Palin's ACV Debate and Trivia Answer

Sarah Palin in 2006 at the Alaska Conservation Voters Forum:

On the wolf question, notice that she mentioned a guy named Jim Rearden, previous editor of the Alaska Magazine and apparently a family link on the Palin side. I had never heard of Jim Rearden in my life, so I looked him up. He appears to be quite the wildlife outdoorsman extraordinaire. Some of his books can be found here.

The particular work that Sarah was referencing is, I believe, Alaska's Wolf Man.


How is Jim related to the Palin family? As near as I can figure, it's by marriage. This article states that Jim's wife is Audrey Rearden. And in this article speaking about Todd's Yup'ik heritage, it references an Audrey Rearden as being Lena Andree's daughter. Lena Andree is Todd's grandmother.

Todd's mother is Lena's daughter Blanche. This would make Audrey his Aunt. And if she's the same Audrey Rearden that's married to Jim Rearden, that's the connection. Long story short, Jim Rearden married Todd Palin's Aunt. At least that's my educated guess.

Which brings me to the answer of my previous trivia question. Palin wrote the foreword for one of Rearden's books, Slim Moore Alaska Master Guide. I've never read it. Perhaps she makes the connection between Jim and the Palins more clear in it. Great, now I'll have to buy it. :)

The other book she wrote a foreword for was Wild, Wonderful Alaska Seafood.

In other trivia bits, apparently, Shannyn Moore's father is a good friend of Jim Rearden's. Skip down to the comment by Dave O to see it. It's a small world.