Honest Dogs

With wry humor, diminishing expectations, and newfound humility, O'Donoghue introduces readers to the canine characteristics who comprise his team. O'Donoghue also takes stock of the independent-thinking, quirky, and always interesting men and women against whom he races. But it is his own absorbing "head trip" down the cold, dark trail that is the most interesting of all.

The musher's strategies, hopes, dreams, and disappointments; the antics of the canine athletes, the drama of the race; and the unworldly wilderness venue add texture to a story of a personal journey by a young man who "gets away from it all" in an astonishing way.

A real page turner, i finished reading the book in one day.


Honest Dogs; Harsh Words   September 1, 2000
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

The real problem with this book lies not in his treatment of his dogs, but in his treatment of other mushers. It is odd that he could be so critical of so many of the other mushers from the back of the pack. While not quite an armchair quarterback, he was definitely throwing some cheap shots from the sled runners. I had a suspicion while reading this book that he was searching for a way to justify his utter lack of speed, instead of just reveling in the moment. While it is nice to hear about a musher that cares deeply about his dogs (as most do), I felt that he simply did not have the rapport with his dogs that most succesful mushers have.


Highly recommended for dog lovers & armchair adventurers.   June 5, 2000
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

In Honest Dogs: A Story Of Triumph And Regret From The World's Toughest Sled Dog Race, journalist and family man Brian O'Donoghue shares the story of his experiences upon entering the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race at the age of 41. Brian writes with wry humor of sharing the trail with his Alaskan huskies Khan, Hobbes, Scrimshaw, and Cyclone, as well as a diverse collection of rival racers and resident bush rats. Honest Dogs is a candid, vivid account of a punishing personal journey and relates the strategies, dreams, and disappoints of the contestants, the antics of the furry canine athletes, the sheer drama of the race, and the unworldly wilderness setting in which Brian and his dogs found themselves. Honest Dogs is highly recommended reading for armchair adventurers and dog lovers everywhere.


I just loved it!   May 30, 2000
Linda Peregrino (Front Royal, VA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is an amazing book!--I had no idea what it takes to compete in a major sled dog race. All those pictures we see of the "romance" of sled dog competitions don't even begin to cover the fatigue (of dogs and people), the logistics and the problems. It must be an incredible experience to even finish in a race like this. I'm glad the author let me experience a little bit of it through his book.


A must read for sled dog racing fans   April 22, 2000
donna Greenslade (betal Island Cailfornia)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Once in a while you come across a book that you are sorry to see end.Honest dogs was one of those books for me.The chapter on going over american summit was very exciting.When I was in Anchorage for the start of this years Iditarod I got to see and pet O'donogue's lead dog "Khan". in person After reading this fine book I want to move to Two Rivers,Alaska and take up Mushing myself

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