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Writings about the Yukon Quest |
There have been a total of four serious books written about the Yukon Quest. The books were all written from the viewpoint of 'authors-as-Yukon-Quest-race-proponents.' There is a wealth of information in the books about the casual attitude that some mushers, race officials and veterinarians who are part of this race, have towards the hardships the dogs endure while running in the Yukon Quest. It was gratifying that the authors either acknowledged in print the cruel aspects of the race or gave mention to animal rights concerns, even to the point of recognizing that animal rights activists' criticism of extreme mushing has resulted in some (albeit very few) positive changes in how mushers treat dogs in races like the Iditarod and Quest. Links have been provided, where available, for those who would like to purchase any of the books. In late 2005, a book ('Treat People Like Dogs!' by Dr. Robert Norton) was written with the apparent purpose of cashing in on the current 'dog mushing-mania' by targeting the 'Fortune 500' audience with regard to using the relationship between mushers and their dogs as a way of motivating human employees. I thumbed through this book in my local bookstore's 'business and finance' section (the book would more aptly be placed in the 'fiction' or 'fantasy' section of the store). If, by treating employees like [sled] dogs, the author is advising employers to subject employees to life-threatening circumstances, tie them up on short chains for much of their lives, and possibly sell, give them away or shoot them in the back of the head when they are no longer needed, I do not know why anybody would want to buy into this farce of a book. Book Reviews: Racing the White Silence: On the Trail of the Yukon Quest by Adam Killick Yukon Alone: The World's Toughest Adventure Race by John Balzar Yukon Quest: The 1,000 Mile Sled Dog Race Through the Yukon and Alaska by John Firth Running North: A Yukon Adventure by Ann Mariah Cook |