North to the Future

Fifty years ago in January 1959, Alaska became the 49th state in the union, and a new star was added to the American flag. Alaskans were flush with optimism as they embarked on an exciting experiment in self-government. Alaskans felt they could learn from the mistakes of the older states and create a government that would be a model for the future. Author Dermot Cole offers a fresh, absorbing account of the high and low points of a half century of statehood, and the challenges faced by a new generation of leaders who have stepped forward to lead Alaska. Despite Alaskans' expectations that at last they would direct their own destiny, Alaska's fate continued to be influenced by outsiders and unexpected events during its first half-century.