John Firth
	
John Firth was born in Edmonton, Alberta and was adopted into the Yukon family. His book, //River Time: Racing the Ghosts of the Klondike Gold Rush// (2004) traces the route that his grandfather, Thomas Firth, travelled from Dyea, Alaska to Dawson, Yukon.((“John Firth.” NeWest Press, 2021 website:  https://newestpress.com/authors/john-firth.))
	
He grew up in Dawson and Whitehorse and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1976. He attended the Rotman School of Management and Sauder School of Business in 2010. He worked as a journalist, expediter, prospector, public relations director, motion picture theatre owner, and financial advisor before retiring in 2009 to become a full-time writer.((“John Firth: Member profile.’ The Writers’ Union of Canada, 2021 website: https://www.writersunion.ca/member/john-firth.)) He was a marathon runner for thirty-five years and was founding president of the Yukon River Marathon Paddling Association.((“John Firth.” NeWest Press, 2021 website:  https://newestpress.com/authors/john-firth.))
	
In 1997, John received the Yukon Commissioner’s Award for his community work. John sits on the Whitehorse Hospital Board of Trustees and the Yukon Heritage Resources Board. His book, //One Mush: Jamaica’s Dogsled Team// (2010), was a finalist for the 2011 International Book Awards, and shortlisted for the Writer’s Digest Best Self-Published Book Award in 2011.((“John Firth: Member profile.’ The Writers’ Union of Canada, 2021 website: https://www.writersunion.ca/member/john-firth.)) His publications include: Yukon Challenge (1990), River Time: Racing the Ghosts of the Klondike Gold Rush (2004), Yukon Quest: The 1000-Mile Dog Sled Race Through the Yukon and Alaska (2005), Better Than A Cure: One Man's Journey to Free the World of Polio (2010), One Mush: Jamaica’s Dogsled Team (2010), Yukon Sport: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia (2014); The Caribou Hotel: Hauntings, hospitality, a hunter, and the parrot (2019) and //North Star: The legacy of Jean-Marie Mouchet// (2024).
	
In January 2024, John Firth was appointed the new Yukon story laurate. In the two-year position Firth will represent the literary acts, storytelling, and literacy, with a focus on past and present conditions and future aspects of the Yukon.((Patrick Egwu, “New Yukon story laurate unveiled.” //Yukon News// (Whitehorse), 10 January 2024.))