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.