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Reviews
Tisha: The Wonderful True Love Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness by Robert Specht
andalucia's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
melanie_books's review against another edition
4.0
Anne Hobbs arrives in Chicken, Alaska full of enthusiasm & determination. Young though she is, she wants to make a difference in the lives of her new students. As she settles into her role within the school and community, Anne finds needs everywhere. But as she works to meet those needs, she also meets resistance. Long-held and deeply-felt prejudices grip the settlement, making it difficult for her to reach out to those who need it most. Defying peer from those around her, she not only actively helps the local Alaska Natives - she falls in love with one.
Tisha was my mom's favorite book, but, while I grew up hearing about the story, it took me a long time to actually pick up the book. But I'm glad I did: the story is charming and beautiful, made even more so by the fact that it is a true story. I admired Anne and the ways she treated everyone the same, even those whom others looked down upon. She was incredibly strong-willed in areas where it counted and wisely compliant in areas that didn't. Her romance with Fred was lovely, even though they part ways at the end of the book (the rest of their story is summed in the afterword.) She gives each side character fun personalities and paints a vivid picture of life in rural Alaska. Anyone who like historical fiction would enjoy Tisha.
Tisha was my mom's favorite book, but, while I grew up hearing about the story, it took me a long time to actually pick up the book. But I'm glad I did: the story is charming and beautiful, made even more so by the fact that it is a true story. I admired Anne and the ways she treated everyone the same, even those whom others looked down upon. She was incredibly strong-willed in areas where it counted and wisely compliant in areas that didn't. Her romance with Fred was lovely, even though they part ways at the end of the book (the rest of their story is summed in the afterword.) She gives each side character fun personalities and paints a vivid picture of life in rural Alaska. Anyone who like historical fiction would enjoy Tisha.
calliemclayauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Such an amazing story. I felt somehow connected to the main character in a way because I have a signed copy of the book by her. Plus, my great grandparents met her and have some of her letters.
This book is a must read.
This book is a must read.
bethreadsandnaps's review
4.0
I really enjoyed hearing about Anne’s story as she moved to Alaska to be a teacher and work with indigenous students. The novel is called Tisha because her favorite pupil calls Anne “teacher” but pronounces it Tisha. While a few aspects are dated (fat shaming), overall it’s a heartwarming story.
adesrochers's review
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
A very quick read with a fast plot. Lots of interesting information on rural Alaska. There is racist themes throughout (Alaska in the 20s).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
The author doesn’t make racist remarks but characters in the book do. The main character fights this racism.kcon3126's review against another edition
5.0
I stayed up until 3am this morning finishing this book. The story isn't just captivating; it's honest in the best way. It portrays humans as multidimensional creatures who don't generally fit into the boxes society (aka us) has created for them. And the courage that builds in Anne throughout the book is inspiring. She's a heroine who makes the reader want to be a better person. There are some grammatical issues throughout the book, but who cares when the story is this good. Everyone should read this memoir and learn a bit about standing up for equality.
cwileygo's review against another edition
5.0
One of my all time favorite reads. Who needs fiction when people have stories like this?
h4e1bemily's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
medium-paced
5.0
chelse34's review against another edition
4.0
This book was wonderful, and even better that it is a true story! I loved learning about the settlement of early Alaska and how education worked in the 1920's. Both were quite rough. Thankfully racism isn't as bad now as it was then, but biases are just as present.
The ending kept me gripped and heart beating fast! Knowing it was a true story meant that the ending might be the happily ever after. But it didn't disappoint.
If you can get your hand on this book, READ IT!
The ending kept me gripped and heart beating fast! Knowing it was a true story meant that the ending might be the happily ever after. But it didn't disappoint.
If you can get your hand on this book, READ IT!