Land of Bear and Eagle: A Home in the Kodiak Wilderness

Land of Bear and Eagle: A Home in the Kodiak Wilderness by Tanyo Ravicz is a fascinating book that vividly captures the author's experiences in the Far North. This book features an excellent collection of essays and the author's recollection of life in a cabin in the wilderness on Alaska’s Kodiak Island. First, the author shares with readers the decision to move with his family. What follows is a dazzling portrait of Cottonwood Homestead, the perils and joys of living close to nature, at times on the edge. In this book, readers are treated to wondrous encounters — from the author's communion with nature, to the wild animals, and to people in unique circumstances.

This is a book about life and a place in which that life takes place. The author allows his connections — even the most intangible ones —to the place and the elements of the setting to shine through the narrative. As a reader who has experienced the wilds of Africa, I found this book uniquely beautiful, one of those books that portray, with vividness, the beauty of the place and how our worlds shape our perfection of life. Tanyo Ravicz writes in dazzling prose and has the ability to put life into the characters as well as the setting — which takes a prominent place in this book. Themes of love, family, survival, nature, and human connections are intelligently developed as every page of this book, every essay, reveals the author's vision and his deep sense of the sacredness of life. Land of Bear and Eagle: A Home in the Kodiak Wilderness is a work of pure love that will put into the hearts of readers a deep longing for both home and adventure.