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

This is one of the best popular histories that I've ever read. There's a Wow! on nearly every page, because the climate was so extreme, the location so rugged and remote, the draw of fortune seekers so extensive, the potential riches (realized by few) so fantastic, the US-Canadian contrast of governmental oversight so stark, and the characters so colorful (even "Swiftwater Bill Gates" -- no relation -- makes an appearance). In a Skagway bookstore in 1994, I overheard a sales clerk saying that this was THE book to read about the Klondike gold rush, and I bought it. I can't imagine a better one.

This book was recommended to me by a friend in the History Department at the University of Alaska-Anchorage as an essential account of the Klondike Gold Rush. It is both a wonderfully detailed account of this facsinating period in Canadian and U.S. history and a great read. Indeed, it is a page-turner: a book that is hard to put down.

Mr Berton you excel yourself. This book is very well written, meticulously accurate, entertaining, and justifies its reputation as one of the very best accounts of the last of the great gold rushes. As Mr Berton says, who grew up in the site of the infamous rush in Dawson City, "it was certainly one of the strangest mass movements of human beings in history.". At least 100,000 people from all over the world set out seriously for the gold fields on the remote Klondike Valley in the late 1890s. (Probably at least 5 times that many set out half seriously, but never managed to get even close to the Klondike). Of these, only around 30,000 actually made it to their destination. Of those who made it, only around 0.5% actually made any decent money. Of those, most blew their money, and very few indeed managed to keep their money for the rest of their lives. Thousands perished on route, most of these succumbing to poorly planned expeditions, over mountainous passes and remote icefields that they never dreamed of when they set out. Most of those who actually arrived in the remote location were too exhausted financially, emotionally and physically, to bother looking for gold. Furthermore, when they arrived they found that all the land was already staked. Most simply booked a ticket on the nearest steamship, and went home. Amongst the way there were many bizzare and tragic stories, which are too many to detail here. Avalanches, sunken ships, freezing winters, con-men, women, children, old men and young, gamblers, dance hall girls, swindlers, dead horses, suicides, -they were all there. The desperate, the poor, the rich, the ignorant, the informed, the millionaire and the pauper alike, rubbed shoulders in a wild human exodus that has seen little like it, before or since. Some of the stories Mr Berton meticulously relates, simply beg belief. It was a time of general insanity, set amidst a terrible depression, which helped spark off the 'fever', or mania being a more apt term. After news arrived of fabulous riches in gold found in Dawson, some tried to get to Dawson on bicycle, others on huge wheeled contraptions, others thought they would walk there with a handful of nuts. What many didn't realise, was that there was a reason this phenomenoly rich gold field was discovered so late in time compared to many others-it was absurdly difficult to get to. Experienced, grizzley old miners would have had serious trouble getting and surviving there over several winters, to the average office clerk, dentist and city type, it was nigh impossible-as they soon found. Many were conned and caught up in a general mania, whilst many others died. All the stories, all the tragedies, the colour, the mania, the lucky and the unlucky are described. James Michener thought much of the book, and based his novel Journey, another exellent story of this gold rush, on parts of the Edmonton stories contained herein. It is a story of humanity as good as any. A delight to read on cold wi

What makes this history fascinating is Berton's anecdotal style. Since his father was part of the klondike gold rush and his mother moved to Dawson as a young woman to teach school, he grew up in the klondike and knew people like Robert Service. One gets the feeling that this is oral history transcribed to paper.

It's truly amazing what people will do when really motivated. The Klondike goldrush is one of many past happenings that tells us so much about our species. Berton recounts many true stories about historical figures and ordinary people who perservered and often fell victim to their own ill-conceived dreams. The admirable American frontier spirit is revealed in this book too with all of its blemishes. I guess that's the value of reading history. Many parallels with todays digital goldrush too. I highly recommend this book especially if you plan a cruise or adventure trip to Alaska. Very entertaining! And does Soapy Smith reminds you of any currently successful politicians?