I've been fascinated by the TV show "The Last Alaskans" about a few folks who live subsistence life out in the Alaskan Wildlife Reserve area above the arctic circle so when I discovered a book that included some of the Last Alaskans on the day I received my Amazon lawsuit credit, I couldn't resist buying it.

If you enjoy Alaska and the outdoors and have a soft spot for wilderness memoir (as I do) you will probably enjoy this book about a middle aged guy and his teenaged daughter that visit Alaska three times (to build a cabin, to hunt in the winter, and to hike & paddle a river) and each time stay for several weeks.

I think I enjoyed this more because I know the area where they were and some of the characters (Heimo & Edna) from the show. By the end of part three, the river trip, I was bored and ready to be finished with the whole thing, but I suspect that's because I don't know much about paddling so much of the description about how to run rapids and line a boat were boring to me. You might love that part!

I was amazed and impressed by the author's daughter and how much she was willing and able to do at such a young age.

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What a great book! I especially enjoyed how the relationship between father and daughter grew, and the descriptions of the area around them, as well as the people, were fantastic.

An ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Told in three parts as three different trips, Father and teen daughter head to Alaska near the arctic circle for adventure. In their first trip, they spend the summer helping cousin Heimo build a new cabin with manual tools, ice cold river water and hours of peeling and hauling logs. When they return home, teen Aiden wants to go back. So they head back to Heimo's cabin for part of the winter, helping his and his wife with the trap lines and hunting Caribou and Moose in -50 degree temperatures. In the third part, Dad and daughter return again, this time to backpack over the Brooks mountain range and then paddle in their folding canoe through the class 3+ rapids of the Hulahula river. Quite an experience in one of the earth's most remote places. ( )

http://tinyurl.com/yd4xark9

I was a bit skeptical when my mom gave me this book. I mean, sure, sure, it isn't a vanity press publication and the topic is certainly intriguing - a father and his teenage daughter take a couple trips to the Alaskan wilderness to be awed and inspired. My skepticism centered more on whether there would be any take-aways that were relevant to my own experience.

This isn't a tale of survival, to be clear. Campbell and his daughter have relatives and friends in Alaska, so this was never about surviving on their own. But it is a tale of the result of struggle - whether it is helping your cousin build a new cabin so far away from anything resembling a hamlet that you have to wait on the weather to have supplies flown in, or, using canoes instead of rafts on a wildly varying river that flows north to the Arctic Ocean. It's no surprise that it's cold in summer or the bugs are terrible or it can be hard to maintain a sense of humor on all days. Those parts were alternately interesting or fun to read. The best part of the story, though, is that it does an excellent job of explaining the grandeur of a place like the Alaskan wilderness, for those of us who may never have the opportunity to go on such arduous adventures but who are nevertheless intrigued by the unknown.

The only thing I thought was odd was that in the acknowledgements at the end, he does not thank the daughter he took the trip with. Certainly, there are many times in the book when he extolls her virtues, but that's different from thanking your travel partner. It is distinctly odd to acknowledge your other daughters and wife, instead. (I read the acknowledgments twice, to be sure I hadn't missed anything!) ( )

This is the kind of thing I wish I could have done when I was younger. Seeing more of the world, being a little more adventures and taking chances. But, at this stage, I am just as happy to read about others' adventures.

That's the story in Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, and An Unforgettable Journey Into the Alaskan Wild by James Campbell.

James Campbell and his fifteen year old daughter Aidan headed to the Alaskan wilds not once, but three times. Winter and Summer. They visited Heimo Korth and his wife Edna twice, helping to build their new cabin, hunting and trapping. The third visit was braving and paddling the HulaHula river.

Campbell's descriptions of the land, people and lifestyle of Alaska are vivid and powerful, attesting to his love of the outdoors, notably Alaska. Campbell is an established writer and he knows how to tell a story. I was captivated by the details - what it takes to stay alive in this wild country, the dangers and the simple pleasures.

And while Braving It is on the face of it a travel adventure and memoir, its also the story of Campbell and his daughter Aidan's relationship. Campbell's decision to take his daughter to Alaska was not made lightly. We are witness to Aidan's burgeoning love of Alaska, her growing confidence and her continued love of the outdoors. These trips ignite a sense of wanderlust in Aidan - I would be curious to see where life takes her. Campbell is torn between protecting his daughter and allowing her to grow. These trips are almost a coming of age - for both of them.

I chose to listen to Braving It. The narrator was Roger Wayne. I thought he interpreted the novel really well. His voice is pleasant to listen to and easily understood. His reading depicted Campbell's thoughts and emotions well. His inflection and thoughtful pauses allowed the reader to feel as thought we were having a conversation with Campbell. He provided distinct voices for each person. Wonderfully written and a treat to listen to. ( )