A courageous and inspiring man, Huntington hunts wolves, fights bears, survives close calls too numerous to mention, and becomes a championship sled-dog racer.

"On the Edge of Nowhere is an enduring Alaska classic, still "tingling with excitement." Jimmy Huntington's memoir is being republished in a handsome new third edition to which photographs have been added.

Order the book now and even if it takes two months to arrive, it will be a treat when it does.


On the Edge of your seat reading these Adventures   June 2, 2005
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is a great read. I read it in two sittings because I couldn't stop.

Jim Huntington's brother Sidney also wrote a book many years after this one called "Shadows on the Koyokuk" which was as good as this and in fact has a bit more details of their shared youth.

Jim Huntington's story was terrific. Lot's of bush adventures with attacking Bears, Wolves, Injuries, etc. Did you know that the Eskimos and Indians of Alaska hated each other so much prior to American Law and Order that they killed each other on site? I didn't.

I really liked the admission that sometimes he succumbed to his human desires. In his circumstance I might well have done the same. If this was written now, this sexy morsal would surely have been ommitted for the sake of political correctness.

If you are a stickler for chronological stories, this may try nyour patience. It's more like your Grand Dad sitting by the fire recounting the days of yore. The Dog Sledding adventures were very good too and kept me on the edge of my seat. His contributions to his village and eventually the state of Alaska are well worth knowing about (especially if you are an Alaskan).

If I was going to read this and his brothers book, I would read this first. However, if I were going to read one or the other, I would favor Sidney's book. Though they aren't the same story, many parts are.

I highly recommend this.



this man did not live a soft life   August 20, 2007
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

First I kind of feel like apologizing for only giving this four stars. I really did like this book, and I really did find it well written, but five stars is kind of where I put Brothers Kharmazov. Having said that, this is a great story of life growing up in the wilds of northern Alaska. It begins with the 1,000 mile overland survival walk of the author's Indian mother across the tundra to return home after testifying in the trial of the murderer of her first husband. From there the hard fought life of her trapper son gets chronicled as he and his brother virtually raise themselves in the wilds of the frozen country. The beauty and wildness come through, but more than that the spirit of the author and his family in not only pulling themselves up with the own bootstraps, but doing it time and time again after losing everything to floods, fire, disease, and even peculiar laws.

There was so much territory to cover, fitting in a way for a book about Alaska, that some stories such as his dogsled races (Iditarod precursors) that the author won could've filled a whole book but get only enough ink here to leave the reader wanting more. In any case, it's a great book, and well worth your time. The story of a miner, trapper, dogsled racer, merchant and eventually politician. To use a cliche, among the last of a fading breed.


Wonderful and fast read!   June 24, 2005
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I love this book. It was a very quick read and kept me interested at all times. As one reviewer noted, it is like listening to an elder relative recounting their life story. After spending 3 weeks around Alaska, it was just wonderful to hear about the author's experiences in the wilderness. I can't say enough about this book. It really brings home how the "simple" but not "easy" life can be more rewarding and enriching than our current fast-paced lives.... I highly recommend this for a weekend read!


Great reading   February 11, 2001
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Jim is my uncle and unfortunately he passed away a several years ago; I didn't know him as well as I would have liked but heard much about him from my mother. Sidney, Jimmy's brother; wrote "Shadows on the Koyukuk" an Alaskan Native's Life along the River by Sidney Huntington as told to Jim Rearden (you'll note he also did Jimmy's book as well); Alaska Northwest Books. another 5 star book and not just because they are relatives; you'll find this when you read them yourself.