BKMT READING GUIDES
One Mush: Jamaica's Dogsled Team
by John Firth
Paperback : 330 pages
0 club reading this now
0 members have read this book
Reviews for One Mush:
"A hero of mine & a hero of our times. How could he not be? His story of raising himself up from humble & difficult beginnings to finding, pursuing & accomplishing his dream is as inspiring a story as you will ever read" - Jimmy Buffett
"... wonderful story ...
Introduction
Reviews for One Mush:
"A hero of mine & a hero of our times. How could he not be? His story of raising himself up from humble & difficult beginnings to finding, pursuing & accomplishing his dream is as inspiring a story as you will ever read" - Jimmy Buffett
"... wonderful story telling. This is a Jack London book!!" - Rachel Manley, Governor General's Award winner
"It's an amazing story, beautifully written and the description of Newton's Quest is fascinating.. a cracking good read." - Peter Proudlock
"Great read, insightful inspection of the race and its participants...from one of dog mushing's finest authors." - Hugh Neff, Quest & Iditarod Veteran Musher
"One Mush, is a great read about an event so unlikely that it probably couldn't pass as fiction." - David A. James, Fairbanks News-Miner
"Wondrous...Each facet of this fascinating story is told with an eye to detail, a full appreciation for the singularity of this tale...This is a book to read slowly." - Jamaican Literature.com
"I like it. It's good. It's real" - Chris Blackwell, music mogul, producer
"A 'Mush' - read." - Porthole Cruise Magazine
"..being a disciplined musher, I had a friend hide it for me as I knew I would never get my taxes done on time. Great read, nicely paced, entertaining & informative" - Linda Fair, Author
Excerpt
Chapter 8RICK
“Pudden cyaa bake widout fiah”
Jamaican patois: You need the right tools for the job
July, 2005
Before he traveled to Jamaica to help set up a proper kennel Alan knew he needed two things. Dogs for one.
When Devon arrived back in Jamaica he suddenly realized he didn’t know what kind of dogs he needed to find. He phoned Alan, “What kind of dogs are we going to look for?”
“Just find any kind of dog for now but don’t get too many. We’ll get a few more after I get there.”
Professional help for two. He knew that two trainers working together were more effective than one working on his own. His son John was going to accompany him to Jamaica. He had the knowledge but not the experience. Alan thought of a sprint musher he’d met in the 1990s, at the Walt Disney Iron Will race in Como Park, Minnesota. Rick Johnson had retired as a driver but was still a well-known gangline and equipment maker for dog mushers around the world. ...
view entire excerpt...
Discussion Questions
No discussion questions at this time.Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
Note from author: There are some stories that just need to be told and I was fortunate enough to be able to tell this one. The clash of cultures - tropical Jamaica and the Yukon-Alaska arctic - was what first appealed to me. The issues with literacy and rescuing dogs came later. I want readers to appreciate that marginalized people are capable of achieving a great deal when provided with opportunity and desire - and no scheme or vision is too "out there" to be capable of helping them reach their true potential.Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.
Book Club HQ to over 88,000+ book clubs and ready to welcome yours.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events and more
