Tag: Sled Dogs

Sled Dogs in the Desert

The important place of sled dogs in American history as portrayed by the amazing sled dog paintings of my friend Veryl Goodnight is the subject of the book I published in November: Sled Dogs in America: The Art of Veryl Goodnight, by Veryl Goodnight and Helen Hegener. Veryl’s historically accurate paintings have elevated the history of sled dogs to an exhibit at the prestigious Smithsonian-associated Western Spirit Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Veryl and I will be giving two slideshow presentations at the museum on February 6th, followed by a reception. It promises to be an exciting event!

Running for nine months, through April, 2025, the unique exhibit we helped curate showcases not only the paintings done by Veryl, but includes the history behind the paintings as I researched it for my 2023 book, The History of Sled Dogs in North America. Also included are many of the props and supporting pieces Veryl used in creating her paintings.

Although I’ve seen many photographs of the displays, I got my first actual look at the sled dog exhibit last week, and it was quite humbling to walk into that very prestigious museum and see my name on the walls, along with the photos I’d researched and the history I’d written!

But just as thrilling was to see two of the titles published by my Northern Light Media on the top shelf of the museum bookstore!

Veryl and I signed their copies and marveled at the depth and quality of the other items for sale!

I smiled to see people walking through the exhibit carrying copies of the book Veryl and I had produced together, and it was wonderful to talk with the docents and the visitors about the history and Veryl’s beautiful artwork. Our visit last week was impromptu, but it gave us a wonderful advance look at how exciting it will be when we return to present our slideshow and talk on February 6th!

Book Reviews

Screen Shot 2016-06-12 at 9.55.34 PMAuthors always love to see book reviews, and this author is no exception. With a dozen titles currently in print I’ve seen quite a few reviews, but I still smile when one crosses my path, as this review of my latest book, Alaskan Sled Dog Tales, did earlier this week. David Fox gave my book a very nice review for the Anchorage Press, writing: “Relying upon material written from the late 1890s through the early ‘30s, she catalogues how sled dogs provided Alaskan residents the ability to traverse enormous distances, deliver critical supplies and maintain communication from within and outside Alaska. The episodes she recounts are stirring, filled with human and animal bravery. Some are simply mind-boggling, filling the reader with awe and enormous respect for dog and driver alike.”

Ak SD Tales coverYeah, that nicely captures what I set out to do with this book! David Fox shares some examples from my book, and then leaves me grinning with his parting shot: “These trustworthy creatures could be relied upon to do the heavy work, while remaining—as Hegener eloquently reminds us—our most treasured friends.”

Did you see he used that grand word “eloquently?” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines eloquent as “having or showing the ability to use language clearly and effectively; clearly showing feeling or meaning.”

I’m grinning all over again. Thank you, Mr. Fox!

 

 

Dog-Puncher on the Yukon

Dog-PuncherPeople sometimes ask which musher is my favorite – speaking of the old-timers, not my currently-racing friends. It’s a tough choice, as there were some amazing mushers in Alaska’s history (and I write about many of them in my newest book, Alaskan Sled Dog Tales), but one which is always near the top of my list is Arthur Treadwell Walden, author of “Dog-Puncher on the Yukon.” Here’s an article about him, and a great photo which I don’t remember seeing before:

Walden and Chinook

“Part adventurer, part showman Arthur T. Walden of Wonalancet, New Hampshire, dazzles the crowd with his sled dog Chinook at the Winter Carnival in Portland in this photograph published on the front page of the Evening Express on February 11, 1922, the same year that the intelligent, loyal canine led Walden’s team to victory in the first Eastern International Dog Derby, a 123-mile race. Then 5 years old, Chinook, bred from a mastiff stray and a descendant of Admiral Robert Peary’s Greenland husky Polaris, was on his way to becoming the most famous dog in America. His future achievements would include leading the first dog team ascent of Mount Washington, a treacherous undertaking that many had considered impossible.”

Read more at this link.