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In the Vein of Abbey, Muir, and Leopold

The Only Kayak by Kim Heacox Who must have this book: Any fan of Aldo Leopold, John Muir, or Edward Abbey. Who should have this book: Anyone interested in Glacier Bay National Park or the Alaskan outdoors. ISBN: 1592288944

Have you ever read a book that you hoped would change your life? I’m hoping this one will. The author, Kim Heacox, borrowing heavily on the teachings of Edward Abbey, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and the Beatles, has created a modern classic.

This book is amazing in the scope of issues that it touches on, from the perennial Alaskan development versus preservationist argument to change in general, whether it is climatic, glacial, or personal. He is opinionated, but not strong-handed in his reflections. For example, he spends a lot of time discussing the Edward Abbeyesque theme of modern life focusing on comforts at the cost of adventure and risk. But then he points out the duplicity of living the modern life of an environmentalist enjoying these comforts. Also as a photographer, he is a consumer and in glorifying the wilderness of Alaska, he draws more people and potentially more development.

Now put all these serious topics into a humorous and engaging book filled with a great cast of characters, inside jokes, and lots of Beatles lyrics and you have a deep, but immensely readable book.

In the end, this book is a coming of middle-age story. The author comes to grips with realities beyond youthful sureness and cuts through to what is truly important in life. Along the way the book became a personal challenge to live within my passions and beliefs and learn gratitude. I have just finished the book so time will tell how much this book affects me in the long run. But I do plan to re-read the book in a year to refresh the challenge.

Overview

The book opens with the author’s arrival in Alaska in May of 1979, starting with his first kayak trip with a co-worker and future friend Richard Steel. Quickly they find themselves as the only kayak in the Glacier Bay which is nearly impossible. At the end of this trip they see another “only kayak” heading into the park. This one belonging to Michio Honsino.

From this start, the narrative goes deeper into the intertwining relationships that Heacox makes with his friends, wife, National Park Service, and Glacier Bay. He leads us through an autobiography filled with anecdotes, book and lyric quotes, humor, disenchantment, and in the end hope and sense of place.

The book climaxes with the tragic death of Michio Honsino. It culminates confronting tragedies, environmental and personal and living through and beyond them. This is a great personal account of life and reflection in Alaska.

Author

Kim Heacox is an accomplished writer and photographer who’s books include The Only Kayak, An American Idea: The Making of the National Parks, Caribou Crossing – a novel, Alaska Light, Alaska’s Inside Passage, and In Denali and Iditarod Spirit. He has also written about Antarctica and Shackleton. Kim is a long time Alaskan who has worked in Glacier Bay National Park before becoming a freelance writer and photographer out of Gustavus.