Beyond Road's End: Living Free in Alaska

by Janice Schofield Eaton

Overview

This adventurous couple came to Alaska from New Hampshire with dreams of living richly in the wilderness on ten dollars a day. Ed brought his experience as a builder, and Janice brought her New England work ethic. Together they fell in love with the heartbreakingly beautiful landscape of the Far North.  Part love story, part adventure, and part natural history, this book is a touching memoir of carving out a life in the wilderness, building a log house, and living life to its fullest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780882407548
Publisher:	West Margin Press
Publication date:	04/01/2009
Edition description:	Illustrate
Pages:	391
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 6.06(h) x 0.84(d)

About the Author

Janice Schofield Eaton is the author of the long-admired book Discovering Wild Plants and the best-selling pocket guide, Alaska’s Wild Plants 978-0-88240-433-2. Janice’s herbal work bloomed in Alaska, where her personal quest for discovering wild plants let to careers in herbal teaching and writing, and her activism for environmental protection. She and her husband, Ed were founding members of Alaska’s first land trust.

Read an Excerpt

RETURN TO SWIFT CREEK:  “Weather and tides are the true ferry timetable; the ship comes when she comes. Ed passes time, wets his line on Outside Beach. I kill hours wandering the tide pools. Ed cleans a Dolly and adds it to the ice chest. I scout seaweeds, observe crabs decked with alge. I then walk the shore, Cooperative Extension book in one hand, open bag in the other, I study the illustrations, comparing carefully to what’s on the beach. From what I am reading, Alaska’s seaside plants tend to be quite safe. I slowly pick a salad of vivid green beach greens (Hockenya pepoloides) and bluish-gray oyster leaf (Mertensia Martima).”

Table of Contents

Introduction – 7, Map Kachemak Bay area – 9, Part One – 11, Part Two – 52, Part Three – 133, Photo Section – 161, Map of New Zealand – 246, Part Four – 337, Epilogue – 379, Postscript – 380, Ed’s Legacy – 381, Appendix One- 382, Appendix Two - 383, Final Thanks – 387, Notes on Names & Place Names – 388, About the Author - 390

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Janice and Ed Schofield had a wild adventure, leaving a life of relative ease in NH to take on the challenges of Alaska. After leaving most of their worldly goods behind they headed northwest to start a new life from scratch with their dog, Max. I found the book difficult to put down; holding my interest as I learned how they lived off the land and built a log home from trees on their property. Ever resourceful, they followed their hearts to develop projects such as Janice researching and writing a book on native Alaskan plants. When they needed it the most, the money turned up to fund their projects. The friendships they developed over the years were deep and long-lasting as they contributed a great deal of time and energy to protect the environment with their activism. A good story about people you enjoy knowing to meet and spend time with. It was especially interesting to me as Janice and I taught school together for two years, before she and Ed began their new life together. 

Devon, Amazon.com

Editorial Reviews

Janice and Ed Schofield had a wild adventure, leaving a life of relative ease in NH to take on the challenges of Alaska. After leaving most of their worldly goods behind they headed northwest to start a new life from scratch with their dog, Max. I found the book difficult to put down; holding my interest as I learned how they lived off the land and built a log home from trees on their property. Ever resourceful, they followed their hearts to develop projects such as Janice researching and writing a book on native Alaskan plants. When they needed it the most, the money turned up to fund their projects. The friendships they developed over the years were deep and long-lasting as they contributed a great deal of time and energy to protect the environment with their activism. A good story about people you enjoy knowing to meet and spend time with. It was especially interesting to me as Janice and I taught school together for two years, before she and Ed began their new life together. 

Devon, Amazon.com

From the Publisher