Probably 3 stars for those who would rather read a different genre. He really stayed true to the ethos of ‘nature lover’ĥ stars for wilderness nuts. Who else goes to live in isolation in the harsh and pristine Alaskan wilderness and then documents their frontier life to preserve a National Park. The second reason is probably more obvious, his story is so unique. Now why is this journal special? While the writing is not exemplary, it is a journal after all, Proenneke does have a direct style that avoids the folksy writing that seems so dominant in other ‘pioneering’ books and journals. The wind blowing across such a large cold body of water can create some really dangerous conditions and it is brutally cold in the winter as one would expect and there is snow on the ground for more than 9 months out of the year. His journeys across the lake were some of my favorite scenes and at least one was nearly fatal. His preferred mode of travel was by boat or canoe. But I would say it is the little critters that he was most fond of. Proenneke became a legend in large part because of this journal which is very heavy on his interactions with wildlife, especially birds, raccoons, wolverines, caribou, wolves and of course bears. Visiting his cabin is considered a pilgrimage amongst park enthusiasts and it is not easy to get to. When he died in 2003 he gave the cabin to the Park Service. Although he lived alone, he would receive regular bush plane supply drops and he would on occasion return to civilization. For years he documented his solitary life through his journals and even made a film. Proenneke built a remote cabin on Twin Lakes in 1968 as a retiree in an area that is now part of Lake Clark National Park. This gift to America was in part initiated by Dick Proenneke, a mechanic and amateur naturalist. He was burned in effigy for it, although I think most Alaskans have come to recognize what a boon to the economy the wilderness designations have brought. In 1980 Jimmy Carter enacted the vast wilderness in and around Lake Clark as a National Park along with a whole slew of other wilderness areas. He had a lasting effect on the preservation of the Lake Clark region in Alaska.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |