A Raisin in the Snow: A Woman's Pathway to Leadership in Remote Alaska

by Patricia Hutcherson

Ann accepts a two-year contract as a principal in an isolated, unfamiliar Eskimo village, where she has no one to depend on but herself. After two weeks in town, Terri, a member of the superintendent's staff, invited her for a walk to learn about the village. While walking along the dusty road, Ann spotted a black bear eating berries on the tundra. Terri fired two shots from her Glock 45, and the bear ran in one direction while Terri and Ann ran back to the village.

Routine walks along the dusty road or in town now required carrying a gun, an air horn, or a whistle to ward off any unexpected predators nearby. Ann realized these habits were becoming her new normal and considered them a typical day in the bush.

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2025

Reviews

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir has a ton of great information about experiences as an outsider in this remote region for educational professionals. it also has a lot of interesting info about the local culture and the clashes that occur with those outside the culture. The author is quite a strong, spunky woman and I enjoyed her story. There were a lot of typos and some editing issues throughout the book, though.