A remarkable compilation of practical information for living in one of the most impractical and inhospitable landscapes in the United States. More than forty pioneer types ranging from their mid-nineties to mid- twenties describe their reasons for choosing to live their lives in Alaska and offer useful instructions and advice that made that life more livable. Whether it be how to live among bears, build an outhouse, cross a river, or make birch syrup, each story gives readers a window to a life most will never know but many still dream about. Fifty photographs and 150 line drawings illustrate the real-life experiences of Alaska settlers such as 1930s New Deal colonists, de-mobilized military who stayed after World War II, dream-seekers from the 60s and 70s, and myriad others who staked their claim in Alaska.