An Intimate Wilderness: Arctic Voices in a Land of Vast Horizons

by Norman Hallendy, William W. Fitzhugh (Foreword)

Arctic researcher, author, and photographer Norman Hallendy’s journey to the far north began in 1958, when many Inuit, who traditionally lived on the land, were moving to permanent settlements created by the Canadian government. In this unique memoir, Hallendy writes of his adventures, experiences with strange Arctic phenomena, encounters with wildlife, and deep friendships with Inuit elders. Very few have worked so closely with the Inuit to document their traditions, and, in this book, Hallendy preserves their voices and paints an incomparable portrait of a vibrant culture in a remote landscape.

Genres: Nonfiction

328 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2016

Reviews

[Bumbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy to read - RIP Norman Hallendy. I beautiful study of Inuit life and way of living.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intimate introduction to a community past and present and a wonderful exploration of a incredible land that most of us do not get the opportunity to visit.
Hallendy tells vivid stories of a people and a land aided by local linguistic references. My favorite word was tauuunguatitsiniq, an inuit word for "creating a picture of a thing in another person's mind, or the act of conveying images onto another person's consciousness." This is something the An Intimate Wilderness achieves exceptionally well.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author spent 50 years living in the Canadian Arctic, mastering the inuksuit language and chronicling countless aspects of Inuit culture. His closest friends were Inuit elders who shared their stories and customs from times long past, often guiding him on excursions in the eastern arctic.

This book is a collection of photographs, illustrations and stories from Hallendy's arctic endeavours, with photos and vivid descriptions of the land and its people. It's a wonderful window into Inuit culture from a man who dedicated his life to studying and preserving all aspects of it. Can't recommend this enough!