Perspectives on Place: An Alaskan Explores the Pyrenees

 

The 800-kilometer (500 mi) trek from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean along the Haute Route Pyrenees was just the beginning of a long journey of inquiry and reflection, comparing the Pyrenean region with her home turf of Alaska. Retired research professor and award-winning science journalist Sharman Haley fills the pages with evocative descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells, joys and ordeals along the way, segueing into essays on things that piqued her interest, and their Alaska counterpoint. The essays are wide-ranging, including flora, fauna, forests, insects, birdsong, meteorology, geology, gastronomy, archeology, anthropology, history, technology and land use, with a little twist of humor thrown in. Each chapter is lavishly illustrated with original watercolors by her artist companion Michael Samoya.

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Sharman Haley is a freelance journalist based in Alaska. After retiring from a 30-year career in research, teaching and public policy, she took up science writing, adventure travel and travel writing. In 2018 she won the Alaska Press Club Award for Best Reporting on Science. You can browse her writing portfolio and tales of adventure—including rafting the Grand Canyon, sailing from the Canaries to the Mediterranean, paddling the Noatak River in Gates of the Arctic National Park, and a 3-month road trip to Panama and back, climbing the highest summit in each country—at her blog.  Affiliations: B.A. Harvard/Radcliffe '73; Ph.D. Economics, U.C. Berkeley '94; Professor, Institute of Social and Economic Policy, University of Alaska; Affiliate Professor, University of Washington.

Michael Samoya is an artist, adventurer and freelancer, based in Seattle, Alaska and Spain. After 35 years of sailboat building in Ohio, Taiwan, China and Canada, he turned to full-time travel and adventure with sailing, mountain and wilderness exploits all over the world. Throughout he is mesmerized by the 2D and 3D visual worlds. Most recently his creative energies have focused on building a house barge/studio on a tidal river in Seattle and watercolor illustrations of his wanderings.  Affiliations: Art Academy of Cincinnati, 4 year certificate, University of Cincinnati, MFA-Sculpture/Drawing