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John Firth
ALLi Author Member
Location: Canada
Genres: General Nonfiction, Biography, Narrative Nonfiction, History
Skills: Performance/Spoken Word, Press/Media Interview, Reading/Literary Event, Self-publishing Workshop/Training, Speaking Engagement/Lecture
I grew up in Dawson City. The Klondike Gold Rush was my back yard and I was surrounded by writers, both living and long gone. Pierre Berton's childhood home was just down the street. Dick North lived on the next block over, right beside Jack London's cabin. Robert Service's cabin was a 10 minute walk from my front door. Today I live in Whitehorse, Yukon. From here I can hike on ancient First Nation trading trails across the coastal mountains, follow the route of the riverboats down the Yukon River or discover long lost places hidden in the interior trenches.
John Firth's books
The Caribou Hotel: Hauntings, hospitality, a hunter and the parrot
"This is a book for everyone who likes to read...entertaining...brings the past alive in a very enjoyable story of this landmark hotel, which is part of U.S. and Canadian history." Reader Views.
Winner: Reviewers Choice Award, 2020 Reader Views Book Awards.
"...a remarkable history...a great read from start to finish." Yukon News
One Mush: Jamaica's Dogsled Team: A true story of determination despite the odds
"Jack London and Robert Service together could not make this up. Whether or not you have been to the far North your impression of it will never be the same after reading this improbably true tale of redefining boundaries, shattering stereotypes and tempting fate." Amazon review
Award winning finalist, 2011 International Book Awards
"...as inspiring a story as you will ever read." Jimmy Buffett, songwriter/author/musician
River Time: Racing the Ghosts of the Klondike Rush
"A breathtaking journey...the next most vivid thing to embarking upon a Klondike Gold Rush recreation oneself." Midwest Book Review
"Brings to life the vivid scenery of the Yukon and the stark reality faced by three men stampeding from Dyea to Dawson, separated by a century." Vancouver Province
Better than a Cure; One man's journey to free the world of polio
"Both the story of disease and the program of its global eradication and a personal journey in search of identity and meaning in life. Building his journey or family, community and country makes our future look much brighter." David Neufled, author/historian
"Amazing...the inspiring story of how one individual can make a difference in the world...For anyone that had faced challenges or adversity, this book shows what the difference a positive attitude can make." Amazon review
Yukon sport: An illustrated encyclopedia
"Sport in the Yukon has a long and colorful history, beginning with the games played by the territory's First Peoples. In words and pictures, this entertaining book captures Yukon sport in its many manifestations, from playground pickup games to Olympic-level competitions, and celebrates the shared values that sport embodies - unity, friendship, commitment, the pursuit of excellence and just plain fun" Whitehorse Star
"In this entertaining, fact-filled compendium, author John Firth celebrates the impressive scope of sport in the Yukon, along with the adventurous spirit of many people who participate." North of Ordinary magazine
Yukon Quest: The 1000-mile sled dog race through Yukon and Alaska
"Those with an interest in or a passion for one of the last earthly frontiers will find lots here to please them. And those looking for adventure will find it." Linda Richards, reader
"Lively, interesting...beguiling." Canadian Book Review Annual
"A great contribution to the sport...remarkable." Team and Trail magazine
NorthStar: The Legacy of Jean-Marie Mouchet
“He was a man who had a purpose when he came among our people. He was very gentle with his purpose. He had a vision. He saw we had something that nobody else did. He gave us gifts which we remember to this day and still use. He changed us. He changed us for the better.”
—Raymond Yakeleya, residential school survivor, filmmaker, Dene Elder
Alone one winter night in a log cabin in the late 1940s, Jean-Marie Mouchet was waiting for his water to boil and started thinking about why he was there and how he could make a difference that mattered.
He was a Catholic missionary in Canada’s North and could see the negative effect the Europeans were having on the Indigenous population. Wanting to do something about it, he resolved to help Indigenous youth reconnect with the land and their traditional values yet provide them with a means to adapt to the social and cultural change that was on the horizon.
He started something simple – a skiing program. The individual and snow in harmony.
Jean-Marie’s Territorial Experimental Ski Training (TEST) program yielded multiple Olympians, made cross-country skiing the fastest-growing winter sport in Canada, and placed both Northern and Canadian skiers on the cross-country skiing world stage. Over the next 60 years it also produced many leaders who helped guide Northern First Nations into the 21st Century and is credited with saving the lives of many residential school survivors.
"Richly captures the fascinating life of a caring innovative man." Kirkus Reviews
“…a compelling portrait of a flawed, eccentric, and virtuous personality. North Star is an inspiring biography about the quiet heroism of a dedicated priest.” Foreword Clarion Review
“…a remarkable story…this book is not about winning medals; it is about a remarkable man who had a vision in which skiing would bridge a cultural gap and restore pride in northern Indigenous communities. It is as much about building self-confidence and pride as it is about grooming champions.” Yukon News Review