The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush [Paperback]

Pierre Berton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 17, 2003

In 1897 a grimy steamer docked in Seattle and set into epic motion the incredible succession of events that Pierre Berton's exhilarating The Klondike Fever chronicles in all its splendid and astonishing folly. For the steamer Portland bore two tons of pure Klondike gold. And immediately, the stampede north to Alaska began. Easily as many as 100,000 adventurers, dreamers, and would-be miners from all over the world struck out for the remote, isolated gold fields in the Klondike Valley, most of them in total ignorance of the long, harsh Alaskan winters and the territory's indomitable terrain. Less than a third of that number would complete the enormously arduous mountain journey to their destination. Some would strike gold. Berton's story belongs less to the few who would make their fortunes than to the many swept up in the gold mania, to often unfortunate effects and tragic ends. It is a story of cold skies and avalanches, of con men and gamblers and dance hall girls, of sunken ships, of suicides, of dead horses and desperate men, of grizzly old miners and millionaires, of the land — its exploitation and revenge. It is a story of the human capacity to dream, and to endure.

Product Details

• Paperback: 494 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (December 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786713178
• ISBN-13: 978-0786713172
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > History > Americas > Canada

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yukon Gold didn't used to be a potato, June 14, 2005

By 

Smallchief - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush (Paperback)

For those of us whose knowledge of the Klondike Gold Rush comes mostly from the 1950s radio drama, "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" this is a fine book to read. (Trivia question: What was the name of Sergeant Preston's preternaturally intelligent huskie?) Originally published in 1958, "Klondike Fever" has proven to be a minor classic. (See note below concerning a new edition of the book.)

This Gold Rush, named after the Klondike River in the Yukon territory of Canada, was the last great scramble for gold in the old West. One hundred thousand persons, mostly from the U.S., set out for the Klondike in 1897, 30,000 or 40,000 got there, after an arduous journey through killing winter snows, and a few hundred found gold. The stories of the long, hard journey into this Arctic wilderness are often horrific. In one party of 19 men, 15 died or were killed along the route and the other four had eyes damaged by snow blindness. The gold seekers included author Jack London, Wyatt Earp, and poet Joaquin Miller.

The author tells a compelling tale of the men and women who participated in the Klondike Gold Rush. It was indeed a fever. The characters in this book include crusty old miners who suddenly became rich beyond their wildest dreams, stalwart, incorruptible Canadian Mounties, conmen like Soapy Smith -- who in the dramatic tradition of the West receives his just deserts -- prostitutes, madams, gamblers, angels of mercy, last-chance losers, rich adventurers, Indians, and missionaries. It's a fascinating read, based on research that included interviews with many of the oldtimers who lived to talk to the author in the 1950s. The author's standard of truth telling is high; he identifies a tall tale or an unlikely exaggeration when he finds them.

The maps could be better and the text would be enhanced if there were photographs, but I doubt you'll find a better book about the Klondike Gold Rush. However, "Klondike Fever" was revised in 2001 and the newer edition, called "Klondike" embodies new information and interpretations of the events that once took place in the land of the Northern Lights. All in all, I'd buy "Klondike" rather than "Klondike Fever."

Oh, yes, Sergeant Preston's dog was named "Yukon King."

Smallchief

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read, March 30, 2005

By 

Scubakook (Placer County, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush (Paperback)

Berton is one great writer! It was SOOOO entertaining to read the stories of all the different characters involved in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. This book NEVER GETS BORING!!! Read it for pure enjoyment or for writing a college history paper. This book is one of the greatest history books I've ever read! Check out "Ordeal by Hunger" by George R. Stewart too if you like miner/pioneer/gold rush history. It's fascinating too.

MY STORY HOW I ACQUIRED THIS BOOK:
I was in Skagway, AK (it was a port stop for the vacation cruise I was on) and I had been touring the area (ie, White Pass Train, car, etc.). I had this tour guide who was REALLY knowledgable of Yukon & Alaska history. I thought his storytelling was fascinating and asked him what ONE book would be the one to read concerning the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. This was the one he suggested. (He also said Pierre Berton was an excellent writer...I must agree this tour guide was telling the truth!) I almost forgot to purchase it! I had to run back to the bookstore in downtown Skagway and buy it so I could enjoy it for the rest of the cruise. I swear I was the last one on the boat! I started reading this book right when I got to my cabin and I was finished with it before the cruise was over!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great history!, September 28, 2011

By 

R. Showalter (Salina, Kansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush (Paperback)

I'm only about half way through the book, but what fun. It's unbelievable what people went through during this gold rush. Total lunacy. The economy was a disaster and the times were perfect. People risked everything, with no clue what they were in for. Many didn't really risk much because they had nothing. Desperate times. Now I want to take a trip to the Klondike. The writer does well. Written like a story, not history. My favorite.