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Race Across Alaska
Libby Riddles wanted an adventure. At the age of 16 she left home for the snowy frontiers of Alaska, the Last Frontier. There her love of animals drew her to the sport of sled dog racing. When she entered the Iditarod, the famous marathon from Anchorage to Nome, she was just another Iditarod Nobody. Twelve hundred miles later, having conquered blizzards, extreme cold, and exhaustion, she and her dogs crossed the final stretch of sea ice, miles ahead of the nearest competitor... and suddenly she realised: I will be the first woman to win the Iditarod. This is the story of a courageous woman and her heroic dogs. This is the story of Libby Riddles's adventure.
239 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 2, 2023
Books on dog sledding are my favorite type of dog book. This book seems familiar, like I might have read this book a long time ago before I started posting reviews, or just that I have read a lot of similar type books on the sled dog races, but I still enjoy the journey every step of the way to the finish line.
This book is about a winner with Libby doing all the right things to win in a way that feels like it is just as a matter of course. You can tell that it is the relationship she has with the dogs and how carefully she tends to them that make a major difference. An interesting contrast from what you would read about people who don’t fare so well in the same race like in the book - ‘MY LEAD DOG WAS A LESBIAN: MUSHING ACROSS ALASKA IN THE IDITAROD—THE WORLD’S MOST GRUELING RACE’ by BRIAN PATRICK O’DONOGHUE. Unlike what sometimes happens with other racers, Libby’s dogs never quit on her.
Here are a few samples that reflect aspects I loved about the book:
‘The size of the land can be humbling. It puts my human existence into perspective, not in the sense of feeling like a bug on the windshield of life, but more a feeling of belonging to something too big to comprehend. The times when I have a view of the broad vistas sometimes make me feel as big as the land. I love the size of the land, how it rolls on and on, untamed and for the most part untouched.’
‘In my headlamp the dogs looked like ghosts, glistening with frost and half obscured in a cloud of their own frozen breaths. The clinking of the hardware on the collars and harnesses made music in the quite of the night.’
‘A part of me wanted life to be like this always: just me and my dogs, alone in this vast, silent country, our goals always sure, living out of the sled day after day. This was the most seductive feature of the Iditarod, the reason I would come back time and time again, despite all the suffering that went along with it: the intimacy I had with those fine animals… and with the magnificent land of the Alaska.’
The big moment is when a huge blizzard hits and Libby is faced a choice to go out or not:
‘Leaving the checkpoint was a huge gamble. Was the chance of losing my life a fair gamble? I allowed a part of myself to swear I’d never take any chance that foolish, while the rest of me proceeded to make plans.’
What another racer says helps make up her mind:
“What are you doing?” he asked. “If it’s anything like what I just came through, it’s impossible.”
That set me. “Impossible?” This was the whole point of all the work and energy I’d put into the past five years. Everything aimed toward one thing: Iditarod. I lifted the snow hook.
“Okay, gang. Let’s go.”
History and even the title of the book tells us how that choice works out for her. Just the part of her navigating and surviving the blizzard makes this a compelling read.
The book is written in double column format, with the center column filled up with history or specific details of the race and other aspects. At first glance I found it awkward, but quickly thought it was a good idea as it didn’t slow down the story by inserting text within the main body of the story itself. I found I could read the main story until I felt like stopping, then go back and pick up the other details.
The Chapters are titled after the segment of the race the chapter covers. I like that organization and someday it might be fun to go to a specific section as it is covered in several Iditarod books to examine different riders experience in the same place.
I also like her thoughts on being the first woman to win the Iditarod:
‘I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer. But there was no denying that if my winning encouraged other women not to underestimate themselves, then I was happy to have helped.’
So, another great dog sledding book. Not my favorite of this type, but still a very good book.
This book is about a winner with Libby doing all the right things to win in a way that feels like it is just as a matter of course. You can tell that it is the relationship she has with the dogs and how carefully she tends to them that make a major difference. An interesting contrast from what you would read about people who don’t fare so well in the same race like in the book - ‘MY LEAD DOG WAS A LESBIAN: MUSHING ACROSS ALASKA IN THE IDITAROD—THE WORLD’S MOST GRUELING RACE’ by BRIAN PATRICK O’DONOGHUE. Unlike what sometimes happens with other racers, Libby’s dogs never quit on her.
Here are a few samples that reflect aspects I loved about the book:
‘The size of the land can be humbling. It puts my human existence into perspective, not in the sense of feeling like a bug on the windshield of life, but more a feeling of belonging to something too big to comprehend. The times when I have a view of the broad vistas sometimes make me feel as big as the land. I love the size of the land, how it rolls on and on, untamed and for the most part untouched.’
