Alaska Airmen's aviation trade show

Jean Lester, Jorgy, Noel Jorgensen, Melinda Harris, and Deirdre Helfferich (publisher) went to the 2008 Alaska Airmen's trade show, held May 3 & 4, Saturday and today, in the Fed Ex hangar at the Anchorage International Airport. We'd apparently just missed the deadline for getting into the program, so people didn't know we were there at first--but friends and acquaintances of Jorgy's soon found out and several hundred of them came to wish him well and buy his book. It was (to put it informally) a blast. There were, of course, a ton of pilots, and old friends even from Haycock came by to say hello.

A few aviation stores in the Anchorage area now carry Jorgy as a result of contacts made at this conference: the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, the Lake Hood Pilot Shoppe, and Northern Lights Avionics. So, if you live in Anchorage but missed Jorgy's booth at the trade show, or were unable to make it to the event, you can get it at one of these places, or at Title Wave.

First reviews, from LibraryThing

The first reviews of Jorgy are out! Two readers at LibraryThing have given the book four stars. Here's the the most recent, from MrsLee:

I was very pleased with this book. The cover is attractive and the size of the book is comfortable, as well as allowing the print to be comfortably readable. It included a great map illustration which made Jorgy’s travels come alive. Many photos, interesting captions and quotes from those who knew him, as well as an informative glossary and appendix made for a fuller picture of this man’s life. Having interviewed the elderly to try to write their memories down, I know how difficult it can be to get them to talk about themselves, that is why the notes from those who worked with and knew Holger Jorgensen are so helpful. Jean Lester did a good job of capturing Jorgy’s calm, dry, no-nonsense style of speaking and his quiet humor.

Aviation fans would probably enjoy this book even more than I did; it is filled with details of the flights and planes used in the bush of Alaska in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. It also tells much of the life of survival in Alaska villages in those years. There are many interesting anecdotes which made it an easy read. Holger faced and overcame tragedy, prejudice and hardship. He quietly, or not so quietly, did what was right and did his best. It is uplifting to read about such a man, and I felt by the end of this book that I had met a fine specimen of the human race.

The second reviewer, apparently a pilot, also enjoyed the book:

I sailed through this thoroughly enjoyable and well-told story of the life of native Alaskan bush pilot Holger Jorgensen, as told to Jean Lester. His description of Alaska and village life when he was growing up in the 1930s and 40s is fascinating by itself. Jorgensen describes his ascent through the ranks as a pilot, along with the discrimination he faced as a native. He also tells how the training, guidance and equal treatment he received from those who saw him only as a pilot - not a native pilot - helped him to achieve his goal to be the best pilot he could. I found the descriptions of flights, airports (or sometimes just spots to land) and piloting strategies and techniques to be particularly instructive, even if I never fly in Alaska. This is a handsome book, with photographs and a nice format.

Where to get the book

At the moment, there are several options. You can order directly from the publisher or order through Alaska bookstores like Gulliver's Books, Title Wave, or the UAF Bookstore.

You can also order on line through Amazon, or, if you are looking for a distributor for this title for your bookstore, you can contact Partners West Book Distribution.

And, of course, it is going to be available at the Alaska Airmen's Association conference, the Valdez Fly-In, and other aviation events!

The book retails for $25 and is a paperback, with many photos, appendices, and an index.

A photo of Jorgy

From Men of the Tundra: Alaska Eskimos at War, by Muktuk Marston, comes a listing on Alaskool of photos, including one of Jorgy. You have to scroll most of the way down the page.

Advance box has arrived!

The first two boxes of the book have arrived (just yesterday) and the first batch of review copies of Jorgy have gone out! Review copies will be going to newspapers and magazines around the state, including small newspapers in towns where Jorgy had regular flights, or which are discussed in the book. These include places like Nome, Kotzebue, Bethel, and elsewhere.

The books are on their way!

The books shipped today from the printer. Half will be drop shipped to Anchorage, just in time for the aviation conference, and the other half will come up to Fairbanks.

At the Alaska State Aviation trade show

The annual Alaska Airmen's Convention and trade show is a huge aviation show and get-together in Alaska. Jorgy Jorgensen, Jean Lester, and the publisher will have a table at this event -- along with Jorgy's memoir! Come see us there!