The March, 2024 issue of Alaska magazine includes a very nice review by Alaskan writer and book critic David A. James, who writes about Northern Light Media’s 2023 book, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener. From the review: “With its abundant illustrations, essays from other historians, and reprints of old newspaper and magazine articles, the lively book places readers on the trail in the early 20th century.”

David also writes, “One of the surprises of the book is learning just how popular mushing was elsewhere in North America. Events were held in many states, attracting thousands of fans, and (Leonhard) Seppala was just one of several Alaskan mushers who gained national renown on the racing circuit.” He continues, “Mushers at the time didn’t let dry ground stop them. They simply put wheels on their sleds and kept going wherever there was a road or negotiable trail.”

Subtitled From the Bering Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, the 416-page full-color book is a large 8.5 x 11” format, and covers sled dog history from the crossing of the Bering Strait at Beringia to the 1940s when sled dogs from Nome and other locations aiding troops in the Second World War by hauling munitions to the front and evacuating the wounded soldiers to safety. From the book: “In July 1942 the Remount Branch of the Quartermaster Corps formally took over the War Dog activities and established the first War Dog Reception and Training Center at the Quartermaster Remount Depot, in Front Royal, Virginia. Additional training centers were established in California, Nebraska, Mississippi, Montana, and other sites. The centers conditioned and trained dogs for all types of skill categories, including guard dogs, scouts, messengers, mine detectors, and sled and pack dogs.”

Reprints from the WWII Basic Field Manual for Dog Team Transportation include pen and ink renderings of sleds, harnesses, the points in a good sled dog, and how to hitch the dogs to the sled.

The book is graced by 16 paintings by award-winning Colorado artist Veryl Goodnight, whose historically accurate portrayals of sled dogs in many different situations adds depth and dimension to the book. Veryl’s beautiful website includes the complete collection of sled dog paintings featured in the book, and a video about the making of her wonderful painting, ‘The Gold Rush Dogs.’

David James’ review is also noted in the SubStack email newsletter, The History of Sled Dogs, and more illustrations and a brief excerpt from the book are included there.

For more reviews and information about the book, or to order it, visit the book’s page.