Customer Reviews

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

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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.