providing a ton of information about Alaska in general. You can find the book HERE.

(4) Lonely Planet- Alaska

This book is the newest published travel book on Alaska (at this time)- releasing in May 2018. As far as research for the trip I did consult it for a few items and would definitely recommend it as far as the most up-to-date information that is available at this time. The book also had some interesting planning advice that was different than the books above. Personally I felt all of the books were helpful in different ways for this trip. If you are interested in this book you can find it HERE.

Biographies, Autobiographies, and Stories Books

(1) A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska

I came across this book in antique bookstore in the early summer, shortly after I had made the decision to take the writing trip. Being a former teacher, I love stories of teachers in different areas, so the name and the setting were very intriguing to me and I loved the book. For those that may be interested, the book is a true story of Hannah Breece who came to Alaska in 1904. Here is what the back cover description reads:

"When Hannah Breece came to Alaska in 1904, it was a remote lawless wilderness of prospectors, murderous bootleggers, tribal chiefs, and Russian priests. She spent fourteen years educating Athabascans, Aleuts, Inuits, and Russians with the stubborn generosity of a born teacher and the clarity of an original and independent mind. Jane Jacobs, Hannah's great-niece, here offers an historical context to Breece's remarkable eyewitness account, filling in the narrative gaps, but always allowing the original words to ring clearly. It is more than an adventure story: it is a powerful work of women's history that provides important--and, at times, unsettling--insights into the unexamined assumptions and attitudes that governed white settler's behavior toward native communities at the turn of the century."

The New York times said it is: "An unforgettable...story of a remarkable woman who lived a heroic life" and I would definitely agree. If you are interested in the book you can find it for less than $6 HERE.

(2) 81 Days Below Zero

Some of you are already smiling. You know that I couldn't include a list of books without listing one that included the time frame of World War II. This book is an amazing story of a World War II pilot that survives in the Alaskan Frozen Wilderness. As a brief synopsis this book tells the story of 5 army aviators who went out on a routine flight to test their plane shortly before Christmas in 1943. Unfortunately the mission ended in a crash and only one person survived. Leon Crane, the survivor, had all of the odds stacked against him in order to survive, as he was a city kid from Philadelphia and had no wilderness experience at all. With only a parachute for cover and an old Boy scout knife, this book tells the story of his remarkable 12 weeks saga to survive. It is an amazing tale of survival and I definitely recommend it y'all. You can find it on Amazon to purchase HERE.

(3) Tisha: The Wonderful True Love Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness

This was a book that a friend recommended to me and I found it incredibly interesting and wonderful to read. If you like When Calls the Heart, the concept is very similar and you would find it a fascinating and interesting read also. This book though is a true story and I was amazed by Tisha's courage and her capacity to love despite some incredible odds in this time period. The book was originally published in 1976, but has since been reprinted and updated. You can find it on Amazon to purchase HERE.

(4) Into the Wild

I almost hesitated to list this one because I know so many people have already read the book and are probably very familiar with the story. As I was researching for the trip though I realized that I hadn't read the book in years and so when I found it at a garage sale I took the time to re-read through it.

I don't know if it is maybe the most "uplifting" read some might say as you are about to embark on a road trip through Alaska... but there is a depth to this book that I think can be easily missed in the popularity of it. Jon Krakauer (the author) does a fantastic job of really examining McCandless's life as he looked for a vision quest like his heroes. Despite the wealth and privileged background that he came from, he was still searching and looking for something that would give him worth and meaning. Krakauer examines the concept of what it means in many ways to die and the choices that we make and the relationship ties that we have in this world. If you haven't read it, it is definitely worth a read and before a trip to Alaska would be a fitting time. You can find it HERE.

(5) Tip of the Iceberg

Tip of the Iceberg, which was just released in May of 2018 tells the story of Mark Adams who set out to recreate the famous 1899 summer expedition, using Alaska's public ferry system. For those who aren't familiar with it (I wasn't either before reading this book), the famous 1899 expedition was organized by Edward H. Harriman where he converted a steamship into a luxury "floating university" that was populated and attended by some of America's leading and brightest scientists and writers at the time, including John Muir. (For those who have been around the blog for sometime you know that I loved my visit to the Muir Woods back in 2016 and it was during my visit that I learned more about the life of John Muir.)

