Hildegard Ratliff

Red & Blue: a Memoir of Two Alaskan Tour Guides Hildegard Ratliff

Most travel memoirs are written from the perspective of travelers. This story is told through the eyes of two tour guides. Alaska, a destination many called the trip of a lifetime, they simply called home. Inspired by their love for the beauty of this place and the outdoor experiences that enriched their own lives, they became part of the still-developing travel industry in Juneau, Alaska. This is the story of nature and human nature spanning nearly two decades. While tourists were watching nature, their tour guides were watching them, what they said before and during their travels and after they returned home, what attracted their attention. While this book is firmly rooted in a wild and beautiful place, it also digresses into broader themes of human relationships, why we travel, our ties with the natural world, what wild salmon teach us about the meaning of life.