Northern Exposure

by ellis-weiner

CBS TV's Northern Exposure is a hit nationwide--and now, following the success of Pocket's Twin Peaks books, comes Letters from Cicely. It is a candid and insightful look into the world of Cicely, Alaska, where life borders on the eccentric and comforts are scarce. Features personal and private correspondence between the quirky cast of characters from the show. ( Biography)

Genres: Fiction, Tv, Humor, Media Tie In

Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a HUGE Northern Exposure fan. As in, 1. I own the entire series and watch re-runs weekly. 2. I have Northern Exposure sweatshirts, clocks on my wall. 3. I have Darren Burroughs on my FB. 4. I plan on attending Moosefest 5. I am going to "Cicely," aka, Rosyln, Washington this summer.

So the reason I'm relating this, is that I would READ ANYTHING about NX, and be biased, I suppose, just thrilled to reunite with the characters.

I'm about half way through the book and FORCING myself to only read a few pages a day, because I know I'll be bummed when it's over with.

It is written as a series of letters. The premise is sort of similiar to the episode where for several weeks, no one can sleep because the sun hardly sets. Only, in the book, they're blaming it on a sun spot that is affecting the residents so that they do not want to sleep, so they stay up continually, and in their idle time, write letters back home. So in that vein, you're not going to get your traditional story telling via, narrator. Meh. Who cares?

Somewhere, maybe on Amazon, a few NX snobs thought the dialogue in the letters wasn't accurate.

I'll let you decide. Does this sound like an exchange between Maggie and Joel? Maggie is helping out at The Brick since they're short of staff, bartending when Joel comes in:

Joel: So, O'Connell... expanding your repertoire of professional skills, I'm impressed.

Maggie: What'll it be, Fleischman.

Joel: So curt, so short, so brusque! I may have to inform Mr. Vincoeur that his help is a quart low on customer relational finesse.

Maggie: Fleischman, you don't have to bother to impress me with your vocabulary. I already know you got a 714 on your verbal SAT's.

Joel: Hey, how did you know that? Who told you? Did Elaine tell you?

Maggie: You did, Fleischman. It was one of the first things you said after we met. And you want to know what my sincere reaction was?

Joel: What? . . .

Maggie: How refreshing. To see such a good vocabulary in the possession of such a jerk. And you'd be happy to know that in the two years you've been here, I have no reason to revise that assessment. You do have a good vocabulary. And you are a jerk.

Joel: Oh yeah? And what did you get, O'Connell?

Maggie: 632

Joel: I rest my case.

Maggie: So do I. What'll it be?

Joel: Beer.
____________________________________

And I rest my case as well. It's a fun read for any NX'er.
UPDATE:
I just finished it. I'm sad. I want more! I KNEW I would love it, so I stretched it out an entire month. Sigh.

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

One recent spring, for two months, the entire village of Cicely, Alaska (pop. 850), fell into a spell of insomnia. No one could say exactly what caused it -- sunspots are a leading theory -- but Cicelians were left with so much time on their hands that there was nothing better to do than drink, pick fights . . . and compose reams of letters to the outside, unaffected world.

This middleweight book was an attempt to tie into the NORTHERN EXPOSURE adulation of the 1990's, and it generally succeeds by using the voices of "Cicely's" chief characters. Chris Stevens writes fond missives to his former honeys in distant towns. Maurice Minnifield, under cover of "Minnifield Communications," tries to drum up business for Cicely's (hitherto nonexistent) tourist trade, and he comes across as just as pompous and grasping as on TV. An increasingly lonely Joel ("putting the Alas back in Alaska") desperately tries to keep up with his professional contacts from the Lower 48; Shelley Tambo Vincouer reflects on the passing scene.

But my favorite personality of all is Marilyn Whirlwind, who informs a hapless bulk mailer that her name is neither "Marilyn Whirl" nor "Marilyn Wind." Worth a shot if you have fond memories of this seminal TV show.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

And these people... I'm one of them by now. [...] I know their names, the names of the spouses they've attacked with knives, as well as the nicknames of their pets, their guns and their cars.

[Quote (re-)translated from my German copy.]

This is a tie-in product to a TV show called Northern Exposure that I know next to nothing about except that my mom apparently watched it when it ran on TV in the 90s. Apparently she bought this book at some point and somehow it ended up on my book shelf over time with me being mildly curious as to what kind of literature my mom, who never cared much for books, made an exception for.
When a challenge I'm doing with a friend included the category of "a book recommendation from your mom", this one became my pick for it.

Letters from Cicely has a couple things going for it that I actually found very intriguing going in. For one, the whole story being set in a small town of ice-cold Alaska is something I'm very much down for. The plot revolving about a strange phenomenon that keeps the inhabitants of that town awake for months is also pretty interesting. And lastly, the entire story being told through the letters the town's inhabitants send out to the rest of the world is a unique touch.
Unfortunately that's basically where my interests ended because the actual content of the book did not really agree with me.