‘In my headlamp the dogs looked like ghosts, glistening with frost and half obscured in a cloud of their own frozen breaths. The clinking of the hardware on the collars and harnesses made music in the quite of the night.’
‘A part of me wanted life to be like this always: just me and my dogs, alone in this vast, silent country, our goals always sure, living out of the sled day after day. This was the most seductive feature of the Iditarod, the reason I would come back time and time again, despite all the suffering that went along with it: the intimacy I had with those fine animals… and with the magnificent land of the Alaska.’
The big moment is when a huge blizzard hits and Libby is faced a choice to go out or not:
‘Leaving the checkpoint was a huge gamble. Was the chance of losing my life a fair gamble? I allowed a part of myself to swear I’d never take any chance that foolish, while the rest of me proceeded to make plans.’
What another racer says helps make up her mind:
“What are you doing?” he asked. “If it’s anything like what I just came through, it’s impossible.”
That set me. “Impossible?” This was the whole point of all the work and energy I’d put into the past five years. Everything aimed toward one thing: Iditarod. I lifted the snow hook.
“Okay, gang. Let’s go.”
History and even the title of the book tells us how that choice works out for her. Just the part of her navigating and surviving the blizzard makes this a compelling read.
The book is written in double column format, with the center column filled up with history or specific details of the race and other aspects. At first glance I found it awkward, but quickly thought it was a good idea as it didn’t slow down the story by inserting text within the main body of the story itself. I found I could read the main story until I felt like stopping, then go back and pick up the other details.
The Chapters are titled after the segment of the race the chapter covers. I like that organization and someday it might be fun to go to a specific section as it is covered in several Iditarod books to examine different riders experience in the same place.
I also like her thoughts on being the first woman to win the Iditarod:
‘I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer. But there was no denying that if my winning encouraged other women not to underestimate themselves, then I was happy to have helped.’
So, another great dog sledding book. Not my favorite of this type, but still a very good book.
March 11, 2023
I’m more of a cat person myself, but since last Christmas, my family can boast ownership of THE CUTEST Siberian Husky puppy EVER. My daughter has been bringing home books from her school library on the breed so we can understand our puppy’s behavior and provide her with just the right environment. I thought this book might be a fun family read, but my 10-year-old daughter contented herself with just looking at the pictures.
Libby obviously takes pride in her dogs and respects their instincts and temperaments, giving them full credit when their doggie intuition trumps her human fallibility. I enjoyed hearing her encourage them and show them lots of puppy love along the long journey from Anchorage to Nome. I appreciated the interesting historical tidbits on Nome’s 1925 diphtheria outbreak, race rules and drivers’ strategies, and the Eskimo diet. I expected camaraderie among the competitors and hospitality at the checkpoints, but I was impressed by the level of sportsmanship and coordinated efforts. One does not – and could not – run the race alone.
However…
The book itself is organized newspaper-style: The story takes place on the exterior columns with the interior area devoted to the educational asides. This really disrupted the flow for me, and I wish the informative sections had just been incorporated into the narrative. Each chapter takes us from one checkpoint along the Iditarod trail to the next, with a little spoiler blurb at the beginning as to Libby’s position in the race or a looming catastrophe, which effectively removes any hint of drama from the upcoming pages. Since the book is rather repetitive, much like life on the actual trail – feeding and resting herself and her dogs at every available opportunity – I was hoping the story would be exciting enough to keep things interesting, but the spoilers took all the fun out of the reveals. I wasn’t exactly snoozing across Alaska, but I did have to force myself to finish.
This is billed as an autobiography of Libby’s 1985 race, not an autobiography of her life, but I would have enjoyed learning about her life growing up in the Great Lakes area and what initially turned her on to sled dog racing. She and Joe trained the featured team from pups, so hearing more humorous puppy anecdotes would have been a fun distraction from the monotony. Libby talks about taking pictures of the fabulous Alaskan scenery along her route, but disappointingly, none of those shots made it into the book.
As often happens for me with non-fiction, I wish this could have been in the hands of a narrative non-fiction expert like Laura Hillenbrand or Erik Larson, and the story would have been far more compelling. As it was, I did learn a few things about the sled dog training process, and I’m that much closer to easing the wintertime trek up my steep driveway:
(10 sacks of groceries + 4 gallons of milk) + 1 mom + 1 daughter + icy driveway = (danger of broken bones x 2) + lots of cursing
/
1 Husky pup with loaded toboggan + dog treats
=
Stress-free delivery!
***************************************
UPDATE on our pup - January 22, 2023 -
Oh man, can this dog run!
