Of Bears and Ballots

March 2, 2020
Journalist Lende (Find the Good) delivers a detailed and amiable chronicle of her three-year term as assemblywoman in Haines Borough, Alaska, a municipality of roughly 2,500 people in the state’s southern panhandle. Frustrated by “the circus of national politics” and the “speak first, think later” approach of Sarah Palin and Donald Trump, Lende ran for borough assembly in 2016. She describes the Haines electorate as “violet with red and blue highlights,” and sketches the local, state, and national issues that matter most in the community, including climate change, the economy, a “multi-million dollar harbor expansion project,” gun rights, the town’s costly private dump, and declining oil revenues. After spending $1,000 on her campaign, Lende won with 501 votes, becoming one of two new members to the six-person assembly, where she encountered stiff opposition to her “relatively liberal politics,” including a contentious recall vote—an experience that led her to examine how gender stereotypes affect women in politics. Lende successfully balances the dry facts of assembly reports with humorous character sketches and lyrical odes to the natural beauty of Alaska. The result is an honest and inspirational investigation into why “it’s easy to say what’s wrong with government; it’s harder to fix it, and progress can be very slow.” Agent: Elizabeth Wales, the Wales Literary Agency.

April 1, 2020
A memoir from an idealistic older woman who won political office for the first time. Welcome back to Haines, Alaska, population 1,600. The cast of characters and places Lende wrote about in her three previous books return in this homespun foray into local politics. Following the 2016 election, the author, a local journalist who owns a lumberyard and hardware store with her husband in beautiful, remote, rural, and politically active Haines, decided to run for one of two open seats in the Borough Assembly against five other residents. "Hillary [Clinton] won Haines," writes Lende, "as did Obama before her." The author describes the town's electorate as "violet with red and blue highlights." Preparing her run for office, Lende hired her friend Teresa as her campaign manager and spent $1,000--"and thought that was too much." The author decided to run because she wanted to be the "kind of woman who says, and believes, that she can change the world through small acts, in small places." She received 501 votes out of 1,032 cast, and her term was three years. The assembly chamber, she writes, is "about as charming as the waiting room of a juvenile detention facility." After somewhat mastering the intricacies of Robert's Rules of Order, Lende tried to govern, but relationships with friends became strained as she confronted various issues, even a proposal to ban plastic bags or whether houses needed addresses on them. Some of her important votes--e.g., regarding a wastewater treatment plant, new regulations on alcohol sales in bars, and a mining permit--had unintended consequences and led to a "drumbeat for recall" for Lende and three others for "misconduct in office." Though the recall attempts were "soundly defeated, it left her wondering if "national politics floated up to small-town Alaska." Written in her usual sprightly, witty, humble, effervescent style, this one will please the author's fans.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2020

In 2016, Lende (If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name) was elected to the assembly of Haines, AK, a town in the southeastern part of the state accessible from the mainland via boat or plane. Here, she discusses the issues before the assembly, including harbor renovations, appointing a town manager, recreational permits, and assigning house numbers. Naturally, the town's strong personalities make appearances. Additionally, the author reflects on her own mistakes as an assembly member and the lessons learned during her tenure. Descriptions of municipal matters could be dry and boring, but Lende's vivid descriptions, good-natured humor, and adoration for her quirky neighbors further energize this engaging tale. Throughout, Lende emphasizes the need for bipartisanship, as she knows everyone in her community personally and does not want to lose friendships over politics. When several of the politically conservative members of the town attempt to recall Lende and two of her fellow assembly members, she reconsiders her dedication to the community, the assembly, and her friendships. VERDICT A heartfelt ode to civil service. Recommended for readers interested in government, civil service, and small-town life.--Rebekah Kati, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.