The book, probably to stay true to its soap opera roots, is focused more on the bickering drama between the quirky characters than the plot. Problem is, I didn't really find a lot of these characters interesting and some of them even outright unlikeable. For example, the male protagonist Joel, who serves as the fish-out-of-water element by being a city doctor banished to work in this backwoods town, is insanely unlikeable. I get that a main-draw of the show was probably the will-they-won't-they back-and-forth between him and the town's local pilot, Maggie. But he is just such a despicable nonstop asshole that I couldn't find a single reason to believe that Maggie could give a rat's ass about him or think that I should root for Joel myself.
There is also this odd age-gap couple with an 18 years old girl being with a 63 years old man, which caught me off-guard when it came up the first time. Didn't really seem like there was much of a point to that either.

A major plot element is also that people just get unreasonable angry at other characters due to lack of sleep, which just resulted in even more bickering but with even less of a reason for it. That felt lazy and contrived. Especially since characters constantly recognize that they're angry at others for literally no good reason.
From what I gathered, this book is loosely based on a specific episode of the show where the town's inhabitants weren't able to sleep for a stretch of time due to different reasons than the ones in the book. I could see the extra aggravation make for some decent entertainment if you're already familiar with the characters and it only goes on for one brief episode. But in this book it was rather grating and felt very repetitive pretty quickly.

In the end, the strange situation resolves just as came on, and the story ends with the will-they-won't-they pair on one and the same page due to being victims of the same circumstance despite 250 pages of pure hatred between them both beforehand.
As someone who has no prior experience with this show, I feel more put off by it than I was before. Not that I think it sounds like the worst thing ever. But it does seem very quaint and not like my kind of humor at all. Maybe it needs the actual performances from the actors on the show to make the dialog work for me but in its written form, this didn't do much for me.
Bits of it felt like Twin Peaks without the good writing or interesting plot and given that that show is mentioned in this book at least ones, I wonder if that's actually somewhat intentional.

Anyway, this wasn't the most painful thing ever but I'm glad I got through this. I also can't blame my mom for not really remembering any of this these days. Maybe that's for the better. lol

[Serendipity Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you used to love watching Northern Exposure then you will really enjoy this book. Written in epistolary format, you get to read all the letters the familiar residents send out to their families and friends around the world. For two months, the letter writing increased dramatically when the town found themselves continually awake for three months. No tiredness or need for sleep at all; every day running 24 without the hint of a yawn, creating extra time to do all the things they ever wanted to do.

At first the residents enjoy their extra hours awake, but as time progresses they become like caged rats, all arguing and completely fed up with the sight of each other.

Now I have spent the last couple of days since finishing this book trying to establish whether the events described in this book are actually possible and I can honestly say I haven't been able to discover the truth. If anyone can enlighten me about sun spots and how they affect us, I would be really happy to discuss them.

One of the letters fascinated me, as it was written to Steve Jobs. Now bear in mind this book was written in 1992, it was astonishing to read about Steve Job's intention for computers and tablets (better known as Ipads now) to be an integral part of family life. I find it astounding to look at the present to see how his idea became reality.

I enjoyed reading the book, it was lovely to see the character's true natures shining through in their letters. In my head, I could hear them reading the letters aloud. It really was nostalgic, to step back into the 90's and visit with such familiar faces. My only niggle was that I had to keep looking at the end of each letter to find out who had written it.

For me, this was truly a comfort read that took me back to a series I used to really love watching. For any big Northern Exposure fans, I highly recommend this book. It will have you reaching for the DVD's of the series to watch them all over again.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just finished watching the entire Norther Exposure TV series and remembered that I had bought this book back in the 90's, sometime after the show was over. So, what better time than now to go back to Cicely one more time before leaving Joel, Maggie, Ed and Marilyn behind, locked in all their quirky, 90's goodness.

The book is a collection of letters written by the characters from 2/28/199? to 6/7/199?. The people of Cicely AK are no longer in need of sleep due to some sort of sun spot anomaly. Finding 24 waking hours a day on their hands, their hands getting busy writing letters to family, old friends, celebrities and other organizations.

Shelly gets involved with a chain letter involving the sending of books and ends up stocking a whole new public library for the town. Extra points for what I believe is her first book of the chain letter being sent from Gainsville FL, my old hometown.

[Elizabeth Sackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look this book will appeal to an incredibly narrow niche of people who enjoy epistolary novels and also 90s surrealist TV drama Northern Exposure but I mean it when I say this was exactly what I needed right now and I enjoyed it with every fiber of my being

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just fun.

[Kellie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was comforting. Like watching the show. I dug it.

[Lawrence Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone who enjoys the wonderful, thoughtful, yes-there-is-intelligent-programming series Northern Exposure will probably enjoy this nice little epistolary novel, but it might not serve a reader unfamiliar with the show. Letters from Cicely appears to have been written as a script, and it would have made a good episode.

