Coping with bear country

Abstract

'Coping with Bear Country' is a work of creative non-fiction, a genre in which non-fiction writers use dramatic techniques usually employed by fiction writers and poets (such as narration, dialogue, and detailed description) to look at their subjects. 'Coping with Bear Country' draws on the styles of nature writing, personal essay, and memoir, combining descriptions of natural history and tales of adventure with a look towards emotional landscapes reflected within them. At its most physical level, 'Coping with Bear Country' looks at the 'bearish' qualities of the complex land called Alaska, and at how a person simultaneously might both struggle against and embrace them. At this level, the work's focus is the author's personal struggle to make a home in a challenging land. But at its deepest level, 'Coping with Bear Country' digs more deeply, asking universal questions, exploring how faith takes root when we face our limitation and fear.