Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896-1899

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.

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.

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.

It is a very detailed book. In the beginning I liked that, you are really taken into the time and events described. In that beginning I could follow the story and remember the names of the people involved. The more I read, the less I liked it; the detail burdened the story and I lost track of the players. All approaches to the Klondike gold area are described, I liked that, as I had only heard of the approach from Skagway that I visited this year, the reason why I bought this book. There is of course a lot of geography in the book, and I found it not very well introduced; all those rivers, creeks and settlements were not put on a clear map in my mind.

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.

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.

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.

I consider this the definitive book on the Klondike Gold Rush. Interesting, informative, highly entertaining and hugely enjoyable, the book covers all the drama from the first discovery to the last days of the Klondike Kings. You don't have to be a Klondike enthusiast to enjoy this book, because Berton is first and foremost a storyteller, and the historical facts come alive in his writing.I've read this book at least 9 times, and it inspired me to backpack the Chilkoot Trail. It's not just one of the best history books I've ever read - it's one of the best books, period, that I've ever read. Enjoy!

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.

Having seen some of the reviews on here and Good Reads, I decided to give this a look. If you are interested at all in the Canadian/Alaskan frontier, this is a brilliant read. This book reads almost like a novel, with Berton making you feel like you are getting to know each of the wealth of individuals described in this book.As someone who has read extensively across various subjects, I feel confident saying this is one of the most well-researched books I have come across. The detail included in the various anecdotes and backstories is remarkable though not overbearing, and it means the book has a smooth flow.

bought this book for my husband . he could not put it down thought it was the best book he had read . it went in to every little detailed he said he felt he was living it . how the people and what they went through to find gold and half of them never made it after travling for months on end . the hard ship they had trying to make a better life . wont give to much away . but well worth the money . and hes even bought a atlas on America so he could no how far they traveld

I first read this book over sixty years ago and was absolutely fascinated by this incredible tale of human endeavour. Having recently read "The Revenant" and seen the much acclaimed film I got to wondering if Pierre Berton's book was still available and much to my delight I found a copy via Amazon and have just finished rereading it. I was similarly captivated the second time around. It's an amazing account of an intense and unique slice of "Gold Rush" history. I most heartily recommend it.

Amazing tales, great book.Very few of the tens of thousands who set out for the Klondike Gold Rush actually made it and even fewer became rich. The rest either died or turned back following immense hardship, bad luck or downright stupidity. This book retells many of their stories and should be considered a classic. Excellent book.