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

About this book

"A stirring tale of survival thanks to mans best friend . . . reflects a transcendent understanding and impeccable research."Seattle Times In 1925 a deadly diphtheria epidemic swept through icebound Nome Alaska. The life-saving serum was a thousand miles away and a blizzard was brewing. Airplanes could not fly in such conditions: only the dogs could do it. Racing against death twenty dog teams relayed the serum across the Alaskan wilderness as newspapers nationwide headlined the drama enthralling an entire generation. The heroic dash to Nome inspired the annual Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska and immortalized Balto the lead dog whose arrival in Nome over a snow-blown trail was an American legend in the making. His bronze statue still stands in New York Citys Central Park in dedication to the "Endurance Fidelity and Intelligence" of the dogs that saved Nome. This is their story the greatest dog story never fully told until now. 2 maps 48 illustrations