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Summary: Tisha
Review: Last year (1999-2000) the teacher in my literature class made us read a book that had to do with Alaska (this being more of the state spirit they try and cultivate at school). My mom suggested Tisha, and I finished it shortly after she dug her copy off of her book shelf. The true story of a lady who went to teach in Chicken Alaska was very interesting. I learned things about the way life was in 1927 in Alaska, because now it's very different from that. The racial predjudices that some of her students face are very interesting, and I found this story captivating.
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Summary: Tisha: The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaska Wilderness
Review: Set in the wilderness of Alaska in 1927, our heroin Anne Hobbs takes us through the adventure of being a young, open-minded female schoolteacher in the mining settlement of Chicken. Anne arrives in Chicken to find the schoolhouse a shambles and barely any materials to teach with. Through the support of the community she is able to create living quarters and get her classroom in order. Being the newcomer and softhearted type, Anne opened her classroom to more than white children. Anne soon learns that the community isn't receptive to her way of thinking but they can't deny she is a good teacher and that Chicken is very lucky to have her. Anne takes us through her struggles and triumphs as her year in Chicken slowly goes by. We always are aware of the weather, surroundings, people, and her classroom accomplishments. Every twist and turn this story takes, you will find yourself wanting to reach the end. This book was my favorite when I was a little girl and continues to be today. I remember how addicted I got to the storyline and how much I wanted to know how Anne was going to survive her first year teaching in Alaska. Most importantly, we can't overlook the year in which this happened, 1927, where it happened, Alaska, and how open Anne was to the idea of school integration. It amazes me that she didn't want to deny any child or adult an education regardless of race. This is the part of the book that I found the saddest and felt the proudest. I was saddened by the way the white settlers treated and thought about the native people. I was proud of Anne for standing up for what she believed in and that was equality. Tisha will always have a special place in my personal library and Anne Hobbs my personal role model.
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Summary: I moved to AK because of this book!
Review: This book was autographed and given to me by Ann Hobbs-Purdy in the early 80's. I can assure you, it is totally authentic, and that she collaberated with the author fully. Mrs. Purdy's adopted children still live in Chicken, and one can buy an autographed copy at the general store there.I have read this book numerous times. The allure of Alaska was too great to ignore, so I sold out, packed up and headed north. I lived there for 8 magnificent years before returning to the lower 48.For hopeless romantics or incurable adventurors, I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: An Outstanding Novel You Won't Ever Forget
Review: This is a fictionalized true account of a young schoolteacher's experiences in the Alaskan frontier in 1927. This book has something for everyone: plenty of adventure, romance, and colorful personalities. My favorite thing about this book was reading how Anne (the teacher) and Fred's relationship - taboo due to prejudice - slowly blossomed from friendship into love. It is one of those books that you never forget reading. Anyone who has read "Mrs. Mike" or "Christy" would also love reading this book. This book is one of my favorite books of all time.
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Summary: Auntie Anne
Review: This is a great account of how early life in Alaska truly was. My father mined with Fred Purdy from the late 30's till the war broke out and he enlisted. After he married my Mother they moved back to Chicken and my Mother became a close friend to Anne. While Fred and Anne adopted other children over the years they always had a house full of everyone else's children too, a sign of their loving and open nature. The flavor of this book reflects the bias of the "Outsiders" to the local natives that still runs uneasily under a more modern and progressive time.
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Summary: Auntie Anne
Review: This is a great account of how early life in Alaska truly was. My father mined with Fred Purdy from the late 30's till the war broke out and he enlisted. After he married my Mother they moved back to Chicken and my Mother became a close friend to Anne. While Fred and Anne adopted other children over the years they always had a house full of everyone else's children too, a sign of their loving and open nature. The flavor of this book reflects the bias of the "Outsiders" to the local natives that still runs uneasily under a more modern and progressive time.
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