The Cruelest
Miles
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The Cruelest Miles
by Gay and Laney Salisbury
Who must have this book: Anyone who is into
Dog Sledding or the Iditarod.
Who should have this book: Anyone who is into
Alaskan history or a good real life adventure. And maybe epidemiologists.
ISBN: 0393325709
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I
read this book in a very strange situation. I had been reading it
during a trip to Denali National Park. I had just made plans for a
solo backcountry and was spending the night in Riley Campground the
night before when I was hit by a Giardia like symptoms. For the next
six hours, I put in several of my own cruelest miles between my tent
and the closest restroom.
Needless to say, I had some time on my hands which was perfect for
sitting and reading, between my shuffling back and forth. I don’t
know that there is any better time to read about an epidemic than
when you are going through your own personal illness. I learned a
lot about diptheria and parasitic infestation while reading this book,
some from reading, some by experience.
The book was fascinating and put a lot of pieces together for me.
I had always skirted this story. I had seen the statue of Balto in
New York’s Central Park, Seen the cover of Balto, the Disney
Animation, and knew vaguely that the Iditarod was inspired by a race
to get medicine to Nome. What the book did was to put these small
details into context by telling the gripping story of the race against
Diptheria.
Overview
The Cruelest Miles does a great job of setting the stage for the stories
telling, then tells the story completely from all angles involved.
It is not a Hollywood, white-knuckled story, so it takes a little
investment to keep reading, but it rewards the time with it’s
thoroughness and the story itself.
Basically the story starts in 1925 in a post gold-rush Nome. The Salisbury’s
spend a chapter or so telling the history of how Nome came to be and
leads you to the 1925 freeze up. It seems to be a quiet start to winter
until the first signs of Diptheria begin to show. As the weight of
the situation becomes more apparent, the attention of the world is
focused on Nome.
One thing I hadn’t realized was how Nome became the twenties
version of my generations “Baby Jessica in the well.”
In a world of slower developing stories, people became enthralled
with the looming tragedy. Papers around the world ran front page stories
about Nome’s plight.
The heroes that stepped up to save the day were the dogs and mushers
that had been Alaskan mainstays for years. Much of the book is devoted
to the amazing relationship that dogs and men had forged in Alaska.
Authors
The authors are cousins who joined together for this
book.
