Book review: 'The Lance Mackey Story'

"The Lance Mackey Story: How My Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life" is as close as most of us will ever come to hitching a ride on Lance Mackey's sled as it crosses the vast frozen reaches of Alaska, and as such, his book doesn't disappoint. From the opening chapter, when he shares the awe and wonder of making sled dog racing history in 2007 with his unprecedented dual Yukon Quest and Iditarod wins, to the closing lines, which will be savored long after reading the book, Lance's masterful use of the written language to convey places, events, and especially emotions draws the reader into his world.

"There is always the comfort and beauty of watching my team trotting. Muscles on their hind legs, rhythmic, trotting with so much power. Transfixed, I can stare for hours at my dogs moving across the white landscape, reminded that life itself is about moving forward -- made authentic with risk. I'm willing to take risks to keep living, and my dogs are bold, always ready to share it with me. I've learned to force myself to look around, take my eyes off the team, even ride backward on my sled and look behind, to break the trance."

With the tireless dedication and unflagging support of his many long-legged teammates, Lance Mackey changed the future of mushing and redefined long distance sled dog racing. A cancer survivor, he won the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race four times, and he's won the 1,149-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, from Anchorage to Nome, each of the last three years. He's won almost every mid- and long-distance sled dog race in Alaska. He's won multiple veterinarian's awards and humanitarian awards for excellence in dog care, and his lead dogs have numerous Golden Harnesses for their trail-eating accomplishments. Twice nominated for the coveted ESPY Award, and honored with a place in the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, Lance shares what happened along the way, and in doing so, he gives his readers an unexpected look at how legends are made.

"I saw the disappointment in the eyes of my parents, noticed when a teacher shook her head in disbelief, watched a judge frown as he read my record, and numbed my vision with bouts of substance abuse and an indulged indifference. It took me a while to climb over those obstacles, but I did it, and I don't have much sympathy for myself. That can make you cry, even more than physical pain."