The Glacier Priest: Father Bernard Hubbard and America’s Last Frontier by Josh McMullen
Father Barnard R. Hubbard was many things: a devout priest and an innovative geologist, a fearless pioneer and a brilliant businessman. He was an explorer, a national celebrity, a writer, a photographer, a film-maker, and until recently, forgotten.
The Glacier Priest brings him back to the forefront of American history, with author Josh McMullen reflecting on the life of a man who was one of the most instrumental figures in not only the establishment of Alaska as a state, but in the integration of Catholics into American society.
“At one point the highest-paid lecturer in the world, reaching audiences of a quarter of a million people a year, the nearly-forgotten Fr. Hubbard springs off the pages of McMullen’s excellent book,” said John Seitz, co-editor of Working Alternatives. ”The life of Fr. Hubbard—explorer, amateur scientist, and skilled myth-maker—sheds light on Catholics’ complex relationship to American expansionism, democracy, capitalism, and the idea of wilderness.”
In an America that still maintained an inherent bias against her Catholic citizens, Father Hubbard was instrumental in the integration of Catholics into American society, crafting a beloved celebrity persona for his TV, radio, and speaking engagements. This greater acceptance of Catholics in the mainstream grew over time and eventually led to the election of John F. Kennedy as the first Catholic president and the modernization of the church with Vatican II.
Combining stories from Hubbard’s own personal journals with in-depth research, Fr. Hubbard reemerges on the pages of history. From celebrating Mass in the shadow of mighty Mount Katmai to mushing a dog sled team 1600 miles to five missionary bases, The Glacier Priest tells Hubbard’s tales of frontier adventure, and how he captured the hearts of Americans and paved the way toward Alaskan statehood and a greater integration of Catholics into American society.
In The Glacier Priest, author Josh McMullen breathes life into one of the forgotten corners of history and illuminates the teachings of one of America’s most popular priests for a modern audience.
The Glacier Priest will be released on May 1, 2025. For more information, or to request an advance review copy, contact Katie Campbell, kcampbe9@nd.edu, 574-631-4909.
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