Book excerpt: John Hoover: Art and Life, featuring colour reproductions of works from museums and private collections all over the world, is a retrospective look at the life and career of one of Alaska's most significant artists. John Hoover grew up in Cordova, Alaska, in an era when it was an international city and one of the richest ports in the West. Born in 1919 to a Dutch father and Aleut-Russian mother, Hoover has worked as a fisherman, taxi driver, drummer, and sailor - and, throughout, he has been an artist. The ancient Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts, and the spirits that guided them, still guide Hoover today. It is their stories, as well as his own, that he brings alive in his cedar carvings. Now in his eighties, Hoover continues to create small and large-scale sculptures in cedar and bronze. He was one of the first to successfully bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary art, and he has spent a lifetime mastering his craft, breaking new ground, and reviving ancient cultures. In each of his roles - as Aleut artist, musician, fisherman, and storyteller - he has striven to exemplify dedication, perseverance, and perfection