Alaska Memories

About the Book

In this memoir of adventure and survival in late-1970s Alaska, author John McGoldrick offers a sweeping look at the stunning beauty and natural history of one of America's most scenic states.

Leaving Maine in 1975, McGoldrick travels to Alaska, working as a clam digger, carpenter, gold miner, and mountaineering guide. He survives Alaskan winters living in the back of a truck, a camper, and a broken-down school bus, and eventually builds his own house. Hunting ducks, geese, and deer, and fishing for salmon across the state helps McGoldrick experience the beauty of Alaska's wildlife and jumping out of a military CH 47 Chinook helicopter in the middle of winter onto the slopes of Mount McKinley to rescue survivors of a plane crash keeps his adventurous spirit content.

Blending scientific insights with Alaskan history, Alaska Memories is McGoldrick's vivid, witty, and enjoyable story.

About the Author

John McGoldrick lived in Alaska from 1977 to 1983 before attending medical school and becoming an emergency physician. He sold the house he built in Alaska, bought a sailboat with the proceeds, and now enjoys sailing the coast of Maine where he lives with his wife and two children.