Alaska: A History of the 49th State

This is an excellent overview of a rich and varied history of Alaska. The end of the book is not as up to date as one would hope, and an updated version is overdue. Claus Naske gives a full and fascinating account of the early development, of the 49th State. Many wonderful photographs are included from the author's personal collection. Despite its shortcomings this book is worthwhile. However, a new edition covering the period from the late 1980s to the present would make this volume far more relevant and complete.

The original version of this book was published by Eerdmans in 1979, and is now something of a collector's item. The 1994 update picked up 15 years of new history, but now another 15 years have passed without a new edition. Of course, the early history has not changed - just our perspective on it. The best feature of the book is the great land that is its focus. Alaska's past and present is so different from other states that this historical study will be fascinating to most readers. It is more of a political and economic history than a social or natural history. The book will appeal primarily to those interested in adding to their understanding of the various powers that ruled the wild region and to those intrigued with the process of setting up a new state and resolving complex land claim issues. The authors have included an excellent collection of historical drawings and photographs, though the reproduction quality is not the best. The complete footnotes will aid scholars, as will the statistical and historical information in the appendices. No single work can tell the complete story of Alaska. This one would be an excellent addition to any collection. It is very readable, insightful, and accurate.

Although I am not from Alaska, nor have I ever visted it, I found this book very enjoyable. I was looking to learn more about the history of Alaska and boy did I. This is a big book and it provides alot of information from the prehistoric era right up to the late 20th century. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get a feel for the history of this very interesting state.