All this attention is being devoted to Alaska, so I thought I should do my own evaluation. Note in advance that politicians don?t usually make these lists, they?re not ?favorite? enough for me. And enough about her for now anyway.
1. Novel, set in: Jack London?s Call of the Wild or White Fang are the obvious choices. Did you know that London?s fiction was very widely read in the former Soviet Union?
2. Music: There?s Jewel and Bette Midler and maybe you?re all wondering which one I will pick. But the excellent Kevin Johansen, also associated with Buenos Aires I might add, is the proverbial rabbit from the hat.
3. Movie, set in: Both Never Cry Wolf and Grizzly Man are very good; the former had a lead character named Tyler before the name became fashionable.
4. Sculpture: Alaska is probably #1 in the entire United States once you consider the indigenous peoples. The best works are from the 1950s and 60s and they are not always attributable. My personal favorite is Thomassie Annanok but of course that is a matter of taste.
5. Other arts: The Tlingit (some of whom live in Canada) have excellent totem poles, boxes, and carvings. The Haida are another rich artistic tradition.
6. Novel, set in: Michael Chabon?s The Yiddish Policeman?s Union is the obvious pick plus I hear The Cloud Atlas (The Liam Callanan book, not the David Mitchell one, which is very good but not connected to Alaska) is good.
7. Travel book, set in: Jonathan Raban?s Passage to Juneau: A Sea and its Meanings is lovely.
8. Blogger: Hail Ben Muse of Alaska
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