The Official Illustrated Orcas-American Dictionary and Phrase Book and Gazetteer


Title Cover Image: The Official Illustrated Orcas-American Dictionary and Phrase Book and Gazetteer

Authored by Mike and Maxim Hurwicz, The Official Illustrated Orcas-American Dictionary and Phrase Book and Gazetteer presents a witty, satirical lexicon capturing the distinct cultural quirks, local geography, and insider vernacular of Orcas Island in Washington's San Juan archipelago. Through humorous definitions, phrase guides, and custom illustrations, the book lampoons the everyday realities of ferry schedules, rainwater catchment systems, and the peculiar friction between lifelong islanders and seasonal newcomers. The text uses self-deprecating humor to decode the unwritten social codes of a fiercely independent, geographically isolated community. A keen insight drawn from the work is how regional dialects and specialized humor serve as cultural gatekeeping tools in rapidly gentrifying rural areas; by codifying local jargon into a satirical dictionary, island residents establish a linguistic boundary that playfully rebuffs outsiders while reinforcing a shared, resilient identity.

Author(s): Mike & Maxim Hurwicz
Document: Book · Paperback · CIRC [ 1 ]
Edition: 1st Edition
Published: 1997
Physical Description: 17 pages : portrait
Genre: Dictionary
Subjects:

San Juan Island, Washington State, Orcas Island

Related Places: San Juan County Orcas Island

 

Circulation

Here are a list of places where this title can be found and the various formats it can be found in.

Collection Resource Available Edition Published Publisher
The Cascade District: Encyclopedia Library Book Paperback 1st Edition 1997 5th Ammendment Publishing, Eastsound, WA 1997

 

Last updated: 2026-09-13