She chases my SUV like a woman possessed when I'm driving my daughter to school. She escapes her harness and runs in frenzied circles around the cross-country skiing trails expressly forbidden to dogs at the local Nordic center. She bounds up and down the snowbanks...she frolics in the snow...she buries her face in the snow...she digs dangerously deep holes and well-crafted tunnels in the snow. She does NOT, however, haul groceries up the driveway in the snow. Heavily laden with shopping bags, I nearly sent up a flare tonight at the halfway mark. Where, pray tell, was the heroic sled dog? Soaking up the toasty warmth of a basement hearth, paws in the air. Sled dog training advice is welcome and appreciated. ;)
Libby obviously takes pride in her dogs and respects their instincts and temperaments, giving them full credit when their doggie intuition trumps her human fallibility. I enjoyed hearing her encourage them and show them lots of puppy love along the long journey from Anchorage to Nome. I appreciated the interesting historical tidbits on Nome’s 1925 diphtheria outbreak, race rules and drivers’ strategies, and the Eskimo diet. I expected camaraderie among the competitors and hospitality at the checkpoints, but I was impressed by the level of sportsmanship and coordinated efforts. One does not – and could not – run the race alone.
However…
The book itself is organized newspaper-style: The story takes place on the exterior columns with the interior area devoted to the educational asides. This really disrupted the flow for me, and I wish the informative sections had just been incorporated into the narrative. Each chapter takes us from one checkpoint along the Iditarod trail to the next, with a little spoiler blurb at the beginning as to Libby’s position in the race or a looming catastrophe, which effectively removes any hint of drama from the upcoming pages. Since the book is rather repetitive, much like life on the actual trail – feeding and resting herself and her dogs at every available opportunity – I was hoping the story would be exciting enough to keep things interesting, but the spoilers took all the fun out of the reveals. I wasn’t exactly snoozing across Alaska, but I did have to force myself to finish.
This is billed as an autobiography of Libby’s 1985 race, not an autobiography of her life, but I would have enjoyed learning about her life growing up in the Great Lakes area and what initially turned her on to sled dog racing. She and Joe trained the featured team from pups, so hearing more humorous puppy anecdotes would have been a fun distraction from the monotony. Libby talks about taking pictures of the fabulous Alaskan scenery along her route, but disappointingly, none of those shots made it into the book.
As often happens for me with non-fiction, I wish this could have been in the hands of a narrative non-fiction expert like Laura Hillenbrand or Erik Larson, and the story would have been far more compelling. As it was, I did learn a few things about the sled dog training process, and I’m that much closer to easing the wintertime trek up my steep driveway:
(10 sacks of groceries + 4 gallons of milk) + 1 mom + 1 daughter + icy driveway = (danger of broken bones x 2) + lots of cursing
/
1 Husky pup with loaded toboggan + dog treats
=
Stress-free delivery!
***************************************
UPDATE on our pup - January 22, 2023 -
Oh man, can this dog run!
She chases my SUV like a woman possessed when I'm driving my daughter to school. She escapes her harness and runs in frenzied circles around the cross-country skiing trails expressly forbidden to dogs at the local Nordic center. She bounds up and down the snowbanks...she frolics in the snow...she buries her face in the snow...she digs dangerously deep holes and well-crafted tunnels in the snow. She does NOT, however, haul groceries up the driveway in the snow. Heavily laden with shopping bags, I nearly sent up a flare tonight at the halfway mark. Where, pray tell, was the heroic sled dog? Soaking up the toasty warmth of a basement hearth, paws in the air. Sled dog training advice is welcome and appreciated. ;)
January 29, 2019
I absolutely love anything having to do with dogsledding, so this book was right up my alley. It’s a blow by blow account of Libby’s Iditarod win, without much beyond that (there are some sidebars with a little more information about dogsledding and the Iditarod), but I found it fascinating.
January 30, 2018
I'm not even sure why I am so fascinated by Alaska. Maybe it's because I much prefer the winter over the summer (I hate heat and I hate sweating), so places like Hawaii don't have a huge draw for me. Instead I'd love to go somewhere cold and snowy, with the northern lights dancing above, where the sun doesn't come above the horizon for most of the winter. I am not sure how well I'd handle living there (although I like to think I'd be okay at least in a village), but I would definitely like to visit.
It was a given, then, that I would enjoy this book. What's not to love? This is an autobiography of Libby Riddles's winning trek on the Iditarod, a 1,000+-mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome. You have to be physically tough and mentally so, as there is very little sleep to be gotten on the trail. It amazed me that Riddles would sleep only for an hour or an hour and a half when she pulled into checkpoints after being on the trail for at least eight hours. She described feeling like she was in a trance for large stretches of the trail, so tired that she kept dozing off. It's then that the brilliance and athleticism of her dog team shone. They kept her going in the right direction, even when they were in the lead without the benefit of the scent of any prior dogs having forged the trail ahead.
