Very nice for a first book. The descriptive writing brought Alaska alive. This is ultimately a book about friendship, discovery, and loss. The vehicle for these themes is the natural world and the human interaction portrayed. I especially enjoyed the passages describing whales - their feeding, communication, and their general behaviors.

Parts of this book are very sad and immersed the reader in the authors loss of family & friends. ( )

This was recommended to me by a book seller in Ketchikan when I asked about local literature. The story is interesting and Lynn presents an accurate picture of Alaskan life. I do wish that he were a little better writer.
Lynn Schooler lives in Juneau and earns his living as a guide to Alaskan wild places. He's a guy with rough edges: a loner, whose spine is twisted by scoliosis. THe book chronicles his friendship with Michio Hoshino a wildlife photographer from Japan. In contrast to the author, Michio is a warm and open person who makes friends easily.
Together, Lynn and Michio search for the rare blue bear in remote Alaska. This gives an opportunity to explore the natural history and Alaskan history and culture. Lynn is very knowledgable and it's a fascinating subject.
Sadly, Michio was killed in a bear attack while on a photo shoot in Russia. The book gives a review of the risks and rewards of wilderness activities. ( )

En fantastisk smuk bog om vildmarken og naturen og om forfatterens venskab med en japansk fotograf. Jeg blev nødt til at prøve at skaffe bøger med den japanske fotografs billeder, men så vidt jeg husker, lykkedes det mig kun at få fat i en enkelt.
Jeg læste bogen på dansk, hvor den hedder Den blå bjørn (glimrende oversættelse ;-), men har lagt den engelske ind for at få billedet med på min widget. ( )

En fantastisk smuk bog om vildmarken og naturen og om venskaber ( )

Through his life as a guide, Lynn Schooler offers to the reader an exceptional tour in Alaska. A state where nature is still the absolute master.
His work will lead him to meet the famous photographer Michio Hoshino. A true friendship is to be born between them. They will meet regularly for ten years. Each meeting will be one more step to the discovery of the wild region of Alaska and the beginning of an almost impossible quest : the one of the Blue Bear. This search will last for years.
But more than this particular quest, this book is a photo album where pictures are words that transport you to the end of the world ...
This is a wonderful journey in Alaska that I advise you to read just for the pleasure of it ...

Despite some interesting scientific aspects, that I bearly understood, The Blue Bear shows life and how important it is

To be consume without moderation. ( )