A lifelong Alaskan, Steve Kahn moved at the age of nine from the “metropolis” of Anchorage to the foothills of the Chugach Mountains. A childhood of berry picking, fishing, and hunting led to a life as a big-game guide. When he wasn’t guiding in the spring and fall, he worked as a commercial fisherman and earned his pilot’s license, pursuits that took him to the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness. He lived through some of the most important moments in the state’s history: the 1964 earthquake (the most powerful in US history), the Farewell Burn wildfire, the last king crab season in Kodiak Island waters, the Exxon Valdez oil spill and cleanup, and even the far-reaching effects of the 9/11 attacks. 

The essays in The Hard Way Home offer a view of Alaska that is at once introspective and adventurous. Here we find the state’s plants, animals, people, geography, politics, and culture considered from an intimate perspective, yielding hard-earned lessons about conservation, sustainability, and living well. An irrepressible guide, Kahn invites listeners to share his experiences and discoveries and to consider questions about a place, and a life, that are disappearing. 

The book is published by University of Nebraska Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"Alaskan Kahn has written a series of heartfelt, yet understated, essays about life on the Last Frontier that will appeal to nature lovers and thoughtful outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen." (Booklist)

"Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, anyone wishing to learn about life in the wilderness, and those interested in Alaska history." (Pacific Northwest Quarterly)

"A fine read for anyone who wants to understand Alaska better...highly recommended." (Midwest Book Review)