I loved reading about how much she cared for her dogs. She described each of them and their differing personalities so that the reader felt that she got to know the dogs as well. And any time she doubted her dogs but they stubbornly ignored her and managed to keep her on the correct path, she apologized to them profusely. The incredible love and care she took for her dogs was heart-warming, and it's only right that she won the humanitarian award as well.
It was also amazing to read about all the help she and the other racers received on the trail. The hospitality of the folks that live along the route is just amazing. To open up your home at all hours of the day and night and to cook for hungry and exhausted humans and allow them to dry their stinky, sweaty gear all over your house shows a great deal of compassion and love for one's fellow human.
I enjoyed the format of the book as well. At first, I was a little confused as to why the writing was only on the outer edges of each page, but with the first encylopedic blurb in smaller font in the middle, I realized how handy it was as a format. I really enjoyed those little blurbs, with information on everything from the history of the race (to commemorate the dog teams who ran a very important diphtheria serum to Nome to save the lives of native children there) to the breeds of the racing dogs to how people felt about Riddles's chances at the win. I felt these blurbs gave even more depth to Riddles's story.
I really like what Riddles said at the end about being the first woman to win the Iditarod: "I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer. But there was no denying that if my winning encouraged other women not to underestimate themselves, then I was happy to have helped. It's just that I considered it accidental."
Very highly recommended. This is incredibly well-written, and it pulls the reader so fully into the story of Riddles's trek that she feels she's right there in the sled with her.
It was a given, then, that I would enjoy this book. What's not to love? This is an autobiography of Libby Riddles's winning trek on the Iditarod, a 1,000+-mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome. You have to be physically tough and mentally so, as there is very little sleep to be gotten on the trail. It amazed me that Riddles would sleep only for an hour or an hour and a half when she pulled into checkpoints after being on the trail for at least eight hours. She described feeling like she was in a trance for large stretches of the trail, so tired that she kept dozing off. It's then that the brilliance and athleticism of her dog team shone. They kept her going in the right direction, even when they were in the lead without the benefit of the scent of any prior dogs having forged the trail ahead.
I loved reading about how much she cared for her dogs. She described each of them and their differing personalities so that the reader felt that she got to know the dogs as well. And any time she doubted her dogs but they stubbornly ignored her and managed to keep her on the correct path, she apologized to them profusely. The incredible love and care she took for her dogs was heart-warming, and it's only right that she won the humanitarian award as well.
It was also amazing to read about all the help she and the other racers received on the trail. The hospitality of the folks that live along the route is just amazing. To open up your home at all hours of the day and night and to cook for hungry and exhausted humans and allow them to dry their stinky, sweaty gear all over your house shows a great deal of compassion and love for one's fellow human.
I enjoyed the format of the book as well. At first, I was a little confused as to why the writing was only on the outer edges of each page, but with the first encylopedic blurb in smaller font in the middle, I realized how handy it was as a format. I really enjoyed those little blurbs, with information on everything from the history of the race (to commemorate the dog teams who ran a very important diphtheria serum to Nome to save the lives of native children there) to the breeds of the racing dogs to how people felt about Riddles's chances at the win. I felt these blurbs gave even more depth to Riddles's story.
I really like what Riddles said at the end about being the first woman to win the Iditarod: "I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer. But there was no denying that if my winning encouraged other women not to underestimate themselves, then I was happy to have helped. It's just that I considered it accidental."
Very highly recommended. This is incredibly well-written, and it pulls the reader so fully into the story of Riddles's trek that she feels she's right there in the sled with her.
January 18, 2010
Libby Riddles is the first woman to win the Iditarod sled dog race in 1985. This is her race autobiography. Thru her retelling of the tale, readers learn about the race, the dogs, the weather, and all the little hardships that go along with the Iditarod trail. From an old washing machine in the middle of the trail, moose carcasses, negative 52 degree weather, broken sleds, doggy frostbite, dogs in heat, and even bootie piracy(I mean dog booties), Libby experiences a lot of bad luck and not only lives to tell, but crosses the finish line first, two and a half hours before anyone else.
It was actually her braving a nasty storm and the Northern Winds that got her ahead. She was the only one to dare it and it worked. Wow. Pretty amazing. Libby gives most of the credit to her dogs tho. I really liked learning about the dogs and their different personalities and how she determined who goes where in the line up.
