Ada Blackjack

Summary from the Publisher...

book cover

In 1921, four men and one woman ventured deep into the Arctic. Two years later, only one returned.

When 23-year-old Inuit Ada Blackjack signed on as a seamstress for a top-secret Arctic expedition, her goal was simple: earn money and find a husband. But her terrifying experiences -- both in the wild and back in civilization -- comprise one of the most amazing untold adventures of the 20th century. Based on a wealth of unpublished materials, including Ada's never-before-seen diaries, bestselling author Jennifer Niven narrates this true story of an unheralded woman who became an unlikely hero.


Discussion Questions

  1. What would you have done if you were Ada Blackjack and you were given the choice to go on the expedition?

  2. In what ways do/did you identify with Ada Blackjack?

  3. Name one thing you learned from each member of the expedition--Ada Blackjack, Alan Crawford, Fred Maurer, Lorne Knight, and Milton Galle. Which character did you identify with most?

  4. Do you think the parents of Milton Galle and Alan Crawford should have kept their young sons from going into the Arctic?

  5. What could have compelled Fred Maurer to return to Wrangel Island after nearly losing his life there eight years earlier? Can you understand his decision to go back? Do you think he found what he was seeking?

  6. What do you think really happened to Fred Maurer, Alan Crawford, and Milton Galle after they set out across the ice to find help? Do you think they were right to leave Lorne Knight behind with Ada? What, if anything, could they have done differently?

  7. What could Lorne Knight have done to protect himself from scurvy or to cure himself once he became ill?

  8. Do you think Ada could have done more to help Lorne Knight during his illness? If so, what do you think she could/should have done?

  9. How do you think you would have fared on Wrangel Island during that time period and on that expedition?

  10. Ada cited her deep faith as being the primary reason for her survival. Can you think of an instance in which faith--in God, in yourself, in your love for another individual--helped you get through a tough time/situation?

  11. In the aftermath of the expedition, Harold Noice purposely slandered Ada Blackjack's name in the press, and Vilhjalmur Stefansson refused to accept responsibility for the loss of life, poor planning, and tragic outcome of his ambitious expedition. Who do you think ultimately committed the greater offense, Noice or Stefansson?

  12. Why do you think Ada wanted to disappear from the world after she was rescued from Wrangel Island? How do you think this expedition affected her and affected the rest of her life?

  13. What constitutes a hero or a heroic act? Do you think Ada was a hero?

  14. What lessons from this expedition can you apply to your every day life?

Links

Jennifer Niven Home
The author's website with reviews, biographical info, reading guides, and more.
The Female Robinson Crusoe: Who Was Ada Blackjack?
A great National Geographic article by Niven about exploring the story of Ada Blackjack.
The Heroine of Wrangel Island
An article by Alexandra J. McClanahan, a CIRI historian, for LitSite Alaska. The article is part of the site called Alaska Traditions, which includes narratives and storytelling of the peoples of Alaska.
Ada Blackjack
A review of the book by Norman Goldman of BootsnAll Travel.
Ada Blackjack: A Review
This review of the book is from womenwriters.net, by Renee Faucher.
Ada Blackjack
An in-depth review of the book as well as an interview with the author by Rhode Island College professor of English, Russell A. Potter, Ph.D.
Radio Interview with Jennifer Niven
Listen to this interview with te author by Written Voices.
An Interview wth Jennifer Niven
This interview is by Diana Domingo of Writer's Break.
Wrangel Island
Informative article on the history of Wrangel Island, destination of the secret Arctic expedition of which Ada Blackjack was a part.

Other Resources

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Updated: 4/9/2005