Recommended Books
The following list of books are ones that we have read and enjoyed. Reading one or two of them is a great way to learn about our sport and get ready for taking a ride with us. The books are in the order that we prefer them.
- One Second to Glory
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In 1978, Dick Mackey won the Iditarod by one second. What? Yes, after nearly fifteen days of racing over one thousand miles he won by one second. That is like winning the Olympic 100 meter race by 0.000008 seconds, or a marathon by 0.006 seconds. Simply amazing. But the book is not about that. It is mentioned of course, in the first chapter. The rest of the book details the adventures of an Alaskan entrepreneur.
- Father of the Iditarod
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Joe Redington was tough as nails. He finished the Iditarod in 13 days at age 80. If you read any of the other Iditarod books on this list you will read stories of incredible hardship on the trail: lost teams, crashing into trees, storms, snowshoeing in front of the team to find the trail, overflow river crossings etc. Joe did this at age 80. He was instrumental in starting the Iditarod and it would be fair to say that without Joe there would be no Iditarod. Oh yeah, he endured more than one airplane crash also.
- Cold Hands, Warm Heart
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Written by four time Iditarod Champion, Jeff King. King is not only a great musher, but a sled innovator and mushing tourism entrepreneur. King details his mushing adventures with touching detail and humor.
- The Lance Mackey Story
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Written by four time Iditarod Champion, four time Yukon Quest Champion, and cancer survivor Lance Mackey. An incredible story of overcoming obstacles to be the best in the world.
Read our review.
- Race Across Alaska
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Race Across Alaska is a detailed account of the 1985 Iditarod as told by Champion Libby Riddles. Libby became the Iditarod's first woman champion in one of the most sever weather years in the race's history. Her daring, life threatening choice to go out onto the Bering Sea ice in an epic storm cemented her place in mushing history.
- Iditarod Dreams
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Dee Dee is an incredible musher. She has an amazing relationship with her dogs, and has been running near the top of the Iditarod standings for decades.
- Sled Dog Trails
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Mary Shields is the first woman to complete the Iditarod. In Sled Dog Trails she tells of her adventures on many multi month camping trips in the winter by dog team. It's a fascinating tale about a way of life that has probably passed by forever.
- Winterdance
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Written by professional author and mushing enthusiast Gary Paulsen, this books details his comical struggle to train dogs and run the Iditarod.
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