Haines for All Seasons: Northern Exposures from Alaska Reflecting Our Bond to the Land and Each Other [Paperback]

Kathleen M.K. Menke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 18, 2005

Haines, Alaska, is: a place where five runs of wild salmon still return to natural, healthy watersheds; a community of individuals with unique skills and talents, generously shared; a place with more than a hint of Northern Exposure; a place where cultural traditions endure; the beginning of the trail and the end of the trail--"Dei-shu."

A collection of images reflecting our bond to the land and each other, as seen through the eyes and heart of one photographer, over a period of twenty years, throughout the seasons. Succinct headings provide the themes, reminders of cherished values, for the page spreads. Photographic captions at the bottom of each page provide additional information about each image.

Bears, moose, bald eagles, wild salmon, sea lions, migrating birds, hooligan harvest, mountains, oceans, forests, northern lights, community, subsistence lifestyle, cultural tradition, Denali, Tatshenshini, Yukon, SE Alaska communities, and more.

48-pages, 8 1/2" x 11", 200 original color images, quality paper, pages sewn, softbound/perfect bound/cover laminated.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Menke's love for Haines comes through with the clarity of her photos of mountains that step right down to the sea. Haines, just a hop away from Skagway, is a jewel by the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska.... You can't miss with Alaska's gorgeous and grand scenery, her bears, eagles, salmon, northern lights and moose....We get a nice peek at the characters who make up your typically idiosyncratic Alaska town.... Alaskans will enjoy this book, perhaps even more than folks elsewhere. You can buy those sanitized coffeetable books at any chain bookstore. "Haines for All Seasons" offers more.... Menke doesn't wait for people to look at the camera and grin, thank goodness. She's caught them just as they are right in the middle of stringing fish or mending nets. It's the next best thing to being there. --Jean McDermott, Northern Book Review, Fairbanks, Alaska

"Haines for All Seasons--Northern Exposures from Alaska Reflecting Our Bond to the Land and Each Other" consists of 48 pages showcasing 200 color images of the wildlife, lands, and people of Haines, Alaska. This is a beautiful setting where nature's glory in all the seasons of the year are to be observed and celebrated. The photography ranges from the charming to the breath-taking to the inherently fascinating as author/photographer Kathleen Menke reveals what she has managed to capture with camera lens and an artist's eye over the last twenty years....a visual tour-de-force armchair traveler through some of the best that Alaska has to offer. --Small Press Bookwatch, James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review

Menke has spent twenty years photographing the breath-taking array of nature and wildlife and the relationship of the people to its abundance. She shares with us her celebration of the very essence of life in Alaska. Haines is unique in what it has to offer, but it is representative of much of the "Last Frontier," and this fabulous collection of photos with their descriptive headings and narrative will show you why I choose to call Alaska home. I highly recommend it. --Beverly J. Rowe, Kenai, Alaska, Reviewer, MyShelf.com

From the Publisher

A perfect souvenir/gift/keepsake for those with a love for Alaska, its natural beauty, and the lifestyle and culture of its people.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Crystal Images; 1st edition (June 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976426102
• ISBN-13: 978-0976426103
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,762,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ode to the Beauty of Southeast Alaska, November 22, 2008

By 

D. Fafarman "davefxx" (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haines for All Seasons: Northern Exposures from Alaska Reflecting Our Bond to the Land and Each Other (Paperback)

This book is 100% photos with captions. I would prefer to have some text included as well, but the pictures are wonderful and are a very broad selection that probably only a local like Menke could produce. There are images of mountains, glaciers, fjords, wildlife, wildflowers, native Alaskans, residents and tourists, and the aurora borealis (northern lights). As the title says, all seasons of the year are shown. A source of pride for Alaskans and a beautiful book.

P.S. I love the book's subtitle!

Addendum, July 2011: At the time I originally wrote this review, Nov. '08, I had not been to Alaska. A recent cruise took us to the adjacent towns of Haines, Skagway, and Juneau. It's fun to compare them.

Juneau is much larger and is the state capital. It has a bustling, cosmopolitan, commercial aspect.

Skagway is to a large extent an historical monument, with a lot of Yukon gold-rush era buildings maintained by the National Park Service. Many tourists go there for the White Pass / Yukon Railroad, which is quite an experience. The construction of the WPYRR, considered one of the world's civil engineering marvels, opened up easier access to the Yukon and reduced the value of Haines's road access, shunting traffic to Skagway and making Haines a backwater.

And then there's Haines, which is a similar size to Skagway, but with a very different flavor. It is more rural, moves at a slower pace, and feels very integral to the landscape. We took a local excursion called "Haines Off the Beaten Track" (which is comical because Haines, despite its hub location, is already off the beaten track). Many artists live there. And a lot of bald eagles. I think Menke's book has well captured the essence of the place, including even the wordlessness which seems quite fitting. A unique experience.