Arctic Stories

“A somewhat sobering, yet upbeat examination of the probable effects of global warming on the culture of the Iñupiaq whale hunters of Alaska’s North Slope. Lourie, in company with atmospheric chemist Dr. Paul Shepson and three of his students, made three journeys to investigate the problems presented by climatic change on the human and animal ecologies of this remote, challenging landscape. His lively, straightforward text describes the mixture of traditional and modern ways of the present-day Iñupiaq, as well as the work of Shepson and his team to record weather and climate changes and to predict what effect they will have locally and globally. The author also explores the efforts of BASC (Barrow Arctic Science Consortium) to assist researchers and encourage a sharing of information between scientists and native people. Numerous full-color photos and helpful maps and diagrams enrich the package. Lourie presents a serious look at the local intensities of a global problem. Grade 5-8”