One of the more unique places I learned about on my Alaskan trip but was unable to visit due to time constraints, was the town of Sitka.
I became quickly fascinated with this town of 9,000 people due to its onion domed churches and heavy Russian influence.
Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Chabon grew fascinated with this picturesque town for another, entirely unrelated historical reason; a brief proposal to turn it (instead of Israel/Palestine) into the Jewish homeland in 1940.
Obviously this never happened, but Chabon has just published a “revisionist history” work of fiction exploring what life would be like today if it had.
“The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” is a detective story that takes place in Jewish Sitka. Judging by an interview with the author in The New York Times, the book promises to be a fascinating read coupled with a very unique perspective on a very unique Alaskan town.
If the book becomes a success, Sitka will become famous for more than just its tasty pies. And I, for one, want to visit before this happens.
(Photo: Grillmaster from Flickr)