I LOVED this book. I just finished watching the series about the Itidarod on T.V. It was very interesting to read about some of the people and places that were featured on the show. It gives a very real and graphic feel for what the mushers and their dogs go through, and how much the mushers really do care for their dogs. I found it fascinating.

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This was a great book to read while curled up under my worn flannel sheets in the depth of winter. An engaging armchair adventure for folks more prone to imagining -30 degree nights than enduring them; however, if you plan on attempting this race in real life, this book will help dispel any romantic notions you may carry. The race is extraordinary but you must be ready or you will die. It's as simple as that.

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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.

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Brian O'Donoghue was a newspaper and radio reporter who moved to Alaska from the Washington DC area. He covered the small personal interest stories of the Iditarod race for many years. One night in 1991 in a bar Brian and some of his friends put together a strategy for Brian to enter the Iditarod. He thought it was all a joke until he friends got them a team of dogs, a training plan , a sled and all the equipment needed for the race .
As the race starts, Brian soon is in a cold comedy show. His best lead dogs were Harley who only wanted food and was searching for it constantly. His other main lead dog was Rainy and she only wanted to hump other dogs, male or female. Brian's adventures, usually negative, made me laugh out loud. His race was one of if it could go wrong it did.
Brian went into lots of detail about the many small villages that the racers go through. For me it made the route of the race much more interesting. 75 racers started the race. 1 as disqualified, 14 scratched as some point in the race. The rest of the musher finished the race. The last person to finish the race is given the Red Lantern award and in 1991 the winner was Brian Parick O'Donoghue.

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This is the true story of a man who was a journalist, and he had covered, as a journalist the great Iditerod race. Then he decided that he would like to run the race himself, so he proceeded to get a team and prepare to run this race. He tells of his adventures prepareing for, and running the race. This is such a good story and so well written. I could not put the book down and enjoyed it to the very end. If you are into this genre you will love this book.

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