Coming into the Country
Ratings4
Average rating4.6
15
Ratings4
Average rating4.6
Coming into the Country is an unforgettable account of Alaska and Alaskans. It is a rich tapestry of vivid characters, observed landscapes, and descriptive narrative, in three principal segments that deal, respectively, with a total wilderness, with urban Alaska, and with life in the remoteness of the bush. Readers of McPhee's earlier books will not be unprepared for his surprising shifts of scene and ordering of events, brilliantly combined into an organic whole. In the course of this volume we are made acquainted with the lore and techniques of placer mining, the habits and legends of the barren-ground grizzly, the outlook of a young Athapaskan chief, and tales of the fortitude of settlers—ordinary people compelled by extraordinary dreams. Coming into the Country unites a vast region of America with one of America's notable literary craftsmen, singularly qualified to do justice to the scale and grandeur of the design.
Reviews with the most likes.
Since I started traveling to Alaska for work, a few people have recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad they did. John McPhee is an easy, beautiful writer. The portraits of the people, the places, and the conundrums of Alaska as it transitioned from wilderness / lawless frontier to become a part of the U.S. legal system is fascinating, depressing, inspiring all in one. McPhee helped me dream of other lives and other perspectives, and made me think of Alaska with even more awe and humility than before.