A young friend, now an all-grown-up wife, mother, and corporate CPA (What would Ruth-Ann say?), gave me this book when she was at university, along with a Chris-in-the-Morning book mark. Happy memories!

[Lauren Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute delight to read. The voices of the characters were perfect, the format was great, and the story was spot on to what fans of the show look for. I picked up this copy at Cicely's Gift Shop in Roslyn, Washington (The office of Dr. Joel Fleischman) on my trip out there for Moosefest 2023. What a perfect treat after finishing the show and missing new episodes (although an informant did say that Season 7 will be on the way). Wonderful stuff. Must read for any fan of Northern Exposure.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came late to Northern Exposure. Just finished the series on Prime. It left me wanting more. When I saw this book, I ordered it from the library. I am enjoying it throughly. The premise of the book stay right in line with the quirkiness of the show. As I read the letters, I can see each character in my mind, hear their voice and feel like these would be each ones reaction to this solar oddity. I so appreciate the character development and the metaphysical nature of the show. Take this show and compare it with the TV series we have now in the 2020s and well....I long for the early 1990s.

[Lea Bowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been on a bit of a Northern Exposure kick since I got to visit Roslyn, WA where the show was filmed so I decided to dig up my old dvds and re-watch the show. It's a bummer this isn't on Netflix as I think it would do pretty well there but I digress.

Anyway, if you liked the show this book is basically like an episode only in book format. It's told through a series of letters written by the characters ("Jo-el is up in the North Po-el") and is a fun read.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it! You'll probably only enjoy it if you've seen the TV show. I was able to [silently] read the letters in the characters' voices, which really made it come alive and made me feel like I was watching an extended episode of the show.

I read it after watching all 6 seasons, just because I didn't want any spoilers! But I think you'd be fine to read it even after watching just 3 seasons.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letters from Cecily Weiner, Ellis 3 F letters from quirky character Northern Exposure + fun 2017 5/5/2017 5/3/2017

[Jon Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very true to the series; I kept thinking, wasn't this in an episode? Or this? Most of the voices are spot on. Sadly, I'm not sure I could recommend it for people who never watched the show.

[chrisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book which is a series of letters written by the inhabitants of Cicely, Alaska, from the TV show "Northern Exposure", when nobody in the town sleeps for months. I thought that the author did a really good job of alternating the voices of the characters and making them sound like individuals, which can be difficult in a book like this. Several times I actually felt like I was watching a lost episode or something, and that was a lot of fun for me. :) It's also nice to know what Maurice was referring to when he mentioned, in the TV show, a play that was never really performed. I wish that Ruth Anne had had more letters but I understand the reasons her letters are, for the most part, missing. All in all this was a very enjoyable book to read for someone who loves the TV show.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story based on the TV series "Northern Exposure." The premise is that, due to Alaska's midnight sun, the residents of Cicely can't sleep and turn to writing letters instead. The letters start off mildly but, as lack of sleep takes its toll, the reader begins to see things fall apart.

For fans of the show, it's a fun read, giving a more in-depth look at the residents of Cicely. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always a fan of the series and was equally a fan of this book which covers a small phenomena of the town not needing to sleep. The quirky nature of the characters and how they approach the situation was great fun and I really enjoyed the letter format that often gave a different point of view of a single incident. Some mix-ups had me giggle outloud and still make me chuckle now when I think of them.

[Taksya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una sorta di racconto epistolare che narra una delle solite strane vicende "a la Cicely", tipiche della serie tv.
Per colpa delle radiazioni solari nessuno a Cicely sembra essere in grado di dormire e la vita della cittadina diventa ancor più frenetica e aggressiva, soprattutto quando l'insonnia inizia a mettere tutti contro tutti.
Un resoconto assurdo ma perfettamente credibile - nell'ottica della serie - che può essere apprezzato solo dai fan.
Peccato che sia stato l'unico prodotto.

[Diana Tri Wulandari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The show was on when I was too young to fully get a grasp of the kind of endearing humor and appeal of this show. But then I read the book, and it just clicked.
It captivates the spirit of northern exposure, if not better, as the essence of the story were not caged by the limitation of time-bound technology of TV.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun fun fun. I like books of letters, even made-up ones.

[OK Dad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pulled this off the shelf of my teacher/mentors vast collection in our shared classroom. I was a big fan of the series back in the day, and was pleased to learn that Dr. J was as well.

[Yorky Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely discovery, i loved the tv series and this has just brought back loads of memories

[Bobbi Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay book but hard to follow because it was written in letters from all the Cicely characters. I do remember the series and could imagine each character as the letter was written.

[Jonathanrb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I miss this show. So quirky and well-written.

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the TV series and loved the books. Truly a bunch of the most quirky characters!!!

[Arlene Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Northern Exposure.