Alaska News

Iditablog: Four-time champion Martin Buser pens Iditarod memoir

The saga of four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser is one that some race fans have followed for decades. But for the first time, the mushing legend out of Big Lake is telling the story in his own words.

On Sunday, Buser released his first book, "Dog Man." He said the book, written by the Big Lake musher himself, chronicles his life including his 35 years in Alaska, and the 31 Iditarods he's run over that time. He's never scratched nor finished lower than 25th.

In an interview last month, Buser said he wrote summaries of each Iditarod over the years, but that he began seriously considering a book as therapy for the treacherous 2014 Iditarod that left him recovering from numerous broken bones.

"Part of PTSD treatment we jokingly say is to either talk about it, or write about it," he said.

Buser said the book is "semi-self-published" through Raven's Eye Press, a boutique publisher based in Durango, Colorado.

Buser joins a club of experienced mushers sharing their stories. Jeff King, Mitch Seavey, DeeDee Jonrowe, Dallas Seavey, Lance Mackey and Jim Lanier all have published books related to their Iditarod journeys.

The book is available on Buser's website, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Suzanna Caldwell

Suzanna Caldwell is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in 2017.

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