Cremation of Sam McGee and Other Poems [Paperback]

Robert W. Service (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0888392230 | ISBN-13: 978-0888392237 | Publication Date: January 1989

Originally a bank teller, Robert Services' life changed when he found himself transferred to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. Like everybody else, Service was smitten by the gold rush. Only Service mined words, not gold, and within five years was famous as the poet who had captured the essence of the fever, the adventure, the men, and the women. The magic of the words is beautifully captured by award winning Nariken Van Nimwegen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Ballad by Robert Service, published in Canada in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough (U.S. title, The Spell of the Yukon, and Other Verses). A popular success upon publication, this exaggerated folktale about a pair of a Yukon gold miners was reprinted 15 times in its first year. In the ballad, set in the icy wilds of northwestern Canada, the title character dies after asking the narrator to cremate his body rather than bury it. After placing the body in a blazing furnace, the narrator takes a last look into the fire and hears McGee urge him to close the door before the heat escapes. The ballad has remained a favorite recitation piece because of its internal rhymes, driving rhythms, and macabre irony. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Robert Service was born in England and earned a worldwide reputation as a poet of the Arctic. He died in Europe in 1958.

Ted Harrison is an internationally acclaimed artist best known for his vibrant interpretations of the Canadian North. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Hancock House Pub Ltd (January 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888392230
• ISBN-13: 978-0888392237
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,245,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Service should be remembered along with Poe and Steinback, November 5, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Cremation of Sam McGee and Other Poems (Paperback)

The Cremation of Sam Magee is definatley Robert Services funniest poems ever, it shows a master genius at work and I shall always remember the words "Strange things are done in the midnight sun by the men who mole for gold" This book is a definate buy!!! I shall keep this book till the day I die

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most wonderful Canadian folk story, March 6, 2006

By 

Anthony Yanow - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cremation of Sam McGee, The (Hardcover)

As a kid growing up in Ontario I heard this poem a million times. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I absolutely love sharing it with her. This is Service's masterpiece and it is beautifully accompanied by Ted Harrison's inspired paintings. We enjoy looking at the pictures as much as rolling through the perfectly paced tale of the gold rush. Anthony Yanow

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars part of growing up, January 29, 2001

By 

"irishcowboy" (Southwest U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cremation of Sam McGee (Hardcover)

I think just about anyone who has taken a literature class has been ENCOURAGED...[required] to memorize this poem.

And it's a darn good poem; tells a story that sounds, [especially to a younger person, very real].

Robert Service has always been like...the 'other' Jack London. These two authors should be, [if not already], required reading in any English/Literature class taught.

This particular poem was always a good one to have memorized--- in order to recite it around the campfire at a Boy Scout camping trip. Just seeing the title in print brings back fond memories.