The Cruelist Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic

It is fair to assume that many people have heard of the annual Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska... but not truly aware of the actual event which gave rise to the race. It happened in 1925 when an apparent diphtheria epidemic broke out in remote Nome, Alaska. There was a shortage of serum. So a call went out to bring some in and this book tells of that occasion, mixed in with some thoughts in those days of attempting to fly a rescue mission. The early days of the 20th century, coming out of WW-I, were days of innovation in flight. The occasion of this rescue seems to have brought about the last hurrah for serious dog sledding and the start of flight service to remote Alaska villages. The writers do a great job of sharing details of what must have been an adventure to end all adventures, for both dogs and mushers. It seems that when life is on the line, there are people who will step up to the plate and do whatever it takes. It was true for this race and appears to be a wonderful trait across America today. Nome is little different today from what it was in those days. Indeed, easy access is by air these days but the people continue to live seemingly far removed from mainline America.

Superb !! (3/3 people found this helpful)

This is a great story covering a very real adventure involving real heroes!! The descriptive detail contained within the book snares the reader into the drama of what can only be described as a very desperate situation. The book also contains a relatively brief but highly absorbing look at the cultural history of Alaska, its people and the birth of dog sledding. A must read for anybody interested in the outdoors or just good old fashioned adventure.

Great story, well told (8/8 people found this helpful)

For once the blurb on the back cover is accurate, “,,,the Salisbury’s writing is as straightforward and honest as the men they are describing. This is a moving story, superbly researched and deftly told.”

In the small town of Nome, in the furthest northwest corner of the coast of Alaska, a diptheria epidemic occurs in the winter of 1925. The town doctor knows he needs serum to save lives but he has only a very small supply. There are no roads or railways to Nome. The port is unreachable because of ice and the airplanes of the time could not take off because of the extreme cold. The only solution is to run the serum in by dogsled, across Alaska in temperatures of around minus 60 degrees.

This is a saga of the heroism of both men and dogs. Some of the dogs died as a result of giving more than they had to the race across the ice. Men had their hands frozen to the sled. But they made it and saved many lives. Both men and dogs displayed valour and tenacity in conditions beyond anything we can imagine.

In telling this deeply moving story the writers take the opportunity to show us the basic elements of life in the outposts of Alaska - the effects of the cold, the wind, the winter darkness, the isolation. The readers don’t learn this, they FEEL it. The pace of the story builds from the discovery of gold at Nome in 1898 to the dramatic, heroic dash with the serum in 1925.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about the outdoors and the courage of men and dogs in overcoming impossible odds.

The Cruelist Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic

Geoffrey Salisbury

Reader Reviews:

Courage (0/0 people found this helpful)

Superb !! (3/3 people found this helpful)

Great story, well told (8/8 people found this helpful)

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