In the book, Mark Adams travels over 3,000 miles using the Alaska Marine Highway System. The book is a fascinating read, and inspired my desire to take a trip on one of the ferries during our road trip. Even though that didn't work out for this trip, it is definitely something I would consider for a future trip, and those planning to include a ferry ride as part of your transportation will definitely find this fascinating. You can find the book to purchase HERE.

cookbooks and food

(1) The Alaska From Scratch Cookbook

Maya Wilson, the author of the cookbook and the author behind the blog, Alaska from Scratch, shares over 75 delicious and family-friendly recipes in her book, The Alaska From Scratch Cookbook. Her photography is stunning and when I found her blog before the trip, I was absolutely enthralled.

She seriously is amazing and I think I follow her on all of her social media sites - hahaha. She writes for several different places and she's inspiring and her story of how she ended up in Alaska is just so cool. You can read about it on her blog HERE. As a fellow blogger and author I love seeing when people branch out from their blog and turn their talent of writing into a book so that even more people have the opportunity to read their words. And when it is a cookbook it is a dream... hahaha.

Some of you are shaking your heads smiling because you know that I just love books. And Y'all know I love cooking and cookbooks. *smiles*. But seriously... this one is a keeper and one that is a treasure no matter where you live. You will definitely want to add this to your bookshelf for before your trip and after wards. It is wonderful. This book was one of my favorite finds in researching and I can't recommend it enough. It would also make a wonderful gift as the holidays approach. You can find the book to purchase HERE.

(2) Homestead Kitchen

Homestead Kitchen, written by Eve and Eivin Kilcher, who are the stars of the reality show, "Alaska: The Last Frontier" share 85 original recipes in their book and give advice on gardening, preserving, and foraging also. The photographs are stunning and I walked away encouraged on how to become less dependent on mass produced products and really enjoyed the book thoroughly. We have already tried a couple of the recipes and they are delicious. You can find the book to purchase HERE.

(side note- has anyone seen Alaska: The Last Frontier?? Y'all know I am not a huge TV person, but after this book I am tempted to see it! Let me know!)

Honorable Mentions

1. Alaska Road Map

This map turned out to be one of the best maps that we used and I would definitely recommend it. There are places a lot of places in Alaska that you won't have service so having a road map is incredibly practical. This one is less than $3 and you can find it HERE.

2. Moon- Southeast Alaska

Depending on where you are going on your road trip you may find this book to be helpful. As a note of warning it is from 2009 so some of the information is a bit of out date, but it would still be helpful if you are planning to travel in this area of Alaska. You can find it HERE.

3. The Milepost

This book (it feels more like a magazine) is printed once a year and does have some helpful information in for a trip to Alaska which is why I have included it in the honorable mentions. But... it also includes other areas outside of Alaska and the price is a lot more than any other thing I have mentioned. If you want a more magazine feel with some helpful information, and don't mind the price, than this is for you. I think this is a book that you could purchase and bring along on your trip and find it interesting to read. You can find it HERE.

(4) Rural Alaska Teacher Moving Guide: What to Expect on the Last Frontier

I came across this book in researching for the trip and looking up stories of those who had moved to Alaska and bought it kind of on a whim. It's a bit random for a road trip, but I included it in this honorable mention list, as reading it truly gave me a picture of what moving to a rural part of Alaska would entail.

I read it very intrigued and then driving on the Denali Highway I found myself laughing and smiling remembering somethings that the author shared. If you are going to be traveling to any remote place on your road trip, this book is honestly an excellent picture of what those who live there encounter. Definitely worth the read, I am sure y'all will love it as much as I did! You can find it HERE.

I hope that you find this list helpful! What about y'all? Any Alaska books you would add to this list?

Happy Tuesday friends! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Want to step forward and plan your trip but not sure how? Check out all of the Alaska Road Trip posts from our trips in 2018 and 2019 which you can find them in the Alaska travel section on my blog by clicking HERE or you can click on the specific links below:

// Alaska 4x4 Rentals Review//
// A Trip To Remember: Our 9 Day Alaskan Road Trip Itinerary -2018//

// Best Alaskan Books to Purchase for Your Road Trip //

// What to Pack for an Alaskan Summer Road Trip //
// Why You Should Dream About Visiting Alaska //

// 5 Reasons You Need to Take an Alaskan Road Trip//