It fails to hit the five star mark due to layout issues more than writing. It is done in a "newspaper" column like format and most of the time, half the page (the inner column) is a complete blank. It makes the book appear twice as long as it is. I wouldn't have minded so much if they had filled in the blank spaces with pictures. Preferrably dog pictures or the pictures that Libby says she took. (Where are the waterfall pictures???)
Nevertheless, a fun and educational read. Gee (Right) on, Libby!
It was actually her braving a nasty storm and the Northern Winds that got her ahead. She was the only one to dare it and it worked. Wow. Pretty amazing. Libby gives most of the credit to her dogs tho. I really liked learning about the dogs and their different personalities and how she determined who goes where in the line up.
It fails to hit the five star mark due to layout issues more than writing. It is done in a "newspaper" column like format and most of the time, half the page (the inner column) is a complete blank. It makes the book appear twice as long as it is. I wouldn't have minded so much if they had filled in the blank spaces with pictures. Preferrably dog pictures or the pictures that Libby says she took. (Where are the waterfall pictures???)
Nevertheless, a fun and educational read. Gee (Right) on, Libby!
March 28, 2024
I learned a little about the Iditarod, and the incredible effort it takes to complete. I loved the attention to detail when it came to the care of her dogs and the beautiful scenery. The people along the way were pretty great as well. Overall a great adventure to have read.
June 18, 2009
Marc and I met Libby while we were in Alaska - she gave an amazing lecture to a group of people young and old, and captured everyone's attention. Fiercely independent at a young age, but at the same time easy going in nature - she was really fun to talk with after the lecture- we swapped stories about our lab husky with her. Her relationships with each dog, and the intertwined dependence of the sled racing team(canine/human) is truly fascinating. This book tells a story that is perilous at times, touching at others and demonstrates just how much dogs and people go through to race the Iditarod. More humanist than feminist - it is interesting to hear a woman's perspective given that she was in the minority of the racers. The fact that she was a woman racing didn't really set her apart, aside from a little joshing before the race. I'm only halfway through and look forward to the rest.
May 30, 2019
A really neat format- the main story is along the edges of the page with relevant explanatory info along the middle. So inspiring and wonderfully interesting.
February 7, 2022
INCREDIBLE. I had this book on my wishlist for a while and got it as a birthday gift. Could have read in one sitting if not for having to work. A very easy read, laid out to tell Riddles' story as well as history of the race. After you read this go to YouTube and watch the ~10 minute news story about the race and her win. It's extra fun and emotional to watch after reading this and knowing exactly what she was thinking at each point.
March 12, 2014
So I got this book on a trip to Alaska, and Libby signed it.
This book was like an exhilarating journey and adventure and it brings you into the story, so it's really a good exposure to dog lovers like me. I was a bit annoyed that all the words were in one thin column, but as I read through the book it was okay. This book also gave me a lot of insight to the Iditarod as Gary Paulsen's Winterdance did. Both of these were good books, but I enjoyed this one more.
It's really a tough journey, and Riddles managed to bring it out to the readers and made us feel that we were in her place.
Last but not least, thank you to the amazing huskies, Axel and Dugan!
This book was like an exhilarating journey and adventure and it brings you into the story, so it's really a good exposure to dog lovers like me. I was a bit annoyed that all the words were in one thin column, but as I read through the book it was okay. This book also gave me a lot of insight to the Iditarod as Gary Paulsen's Winterdance did. Both of these were good books, but I enjoyed this one more.
It's really a tough journey, and Riddles managed to bring it out to the readers and made us feel that we were in her place.
Last but not least, thank you to the amazing huskies, Axel and Dugan!
January 25, 2009
I really liked this book since I love Alaska and am very interested in the Iditirod Race. This is the true story of Libby Riddles and her quest to be the first woman to win the Iditirod. Her love and care of her dogs during the race is obvious and other racers take notice.
This book has a unique twist to the writing. The pages are divided in half. One side tells her story and the other side has "sidebars" that include facts about the race and tidbits from the other racers. It really gives the reader a good perspective.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read about the human spirit and the fortitude it takes to be in such a grueling race, not to mention the interaction and respect that both dogs and woman have for one another.
This book has a unique twist to the writing. The pages are divided in half. One side tells her story and the other side has "sidebars" that include facts about the race and tidbits from the other racers. It really gives the reader a good perspective.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read about the human spirit and the fortitude it takes to be in such a grueling race, not to mention the interaction and respect that both dogs and woman have for one another.
February 27, 2016
This is the fascinating story of Libby Riddles' barrier-breaking victory in the Iditarod, the 1,000+ mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome. Riddles became the first woman to win the race by venturing out into a blizzard and somehow finding her way while others were forced to turn back or delayed leaving.
