The White House of the North: Stories from the Governor's Mansion by Carol Sturgulewski

They say that if you want to be inspired, study in a historic building.  The Juneau Governor's mansion surly can meet that challenge.  With over 100 years of tales to tell, the history of this humble but elegant building follows the journey of our state.

From boom and bust, neglect to make overs - some more attractive to others, it isn't just how the building was constructed or why, it is the transition from territory to statehood to self determination.

Carol Sturgulewski doesn't throw a fresh coat of paint over the flaws of the building, its occupants, or their activities.  Alaska's governor's mansion (or house if you prefer) statistically seems to be filled with as many characters as the rest of her population.  Hung in effigy, run out of state, hot tubs, crushed velvet, and sun tan beds - the behind the scenes stories are filled with tidbits that would satisfy readers of both People Magazine and the Smithsonian.

The historical photos in the book are fantastic, they capture the juxtaposition of the traditional Alaskan lifestyle - where even the governor, it seems, at time has a yard filled with construction debris, a front porch that is a little questionable, and treasures hidden away in basements and attics.

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