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Pierre Berton
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Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush Paperback – September 6, 1986

by Pierre Berton (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 302 ratings
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With the building of the railroad and the settlement of the plains, the North West was opening up. The Klondike stampede was a wild interlude in the epic story of western development, and here are its dramatic tales of hardship, heroism, and villainy. We meet Soapy Smith, dictator of Skagway; Swiftwater Bill Gates, who bathed in champagne; Silent Sam Bonnifield, who lost and won back a hotel in a poker game; and Roddy Connors, who danced away a fortune at a dollar a dance. We meet dance-hall queens, paupers turned millionaires, missionaries and entrepreneurs, and legendary Mounties such as Sam Steele, the Lion of the Yukon.

Pierre Berton's riveting account reveals to us the spectacle of the Chilkoot Pass, and the terrors of lesser-known trails through the swamps of British Columbia, across the glaciers of souther Alaska, and up the icy streams of the Mackenzie Mountains. It contrasts the lawless frontier life on the American side of the border to the relative safety of Dawson City. Winner of the Governor General's award for non-fiction, Klondike is authentic history and grand entertainment, and a must-read for anyone interested in the Canadian frontier.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    496 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    McClelland & Stewart
  4. Publication date
    September 6, 1986
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0771012845
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0771012846
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fascinating book of permanent value." —The Globe and Mail

"A comprehensive and absolutely first-rate history." —The New Yorker

"An epic account … fascinating and exciting." —The Observer, London

"Pierre Berton writes 24-carat gold." —The Edmonton Journal

From the Inside Flap

lding of the railroad and the settlement of the plains, the North West was opening up. The Klondike stampede was a wild interlude in the epic story of western development, and here are its dramatic tales of hardship, heroism, and villainy. We meet Soapy Smith, dictator of Skagway; Swiftwater Bill Gates, who bathed in champagne; Silent Sam Bonnifield, who lost and won back a hotel in a poker game; and Roddy Connors, who danced away a fortune at a dollar a dance. We meet dance-hall queens, paupers turned millionaires, missionaries and entrepreneurs, and legendary Mounties such as Sam Steele, the Lion of the Yukon.

Pierre Berton's riveting account reveals to us the spectacle of the Chilkoot Pass, and the terrors of lesser-known trails through the swamps of British Columbia, across the glaciers of souther Alaska, and up the icy streams of the Mackenzie Mountains. It contrasts the lawless frontier life on the American side of the border to the relative safety of Dawson City. Winner of the Gove

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McClelland & Stewart; Revised edition (September 6, 1986)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0771012845
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0771012846
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.13 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 302 ratings

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Pierre Berton

Pierre Berton

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
302 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Fred F. Kuhlman
5.0 out of 5 stars So many interesting stories
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is packed with interesting stories that I haven't found elsewhere about the Klondike gold rush. I especially liked the details of the various different routes people took.
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cwg
5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing book! This description of life during the Alaskan ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
What an amazing book! This description of life during the Alaskan gold rush is so utterly compelling and absorbing I return to it again and again. It is hard to imagine the drive these hardy souls possessed to go to the lengths they did in the hope of striking it rich. A remarkable assessment of the time and the place and the people. The initial chapters are a little confusing and hard to sort, but if you can soldier on through the geography and personalities, you will reach the true heart of the story and be glad you did. I have read this book too many times to count and always find it rewarding. There is something to savor in every paragraph. If you only read one book, this should be it. There is enough fascination in here for a lifetime.
5 people found this helpful
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appaloosa
4.0 out of 5 stars easy go" seemed to be an accurate description of the ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2015
Verified Purchase
Mr. Berton has excelled in this book, making history come alive with a fascinating description of the people, the land, and the obsession for gold that drew thousands of people to the Klondike. The unbelievable obstacles that these potential miners were able to overcome, many of them being genuine greenhorns, is truly incredible. Most of the very few who actually struck it rich had very little to show for it in a very short time, as the phrase "easy come, easy go" seemed to be an accurate description of the path of their riches. His detailed descriptions of the characters such as the infamous Soapy Smith of Skagway, Alaska were especially interesting. I would very much recommend this book, as it is very well written and very informative about a time that most of us really know very fewe details about.
6 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I read it!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2015
Verified Purchase
After just returning from a 15 day tour of Alaska, I read this book about Alaska. I highly recommend reading this before or after the trip. It is a large book to read but you will not be bored. A lot of history is covered that we heard about as well as many places that we visited----Dawson City, White Pass, Skagway, Yukon River, Klondike River, and others so we could relate to the locations. It is a book I will read again.
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the red baron
5.0 out of 5 stars A Stonking good read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2011
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What a stonking good read,This book is a testment to Human endurance, what men women and the children that were dragged along will do for a speck of gold! I knew nothing about the klondike/yukon gold stampede before I read this book, but it is written so well and so easy to read and so full of history and the stories of the people who were there that once you read this you wont need to read another book about this subject. Infact I so enjoyed this book by Pierre Berton that I immediately bought to others by him and they are all fantastic.
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Marie, Ontario
5.0 out of 5 stars Chilkoot Trail History
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2012
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I just returned from an Alaska cruise that included Skagway and a 2-mile hike on the Chilkoot Trail. On my return, I started reading Klondike and wish I had read it before. It is a detailed and descriptive history of the last gold rush that we never learned in school. It such a fascinating account that is compelling me to return to Alaska and the Yukon to explore the area further. A must read for everyone contemplating an Alaska cruise where one of the tours offered is The white Pass to Dawson by train.
One person found this helpful
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NightHeron
5.0 out of 5 stars Canada and the Klondike
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2013
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I love Pierre Berton; I wish more Americans knew about him. When I visited Dawson City several years ago, I visited his cabin. He's written lots of good books and he's under-appreciated I think. I just watched a movie called The Far Country (with James Stewart) which depicts a little bit of Klondike and the last great gold rush. Great Scenery and a good depiction of role RCMP played. Educate yourself and read Mr. Berton's book.
6 people found this helpful
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Richard Hardman
4.0 out of 5 stars The Klondike
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is probably the most comprehensive coverage of that era I've ever read. The research was exhaustive and the writing was well done and very descriptive. I'd highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in the Klondike God Rush. It is a must read.
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Top reviews from other countries

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A Canadian guy
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book
Reviewed in Canada on April 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
I have read this book several times. A completely accessible book on history as are all of Pierre Bertons books. Unbelievable what people will do for gold and equally unbelievable how far a human can push themselves for their dreams
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Marco Carta
5.0 out of 5 stars La storia fatta di dettagli
Reviewed in Italy on February 27, 2023
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Uno dei migliori libri storico che abbia letto per ricerca, scrittura e colore.
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, better than any fiction.
Reviewed in Germany on May 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
Great book for anyone who's into polar exploration, or any sort of exploration really.
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Limorkil
5.0 out of 5 stars Pierre Berton is one of the best authors of all time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
I really don't give a rat's ass about the Klondike Gold Rush, but Pierre Berton could make the back of a shampoo bottle riveting reading. If you are an aspiring non-fiction writer then I highly suggest reading his books because he makes any historical subject into a story that you just can't put down. And he doesn't use cheap tricks like foreshadowing .. "Little did they know, one of them was about to DIE." No, that's for amateurs. I cannot really tell you how he does it, it's just amazing skill at placing quotes and asides and backstory in the right places. It's all stuff people do in non-fiction, he's just a lot better at it than everyone else. Plus, he doesn't embellish or exaggerate. Just facts, told interestingly.
One person found this helpful
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Lynn Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great condition
Reviewed in Canada on April 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Cant wIt to read it!
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