The Great Alone

By Kristin Hannah,

Book cover of The Great Alone

Book description

In Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone, a desperate family seeks a new beginning in the near-isolated wilderness of Alaska only to find that their unpredictable environment is less threatening than the erratic behavior found in human nature.

#1 New York Times Instant Bestseller (February 2018)
A People “Book of the…

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Why read it?

8 authors picked The Great Alone as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I flipped between liking and hating this one several times before finally loving the book enough that it has a place on my own bookshelf. Leni's coming-of-age story kept me reading, but I nearly did not finish it because of the mom, Cora.

I hated her so much because I was thinking of leaving the man she was married to, but we wouldn’t have a story if it were that easy. The more I read, the more I realized that Cora displayed a different kind of strength. She believed with all her heart that her husband would get better (he…

In this book, thirteen-year-old Liv captivates my imagination and heart with devotion to her mom, a broken soul that endures her husband’s abuse, endless arguments, and irrational decisions. I’m drawn to coming-of-age stories that tug at memories of my own battles with self-criticism and angst.

As a survival story, the book serves up a double portion that I devour with every turn of the page. At its heart, the story contrasts the expansive, unforgiving, unrelenting climate and terrain of Alaska with a claustrophobic family dynamic. I love stories that weave in the raw beauty of nature and, at times, the…

This story captures the realities of surviving the Alaska winters before the advent of the internet, cell phones, cable TV, or increased commercial development. The descriptions of the rugged terrain, the wild animals and the harsh weather put me right there in the story.

This is nothing I was at all familiar with, so it was fascinating to read what daily life was like before more modern-day technologies made things a little easier. Yet my takeaway was that the absence of those very things actually made communities in Alaska stronger because folks up there had no choice but to depend…

Brighter Than Her Fears

By Lisa Ard,

Book cover of Brighter Than Her Fears

Lisa Ard Author Of Brighter Than Her Fears

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Why am I passionate about this?

Author Avid reader History nut Golfer Bike tour guide

Lisa's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

The 19th century women's rights movement and the rise of public education intertwine with one woman's story of struggle, perseverance, and love.

Alice Harris is pressed to marry a Civil War veteran twice her age when her family’s inn fails in 1882 in western North Carolina. She remakes herself by learning to farm tobacco, campaigning for the city’s first public schools, and immersing herself in the large and divisive Carter family. But marriage offers a tenuous promise of security. When tragedy strikes, Alice turns to the courts to fight for her independence and discovers an unexpected love.

Lisa Ard's debut…

Brighter Than Her Fears

By Lisa Ard,

What is this book about?

The 19th century women's rights movement and the rise of public education intertwine with one woman's story of struggle, perseverance, and love.

When her father dies and the family inn falls to ruin in 1882, western North Carolina, thirty-year-old Alice Harris is compelled to marry Jasper Carter, a Civil War veteran twice her age. Far from home and a stranger in a new family, Alice remakes herself. She learns to farm tobacco, mothers her stepson, and comes to love her husband.

However, Alice uncovers pending trouble with the family's land holdings, which threatens their livelihood on the farm. The growth…


This historical novel is about a Viet Name vet with PTSD who moves his wife and daughter to a wilderness area of Alaska in the 1970s.

It’s hard enough to survive during the light of summer, but when the dark winter days fall on them, the father’s mental health deteriorates. He becomes embroiled in conspiracy theories. The family fears for their safety. The characters are unique and perfectly written.

The storyline is imaginative and captivating. You know it can’t end well. The last pages left me bawling uncontrollably.

With the stark backdrop of the wilds of Alaska, one might be lured into thinking the desolate yet stunning landscape with danger at every turn is at the heart of The Great Alone. It is however, the story of domestic abuse, trauma, and a father suffering from PTSD that captivated my attention into the wee hours of the night. I found the thread of the human spirit, not only desperate to survive, but to thrive, to be one of the most enduring and poignant themes of the novel. Happily-ever-after isn’t a requirement of the books I enjoy. It is…

I’ve loved all of Kristin Hannah’s books, but this one tops my list. It transported me to the beautiful but treacherous coast of Alaska, where a brave young girl must face steep obstacles to break free of the dangers all around her. Drawing from her own family’s experiences living in Alaska, Hannah takes readers through the complicated layers of his wild landscape while exploring the complicated tangles of an unhealthy family system. A must-read. 

This book speaks of dynamics. Although not humorous it makes one think about how important family is—no matter how dysfunctional. This book grabbed me and didn't let go. It's a story about survival—both with family and the Alaska wilderness. Parts were really hard to take, but the spirit of the characters came through brilliantly.

From Jeanne's list on women balancing life and family.

Wild has many definitions, and while the setting for this disturbing story, in a remote Alaskan village, might seem like this book’s main qualification, The Great Alone explores the wilderness of the mind as well — or rather, how a wild man can create a more terrifying reality than the most demanding landscape. That beautiful, harsh landscape shapes the story’s heroes as well, forcing them to find their strength, build that strength, and lend each other strength when the going gets rough … which it does, in a big Alaskan way.

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