R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on + 1438 more book reviews
What a delightful read. I laughed at all the experiences the writer had during the Iditarod. And, I sympathized with him during the hard times. He's a reporter who writes so well I often felt that I was riding with him. The read might be appreciated greatly by those that follow the race regularly but I loved the writing and the story.
The Iditarod awards a prize for last place Which the author won but he felt fulfilled for even completing the race. How many competitors can complete a sled dog race that covers 1,000 miles of Alaska's ice fields, mountains and canyons? Temperatures can abd do drop to 100 degrees below zero, so cold that bare skin freezes in a heartbeat. Immersed in such conditions, the impossible can go wrong and for Brian Patrick O'Donaghue, it almost always did.
Having covered the Iditarod a number of times as a reporter, the author had become obsessed with entering the race himself. With little mushing experience, no dogs, sled, or frigid weather gear, he marshals friends and acquaintances to help him. Training for a full year prior to competition, the inexperienced musher tells his story of the 1991 race. Not the least of the tale are the dogs who became friends. Accompanied by seventeen of them with diverse personalities including a female who goes into heat, the author learns to cope with dogs like Harley, Screech and Rainy, his sexually confused but always competent lead dog.
O'Donoghue found snowstorms and whiteouts when he could see nothing let alone the flags marking the trail, sometimes leading to confused backtracking. Experienced racers exhibited contempt, assistance, and encouragement. Yet the real heroes of the story are the four-legged companions who brought comfort to ease the loneliness along the trail. Sometimes, however, they would rather fight or have sex than pull the sled. The tale combines humor, wit, frustration and luck that enabled help him get through this grueling race. This is a most entertaining read. In short, very good.
The Iditarod awards a prize for last place Which the author won but he felt fulfilled for even completing the race. How many competitors can complete a sled dog race that covers 1,000 miles of Alaska's ice fields, mountains and canyons? Temperatures can abd do drop to 100 degrees below zero, so cold that bare skin freezes in a heartbeat. Immersed in such conditions, the impossible can go wrong and for Brian Patrick O'Donaghue, it almost always did.
Having covered the Iditarod a number of times as a reporter, the author had become obsessed with entering the race himself. With little mushing experience, no dogs, sled, or frigid weather gear, he marshals friends and acquaintances to help him. Training for a full year prior to competition, the inexperienced musher tells his story of the 1991 race. Not the least of the tale are the dogs who became friends. Accompanied by seventeen of them with diverse personalities including a female who goes into heat, the author learns to cope with dogs like Harley, Screech and Rainy, his sexually confused but always competent lead dog.
O'Donoghue found snowstorms and whiteouts when he could see nothing let alone the flags marking the trail, sometimes leading to confused backtracking. Experienced racers exhibited contempt, assistance, and encouragement. Yet the real heroes of the story are the four-legged companions who brought comfort to ease the loneliness along the trail. Sometimes, however, they would rather fight or have sex than pull the sled. The tale combines humor, wit, frustration and luck that enabled help him get through this grueling race. This is a most entertaining read. In short, very good.
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