The plane fell from
the clouds toward the dirt airstrip in theInupiat Village Alaska
I braced myself against the seat in front of me. Windows aged and opaque
blurred the borders of ice and land, sea and sky. The airstrip rushed upward
with menacing inevitability. Kaktovik perched on Barter Island, a barrier
island shaped like a bison’s skull just north of the Arctic Coastal Plain. Ice
stretched from just offshore to the horizon. The Beech 1900 touched down with
all the grace of a drunk, first one wheel and then the other staggering on the
rough surface. Our bodies lurched forward and to the side. Gravel crunched
beneath the wheels until the sound smoothed into a rhythmic bumping to the end
of the runway. As I walked off the plane down the rickety stairs, the Arctic
wind cut through my fleece. I stood on the boundary between land and sea, water
and ice. It was the end of the world. The ultima Thule. (opening PP, p 19)
the clouds toward the dirt airstrip in the
I braced myself against the seat in front of me. Windows aged and opaque
blurred the borders of ice and land, sea and sky. The airstrip rushed upward
with menacing inevitability. Kaktovik perched on Barter Island, a barrier
island shaped like a bison’s skull just north of the Arctic Coastal Plain. Ice
stretched from just offshore to the horizon. The Beech 1900 touched down with
all the grace of a drunk, first one wheel and then the other staggering on the
rough surface. Our bodies lurched forward and to the side. Gravel crunched
beneath the wheels until the sound smoothed into a rhythmic bumping to the end
of the runway. As I walked off the plane down the rickety stairs, the Arctic
wind cut through my fleece. I stood on the boundary between land and sea, water
and ice. It was the end of the world. The ultima Thule. (opening PP, p 19)
A memoir of adventure, tragedy, family and faith, and a
daughter’s navigating the wilderness of an Alaskan river and of her own heart.
When her parents are killed by a grizzly bear inAlaska ’s
remote Arctic, author Shannon Huffman Polson is forced into a wilderness of
grief. Her quest for healing is recounted with heartbreaking candor in North of
Hope. Polson travels from her home inSeattle
to the wilderness ofAlaska ,
where she retraces her father and stepmother’s final days along an Arctic
river, effortlessly weaving together the internal landscape of grief with the
exterior landscape of theArctic , elegantly entwining
natural history, adventure and sacred pilgrimage while she wrestles with and
draws strength from her faith and memories. This deeply moving narrative is
shot through with the human search for meaning in the face of tragedy.
daughter’s navigating the wilderness of an Alaskan river and of her own heart.
When her parents are killed by a grizzly bear in
remote Arctic, author Shannon Huffman Polson is forced into a wilderness of
grief. Her quest for healing is recounted with heartbreaking candor in North of
Hope. Polson travels from her home in
to the wilderness of
where she retraces her father and stepmother’s final days along an Arctic
river, effortlessly weaving together the internal landscape of grief with the
exterior landscape of the
natural history, adventure and sacred pilgrimage while she wrestles with and
draws strength from her faith and memories. This deeply moving narrative is
shot through with the human search for meaning in the face of tragedy.
“A soulful and brave book…a testament to deep change,
human and wild.” – Terry Tempest Williams, author of When Women Were Birds
human and wild.” – Terry Tempest Williams, author of When Women Were Birds
“Daring, perceptive and eloquent– Polson’s writing is
clear and forceful. Like all true pilgrimages, this one is challenging, and
well worth taking.” — Scott Russell Sanders, author of Earth Works and A Conservationist Manifesto
clear and forceful. Like all true pilgrimages, this one is challenging, and
well worth taking.” — Scott Russell Sanders, author of Earth Works and A Conservationist Manifesto
“This is no ordinary memoir. To read it is to be
changed.” – Jeanne Murray Walker, author of Geography of Memory
changed.” – Jeanne Murray Walker, author of Geography of Memory
“North of Hope is an enthralling story of loss, courage
and redemption, told by a gifted, original and brave new voice.”-
Robert Clark, award-winning author of ten books including Dark Water: Flood and Redemption and Mr. White’s Confession
and redemption, told by a gifted, original and brave new voice.”-
Robert Clark, award-winning author of ten books including Dark Water: Flood and Redemption and Mr. White’s Confession
Shannon Huffman Polson lives and writes with her
family inSeattle , Washington
Her work has been published in High Country News,
andAlaska
and Seattle Magazines, Cirque Journal and Adventum Magazine, among others. After studying
English literature atDuke University
Polson spent 8 years flying Apache helicopters around the world with the U.S
Army, received her MBA at theTuck School
atDartmouth and worked in the
corporate world for five years before returning for her MFA atSeattle
Pacific University
and writing North of Hope.
Polson was born and reared inAnchorage ,
and still spends time every year at a cabin inDenali .
The Polsons enjoy backpacking and skiing, and Polson sings with Seattle Pro
Musica. North of Hope is
available in hardback, all ebook versions, and audio. It is published by Zondervan,
an imprint of Harper Collins.
family in
Her work has been published in High Country News,
and
and Seattle Magazines, Cirque Journal and Adventum Magazine, among others. After studying
English literature at
Polson spent 8 years flying Apache helicopters around the world with the U.S
Army, received her MBA at the
at
corporate world for five years before returning for her MFA at
and writing North of Hope.
Polson was born and reared in
and still spends time every year at a cabin in
The Polsons enjoy backpacking and skiing, and Polson sings with Seattle Pro
Musica. North of Hope is
available in hardback, all ebook versions, and audio. It is published by Zondervan,
an imprint of Harper Collins.
North of Hope is available anywhere books are sold, online
or in bookstores. For hardcover purchase (in addition to bookstores): http://redroom.com/member/shannon-huffman-polson/books/north-of-hope-a-daughters-arctic-journey; Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/North-Hope-Daughters-Journey-ebook/dp/B008EGQZXI/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1370330178&sr=8-1&keywords=north+of+hope
or in bookstores. For hardcover purchase (in addition to bookstores): http://redroom.com/member/shannon-huffman-polson/books/north-of-hope-a-daughters-arctic-journey; Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/North-Hope-Daughters-Journey-ebook/dp/B008EGQZXI/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1370330178&sr=8-1&keywords=north+of+hope
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a post about your book to Spotlight onAlaska
promote your book? 49 Writers can help. If you’re a current or former Alaskan, submit
a post about your book to Spotlight on