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Naomi Klouda will be at Fireside Books on Friday, September 12th from 1:00-4:00pm to sign copies of her book The Alaska Dictionary. About the book:
Want to know more about your favorite Alaska glacier? Columbia, Mendenhall, Matansuka, Taku, or lesser knowns such as Brady, Dixon, Stoney? This book is for you, full of illustrations and story entries for the 700 named glaciers in alphabetical order. This new reference guide is a first of its kind. It's also timely given today's outlook for glaciers and a burgeoning interest in these sacred neighbors. Glacier essays by John Muir, George Hazelet, Marybeth Holleman and Bill Sherwonit form the second section; a third gives more information about glaciology for general interest. A must-have reference guide for every glacier enthusiast's bookshelf.
Kirkus Reviews: The Alaska Glacier Dictionary is a guide to Alaska's glaciers featuring an A-to-Z list, nature essays, and frequently asked questions.
Here, the wonders of Alaska's glaciers are covered in three distinct parts. First up in Naomi Klouda's book we get an alphabetized list of the state's named glaciers, beginning with Adams Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and ending over 300 pages later with Yushin Glacier near Mount Campbell. Each entry has at least one paragraph dedicated to its glacier's statistics (elevation, area, length, location, etc.). Some entries, like the one for the Aialik Glacier, also include photos. The second section features a diverse cross-section of nature-writing; the selected writings are presented in diary format, such as naturalist John Muir's 1890 entries, while others are straightforward essays like Marybeth Holleman's passionate reflections on climate change. These more personal ruminations make for a stark contrast to the dry facts and figures of the previous section. Eliza Scidmore's musings on the natural world, in particular, tend toward the poetic: "Besides the clear, emerald tide, reflecting every tree and rock, there was the beauty of foaming cataracts leaping down the sides of snow-capped mountains, and the grandeur of great glaciers pushing down through sharp ravines, and dropping miniature icebergs into the water." The final part features pictures, maps, and frequently asked questions, such as, "Where are glaciers formed?" Overall, Klouda's guide functions more like a glacier encyclopedia than a dictionary. Its tone reflects as much, with all of the information being presented without any distracting bells and whistles. While the reams of statistical information in the first section will likely prove rather dry for casual readers, the passionate essays and brain-teasing glacier trivia that make up the rest of the book perfectly balance everything out. This delicate see-sawing between information and entertainment ultimately results in a unique, science-based look at the world around us.
Fascinating facts and exquisite nature essays that will appeal to hardcore conservationists and amateur nature observers alike.
About the author:
Naomi Klouda is a longtime Alaska journalist who has worked at newspapers from the Anchorage Times to the Kodiak Daily Mirror, Tundra Drums, and the Anchorage Daily News. She is the author of Anna's Whale, a novella set in village Alaska during this time of climate change when a rare whale beaches on the shore. She also wrote the newly-released Alaska Glacier Dictionary, a compendium of 700 named glaciers and their vital stats. She lives in Homer, Alaska.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
720 S Alaska Street, Palmer, AK, United States, Alaska 99645
