[.ca] Racing the White Silence: On the Trail of the Yukon Quest (ISBN 0143013521)

Amazon.ca:
Racing the White Silence is journalist Adam Killick's account of the 2001 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, a less commercialized and much tougher version of the Iditarod race that covers "1,640 kilometres of the least hospitable real estate on the planet between Whitehorse, Yukon and Fairbanks, Alaska." In covering the race, Killick captures the spirit of this rugged place and the history of the people who choose to live there. And sled dogs are an essential part of that culture. In an age when motorized transportation--be it planes, automobiles, or snowmobiles--is readily available, many who live in these harsh outposts still rely on sled dogs to transport them, much as they have for generations. These dogs are essential parts of their existence and they are treated as such: "All of the \omushers\c live with their dogs year-round and their dogs are the central focus of their lives. To be a musher capable of completing this frozen passage demands nothing less." Killick never shies away from interviewing the most intimidating (or insane) characters or exposing himself to the potential pitfalls of being in the middle of such an intense competition that takes the better part of two weeks to complete. By the end of the book, it's clear that the Yukon Quest is more than just a race--it's a reflection of the participants' lives and their daily struggle for existence. --Adem Tepedelen

Racing The White Silence:
Racing the White Silence: On the Trail of the Yukon Quest Adam Killick "Nature has many tricks wherewith she convinces man of his finity- the ceaseless flow of the tides, the fury of the storm, the shock of the earthquake, the long roll of heaven's artillery- but the most tremendous, the most stupefying of all, is the passive phase of the White Silence. All movement ceases, the sky clears, the heavens are as brass; the slightest whisper seems sacrilege, and man becomes timid, affrightened at the sound of his own voice." Jack London, The White Silence, 1899 Jack London, like all good authors, wrote of what he knew, the North. It is in London's world that this book is based. Its' author, Adam Killick, from Winnipeg, hired on as an assistant-dog handler in the 2001 Yukon Quest so that he could study it and learn what drew the world's best mushers to it. After all, the Quest's prize money is much less than the famous Iditerod; what drew these mushers to this race? Along the way he found his answer. The Yukon Quest alternates directions from year to year depending on ice conditions on the trail. It traverses the unforgiving terrain between Whitehorse, Yukon, and Fairbanks, Alaska. "Following the Quest, on these remote parts of the trail, is like belonging to some exclusive club in which only lack of sleep...and a predilection for standing around at 30 or 40 below for hours...earns you membership." Along the way Killick discovered that the people on the trail were very supportive and helpful; that "the spirit of community and sharing is at the heart of the Yukon Quest." Besides, "the community of the North stands on a realization that, whatever one's creed, religion, ethics, or circumstances, there will come a time when you'll need someone else's help." It is this sense of community that draws the mushers to this race, the one dog-sled race that "has remained true to the Northern Spirit in which it was founded." Killick follows the 2001 edition of the Quest as it continues down the trail. As he does so, he introduces the reader to the many varied characters that make up the contestants and organizers of this little-publicized race. This makes the book an interesting read that examines the many of the ins and outs of dog-sled racing. Killick helps the reader to visualize the country of the "White Silence" that his race passes through. Racing The White Silence is an excellent true-life book that will keep you turning pages until the end of the trail. 2002. Easy reading. Young-adult content. 270 pages.

Racing The White Silence:
A who will do it, who will win it, adventure tale that informs, enthralls and engages the reader in one of the worlds last true natural challenges. I didn't want it to end!