The Great Alone
A Novel
ISBN10: 1250229537
ISBN13: 9781250229533
Trade Paperback
576 Pages
$19.00
CA$25.00
Alaska, 1974. Ernt Allbright came home from the Vietnam War a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes the impulsive decision to move his wife and daughter north where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Cora will do anything for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown. Thirteen-year-old Leni, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, has little choice but to go along, daring to hope this new land promises her family a better future.
In a wild, remote corner of Alaska, the Allbrights find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the newcomers’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own.
Reviews
Praise for The Great Alone
"Reliably alluring . . . The Great Alone is packed with rapturous descriptions of Alaskan scenery . . . Hannah remembers and summons an undeveloped wilderness, describing a gloriously pristine region in the days before cruise ships discovered it."—The New York Times
"Featuring a rich cast of characters and elevated by the riveting portrayal of homesteading in Alaska in the 1970s, this is a compassionate story of a family."—People, "Book of the Week"
"This epic atmospheric novel examines humans' will to endure the unthinkable."—Real Simple magazine
"Hannah turns the written word into wonderful prose . . . Times are difficult for so many in this novel and Hannah captures their suffering with sensitivity. The author expertly shows how love, death and birth run the full circle of life."—RT Book Reviews
"There are many great things about this book . . . It will thrill her fans with its combination of Greek tragedy, Romeo and Juliet-like coming of age story and domestic potboiler. She recreates in magical detail the lives of Alaska's homesteaders . . . and is just as specific and authentic in her depiction of the spiritual wounds of post-Vietnam America. A tour de force."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Hannah vividly evokes the natural beauty and danger of Alaska and paints a compelling portrait of a family in crisis and a community on the brink of change."—Booklist
"In this latest from Hannah, the landscape is hard and bleak but our young heroine learns to accept it and discover her true self . . . fans will appreciate the astuteness of the story and the unbreakable connection between mother and child."—Library Journal
"Hannah skillfully situates the emotional family saga in the events and culture of the late 1970s . . . But it’s her tautly drawn characters—Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom—who contribute not only to Leni’s improbable survival but to her salvation amid her family’s tragedy."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Reviews from Goodreads
BOOK EXCERPTS
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That spring, rain fell in great sweeping gusts that rattled the rooftops. Water found its way into the smallest cracks and undermined the sturdiest foundations. Chunks of land that had been steady for generations fell like slag...
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Kristin Hannah Discusses The Great Alone
Watch as Kristin Hannah gives an intimate look into her writing process, her inspiration, and her love of Alaska.
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