Hannah Breece's memoir is a remarkable account of her time as a teacher in Alaska from 1904 to 1918, teaching Native Alaskan children and the children of mostly Russian settlers. She had already taught for the U.S. Department of the Interior on Native reservations in the Rocky Mountains when she headed for Alaska at the age of 45; she had a strong sense of mission and was willing to go where she was needed, so left for Kodiak with a spirit of adventure that she called upon often. Her account describes the woeful condition of the schools and houses she lived in, as she moved about from Afognak Island to Iliamna to Wood Island to a fishing camp at Nondalton to Ft. Yukon. Her account is a fascinating snapshot in Alaskan time, and commentary by her granddaughter--urbanist Jane Jacobs--addresses many questions left unanswered by Hannah's desire to put the best face on her experience. She is so matter-of-fact in most of her memoir, it's easy to overlook the number of times her life was genuinely in danger. Hers is a fascinating story of early cross-cultural experiences, albeit from one perspective, and is well worth reading.