Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds | 
| Authors: Norma Cobb, Charles W. Sasser, Charles Sasser
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $8.87
You Save: $7.08 (44%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  48 reviews
Sales Rank: 182670
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9
ISBN: 0312283792
Dewey Decimal Number: 508
EAN: 9780312283797
ASIN: 0312283792
Publication Date: February 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In 1973, Norma Cobb, her husband Lester, and the their five children, the oldest of whom was nine-years-old and the youngest, twins, barely one, pulled up stakes in the Lower Forty-eight and headed north to Alaska to follow a pioneer dream of claiming land under the Homestead Act. The only land available lay north of Fairbanks near the Arctic Circle where grizzlies outnumbered humans twenty to one. In addition to fierce winters and predatory animals, the Alaskan frontier drew the more unsavory elements of society’s fringes. From the beginning, the Cobbs found themselves pitted in a life or death feud with unscrupulous neighbors who would rob from new settlers, attempt to burn them out, shoot them, and jump their claim.
The Cobbs were chechakos, tenderfeet, in a lost land that consumed even toughened settlers. Everything, including their “civilized” past, conspired to defeat them. They constructed a cabin and the first snow collapsed the roof. They built too close to the creek and spring breakup threatened to flood them out. Bears prowled the nearby woods, stalking the children, and Lester Cobb would leave for months at a time in search of work.
But through it all, they survived on the strength of Norma Cobb---a woman whose love for her family knew no bounds and whose courage in the face of mortal danger is an inspiration to us all. This is her story.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 43 more reviews...
 Amazing they all survived! May 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have read many true story accounts of wilderness "Alaska Bush" living, but this one truly had me wondering how this family kept avoided being killed or dying from the unbelievable danger they continued to put themselves in. I found it interesting to read, but at the same time, almost painful. Living in Alaska, I see many, many adventure seekers who think they can make it in the bush without the necessary skills and knowledge it takes to survive on their own. It is truly a miracle that this family, although brave, all survived their experience.
 I have read the reviews...here's my take on Norma's story May 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Okay, so it's an imperfect family. True they started out with nothing and yes, they are uneducated. Norma probably bent the truth a hair or two. She's got a right to her own opinion, it's HER BOOK!
Les is probably a big brash dangerous guy, but she's still married to him. The kids ... well they grew up with the bears all around them and dogs to mush. Last I heard they are doing fine. How can we judge a family like this? They didn't exactly move to Alaska with a U-haul and a pocket full of change, but pretty close. To me, this story deserves respect because of the sheer magnitude of what they accomplished. These are poor uneducated Americans and I am very proud of them. I wish there were more people like the Cobbs.
My gut feeling about this story is that Norma is mostly telling the truth. She admits to many mistakes, in every chapter, and is open about them. The death of the dogs was pretty damn upsetting and I'd really like to know the truth about that one. Will someone speak up? How about a member of the family? Or maybe some of the Alaskans who were friends to the Cobbs? I'd like to know what happened. I tend to believe that the guy left in charge of the dogs allowed them to die. I do not believe the family killed their own dogs. They just don't strike me as the type. Now the man who stayed behind to "care" for the animals, him I blame. He probably did what she said and killed the dogs with neglect.
It happens. As an animal rescue person, I've seen animals die of neglect many times. I tend not to believe that Les shot all the dogs as inferred by one of their former friends. If there's disparagement about the book, it's not because of the storytelling, because this book is one of those that you just can't put down.
Suspend your disbelief, take what you will from the book, but READ IT!!! It's fantastic.
Jules Harrell
SHE WANTS TO SELL? March 24, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
UNBELIEVABLE EFFORT!
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK BECAUSE THE COUPLE WAS FROM LONGMONT, COLORADO AND THEY WERE NOT FAR FROM MY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOME.
THE BOOK WAS A GREAT LOOK INTO THE STRUGGLES OF HOMESTEADING. SOMETIMES I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL A FAMILY RIGHT OUT OF THE "GRAPES OF WRATH." EITHER TO STUPID TO QUIT OR JUST PLAIN BULLHEADED. I THINK IT TOOK BOTH TRAITS TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY DID. I RESPECT THEIR FOCUS AND THEIR FAITH.
THE BOOK WAS A GOOD READ AND I RECOMMEND IT.
IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO SELL SOMETHING THAT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN (TOWARDS THE END OF THE BOOK.)
MAYBE THEY ARE THE "GRAPES OF WRATH" BUNCH, BUT WHATEVER THEY ARE, THE BOOK IS REALLY WORTH READING AND THE COUPLE/FAMILY HAD TRUE GRIT. FOR THAT AND THEIR FAITH IN JESUS, I TAKE MY HAT OF TO THEM AND SAY, BRAVO!
Arctic Homestead November 5, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a great true story about a courageous family carving out their dream on America's last frontier. It is well written, easy to read with event details hard to imagine even during the mid 1970s. This is good reading for anyone planning a trip to Alaska.
 I was very disappointed in this book August 2, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I was very disappointed in this book. While the first half is entertaining and interesting, it eventually became offensive to me for a number of reasons. The author, Norma Cobb, refers to herself (in the section about working on the pipeline) as "not unattractive" but then later goes on to categorize Susan Butcher as being not much to look at. Well, from looking at the pictures, I might agree with Norma's appraisal of herself, (though it does sound boastful for someone living in Athapaskan country, where the Natives do not boast about themselves), but to denigrate Susan's looks is simply tacky. Many believe that Susan Butcher was a very attractive, natural and wholesome looking woman. Further, when Norma comments on the passes made towards her by another musher, Rick Swenson, well - that is equally tacky, particularly with a well known individual. Unfortunately, these things, along with other things such as poor grammar and incorrect usage of the English language point to someone who appears to be both rather full of herself and disdainful of people with more education. It is a shame that what was essentially a good story had these elements that detracted from it. I was also bothered by the characterization of others in this book as they did not, somehow, "ring true." This assessment was solidified for me when I read Ken Nelson's review of the book. I normally do not cull books from my personal library but this book won't be kept.
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