Customer Reviews

The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska: With the Wacky Wisdom of Mr. Whitekeys (24th Edition)

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As a resident of Barrow, Alaska, the farthest north city in Alaska and the United States, I am used to inaccurate and sometimes even mean-spirited descriptions of this big, beautiful and diverse state.
So this Almanac is valuable for anyone who might want to visit our state someday, or even just learn more about what truly is the "Last Frontier."
Barrow does get quite cold ---It is about 30 below in late February as I write this review, but the Almanac also notes how dry it is here. Barrow holds the record for least precipitation in a year ---1.61 inches in 1935.
It also devotes considerable coverage to the Native peoples of the state, and their history and culture. For example, if you fly to the beautiful village of Anaktuvuk Pass (population about 300) in the Brooks Range, you can visit the Simon Paneak Memorial Museum, which includes a description of Paleo-Indian people who occupied the Mesa Site in the Brooks Range more than 11,000 years ago.
And as other reviews note, Mr. Whitekeys contributes SPAM and humor to break up the facts with all kinds of interesting tidbits ----including research on the northern tundra which reports up to 9,000 mosquito bites per minute. I've been out on the tundra in summer, and well maybe it just seems like thousands of mosquitos buzzing around. I try to focus on the beauty of the tiny flowers and the magnificent birds and wildlife all around.

I loved this book -- before opening it, I knew very little about Alaska. Now, I know more than I could ever need, unless I got caught in the Iditarod and needed something to eat (Spam doesn't freeze).

I liked the book's format, broken down alphabetically by subject -- Agriculture, Baidarka, Cabin Fever, etc -- and I especially loved Mr. Whitekeys, originator of the infamous "Whale Fat Follies", and his bits of whimsy. For example, did you know....Alaskans rank no. 1 in the consumption of ice cream and no. 2 in the per capita consumption of SPAM?

Books like these contain a lot of infomration packaged in a very clever format...good concept, great fun!

Enjoy!

Alaska is as unique as it is beautiful, and this book captures it's essence beautifully! The only other way to comprehend this is to take a trip up there and experience it for yourself. And while you're there, stop in and say hello to Mr. Whitekeys at the Fly-By-Night Club in Anchorage!!