In Lobsticks and Stone Cairns, over one hundred Arctic stories are told about adventurers, military officers, authors, guides, cultural heroes, police, traders, and even the occasional charlatan. While some of the biographies in the book are of people still active in the North, others tell stories from as far back as the sixteenth century. The subjects of the sketches are Inuit, European, American, Indian, and Canadian men and women. The exploits discussed in this generously illustrated book bring northern history and geography to life. Each profile is accompanied by a short bibliography.

Lobsticks are trees that are used as markers. Above the tree-line, stone cairns are used in their place. It is hoped that these biographies of "human" landmarks will help you find your way around in the North and bring the Arctic just a little closer to home.