John Firth
BIO
Biography

YUKON STORY LAUREATE.

Growing up in Whitehorse and Dawson City, Yukon, I worked as a journalist, sewer rat, truck driver, heavy equipment operator, expediter, prospector, public relations director, motion picture theatre owner, financial advisor and in 2009, retired to become a full-time writer. Graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1976 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.

In 1997 I received the Yukon Commissioner's Award for community work. In 2009, Rotary International (of which I am not a member) presented me with a Paul Harris Fellowship for my work in researching my 2010 book, Better Than A Cure: One Man's Journey to Free the World of Polio. I was awarded the 2019 Yukon Heritage Award for my writing about Yukon history. 

One Mush: Jamaica's Dog Sled Team was an award winning finalist at the 2011 International Book Awards and shortlisted for the Writer's Digest Best Self-Published Book Award in 2011.

In 2019, Caribou Hotel: Hauntings, hospitality, a hunter and the parrot received a Reviewers Choice Award from Reader Views. 

ADDRESS
City: Whitehorse, Yukon, Province/Territory: Yukon
EMAIL
GENRE
Creative Non-fiction
LANGUAGES
English
PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Title
Yukon Quest: The 1000-mile dog sled race through the Yukon and Alaska
Publisher
Lost Moose Publishing
Year
1998
Title
River Time: Racing the Ghosts of the Klondike Rush
Publisher
Newest Press
Year
2004
Title
Better Than A Cure: One man's journey to free the world of polio
Publisher
John Firth
Year
2010
Title
one Mush: Jamaica's Dogsled Team: A story of true determination despite the odds
Publisher
John Firth/Jamaica DogSled Team
Year
2010
Title
Yukon Sport: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
Publisher
Sport Yukon/Figure 1 Publishing
Year
2014
Title
Caribou Hotel: Hauntings, hospitality, a hunter and the parrot
Publisher
John firth/Caribou Hotel
Year
2019
AWARDS
Awards
Name
YUKON STORY LAUREATE
Year
2024-2026
Name
THE CARIBOU HTOEL
Publication
Reviewers Choice Award from Reader Views
Year
2019
Name
ONE MUSH
Publication
award winning finalist at the 2011 International Book Awards and shortlisted for the Writer's Digest Best Self-Published Book Award in 2011.
Year
2011
LINKS
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS
Presentation details
Audience Size
Audience size
any size
Presentation Genre
history/non-fiction/the art of independent publishing
Presentation Length
1 hour +
Presentation Description
Presentation description

Depends on the audience and the subject matter. Accompany some presentations with a 'slide' show, a film, or an individual who was a part of the story or process.

Presentation Fee(s)
$100
Programs & Interests
Interested in participating Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program:
All members are eligible for the Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program. Are you interested in participating in this pro
No
Interested in participating in the Northern Ontario WITS program:
The Union’s Northern Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program funds in-person visits to northern Ontario schools when possible. Ar
No