It Happened Like This

A Life in Alaska

By: Adrienne Lindholm

Narrated by: Suzie Althens

In an authentic and honest voice, writer Adrienne Lindholm recounts her move to Alaska as a young woman eager to begin her career in environmental and wildlife studies. She finds herself initially out of her depth among her peers, many of whom are also "Outsiders," new to the state, but who seem more experienced, more confident. Eventually she finds her way, immersing herself in the rigors of wilderness adventures and building a community of outdoorsy friends to sustain her. Soon she falls in love with JT and gradually, at times painfully, they build a life together and decide to start a family amidst the wild.

Adrienne celebrates the many ways in which Alaska, and her outdoor adventures there, inspired self-discovery, as well as revealing her difficult and intimate journey into motherhood. Her love story encompasses the outline of massive mountains on the horizon, viewed for the first time; a caribou moving through an alder forest; the effort to climb a glaciated peak; and the peace that settles when contemplating a quiet Arctic lake. At times, her love - for JT, but also for nature and life - also feels savage, like when she charges onto a glacier alone, or when she shoots, kills, and skins her first animal.

©2018 Adrienne Lindholm (P)2020 Tantor

Great Wilderness Descriptions

I love to listen to audiobooks that share the serenity and tension and beauty of being in the wilderness. This book definitely hits the mark. If you want a vicarious back country experience this is book for you. The storyline is pretty basic and pretty common but the star is really the Alaska setting. I do like the thoughtful exploration of how political and moral outlooks can change over time.

Uninspired

At no point did this story pull me in. I am called to the mountains and the wilderness just as the author says she is. I’m sure these experiences were monumental in her life. It’s a shame that putting it to paper was unable to translate any inspiration. This book is what I’d fear would result if writing about my own experiences.

Living life to the fullest

Intelligent, insightful, and realistic ideas and explanations. And then how human and nature is at the mercy of life’s ups and downs.

It was “real”. I could identify with the author about her career, love of nature & wilderness and her struggle with pregnancy.

Loved most hearing her descriptions of what she saw & experienced on her backcountry outings in Alaska. Enjoyed the educational aspects as she described her challenges at work for NPS.

The beautiful description of wild Alaska and a woman's journey through life.

what a beautiful life story. I feel as though I learned something about myself along the way. A MUST READ FOR ANY WOMAN FROM 20 TO 50.