I found it thoroughly fascinating reading about what she did, from managing the personalities and strengths of the 15 dogs on her team to cooking them dinner by chopping frozen meat, hauling water and cooking in an improvised stove. The physical demands of driving the sled were incredible and she somehow did it with very little sleep. Lots of fascinating details about the logistics, strategies, history, etc.
I found it thoroughly fascinating reading about what she did, from managing the personalities and strengths of the 15 dogs on her team to cooking them dinner by chopping frozen meat, hauling water and cooking in an improvised stove. The physical demands of driving the sled were incredible and she somehow did it with very little sleep. Lots of fascinating details about the logistics, strategies, history, etc.
February 24, 2009
I finally got through it! Libby has an interesting story to tell, but I think this book could have been a lot shorter. I found it repetitive and boring, and the style that it was written in (with the notes in the margins) was distracting. Reading the margins took me away from the main story too often. I like dogs and I like adventure (and the Iditarod is clearly an adventure to say the least), but the way this story played out on paper was not captivating to me. I think what bothers me the most is in the end I don't feel like I know Libby or the dogs any better than in the beginning.
December 19, 2016
What an enjoyable read from start to finish. We learned many things about dog racing in arctic conditions and marveled at the endurance it takes from both dogs and humans.
July 22, 2021
If you have spoken to me in the last two weeks, I have brought up this book in conversation.
This book fell onto my radar and I went on a search for a copy from my local libraries.
Unfortunately, this proved to be a feat. I was all up in arms about why the book on the FIRST WOMAN to win such an iconic event wasn't available. I was convinced that women were being misrepresented in this genre. After getting the book through an interlibrary loan and devouring this tale over a weekend, I was determined to learn more. I wanted more on the preliminary races that people use to qualify for the Iditarod. I wanted stories on other winners or even people who have attempted to complete the race! (I have previously read Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod and also inhaled it and recommend it) There is even a woman who won the Iditarod THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS and the only thing written about her is a picture book for children about the dog that lead her to victory (which is a huge accomplishment for the dog as well, see Granite). The trials the dogs and their trainers face out in Alaska are impressive and I wish there was more on the topic, but it seems to be a very limited selection. Although, my next read will be on the original of the Iditarod which is the relay of a vaccine across Alaska to help prevent a pandemic.
This is going to be a lost art and piece of history if more documentation isn't written before more modern ways such as snowmobiles replace the need for the sled dog teams in daily life.
This book fell onto my radar and I went on a search for a copy from my local libraries.
Unfortunately, this proved to be a feat. I was all up in arms about why the book on the FIRST WOMAN to win such an iconic event wasn't available. I was convinced that women were being misrepresented in this genre. After getting the book through an interlibrary loan and devouring this tale over a weekend, I was determined to learn more. I wanted more on the preliminary races that people use to qualify for the Iditarod. I wanted stories on other winners or even people who have attempted to complete the race! (I have previously read Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod and also inhaled it and recommend it) There is even a woman who won the Iditarod THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS and the only thing written about her is a picture book for children about the dog that lead her to victory (which is a huge accomplishment for the dog as well, see Granite). The trials the dogs and their trainers face out in Alaska are impressive and I wish there was more on the topic, but it seems to be a very limited selection. Although, my next read will be on the original of the Iditarod which is the relay of a vaccine across Alaska to help prevent a pandemic.
This is going to be a lost art and piece of history if more documentation isn't written before more modern ways such as snowmobiles replace the need for the sled dog teams in daily life.
January 23, 2018
Talk about extreme sport. Imagine carrying all that you and 15 dogs need on a hand-driven sled for 21-plus days, racing as fast as possible through 65 knot headwinds and driving snow, then traveling over melting snow and shifting ice with overheated dogs. Searching for signposts that indicate the trail, disagreeing with your team and physically battling with them to regain control, chopping up and cooking frozen meat in sub-degree weather (for the dogs) while you snack on seal oil and bits of premade pizza, all the time keeping an eye on the team’s health and the competition’s progress. Imagine feeling dead-tired, sleeping only an hour at a time to stay in the running, and making best judgments in an extremely sleep-deprived state. And, there’s a serious lack of toilet facilities. That’s the Iditarod.
Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditarod, wrote Race Across Alaska diary-style, enumerating each run between check-in stations. She speaks as an athlete and dog breeder, not as a polished author. This format allows the reader to mentally run the race along with her, to experience her fears, concerns, and joys, her physical challenges in punishing weather conditions, and her considerable labor to keep her dogs healthy and herself competitive. Sidebars, presumably written by co-author Tim Jones, fill in details on such topics as race check points, equipment, sled dogs, clothing, the history of the Iditarod, and racing strategies. A series of maps enables the reader to follow each daily route in detail.
