The first inspiration for my creative life came from my high school English teacher who assured me that poor speling, poor grammer, and a highly experimental approach to writing would not necessarily limit my literary future. Later, as an anthropology graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, I greatly admired the poignant beauty for Loren Eiseley's prose. Scientist, humanist, naturalist, and poet, his ability to interweave paleontology with personal reflections on the human condition was most inspiring. I especially remember two memorable occasions when we met for lunch at a nearby cafeteria where he shared his thoughts on science and humanity - ideas which emerged several years later in his highly popular book, 'The Immense Journey.' While our interests soon diverged, his literary achievements continue to inspire me to this day.

In addition to teaching anthropology at the University of Oklahoma, McGill University , and the University of Connecticut, I have served on numerous national and international panels and boards including those of the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Anthropological Association, and the Arctic Institute of North America.

Before becoming an anthropologist and writer, I had two decidedly non-intellectual interests - music and flying. Early musical studies at the Eastman School of Music and Oberlin Conservatory led to a decade-long involvement as jazz drummer and band leader; while washing planes for flying lessons culminated in a 30 year commitment to the joys and adventure of flight - the most memorable of which included flights with my anthropologist-pilot-wife exploring the mountains, river valleys, and wilderness acres of Canada and Alaska.

My Internet Home Page
Includes book descriptions, article excerpts, personal reflections, and other literary and research activities.

Arctic Circle
I convened an arctic-oriented educational web site with well over two million viewers.

Selected chapters from my novel
Overview