Books to Whet Your Appetite for Alaska

For years I have admired the mushing community from afar. Some of the best books I have read, ones that took me there in my Alaskan Fantasy adventures were the following:

1. WINTERDANCE by Gary Paulsen - The ultimate in Iditarod reading. He gives us the joy and agony, and you will laugh yourself silly reading it. Still my favorite!


2. WOODSONG by Gary Paulsen - The young adult version of his dog-sledding adventures.


3. BACKSTAGE IDITAROD by June Price - Great introduction if you are new to the sport, or adjunct to all you know already if you are a "Fan"atic, or preparing to attend.


4. RUNNING WITH CHAMPIONS: A MIDLIFE JOURNEY ON THE IDITAROD TRAIL by Lisa Fredrick - Wonderful story or her journey from Jeff King's dog handler, to running the race herself.


5. ONE SECOND TO GLORY: THE ALASKAN ADVENTURES OF IDITAROD CHAMPION DICK MACKEY by Lew Freedman - Talk about someone with TALL tales, it's hard to tell fact from stretching the truth, but it doesn't matter. This is a fun story, and gives an idea of where current Iditarod and Yukon Quest champion, Lance Mackey gets his gift of gab.


6. MY LEAD DOG WAS A LESBIAN by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue - Another fun read that takes you on the trail, a way back from the lead pack.


7. IDITAROD DREAMS by Lew Freedman and DeeDee Jonrowe - DeeDee's story of one year in her Iditarod training and racing. DeeDee has been and will continue to be a great musher and incredible woman.


8. RACE ACROSS ALASKA by Libby Riddles and Tim Jones - The first woman to win the Iditarod tells the story that started the saying "Alaska, where men are men and women win the Iditarod".


9. IDITAROD CLASSICS: TALES OF THE TRAIL by Lew Freedman and Jon VanZyle - Jon has painted the scene for each of the Iditarod posters for years, and this book captures the stories and pictures of the Last Great Race.


10. NO END IN SIGHT: MY LIFE AS A BLIND IDITAROD RACER by Rachael Scdoris and Rick Steber - Rachael has started the race 3 years, and completed the race last year, the first legally blind musher to do so. I have not read this yet, but it's on my list.


11. ALASKA by James Michener - a bit dated, but intricately researched and brilliantly written to weave a fiction story through the history of Alaska.


12. ORDINARY WOLVES by Seth Kantner - not about the Iditarod, or mushing, but the most amazing fiction story I have read that chronicles growing up in the bush in the Brooks Range, and the clash of modern culture on the native northern population. Dog teams here were for survival, not pleasure.


13. NUNAGA: TEN YEARS AMONG THE ESKIMOS by Duncan Pryde - True story of a man who went north to fur trade, and chose to live among the Eskimos. Not in Alaska, but in the Actic. A truly great read.


14. TWO OLD WOMEN by Velma Wallis - Not about mushing or Alaska, exactly, but a short story and must read legend of native women. Great to read after the previous two books.


15. MURDER ON THE IDITAROD TRAIL by Sue Henry - Fiction, mystery, and pretty ridiculous story of intrigue that follows the race as mushers are murdered. Read only if you can't find any of the others.

There are so many others, but I only wanted to list books I have read or know about. I know I have read many more, so I will update this list occasionally.