Riddles is keenly attuned to her dogs, and her relationship with them is a most charming aspect of the book. She checks them at every rest stop, feeds them a surprising variety of foods, and tunes into problems, sometimes even before they occur. In fact, along with her first place title, she also earned the humanitarian award, given by Iditarod veterinarians, for best care of dogs during the race in 1985.
Winter sports lovers and dog aficionados will enjoy this book. Young women in competitive sports will find it inspiring. And of course it’s a must-read for anyone who loves Alaska.
Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditarod, wrote Race Across Alaska diary-style, enumerating each run between check-in stations. She speaks as an athlete and dog breeder, not as a polished author. This format allows the reader to mentally run the race along with her, to experience her fears, concerns, and joys, her physical challenges in punishing weather conditions, and her considerable labor to keep her dogs healthy and herself competitive. Sidebars, presumably written by co-author Tim Jones, fill in details on such topics as race check points, equipment, sled dogs, clothing, the history of the Iditarod, and racing strategies. A series of maps enables the reader to follow each daily route in detail.
Riddles is keenly attuned to her dogs, and her relationship with them is a most charming aspect of the book. She checks them at every rest stop, feeds them a surprising variety of foods, and tunes into problems, sometimes even before they occur. In fact, along with her first place title, she also earned the humanitarian award, given by Iditarod veterinarians, for best care of dogs during the race in 1985.
Winter sports lovers and dog aficionados will enjoy this book. Young women in competitive sports will find it inspiring. And of course it’s a must-read for anyone who loves Alaska.
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December 15, 2020I really enjoyed Race Across Alaska. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is exciting and full of adventure. It is certainly not boring, and a true story. This book follows the adventure of Libby Riddles and her dogs as they race in the Iditarod. It is a story of grit and determination in the face of the perils of the arctic. I was expecting this book to be a boring account of the race, but it is much more than that.
I didn't know much about the Iditarod before reading this book. But luckily, Race Across Alaska also gives some back story to parts of the race. It explains in the margins about many different things relating to the story. It can range from how sled dog puppies are trained to what frostbite is. The margins are very informative but brief. This length allows you to learn without becoming disinterested in the actual story. And you could skip reading them altogether if you don't want to learn more about the race.
Over all this was a great book. If you are looking for a true story of action, adventure, peril, and a strong heroin, Race Across Alaska is for you.
I didn't know much about the Iditarod before reading this book. But luckily, Race Across Alaska also gives some back story to parts of the race. It explains in the margins about many different things relating to the story. It can range from how sled dog puppies are trained to what frostbite is. The margins are very informative but brief. This length allows you to learn without becoming disinterested in the actual story. And you could skip reading them altogether if you don't want to learn more about the race.
Over all this was a great book. If you are looking for a true story of action, adventure, peril, and a strong heroin, Race Across Alaska is for you.
October 22, 2017
Libby Riddles is an amazing woman. I heard her speak when I was in Alaska.
What a story. She has lived in Alaska since she was 16 when she left home for Alaska. Hard to imagine what she went through to become the first woman to win the Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome..1200 miles. She had done the race before and was an experienced musher. This time she won because she took such good care of her dogs, took a chance and knew how to survive a severe blizzard with -40 to -50 degree weather! She is about 60 now and retired from dog racing. She does motivational speaking esp. for young people, encouraging them to live their dreams. She promotes dog mushing and cares for retired sled dogs. She has about 25 retired dogs at this time. She brought one with her so we met her, her dog and she signed our books.
What a story. She has lived in Alaska since she was 16 when she left home for Alaska. Hard to imagine what she went through to become the first woman to win the Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome..1200 miles. She had done the race before and was an experienced musher. This time she won because she took such good care of her dogs, took a chance and knew how to survive a severe blizzard with -40 to -50 degree weather! She is about 60 now and retired from dog racing. She does motivational speaking esp. for young people, encouraging them to live their dreams. She promotes dog mushing and cares for retired sled dogs. She has about 25 retired dogs at this time. She brought one with her so we met her, her dog and she signed our books.
April 29, 2021
I didn't expect to like this book much since I've no real interest in dog-sledding, Alaska, or dogs even, but I tried it because I've read the adventure journals of Isabella Bird, a British explorer from the 1800s, and was curious if it might be the same.
In short, it was 1000x better and I hated to put it down. The writing moves quickly, is packed with info and Libby's obvious concern for her animals. The snippets of historical and technical explanation in between her narrative were almost just as interesting and very appreciated, though I think her story could have stood alone even without the footnotes. Someone had a good editor!
