Alaska

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

Length: 57 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

The high points in the story of Alaska since the American acquisition are brought vividly to life through more than 100 characters, real and fictional.

©2013 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Few will escape the allure of the land and people [Michener] describes.... Alaska takes the reader on a journey through one of the bleakest, richest, most foreboding, and highly inviting territories in our Republic, if not the world.... The characters that Michener creates are bigger than life." ( Los Angeles Times Book Review)
"Always the master of exhaustive historical research, Michener tracks the settling of Alaska [in] vividly detailed scenes and well-developed characters." ( Boston Herald)
"Michener is still, sentence for sentence, writing's fastest attention grabber." ( The New York Times)

terrible narration

another amazing michener chronicle too bad about the narrator. great diction but no emotion at all.

Great story well told

It is historic novel at its best. The actual people are (mostly) fictional, but they present in very involving way the history of remote and special piece of land. They also give witness (sometimes credit sometimes quite the opposite) to human nature with its stubbornness, power of will and selflessness as much as with its cruelty, selfishness and criminal single-mindedness. It is very poetic. And well read (yes, the pace is slow but in this case it helps the story, at least in my opinion).

Great listening to Michener

Would you consider the audio edition of Alaska to be better than the print version?

In regards to the negative opinions of the narrator, I agree you have to get used to the almost monotone of the voice. But I encourage you to continue listening as he reads a story to you that is filled with unforgettable facts and characters. Excellent.

Alaska: Educational, Yet Entertaining

Michener weaves history, geography and other educational themes with interesting stories of some of the people who inhabited and traveled to Alaska during the span of many generations. He intertwines stories of adventure, fortune, love and loss intricately, yet with a simplicity that makes it easy to. understand. The narrator reads this book in a quiet soft voice which makes it a perfect evening relaxation activity.

Nearly as BIG & Exciting as Alaska Itself

A BIG exciting story of a BIG exciting place!!! I love Alaska!!! Whether you have been there or not, this book is both well crafted and comprehensive enough to leave you feeling as if you have.

Terrific engaging book

Well researched and written as usual. I have read 2 times and now listened as we drove the Al Can highway. A must read for anyone traveling by cruise or land to Alaska.

Great Detail and History of Alaska

I have worked in Alaska most of my adult life and this was a great portrait of the land and the people.

long but good

I enjoyed hearing this read to me, more than I I would have read it.

typical Michener- Excellent. Narrator is fine

I'm just going to address narrator concerns. I almost passed on this book d/t the many reviews disparaging him. It must be a personal taste, as I find the narrator fine. He has a flat, clear voice that I find excellent for this type of book. I'd suggest giving it a listen before you decide to pass over this title based on those reviews. The guy's voice clearly is nails on the chalkboard to some, but I find him perfectly acceptable, as do many others.

James A. Michener's historical novel Alaska ABCDEF

Excellent historical novel, much to be learned from this vast unknown land of the Arctic, much influence from Czarist Russia. Larry McKeever is an outstanding narrator. He was outstanding for Michener's historical novel of Poland.