Book Review: The Only Kayak, by Kim Heacox

The Only Kayak, a Journey into the Heart of Alaska, by Kim Heacox, ISBN: 1-59228-715-8

“The Only Kayak” is one man’s Alaskan experience, from what brought him here to what made him stay. Many Alaskans wish that they would be the last people let into the state. We come here for the wildness, but as more and more people come some of the wildness leaves. While we might struggle with the effect of our arrival, most crave the comforts of some bit of civilization.

Kim Heacox, who came to Alaska as a Forest Service Ranger and settled in Gustavus Alaska, bemoans the coming of progress, even as trees are killed to publish his books and build his two storey house. He even discusses this paradox in later chapters. The book is enjoyable as one man’s struggle to come to terms with his own impact on Alaska. It features many gleanings of other writers who are well worth reading. In the end it does get sappy, but worth the read.