In short, it was 1000x better and I hated to put it down. The writing moves quickly, is packed with info and Libby's obvious concern for her animals. The snippets of historical and technical explanation in between her narrative were almost just as interesting and very appreciated, though I think her story could have stood alone even without the footnotes. Someone had a good editor!
December 10, 2023
Exhilarating! An inspirational, non-stop adventure. This book kept me up late into the nights. I couldn’t get enough. Libby has determination to push through any obstacle. Her love and great care for her dogs fills my heart. This book brought me so much unexpected joy. I even teared up as she approached the finish line. My favorite read of the year, by far. And a delight to find out she was born in Madison, WI. I feel she is a kindred spirit. I will never forget this book! Now I need to find a way to get a dog sled team…
August 31, 2024
I met Libby Riddles during a talk she gave on a Princess cruise in Alaska. Her talk was inspiring and the book is doubly so. Written as a diary, with interesting facts about the Iditarod throughout, I read this book quickly as I was anxious to see what would happen next. It is amazing to me that in 1985, Libby seemed to encounter only encouragement from her fellow (mostly male) competitors. While the printing and copy editing weren’t perfect, I hardly noticed as I followed Libby and her dogs across 1200 miles of cold Alaskan terrain. Great book for teens and up!
September 12, 2024
I think I'm giving it 4 stars because of the dogs and their big hearts and love of running.
Definitely not because it was a well written story.
The author is obviously a tough Alaskan musher and she's good at it so maybe she should stick to that instead of writing eh.
Some of the descriptions, well, were confusing. Made my eyes glaze over. I did fly through this book though and I was invested in the race.
Inspiring story, with a couple of good boys 🐶
Heart warming
Edit: OH and my husband told me I say "Iditarod" wrong
Definitely not because it was a well written story.
The author is obviously a tough Alaskan musher and she's good at it so maybe she should stick to that instead of writing eh.
Some of the descriptions, well, were confusing. Made my eyes glaze over. I did fly through this book though and I was invested in the race.
Inspiring story, with a couple of good boys 🐶
Heart warming
Edit: OH and my husband told me I say "Iditarod" wrong
May 20, 2019
I'm not much of a non-fiction fan ... but this book was a must because we met Libby Riddles on our cruise to Alaska last year. AND we met one of her dogs! So I enjoyed reading this book. While some of the detail through the middle sections got a little slow, it was exciting to read toward the end as she neared the finish line. Lots of extra information ... and beautiful depictions of the Alaska scenery!
September 13, 2022
An incredibly inspirational story, well-written and engaging. I enjoyed how the author wove in personal stories from her past but really made the book about the singular, triumphant event of her Iditarod victory. I was amazed at the strength and bravery displayed by both musher and dogs throughout the story. At so many points in their journey true fear or profound fatigue could have very easily dominated, but through training, preparation, luck, and sheer will, they persevered.
September 20, 2022
This book feeds my passion for anything Alaskan. It was written in 1988 and tells the story of the first female to win the Iditarod, a dogsledding race from Anchorage to Nome. Riddles describes the race with all its problems, achievements and challenges. She identifies all her dogs and wins an award for the especially good treatment of them. Sidebars take one further into the history of past runs, and describe the strict rules and regulations guiding this race.
October 2, 2025
Amazing story from an amazing woman. Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the Iditarod. This book chronicles the adventure along with the myriad of horrendous experiences she had on her way to the finish line. I was very impressed by her preparation and the care she showed her dogs. What a story! Interspersed in the story: information about the race, the dogs, the strategies, etc. I learned a lot about the race, the racers and the dogs. Loved it!
January 5, 2019
This book made me cold reading it!! Sea ice and storms and blowing snow and -40 degree temperatures... It was all very impressive and exciting. My favorite parts, of course, were the dogs and how she describes their behavior and mannerisms and her interaction with them and how much she cares about them.
August 30, 2019
Very interesting learning about the Iditarod race and the people and dogs that participate. I particularly appreciated Libby Riddles' kind approach to her dogs and the care she provided them. Race Across Alaska was a fairly quick read and I would recommend it to any one who wants to learn more about Alaska and sled dogs.
February 22, 2021
This was a wonderful journaling of the Iditarod in 1985 when Libby Riddles was the first woman to win. I love reading adventure books when I can live vicariously through the main character. One feels like they experience the snow and cold without actually doing it! The dogs in this race are beyond amazing. They are the real heroes!
July 17, 2017
Parts of it were interesting, but after a while, the monotony of what she fed the dogs and what she said to them and what she ate at the pit stops wasn't very interesting. It needed editing, and is one of those that would probably served better as just a magazine article rather than a book.
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