Sixteen in Nome

We ordered this for our grandson. We loved it - he loved it. The book was in good shape, just as advertized.

Written in the 1930s, this is regarded as a minor classic western. It's taken me a long time to get around to reading it and I'm glad I finally managed it today. Despite its odd title, which is explained in the first paragraph, this is a memorable tale and worth adding to anyone's library. It's about Joe, a sixteen-year-old who's down on his luck in Nome, Alaska. He's starving and clearly not long for this world - until he meets Marjorie, who wants to help him, even though she has problems of her own. Unwilling to accept charity, Joe wanders the streets until he encounters a clever dog, Alec, saving him from a pack of stray huskies. That selfless act earns him the friendship of the dog's owner, Massey, a taciturn and powerful man. Joe then learns that Massey has a strong and overriding grudge against Calmont, a former friend and now his sworn enemy. Unwittingly, Joe gets embroiled in the conflict between Calmont and Massey. There are sled chases through inhospitable Tundra, where we witness bravery and the wonders of the Yukon breaking up, where wolverines and dogs fight without mercy. These characters seem larger than life yet true, with big hearts. You feel the cold gnawing at their bones and fear for the fate of Joe and the dog, Alec, as Massey's and Calmont's feud escalates. This is a story about a friendship that soured into murderous hate. It tells of honour and bravery and the spirit of a dog called Alexander the Great - Alec. Told in first person narrative from Joe's perspective, it is both emotionally moving and fast-paced, which is not surprising since Max Brand was known at times to write 20,000 words a day. It is comparable to London's The Call of the Wild and White Fang in its intensity, scope and understanding of the canine world.