February is shaping up to be a very busy month here in Whitehorse.

The Yukon Quest starts from Whitehorse this year on February 10. I have always loved being able to watch the teams get ready for the start and watch how the dogs get more excited and active as they realize they are about to run.

The Canada Winter Games will open February 23 after winter-long preparations. Visit the Yukon College Website and scroll down to the bottom right hand corner for a countdown timer to the Games.

As well, due to the Canada Winter Games, the Frostbite Music Festival and Sourdough Rendezvous activities will be running concurrently starting February 15.

A couple of months back, I read an article in the Yukon News about a site listing a collection of Yukon weblogs. See the Yukon from a variety of Yukoner’s points of view. Visit Urban Yukon.

In the John Hatch gallery this month:

• An older photo of the S.S. Tutshi paddlewheeler located in Carcross before it was destroyed by fire in 1990. For a brief history and other photos click here.
• And as always we are adding new images weekly and invite you to help us identify any photos you may recognize.

On to what’s new…

Alaskan Yukon Trophies Won and Lost is again available in the trade paperback reprint edition.

We invite you to browse our new arrivals: in the posts below, on our New Arrivals page or pick your favorite Category from the right hand menu.

As well, make sure to browse macsbooks.ca for new offerings from your favorite authors which are not covered below.

As always, we welcome your questions, comments and suggestions at editor@yukonbooks.com

Ken Searcy - Webmaster
YukonBooks.com

The Hollow Tree: Fighting Addiction with Traditional Native Healing by Herb Nabigon
Before discovering native healing methods, Herb Nabigon could not imagine a life without alcohol. His powerful autobiography, The Hollow Tree, tells the story of his struggle to overcome addiction with the help of the spiritual teachings and brotherly love of his elders.
The Hollow Tree is one person’s testament to the power of indigenous culture to heal. Herb Nabigon’s healing journey guided him to a life of kindness, honesty, courage, and humility.

Walking With Grandfather: The Wisdom of Lakota Elders by Joseph M Marshall III
Native American lineage holders have long been cautious about sharing their spiritual truths because the essence of this wisdom has been so often misunderstood. In Walking with Grandfather, authentic Lakota lineage holder and award-winning storyteller Joseph M. Marshall breaks this silence with the very best from a lifetime of lessons passed on to him by his grandfather. With him, you will gain access to the timeless teachings that until now remained largely unheard outside the culture of the Lakota people.
Comes with audio CD.

The Tainted Desert: Environmental and Social Ruin in the American West by Valerie L Kuletz
For decades, nuclear testing in America’s southwest was shrouded in secrecy, with images gradually made public of mushroom clouds blooming over the desert. Now, another nuclear crisis looms over this region: the storage of tens of thousands of tons of nuclear waste. Tainted Desert maps the nuclear landscapes of the US inter-desert southwest, a land sacrificed to the Cold-War arms race and nuclear energy policy.

Decade Of The Wolf by Douglas W. Smith and Gary Ferguson
Now in paperback.
In Decade of the Wolf, project leader Douglas W. Smith and acclaimed nature writer Gary Ferguson describe the journey of thirty-one Canadian gray wolves that were released in 1995 and 1996 into Yellowstone National Park and the people who faithfully followed them.
With recently updated poignant details about the lives of these animals, including moving stories about survival and family dynamics, Decade of the Wolf serves to mark the end of the opening act of this inspired, often tumultuous tale of preservation. The wolves have not only survived but completely changed the ecosystem, spilling a fresh measure of wildness across the world’s first national park.

The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery
Now in paperback.
Rarely has there been a time when the fate of every one of the earth’s inhabitants has been in peril. Such is our present age.
In this groundbreaking new book, already met with international acclaim, scientist Tim Flannery argues passionately for the need to address—now—the implications of a global change that is damaging all life on earth and threatening our very survival. This book is unimpeachable in its authority, deftly and accessibly written, and penetrating in its vision of what each of us can do to avoid catastrophe. It is a global call to arms, laying out plainly what we know and what we can do to make a difference before it’s too late.

