It Happened Like This: A Life in Alaska

It Happened Like This: A Life in Alaska tells a fascinating tale of a woman making a life in this most rugged of places. Backpacking expert and author Adrienne Lindholm has made her life in Alaska for decades working in public lands management and conservation. Here she tells the story of how she was lured by this wild land and the people, landscapes, and wildlife she has encountered there. Alaska is no longer just for the guys.

This is also a personal story about life decisions, struggles, and accomplishments. There are also all the people she has met and interacted with along the way. The book abounds with profound thoughts inspired by her experiences there. Some may find this book too spiritual, but Lindholm also embraces some of the perspectives of native peoples in this one. There are also some backcountry adventures and wonderful nature-writing passages that celebrate the land. Lindholm tells of how she met her partner and their desire to have children, giving this book a wider personal appeal than just a book about survivalism. The book succeeds in being many things, not just a tale about a wondrous, but sometimes grim, land. Instead, it’s about a place where some can carve out a new start despite the challenges.