2020 Banff Mountain Book Competition Finalist in Mountain Literature
Richard K. Nelson was the host of the national public radio series, "Encounters"
Nelson was an anthropologist who lived with Alaska Native tribes and spoke both Inupiag and Koyukon
Based on Nelson’s journals and interviews with Gary Snyder, Barry Lopez, Rick Bass, and others
"He listened to his [Native Alaskan] teachers, immersed himself in their landscapes as a naturalist, and became, without intending to, a great teacher himself." --Barry Lopez, from the foreword
Before his death in 2019, cultural anthropologist, author, and radio producer Richard K. Nelson’s work focused primarily on the indigenous cultures of Alaska and, more generally, on the relationships between people and nature. Nelson lived for extended periods in Athabaskan and Alaskan Eskimo villages, experiences which inspired his earliest written works, including Hunters of the Northern Ice In Raven’s Witness, Lentfer tells Nelson’s story--from his midwestern childhood to his first experiences with Native culture in Alaska through his own lifelong passion for the land where he so belonged. Nelson was the author of the bestselling The Island Within and Heart and Blood. The recipient of multiple honorary degrees and numerous literary awards, he regularly packed auditoriums when he spoke. His depth of experience allowed him to become an intermediary between worlds. This is his story.
Find out more at www.ravenswitness.com, and learn how you can help bring this story to life here.
As a life-long Alaskan, Hank Lentfer is familiar with much of the country Richard Nelson wrote about. Their friendship centered on a mutual love of wild country, writing, and listening to wild voices. A biologist by training, Lentfer currently works as a recordist and part-time land steward for The Nature Conservancy. He is the author of Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska (Mountaineers Books, 2011), and lives in Gustavus, Alaska. Learn more about Hank’s latest book Raven’s Witness at ravenswitness.com
Raven’s Witness is the Alaska book I’ve waited lifelong to read. Hank Lentfer’s gorgeous account of the evolution of Richard K. Nelson’s life and thought is a godsend. Half a century ago Nelson realized how wrong it was to send Native Alaskans our teachers when we should be begging theirs to teach us, and Lentfer describes the ways he came to live that realization.
Kim Heacox
I savored every page of this magical, beautifully-woven book – the story of one man’s apprenticeship to Alaska’s northern wisdom and wild joy. The final pages brought me to laughter and tears, inspired by Richard Nelson’s humility and respect. His great heart forever open – listening.
