The author tells 8 short stories from Alaska's history and then 5 personal accounts of life in the Alaskan backcountry.

Kodiak Tales: Stories of Adventure on Alaskas Emerald Isle, investigates the many-faceted experiences of living on Kodiak Island. Shipwrecks, plane crashes, bears, and Kodiaks often-harsh and unforgiving environment are among the challenges facing the archipelagos hearty residents. The eight short stories in part one range in time from pre-Russian days to the present and examine humans role in Kodiaks natural realm. The five non-fiction pieces in part two are a personal testament to life in Kodiaks backcountry.

Collector of bear lore for nearly half a century, author Larry Kaniut has chosen these tales and legends for their focus on the wisdom of bears and the strength of the human spirit in encounters with them. An Alaskan legend himself, Larry brings together 28 amazing stories of encounters with this four-legged wonder of the woods, spanning the time period from 1816 to 1999.

DREAMS OF ’MECHS AND MERCS… Katie Ferraro dreams of nothing more than being a MechWarrior. Orphaned at a young age, she learns everything she can about ’Mech repair from her mentor and adoptive father. On the distant planet of Jerangle, though, her chances of fulfilling her dreams are slim. But when she finds an abandoned Kit Fox in the jungle, she realizes her dreams might not be so far away. As she goes to work on the ’Mech in secret, she makes a name for herself as a talented tech, but waits for the right moment to reveal herself to be what she always dreamed of: a MechWarrior. With her newfound ’Mech, Katie forms her own mercenary unit. She’s too young to be a leader and too brash to be a tactician, but she’ll do anything in her power to keep her unit together long enough to take their next job. These five Fox Tales, including a brand-new one published only in this collection, tell the fascinating, infuriating, and funny stories of the rise of the everyone’s favorite new mercenary unit in the Inner Sphere: The Fox Patrol.

You should buy this book. It will make you laugh. It is full of stories you'll want to read again, and again. You'll tell your friends about it. Thinking about it will make you smile during boring meetings. People will wonder what you are up to. On a bad day, when you've screwed up at work, your wife is mad at you, and the kids are sick, this book will give you half an hour's respite. It will take you to a place of adventure, danger, and humor, all woven together by one larger than life character. I had to get all that down fast, because it's important. I'm not a writer, and I don't know how long I can hold your attention. Dr. Larry GatesThe stories in this collection are true. In some instances, the names have been changed to protect the innocent and the not so guiltless. With most days of the past forty-seven years spent in Alaska, the thirty-six stories in this collection are connected primarily with Jake's guiding activities in the Great Land. These stories were selected for their humorous content. This selection of tales is trivial, eclectic, and of minimal redeeming value. But there may be some valuable bits of information, if one looks for them. These stories attempt to entertain readers, to give them a giggle, or at least a wry smirk.

"There!" Andy whispered sharply, pointing to the area where the bear was thought to be sleeping. "Look at the brush." Indeed, Tom could see the movement of alders, an insistent swaying, as if an unseen hand had grasped a branch and was trying to shake something out of the tree. The bear heaved forward and stepped into the clearing. Tom held his breath as he watched the bear finally detach itself from the brush, revealing its true enormity. Four men embark on a bear hunt on Kodiak Island's remote south end. Old Ivory, an elusive and colossal bear, is their ultimate goal. Each hunter has a unique perception of the undertaking: a chance for redemption, a test of manhood, realization of a lifelong aspiration, or a spiritual quest for cultural preservation. Kodiak's rugged terrain, harsh weather, and the canniness of the animal they pursue test their stamina and resolve and ultimately compel them to examine their individual values.

About the Author Tales From Behind Your Wall of Dreams includes poems and short stories explore the meanings of physical and emotional pain. The stories within will engage the reader in a world of darkness, the world of survivors. About the Author When I am asked to talk about myself I always keep it short, my life was never glamorous. I worked hard all of my life and in these pages you will find my struggles, my pain and my mistakes. The destination was never clear but the journey is not over, I'm writing a new chapter. Whether I was loading machines for my family, driving trucks, polishing granite or throwing around four-hundred pound pieces of lumber, a laborer's life is not interesting. One of my favorite quotes is something I wrote years ago; "We are not to question why there is pain, we are to listen for the thunder and prepare for the rain." My life in a nutshell. The picture you see gracing the back cover of my first book is my son Dante and his son Braxton. I lost Dante to cancer in 2021. This book is dedicated to him. You walked away in silence I ignored your pleas you walked away crying cause I did not believe I will forever wear this unforgivable sin for God knows it should have been me instead of him

In a sequel to "Alaska's Bear Tales," Larry Kaniut offers more true stories of encounters between bears and humans that are action-packed and compelling.