The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush Paperback – August 25, 2010

I was about 3/4 of the way through the book when I realized, yes, I was hooked. The first half comprised a series of short accounts of crazy journeys, crazy decisions, & crazy actions. I was searching for more of a lengthy story which finally seem to come after I was halfway through.I realized later that the bits and bobs and detail accounts certainly laid the groundwork for the engaging story towards the end. It certainly enriched my understanding of the very short and intense Klondike fever.

Very worthwhile reading on the background to the largest gold rush in North America in terms of the number of stampeders who attempted to find gold. This is the 1958 version and has its own cultural perspective from the 1950's in terms of values and what was politically accepted at the time. All this lends authenticity to the era in which it was written. Because Mr. Berton's father was a stampeder, there is credibility in his perspective. The author also ties in the economic milieu in the U.S. and Canada at the time of the Klondike gold rush. With the U.S. having a great economic disparity between rich and poor and being on the brink of a recession, this particular gold rush infused cash into the economy and helped jump start the U.S. economy.This definitive account of the Klondike gold rush is generally very compelling reading, though there is some redundancy in later chapters. Still, the detail that is added in the later chapters makes it worthwhile. The depiction of the true-to-life characters, the geography and the culture in the U.S. and many areas of Canada is captivating. Although the text is wonderful, the maps provided are pulled into the paperback binding, making them extremely difficult to read. Additionally, there are no photographs in this book, other than the front cover and the spine. If you get this book, there are photographic accounts of the Klondike gold rush, such as "The Klondike Gold Rush" by Graham Wilson, and for added dimension, Melanie Mayer's "Klondike Women" tells the story of the pioneering women who went to Dawson not as dance hall girls, but as entrepreneurs in real estate and provisions. Both those books fit very nicely with "The Klondike Fever," and are worth adding to your reading list. If you have an interest in the many gold rushes of North America, this is a must read.

This book was very informative and entertaining. It is not just dry historical writing.It was also a highlight to get it on a trip to alaska and pick this up in skagway.

I ordered this Kindle edition to get more of an understanding of the experience of the Klondike gold rush after reading my grandfather's diaries that he kept while mining for gold on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska between 1898-1903. After reading this, it is clear that he made a wise choice in going where he did, rather than over the Chilkoot or White Pass trails into the Yukon. He came out if it with expenses barely covered and a stock certificate, now in my possession, entitling him to 300,000 shares of stock in his mining company at $1 per share, which he never saw a dime of. But back to the book - I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The author's personal connection to the locale and the times, plus his extensive research and his engaging writing style, really conveys the intensity - and insanity - of this last great gold rush, and the people who put everything on the line to be a part of it, for better or worse (mostly worse). I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about this time in our history.

Pierre Berton has saved the legacy that is the Klondike gold rush by putting together perhaps the most complete compilation on the subject ever written. This book is superbly written with firsthand accounts and the utmost historical credibility. If you are looking for the one book that truly helps us understand what it must have been like for the stampeders, this is it. Berton lets the story of the gold rush tell itself, and it comes to life on every page and with every character that was a part of the history of the Klondike. If you buy this book you should consider purchasing Berton's companion to this which is called "The Klondike Quest A Photographic Essay." (ISBN# 978-1-55046-453-5) This book has an amazing amount of authentic photos from the gold rush that gives a visualization of what he writes about in Klondike Fever. I wholeheartedly recommend them both. Thank you Pierre Berton for both of these treasures, they are a piece of history that I will cherish for a lifetime!

This is a fantastic book, that really brings to life what it was like to be a "Stampeder". The author is a famous Canadian reporter and writer. In addition, his father was a Stampeder who settled in the gold rush town of Dawson afterwards. The author was born and grew up there, and his detailed knowledge and love of the area comes shining through. He wrote the book in the 1950s, when many of those involved in the Klondike Gold Rush were still alive and able to contribute their stories. I bought the book after an Alaska cruise stimulated my desire to learn more about the Klondike Gold Rush, not expecting much. Instead, I read a book that is one of the best I have encountered in a long time.

Book can be repetitive at times, but is a great read and a must for anyone (like me) that has great interest in the Klondike. This is my fourth book on the subject...such a fascinating event!

I have had the privilege to get too know how bad the time and circumstances were in the time of the Yukon gold rush. But I think that more importantly how , the Bonanza and Eldorado were already claimed. And still the rush was own. The hardships they endured and sacrifices that were made. And for most nothing.This is a must read for anyone who plans to travel too the Yukon and up the Dawson.

This is a grate book, I found by a recommendation in a travel guide to the Yukon as the best and most complete disruption of the Klondike gold rush. I read is just before and during our 2 week journey along the gold rush route starting in Seattle up to Skagway, Whitehorse and an on to Dawson City. It relay fills in the detail and story's, that road side story boards (Which their are a lot of) and tours can't tell you. Also the enormity of the folly and the hardship the people endured just for gold.

what a great read, the facts and details are just amazing, pure grit

This is essential reading for anyone who has visited or is going to visit Alaska and the Yukon territory of Canada. It was written by someone who lived in Dawson City and found out about the gold rush at first hand

As another huge fan of the American West and the old days of the Klondike....this is great reading. You feel like you are right there with these people on a fantastic adventure.

Not well written, but a fascinating look at a very unusual time.