The Klondike Quest: A Photographic Essay 1897-1899

The Klondike Quest: A Photographic Essay 1897-1899

by PierreBerton (Author)

Synopsis

This magnificent book celebrates the famous Klondike gold rush, and includes 200 rare period photographs. Written by author and social historian Pierre Berton, the pages brim with the life-and-death struggles, hopes, delusions, and astonishing courage of the men and women who left the comforts of civilization to brave the elements and each other in their quest for gold. The individuals who joined the Gold Rush came from all walks of life - from educated professionals to itinerant laborers, but the vast terrain, harsh conditions and knife-edge existence put every Klondiker on the same level. The stunning archival photographs provide an unforgettable window into the past. This is an epic book which captures a heroic frontier era of human history. It features rare and dramatic full-page black and white photographs from archives of nineteenth century history. The author has 40 history books to his credit, and was born in the Yukon.

$32.55

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
Edition: 100th
Publisher: Boston Mills Press
Published: 01 Sep 2005

ISBN 10: 1550464531
ISBN 13: 9781550464535

Media Reviews
Awe inspiring... [Berton] manages to convey the lust for gold that followed the first news of a gold strike in the summer of 1897... Many of the photos, though, are unfamiliar, and some truly are worth the thousand words it would take to describe them.-- (08/28/2005)
(about a previous edition) As a true story of real men looking for a phantom, it's a tale that can't be beat. Boston Mills Press has included here more than 200 photographs, some of them breathtaking, some funny, some wistful some horrifying...and some downright sad.-- (01/01/1983)
The story of the stampede is told well but shown even better.--HistoryNet.com
While the photographs form the heart of the book, the text does not take second place.... Even in the relatively short amount of text allowed for, the author provides us with personal human details rather than simple sweeping generalities... The Klondike Quest should have a broad appeal to readers of all ages who like information provided about a brief but dramatic period in our history, or to those who simply enjoy the many photographs. The pictures alone will offer hours of viewing.-- (10/28/2005)
As a true story of real men looking for a phantom, it's a tale that can't be beat. Boston Mills Press has included here more than 200 photographs, some of them breathtaking, some funny, some wistful some horrifying...and some downright sad.-- (10/28/2005)
It is interesting to watch how the expression change as you progress through the book, from optimistic in the beginning, to almost hopeless by the end... a broad appeal to readers... The pictures alone will offer hours of viewing.-- (10/28/2005)
The gold fever, the shimmering sands, the trail of dead horses, the golden stairs, the armada, the shuffling throng, the creeks, and the city of gold all come alive with brilliant clarity.... This is a truly great photographic essay... It is a must for every Canadian library.-- (01/01/1984)
Author Bio

Pierre Berton was born in the Yukon in 1920 and worked in the Klondike mining camps as a teenager before forging a career as a journalist and cultural commentator. He wrote 50 books, including many of historical non-fiction, and won over 30 literary awards and many honorary degrees. Appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1986, Berton died in 2004 at the age of 84.