Bookreview: THE FINAL FRONTIERSMAN

By: James Campbell
Published: 2004
300 pages

My rating

Heimo is a german-american who grew up in Wisconsin, USA. With a violent father, loving mother, and a younger brother.He early discovered a huge love and facination of nature and wildlife, and dreamt about living in the wilderness of Alaska.

James Campbell has written his book after living with the Korths from time to time, during a year.
Campbell is Heimos first coussin.
This book is about his violent and troublesome childhood, the dream of leaving for Alaska, and finally managing to leave to work for a trapper.
Also about living in the bush, living with eskimoes in Savoonga, there meeting his wife to be (Edna), and settling down in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (while still legal). Moving around between 3 cabins to make sure wildlife regerates from his trapping, and that they can make a living of the land.

It's a true story all the way. About loosing their firstborn child at age 4 in the Coleen river, but later succesfully raising two daugthers Rhonda and Krin in the wild.
We learn about living in the rough unforgiving wilderness, with extreem cold, and dangerous wildlife roaming the woods. But the Korths still has brought some comforts from civilized world: computer, music, VCR aso.


James Campbell follows Heimo on his traplines and talks about how Alaska is changing due to laws, oil and nature preservation. Campbell also interviews old trappers and friends of the Korths.
Heimo can best be described as: a big man, with a big heart and love for his children, wife and the wilderness :o)

Some parts of the book has too much talk about politics and alaskan history. (a bit boring and difficult if english is not ones native language) and mine isn't. But if you're english, you will have no problems!

But othervise a GOOD BOOK for those who dream about, or enjoy reading about people living in the wild, living of nature...far from the rest of the world. Only 14 pictures in the book :o/
But pretty sure I'll read the book again some day :oD

See Campbells page here with pics from the korth family: http://www.jamesmcampbell.net/docs/photography.html

The Heimo Korth Fan Club on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Heimo-Korth-Fan-Club/235442092169

VBS.TV has in 2010 made a television show about Heimo and Edna. See it below. (Krin and Rhonda has grown up and moved away.)