Two Years in the Klondike and Alaskan Gold Fields 1896-1898: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Gold Mines and Camps (Classic Reprint Series) [Paperback]

William Haskell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classic Reprint Series | Publication Date: March 1, 1998

A thrilling narrative of personal experiences and adventures in the wonderful gold regions of Alaska and the Klondike, with observations of travel and exploration along the Yukon. Portraying the dangers, hardships, and privations of a gold-seeker's life; with a faithful description of life and scenes in gold mines and camps. Including full and authentic information of the countries described, their underground treasures, how to find them, etc. Beautifully illustrated with many engravings from recent photographs taken on the spot.

Dozens of the instant guides to the Klondike that sprang from the presses at the turn of the century might have bannered the text above, but Two Years in the Klondike was singularly different from those books: here, author William B. Haskell told the truth, and he told it well. In a unique, charming, and poetic style, Haskell writes of his trek to Alaska's Fortymile and Circle City in the spring of 1896 preceding the Klondike discovery, and recounts his adventures in the gold fields before and after the rush of 1897-1898. A keen observer of human nature, Haskell's witty comments on conditions in the Yukon Valley are delightful reading. His gritty and realistic account of life in the north on the eve of the Klondike rush details the enormous changes that took place once the flood of stampeders arrived.

Though out of print for nearly a hundred years, Haskell's autobiography has been a major source for every thorough history of the gold rush era in the past century. This new edition of his memoir, published in commemoration of the gold rush centennial as the fifth volume in the University of Alaska Press's Classic Reprint Series, brings back his remarkable eyewitness account of the Klondike stampede. A preface by series editor Terrence Cole and index accompany the original text and photographs.

 

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 578 pages
• Publisher: University of Alaska Press; 1 edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889963003
• ISBN-13: 978-1889963006
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Travel > Canada > Provinces > Territories
  • #25 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Regional Canada
  • #43 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > Canadian

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great read or so my dad says, January 5, 2012

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This review is from: Two Years in the Klondike and Alaskan Gold Fields 1896-1898: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Gold Mines and Camps (Classic Reprint Series) (Paperback)

I purchased this book for my dad who loves to read about gold rushes of any kind. I couldn't pry this book out of his hands. He said he felt like he was living through through the Klondike. While I did not read the book, I did skim through the preface, written by a history professor at University of Alaska. If you read the book, I would recommend the preface as it gives some background information relative to the period and genre of book. I would have liked to know more about how the book was received after it was published--was it a best seller at the time (1898), what happened to William Haskel?