Shelly's Book Journal

This is the story of small town newspaper obituary author Heather Lende. She shares the stories of people who have died on her watch - so actually the title should have been, "If You Died here, I'd know your name." I really wanted to like this book, as typically stories of Alaska are some of my favorite, but I mostly had a love/hate relationship with this book. Lende brings politics to the forefront and labels those who don't agree with her perspective. Always a danger in doing this, as you often come across as the fantatical one yourself. She also acts like Haines is the ONLY unique small town in America, the only place where people take care of each other, the only place where small town values still exist. The stories of the various people and their passings were moving and touching at times, but I think it is Lende herself who is hard to stomache.