Book description
Winner, National Outdoor Book Award
"Part quest, part rebirth, Heacox's debut novel spins a story of Alaska's Tlingit people and the land, an old man dying, and a young man learning to live."
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A splendid, unique gem of a novel."
-Library Journal (starred review)
"Heacox…
Why read it?
1 author picked Jimmy Bluefeather as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Set in Southeast Alaska, Jimmy Bluefeather honestly depicts both environmental and generational change.
A Tlingit-Norwegian canoe carver anticipates the end of his life while his grandson struggles with his own future and a whale biologist resists authority in favor of moral action. Heacox grounds his beautifully-written story in considerable research as well as with respect for cultural beliefs and practices.
The canoe carver in particular is well-drawn and memorable, with toughness, resilience, and humor earned from living close to the Earth and its waters, in a place of stories. A canoe journey carries the story into a wild landscape, questions…
From Nancy's list on The best authentic novels about Alaska by Alaskans.
If you love Jimmy Bluefeather...
Authentically Dead
A hair-raising, side-splitting supernatural adventure!
In the idyllic town of Pine Port, Kelsey was on the cusp of realizing her dreams. In weeks, she'd clasp her high school diploma and beauty license. Or so she thought, until her life took a supernatural detour, far removed from the ordinary path she'd…
Want books like Jimmy Bluefeather?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 85 books like Jimmy Bluefeather.
Share your top 3 reads of 2026!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
183
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Jimmy Bluefeather, you might also like...
Touching the Surface
When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she can't remember her past, is getting the cold shoulder from her best friend, and has no idea why she keeps repeating the same mistakes across her previous lives. Elliot just wants to move on, but first, she'll be forced to…
Genomics
Over the past 50 years, scientists have made incredible progress in the application of genetic research to human health care and disease treatment. Innovative tools and techniques, including gene therapy and CRISPR-Cas9 editing, can treat inherited disorders that were previously untreatable, or prevent them from happening in the first place.…
