Events

  In this new collection of personal essays, Nick Jans explores the rain forests and tidal fiords of Southeast Alaska, where he’s lived for the past 10 of his 30 Alaska years.  Part a chronicle of personal discovery, and part story of this mountain-and-glacier-rimmed seascape, the book is ultimately about the wildlife and people making their homes there. The truly remarkable story of Romeo, Juneau’s “celebrity” black wolf, is the central strand around which the rest of the book is woven. Stories of wildlife encounters combine you-are-there personal experience with informative natural history, human bonding with injured or orphan wild creatures, tales of adventure and wilderness travel, along with pieces that describe the flavor of everyday life.  On this journey, Jans invites longtime Alaskans to first-time visitors; armchair or wilderness travelers; animal lovers; and folks who just love a good story told in a conversational, reader-friendly, yet carefully crafted voice. Nick Jans is one of Alaska’s most recognized and prolific writers. A contributing editor to Alaska Magazine and a member of USA Today’s board of editorial contributors, he’s written 9 books and hundreds of magazine articles, and contributed to many anthologies. His range includes poetry, short fiction, literary essays, natural history, outdoor adventure, fishing, and political commentary. In addition, Jans is a professional nature photographer, specializing in wildlife and landscapes in remote locations. He has been the recipient of numerous writing awards, most recently the co-winner of two Ben Franklin Medals (2007 and 2008) and a Rasmuson Foundation artist grant (2009). He currently lives in Juneau with his wife, Sherrie, and travels widely in Alaska. He returns each year to Ambler, the arctic Inupiaq Eskimo village in which he lived for 20 years, and the place he still calls home.