Doucleff describes the Inuit village of Kugaaruk, where, before her, anthropologist Jean Briggs studied the culture, noting how she rarely witnessed anger. While Doucleff was first skeptical of the idyllic emotional intelligence described by Briggs, her curiosity led her to visit the area with Rosy in tow. Kugaaruk is described as beautiful, “nestled between two spectacular bodies of water: the kuuk (or river), which runs so crystal clear that you can kneel down and have a drink anytime you’re thirsty, and a blue-gray bay that glistens with ripples in the summer’s low-lying sun” (134).

In Kugaaruk, Rosy had several public tantrums, which contrasted sharply with the calm culture surrounding them. Doucleff began meeting other mothers, including Tracy, Maria, and Sally, and she was invited to stay with Maria, whose home was a “social center,” where people gathered to eat and visit. Upon arriving at the house, the environment made Doucleff feel less alone—”I can feel my body relax, as if the burden of solo parenting is something I’ve been carrying on my back for days, months, even years” (139).

Doucleff notes the high level of executive function—or the ability to act “thoughtfully”—among the Inuit community, including the children.