Ben Mikaelsen

Biography

Ben Mikaelsen (born 1952) grew up in Bolivia as the son of missionaries before moving to the United States. He is known for his intense research methods — he raised a 700-pound black bear named Buffy for over twenty years and drew on that experience for the novel's bear encounters. Mikaelsen is not Tlingit or Alaska Native; he researched Circle Justice and Tlingit cultural practices extensively, consulting with Native communities. His outsider perspective has been both praised for its respectful treatment and critiqued for simplifying complex cultural traditions. He has spoken openly about his own difficult childhood and the role of nature in his personal healing.

Ben Mikaelsen at a glance