Of Bears and Ballots: An Alaskan Adventure in Small-Town Politics

In this entertaining and incisive book, author Heather Lende shares her story of running for assembly member (and winning!) in Haines, Alaska. Haines is a tiny town at the northern end of a long coastal inlet in the southeastern part of the state, and though it's remote and connected to the rest of the world only by a drive of several hundred miles through the Yukon wilderness, by a multi-hour boat ride to Juneau, or by airplane, it suffers from many of the same political problems as the rest of the U.S. From debates over the fishing harbor to a recall campaign targeting three of the assembly members, including Lende, there's seemingly never a quiet moment, even in this quiet town. Lende skillfully portrays the ways that our national political battles play out on this much smaller stage, and offers lessons about community and hope for a civically-minded future. A great read, especially in our increasingly politically fraught era.

(This title may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)