What readers are saying about the book: Alaska's Inside Passage

 Thank you for sending the requested book, Alaska's Inside Passage. I had a hard time setting it aside. Congratulations on your very enjoyable, beautifully illustrated and informational masterpiece of literature. I wish to order three more for sons who have been interested in Alaska. -Eugene Fairbanks, MD, Co-author of the ""Sound and the Sea.

Celebrating Pacific Northwest Authors

Dale Pihlman from Ketchikan stopped by our store to tell us about his book. It is a real winner. Dale has written the best book I have ever seen about Southeast Alaska. The title is Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Published in 2018, it should be in every boat, RV, and duffle bag heading north. Pihlman has written a comprehensive and enjoyable look at the nature, history, Native culture, and the industries of Southeast Alaska. His skillful writing brings it all to life in a most approachable fashion. Give it a look.

Few travelogues attempt and accomplish as much as Dale Pihlman’s Alaska’s Inside Passage. While providing the expected geographical and historical information about the southeast portion of the state, the narrative often reads like an absorbing novel.

Pihlman probes his subjects, revealing salient facts about potlatches and totemic art. One section, distinguishing among totem poles produced by Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and Kwakiutl-complete with illustrations, is particularly informative. 

Regarding Missionaries, Pihlman meticulously differentiates among ministers of various Christian sects, noting that some were merely interested in acquiring converts, while others such as William Duncan, mastered the Tsimshian language, endeavoring to provide indigenous people with education and practical skills.

The section on Native American acculturation is particularly astute, enriched by person experience. He discusses Tillie Paul, a Tlingit Native from Wrangell, whose arrest for illegal voting, then subsequent acquittal laid the foundation for the Indian citizenship Act of 1924. Pihlman notes that his own father challenged discriminatory regulations by sitting in the section of a Ketchikan movie theater reserved for Natives. 

This comprehensive and engaging study is enriched by detailed maps, as well as spectacular photographs of the area’s flora and fauna, including marine life. Like exemplary novels, Alaska’s Inside Passage rewards rereading.

Alaska's Inside Passage by Dale Pihlman delivers beyond any expectations. the book highlights Nature, History Native Culture and Industries with over 500 images in full color. Although I have finished reading this book I will never be finished using it as a reference. I have worked in the tourism industry for the past 35 years and would recommend this book to all tour guides in Ketchikan and the greater SE Alaska territory. I would lobby for Alaska Inside Passage by Dale Pihlman to be adopted as a textbook for high school and college-level history courses. It is truly an amazing resource.

Of special interest should be to anyone of Native descent. Dale's insightful treatment of Native history both pre and post contact will add a depth of understanding for Natives and non-Natives alike. 

As a retired educator and lifetime member of the Tongass Historical Society, I would encourage parents to purchase this book as a "read to your kids book" for children of most ages. Read a chapter, a section, a story, and your kids will enjoy it and become educated, along with you! This book is available at Parnassus Books, 105 Stedman Street, Ketchikan 

A Ketchikan man (Dale Pihlman) has published not only a local’s perspective of Alaska’s Inside Passage, but a well-examined history of the land he has meticulously explored and called home for his entire life…….

Each chapter is filled with colorful photos and illustrations of wildlife, botany, geology and historical accounts. With subjects ranging from fishing to art, the new author created a guide with a wide appeal for people with a collection of diverse interests…

In addition to the beautiful landscapes the region offers, he is also fascinated with Native history, culture and art. Pihlman makes this very apparent by contributing a significant portion of the book to the vast complex history of the Alaska Native cultures. He researched the cultures within the settlements scattered along the coastline and delivered it into not only an interesting read, but a fascinating narration of events… 

…. Pihlman did face some challenges while compiling all the data and paraphrasing it. “The biggest challenge was to keep it light enough to keep it interesting, but have the technical information there that is important to the subject.” He said…

The author’s life experienced transcribes into a guide book of the region….Pihlman’s book “Alaska’s Inside Passage” can offer a traveler a light read while at sea or a quick reference while at port. This is an adventurer’s short guide that crosses over to in -depth research and entwines the rich history of the area with a scientific account of the visible beauty along the shorelines, including the forests…..

The importance of the subject matter is its significant history. This is a book about the Alaskan culture of not just the here and now but the then and there. A time of the past and its relevance to the present.

 Alaska’s Inside Passage by Dale Pihlman presents a wealth of information on a variety of subjects, a fascinating journey through Southeast Alaska. Dale Pihlman’s knowledge and experience as a biologist, mariner, commercial fisherman, and pilot draws the reader into a colorful life in the bush. His in-depth, easy to read topics cover everything from community history and culture, to wildlife and the industries of Alaska, a must read for visitors and locals alike.

I have been looking forward to the release of this book. It is the best book that I have seen on our area, SE Alaska. Nice overview, with details that many locals may not be aware of, balanced with good pictures and good history. Have been spreading the word to others. Congratulations on an excellent job.