Sitka National Historical Park, and the town of Sitka itself, are most easily denoted by their iconic totem poles. This book takes an in-depth look at the history of these charismatic objects.

Well researched, this volume explores the totem poles' object biographies, an overview of the changing nature of their stewardship, and a look at some of the individuals who cared for them. There is also a great argument made for prioritizing the process of preserving the totem poles (which includes the active work of living native peoples), over an emphasis on valuing the materiality alone.

That being said, where this volume falls short is in how it portrays the relationship between U.S. government-affiliated stewards and local peoples as benevolent and based on reciprocal exchanges of a generally equal nature. The interactions between these parties where undoubtedly more nuanced, and the obvious power imbalance is never fully fleshed out.

If you are interested in learning about totem poles as a form or material culture, this is an excellent source. If you are interested in learning about the origins of the poles, and the inherently complex relationships they had with the people who created them, or those peoples' honest feelings, you will have to find something else.