"Alaska" by James A. Michener

Alaska lives on as a land that few Americans get a chance to experience. So vast and beautiful it is, but so remote at the same time. A land whose history has changed the whole world, Alaska's mystic history reveals itself in the book "Alaska" by James A. Michener. The book is broken up into a collection of stories that collectively amount to well over 900 pages of pure history. The first story is the most historically accurate, and the one that I read. Trofim Zhdanko, the main character, is a convict in Russia during the early 1700's. Zhdanko faces a death sentence, but is confronted by Peter the Great the night before his execution. Peter the Great and Zhdanko have a friendly history, and they work out a deal before the night ends. The agreement involves Zhdanko, among others, traveling the unknown lands of Alaska. The man in charge of the expedition, Vitus Bering, and Trofim Zhdanko lead the adventure through Alaska, which involves various discoveries and factual events. The true nature of the story just leads an expanded excitement for what comes next.

This book would surely appeal to anyone who enjoys adventure. Michener takes these factual characters and events and essentially retells what history has already told us. The catch here is that Michener adds his story telling ways to the text. This skill allows the reader to get lost in the text without even knowing they are essentially reading the equivalent of a terrific history text book. I now know so much more not only about Alaska's history, but Russia's as well. It was a terrific read that captivated me from the moment I caught sight of the first word.

I wouldn't generally grab a book off the shelf that was purely about history, but I now realize that it might not be a terrible idea. The historical aspect allowed me to be more informed about history while thoroughly enjoying the text. In the end "Alaska" by James A. Michener proved to be a special piece of literature that not only brought to light the past, but the joy a good read can give.