Product Description

It is 1925. The goldrush town of Nome sits two degrees below the Arctic Circle, and there are few more forbidding places on earth. When signs of diptheria broke out, Dr. Curtis Welch knew it was the biggest crisis of his life. Supplies of the serum were dangerously low and it was winter. There would be an epidemic if the medicine didn't arrive in time. Welch's urgent plea for help made national headlines and all of America watched with bated breath to see if an expedition could reach Nome in time. The dangers were immense for Nome was utterly isolated. The only option was to get the serum to the nearest point by rail and then use a relay of dog sleds to trek through the remaining 700 miles, night and day, and in blizzards raging at - 60 degrees. It was to be a desperate race against time - one that captured the imagination of America and turned the drivers and their heroic dogs into celebrities of the time. THE CRUELLEST MILES is the heart-pounding account of the famous Serum Run. Unbearably thrilling and tense, this is a classic story of human (and canine) endurance and heroism.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79756 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Cruellest Miles is a tale of astonishing bravery. When gold rush fever hit, the Alaskan town of Nome sprang from being a far flung outpost to a thriving frontier town--with the emphasis on "frontier". In Alaska, when the winter deep freeze descends, the Bering Sea is frozen. Before aeroplanes could cope with the extreme conditions, dog sleds were the only means of delivery from the outside world. As a result, Nome was cut off for months. Imagine the terror, therefore, in the winter of 1925 when diphtheria was diagnosed and Nome's solitary doctor had to inform the town council that his fresh supply of vaccine had not been delivered on the last boat.

The only chance to save the community from being wiped out was for dog sleds to deliver the vital serum from the nearest drop off point seven hundred miles to the south. The Cruellest Miles tells the story of the heroic dog-sled drivers and their teams who made the journey through raging blizzards at temperatures of 60 below zero. It was a race against time that held all of America spellbound.

The authors tell the tale with enthusiasm and skill. This book not only tells a terrific true-life adventure tale; it also presents the reader with a great deal of fascinating information about Alaska, Arctic life, the Eskimos, the history of dog sledding and the development of one of the world's final frontiers. A top-notch non-fiction title, the book is enriched with authentic period photographs, detailed notes and fascinating appendices. In The Cruellest Miles the world of Jack London meets The Perfect Storm. --Dwight Longenecker

Review
'Compelling and inspiring' USA Today 'Men and dogs crossing immense distances in the Arctic winter to save dying children - there could hardly be a more inspiring topic.This is a moving story, superbly researched and deftly told.' Sebastian Junger, autor of THE PERFECT STORM 'Gay and Laney Salisbury have honoured that real and unequivocal act of group determination with a rigorous and vigorous piece of writing' Sunday Herald 'The isolation of Nome and the vastness of Alaska are vividly presented THE CRUELLEST MILES tells a fine yarn' Daily Telegrpah

Sebastian Junger, autor of The Perfect Storm
'This is a moving story, superbly researched and deftly told’

Customer Reviews

Dogs and man against the elements
I bought this book at the airport going on holiday as a second read. Being a dog lover, I was interested to read about the endurance of the animals in the book... it did not disappoint.
Having had the scene of a diptheria outbreak in one of the worlds' remotest outposts well and truly set, the story picks up pace like the very best of thriller fiction - only this is a true story and heart-rending. From start to finish, the book gripped me and in two days I was breathlessly passing it to my wife. Three days later she too had devoured it. An awesome read... tempered only by the stark reality of the situation that the dogs, and the men who trusted theirs and others lives to those dogs, overcame. Buy it, you won't regret it !!

Gripping reading
This is a beautifully written book. It's descriptions of life in a hostile, harsh environment are vivid and enthralling. It is packed with meticulously researched facts, without being dry or boring, and it's central story is moving and uplifting, without being mawkish or sentimental. By the end of the book, I had a real sense of time and place, and a way of life that has all but disappeared. It is a real shame there aren't more photographs, but as it was written about an era nearly 80 years ago, on the edge of civilisation, it isn't really surprising, and the well-drawn maps at the beginning make up for this by being invaluable in terms of placing the extra-ordinary efforts of the dog-teams in the context of scale and geography. The style of writing is rather matter of fact, but the story itself doesn't need any attempts at sensationalism, and the straight-forward telling of the tale adds to the impact, rather than detracts. I don't think anyone could reach the end of this book without a profound admiration for the simple, under-stated courage of the book's subjects. I felt that the book worked extremely well on two levels - as a history of Alaska, it's people, it's geography, the incredibly close co-dependence of man and dog, and the pivotal role of the husky in making survival in this cruel landscape possible, it is fascinating. As a story of raw courage and the endurance of the human and canine spirit, it is nothing less than awe-inspiring. No more heroes? Read this book!

A compelling story
I came across this book on holiday in a Readers Digest abridged format. Once started, I couldn't put it down. The story is well researched and vividly told. I can only marvel at the heroism of those who endured such extreme conditions to get the diptheria serum back to Nome in time. The authors have done a superb job in describing what life was like in Nome in the days when it was cut off by snow from the world for weeks on end and before modern transport technology arrived to replace tough, heroic dog teams and drivers. A very good read.