The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson
In this stunning assemblage of words and images, novelist and avid birdwatcher Graeme Gibson has crafted an extraordinary tribute to the venerable relationship between humans and birds.
With the passion of a birdwatcher and hoarder of words, Gibson has spent fifteen years collecting the literary and artistic forms our affinity for birds has taken over the centuries. Birds appear again and again in mythology and folk tales, and in literature by writers as diverse as Ovid, Thomas Hardy, Kafka, Thoreau and T.S. Eliot. They’ve been omens, allegories, disguises and guides; they’ve been worshipped, eaten, feared and loved. Nor does Gibson forget the fascination they hold for science, as the Galapagos finches did for Darwin. Birds figure charmingly and tellingly in the work of such nature writers as Gilbert White, Peter Matthiessen, Farley Mowat and Barry Lopez.

Kinship with the Wolf by Tanja Askani
A heartfelt examination of the Wolf as a spiritual and ecological role model. Based on the author’s experience of living with Wolves at Germany’s Luneberger Heide Wildlife Preserve for eight years.

The Trickling Waters Spoke of a Great Upheaval by Ingi G Bjornson
Ingi’s wife would presumably claim that he has too much time on his hands as here is another book of short stories and thoughts garnered from the trails around Neso Lake.

Letters From Inside: The Notes and Nuggets of Margaret Marsh by Emily-Jane Hills Orford, editor
Margaret Marsh was the wife of Henry, once Bishop of Yukon. These are a selection of her newsletters written for people Outside, reflecting life in the Yukon in the 1960’s.

The Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury & Laney Salisbury
In 1925, a deadly diphtheria epidemic swept through icebound Nome, Alaska. The life-saving serum was a thousand miles away, and a blizzard was brewing. Airplanes could not fly in such conditions: only the dogs could do it. Racing against death, twenty dog teams relayed the serum across the Alaskan wilderness as newspapers nationwide headlined the drama, enthralling an entire generation.This is their story, the greatest dog story never fully told, until now.

The Wolf by Christian Havard
Take a look at the life of a wolf from pup to adult. An engaging narrative and close-up photographs follow a pack of wolves, offering details such as how they hunt, when they mate, and where they live. Recommended for ages 6 to 11

I am A Porcupine: Let Me Tell You About Myself by Olga Majola
Written in an autobiographical style and beautifully illustrated on every page, this book is a wonderful gift to children. Every page has fascinating new information about the porcupine that children want to know.

Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches by Jill Fredston
Jill Fredston stalks avalanches. She predicts where and when they will strike, deliberately triggers them with explosives, teaches potential victims how to stay alive, and leads rescue efforts when tragedy strikes. Reaching deep into this trove of personal experience, Fredston captures the overwhelming force of avalanches from a panorama of perspectives: a skier making what may prove his final decision, a victim buried so tightly that he can’t move a finger, rescuers racing time and weather, forecasters treading the line between reasonable risk and danger. Sweeping us into these stories, she also captures the mercurial fascination of snow itself, which first drew her to Alaska and then led her to the man who would become her lifelong partner in love and work.
Having spent decades trying to keeping avalanches and people apart, Fredston has brought them together hauntingly in Snowstruck.

Camping & Wilderness Survival, 2nd edition by Paul Tawrell
Everything you need to know, and more, can be found in this ultimate outdoor book! This is the most thorough book available to assist you in acquiring skills to enjoy the adventures of the outdoors. With over 3600 illustrations and pages of information, it tells you how to travel, make a camp, understand your environment, and choose equipment. In the case of an emergency it will help you find water, food, shelter from the weather, and care for yourself if you are sick or injured. Topics such as signals, animals, and weather; applied specifically to such special activities as summer hiking, desert travel, water travel and car travel. Learn individual skills such as maps and compass, first aid and mountain climbing. Ensure a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment by building a foundation of knowledge. Prior preparation warrants enjoyable adventures in the outdoors!