Alaska Raw

Adventure stories of the Greatland don't need the heavy shadows of a midnight campfire to add drama to their telling.

They are bold. They are brave. They regale feats of strength and agility. There's the fear of certain death by weather, predator, or foolishness.

Memorable on all these counts, Alaska Raw delivers the best hunting stories I have heard in my 50+ years of listening to Alaska hunting tales from some of the most talented storytellers in the business.

That is not why I like this book.  I found myself savoring each chapter instead of devouring it in one sitting. It was too rich for that, the tales too complex and delicate. The subtle nuances would have been missed that made for a much more pleasurable experience. Tantric-worthy novel.

For you see the author, Bob Lacher, is a keenly intelligent man who becomes self-aware through his hunting experiences. Taking that journey with someone so masterful is a privilege and not something one would zip through in one sitting. 

Much better as the last thing you read at night, with a full belly, and a tired and relaxed body that is poised to dream - for this is the stuff that dreams are made of.  Lacher's fairy dust takes you to faraway beautiful places filled with mystery and awe.

In Soiled Dreams, Lacher crafts a smile that creases around eyes so strongly that a year later the mere mention of the word "hipwaders" subconsciously pulls lips tight against your teeth. A few wing-and-a-prayer-landings later, on the Wrong Side of the Edge, your heart stops as cold as the unsettling silence an avalanche brings after rolling over a space previously filled with friends. 

Months after finishing this book, Alaska Raw is still in my reading stack. I find myself going back and revisiting a chapter when the rain gets longer than the days, finding a quiet escape to a lifestyle that has sadly mostly disappeared. 

It is the only gift that Tom Maloney has ever given me, and it is worthy.   Be kind to yourself, and get a copy now.  https://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Raw-Bob-Lacher/dp/1578337216