About the Author and Book Thomas Norton, born in 1942, was a resident of Anchorage from 1949 until 1969 and attended Anchorage schools and then studied biology and theology in Alaska, Oregon, California, and Bern, Switzerland. During and after his thirty-year pastorate in Switzerland, he spent about three years over a period of fifteen years in South Korea working in the mission and churches in many parts of this stimulating country. He attended a five-week crash course at the Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, trying to learn their language. Norton wrote a book entitled South Korea: My Adventures and Sermons and made a DVD in English and German entitled Mission in South Korea on the Salvation Ship and Mission in Sudkorea mit dem Schiff Salvation. The DVD depicts the country, mission, and Asian medicine. During Tom’s ministry in Switzerland, he enjoyed playing curling and was a member of the Swiss American Society in Bern for more than thirty years, six of those years as president, thus having many embassy and other interesting contacts. Not only has he had many engagements in Switzerland and South Korea, but also, as an Alaskan, he has had involvements and adventures throughout Alaska that were often rare and not experienced by the general public. He considers himself fortunate to have been able to profit from these encounters and feels it valuable to be able to pass on his knowledge to other Alaskans and non-Alaskans. He believes all readers will not only gain from his experiences but also enjoy the interesting and flavorful episodes.