“This is a book about the other Alaska reality, one of domestic violence, DUI arrests, sexual assault, suicide and always substance abuse. It's written by someone who escaped but still feels tied to this world, even if no longer a part of it. . . . From that loneliness, however, has come this remarkable and remarkably compassionate book. For too many Alaskans, this is an everyday reality. It's good that someone has told a few of their stories.”
— Alaska Dispatch News
“Gorgeously written and deeply compassionate without shying away from the sometimes sad, sometimes inspiring, sometimes brutal and sometimes tragic humanity of its subjects, each portrait does its level best to explore, without judgment or condemnation, the oft-ignored truths of systematic class struggles, revolving-door incarceration, and the sheer unfair bad luck that colors so many of these peoples’ lives.”
— Daily News-Miner
“Threadbare is a beautiful book, both in style and content. Kudenov’s style allows tough topics to be absorbed in an emotional, memorable way. The rich narrative draws important attention to difficult questions—at what point do victims become the victimizers and how can we react in both compassionate and just ways?—while encouraging the reader to become enveloped in Kudenov’s sensuous prose.”
— Communication Booknotes Quarterly