• Coming into the Country

  • By: John McPhee
  • Narrated by: Nelson Runger
  • Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (295 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Coming into the Country  By  cover art

Coming into the Country

By: John McPhee
Narrated by: Nelson Runger
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.79

Buy for $25.79

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Those who have traveled into America’s only remaining frontier rarely come back out the same. Only in Alaska can we come close to understanding what our forefathers must have felt upon their arrival in the New World. McPhee brings to this narrative the qualities that have distinguished him in the field of travel literature—tolerance, brisk, and entertaining prose, and a fascination with things most of us never bother to notice.

©1977 John McPhee (P)1990 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about Coming into the Country

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    173
  • 4 Stars
    82
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    155
  • 4 Stars
    56
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    144
  • 4 Stars
    63
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Welcome to Alaska

In my opinion, and that of several Alaskans I have spoken with, this is the best book on contemporary Alaska. I have read it twice, and listened to it two more times. It is one of my favorite John McPhee titles. McPhee is arguably one of the most readable essayists in contemporary literature. Each of his books is a treasure, Coming into the Country being one of his finest works.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Reader mispronounces many names

I'm from Alaska and was dismayed at all the mispronunciations for names and various words the author made. Is there no proofing before a story goes out?
The story itself was as captivating this reading as it was 34 years ago when I had just arrived in Alaska.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Who would choose to live in Alaska?

This book provides a somewhat dated but still interesting look at the people who were moving to and living in Alaska during the mid-1970s. These are the rugged individualists, the misfits, and those with an Alaskan heritage. They don't like the government or neighbors or the ill-informed tree-huggers telling them what to do. I imagine there are a few of them still on the outskirts of civilization in the vast wilderness up north, but the petroleum industry and escapees from the lower 48 have doubled the population of the state since this book was written.

There is a lot of political incorrectness and destruction of natural resources, but this was a tough country that extracted a high price from its residents. Those trapped animals provided food and clothing. The bulldozed landing strip provided a fragile link to medical care and supplies. Those cost could be easily be borne with so few pushing out into the unknown wilderness.

Anyone who wants to voice opinions on how the Alaskan lands should be preserved or used should know the people in this book. Alaska was a frontier in 1975; is it still one today?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book

great book. I grew up in eagle so I know the people in the story. didnt like how many names that were not pronounced correctly. especially my maiden name

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Many mispronunciations

It’s a bit painful to hear many of the Alaska place names mispronounced, but it’s unforgivable to mispronounce words like “placer” (rhymes with passer, NOT pacer). Nelson Runger, the narrator, didn’t do his homework and the editor didn’t do his either. Poor quality control on this production.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A somewhat disjointed glimpse of Alaska

I found it somewhat challenging to stay engaged in this book. Seemed to ramble from one point to another without a storyline to effectively tie everything together. Parts of the narrative seemed to be whiny. Made it all the way through - continuing to work through Alaska based books before my trip up north. The first couple of books I went through (Williwaw and Into the Wild) were great. The last two, not so much.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic all around.

This book was a great explanation of pre 1980 Alaskan living. It will definitely give you a better understanding of the bush.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The truth about Alaska

Excellent. Having been to Alaska a few years ago, this book reflected what I experienced there, although it was written many years before my trip. Characters abound, the landscape is literally out of this world as we know it in the 48 contiguous states, and the US government should treat it as the last frontier that it is, and leave the people who want to and are able to survive there the hell alone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Alaska Non-Fiction Remains Timely

Would you listen to Coming into the Country again? Why?

I generally only read or listen to a book once, but I might refer back to some of this one's prose.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Gelvin family. Practical, competent, decent.

What does Nelson Runger bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He's an accomplished pro. His reading does not get in the way of the prose.

Any additional comments?

Publish everything of McPhee's that you can.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Portrait of Alaska as a Young State

A wonderful snapshot of Alaska after statehood! With reference to the origins of the Alaska territory, the author covers a period early in the state's history where American's "went into the country" in search of a connection to the land. The stresses and pressures of Alaska in the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's as state, federal, and native claims to the land affected mining, energy development, population, and key decisions like the location of the state capital. Thoroughly enjoyed this snapshot into the history and culture of Alaska!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!