Iditarod Adventures: Tales from Mushers Along the Trail

by Lew Freedman, Jon Van Zyle (Illustrator)

In IDITAROD ADVENTURES, mushers explain why they have chosen this rugged lifestyle, what has kept them in long-distance mushing, and the experiences they have endured along that unforgiving trail between Anchorage and Nome.

Renowned sports writer Lew Freedman profiles 23 mushers―men, women, Natives, seasoned veterans, and some relatively new to the demanding sport, many of whom are so well-known in Alaska that fans refer to them only by their first names. The book also features interviews with administrators who organize the event and make sure it happens every year, volunteers, and others whose connection to the Iditarod is self-evident even if they don’t have an official title.

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2015

Reviews

[Stephanie Keil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a book of short autobiographical writings by mushers. You learn a good amount about the technical aspects of the race and how it works behind the scenes. If you are interested in the Iditarod then you might like this book.

[Lauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the "names" of the Iditarod. 8 years later, it's perhaps dated, but still good for those who want to know more about the race.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed in this book. The title "Iditarod Adventures" led me to expect intriguing stories about struggles, strategies, teamwork, competition, fun, and survival during the race itself. A better title would be "Iditarod Adventurers," as the book is organized into biographic chapters highlighting various people associated with the race, from a handful of champions to other race veterans, administrators, volunteers, artists, and so on. While I did enjoy somewhat learning more about the backgrounds of, say, Martin Buser and Lance Mackey, some of the chapters were pretty disappointing: e.g., that of a volunteer who kept saying how great it was to be a volunteer but didn't give much detail on what she actually did or what race days are like. I'd love to hear more on what checkpoint volunteers do and what it's like with mushers coming through at all hours of the day and night. For me, perhaps the most interesting chapters were those by "old-timers" who told stories about the earliest days of the race and the people who brought the race into being.