Customer Reviews

I Married the Klondike

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If you ever plan to come up to Dawson City, Yukon you will want to read this book. Mrs. Berton gives an insight to the Goldrush town of Dawson City. I can say that you will still find the house she lived in and some of the houses that she describes in her book. As a resident of Dawson City it is nice to have read a book that is truly about what life was and is in Dawson City.

Ms. Berton's account of life in Dawson from 1907 to the 1920's is too late to tell the story of the Klondike gold rush. Instead it tells of life in a small northern community that has seen its hey-day come and go, describing it's traditions and lifestyle in such detail you soon feel as though you've lived there too.

The descriptive passages are excellent and the book contains several colorful tales of individual struggles, her own and others'. I was a bit put off by the enormous number of names of people she met in the Yukon but didn't find I needed to remember them all to enjoy the book. If you have read the history of Dawson during the gold rush in other books, this is a great afterword that describes many notable figures' lives following the rush, answering several 'whatever happened to so-and-so' questions.

I remember our elementary school library encouraging children to read it, but given its richness of detail and adult perspective it's anything but a kid's book. Despite her matter-of-fact writing style, Ms. Berton's story is emotionally engaging and a great portrait of life in northern Canada.

This is the true story of a woman who moved to the Yukon in the days of the Gold Rush - she went to be a schoolteacher for a couple of years, married a prospector, and wound up raising a family in one of the most spectacular - and harshest - places and times in North America. Laura Berton writes with humor and insight, and has produced a most entertaining book which is interesting as biography, as history, and as just a fun read! Laura also produced one of the most prolific authors in Canada today - Pierre Berton, author of FLAMES ACROSS THE BORDER and THE DIONNE YEARS. This is a book that deserves to be more widely read!

Like most people my age, I've seen old movies depicting the Gold Rush, but they were nothing compared to this delightful account of the author's experiences in Dawson and Whitehorse, in the Yukon. From page one to the end, I FELT the cold of the North, learned about the vegetation and moreso, shared in the life of the pioneers AFTER the Gold Rush. Such hearty men and women gave of themselves in the search for gold, few, very feew becoming rich. Yet, they all seem to have enrichened my life thanks to their determination and stamina despite all odds. To read of the social differences that the citizens upheld in Dawson gives one a thoughtful look at the upper classes, who brought their prejudices with them to Dawson. Yet, with time, as the gold became more and more rare, the population dwindled and with it the many differences, which had segretated the classes. Abandoned homes, run-down shacks, empty stores finally gave way to social values, which brought the remaining residents together. As the author mentions, one could not walk down the street of Dawson without saying "hello" to everyone since the life of one touched the life of the others. With only 800 persons left in town, all knew one another and social standing gave way to familial attitudes. It was no longer necessary to give the telephone operator a number, only the name of the person to whom one wanted to speak need be mentioned and the phone rang at the other end. Tragedy and hardships took hold of the life of everyone, but friendship and helpfulness prevailed as their numbers dwindled. A beautiful read, which has opened my mind and heart to these pioneers, who are our ancestors.

I wanted to learn more about Yukon history after reading The Floor of Heaven by Howard Blum. This is an excellent follow-up from an unusual source, the female perspective. Women were few and far between in Yukon history. Laura Beatrice Berton provides rich geographical and social details what life was like from 1907 until about 1932. Unlike many embellished Yukon tales, I believe Mrs. Berton's story to be entirely true. She didn't mince words, often using humor to describe bleak situations or colorful characters. While this book could and should be read by both sexes, male readers might get bogged down with chapters centering around Dawson City's social events and prominent citizens. Mrs. Berton seemed very proud of her social status within the community. I found the constant name-dropping and social mores a bit tedious, even though her notes are an important historical contribution. Surprisingly, she never mentions the names of her two children, and includes few of their family activities. Regardless, readers will enjoy Mrs. Berton's personable, down-to-earth account of a unique time and place.

Dawson City, 1898: Raging gold fever and hearts full of hope.
Dawson City, early 1900s: The gold boom is bust, but a few hardy locals try to carry the history forward.

Laura Berton arrived in Dawson City a few years after the gold boom but was still able to experience all that the "Paris of the North" had to offer. Raging snowstorms and months of perpetual twilight and darkness? Nothing a few grand balls, costume parties, and endless social tea parties can't cure! Make no mistake, Berton's book is very honest about life in Dawson City over 100 years ago. Men literally froze to death and shifty miner-types frightened single women. Illnesses ravaged the town population at times and in the end it was a tough economy "on the Outside" that finally forced the Berton family to leave Dawson City for good.

Although this book is considered a Canadian classic, I must confess I had never even heard of this book until my Alaska-traveling parents brought it back to me as a gift. While I might not have been able to see the Yukon for myself, this gem of a book was just the thing to carry my imagination to another time and place. A time and place I thought I might want to visit, but now I'm happy to be living with all the modern conveniences in my life right now.

I read this book during a travel threw canada in 1985 especially Atlin in the yukon. I like all biographics books which are the witnness of the story of the world.