Robert W. Service

Ted Harrison

Constantly suffering from the cold, Sam makes his companion on the Arctic trail promise to cremate him when he dies, which the companion does--to his great surprise. An ALA Notable Book.

The Cremation of Sam McGee

Including the Classic "Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "the Cremation of Sam McGee"

Best Tales of the Yukon

Songs of a Sourdough is a collection of poems written in 1907 by Robert W. Service while he was working as a bank teller in Whitehorse, Yukon. The best-known poems are those describing life during the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s, especially his ballads “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” and the “Cremation of Sam McGee.” While some of Service’s work had previously appeared in newspapers and periodicals, Songs of a Sourdough was his first book. Publishers initially questioned the “moral tone” of the work with its bawdy poems depicting not just the hard lives and isolation of Yukon prospectors but also the drinking, gambling, and prostitution that was prevalent in Dawson City. However, despite these reservations, the book was an immediate success. In Canada, there were ten printings and more than 12,000 copies sold in the first year alone. Dozens of additional printings followed in subsequent years, including editions issued in Britain and the United States. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Songs of a Sourdough

In this omnibus volume is included the verse of Robert Service from the beginning of his remarkable career up to 1940.

The Spell of the Yukon

Robert William Service was a British-Canadian poet and writer. He was a bank clerk by trade, but spent long periods travelling in Western America and Canada. When his bank sent him to the Yukon, he was inspired by tales of the Klondike Gold Rush, and wrote two poems "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee", which showed remarkable authenticity and enjoyed immediate popularity. Encouraged by this, he quickly wrote more poems on the same themes, which were published as a collection Songs of a Sourdough. Contents: THE LAW OF THE YUKON THE PARSON'S SON THE SPELL OF THE YUKON THE CALL OF THE WILD THE LONE TRAIL THE HEART OF THE SOURDOUGH THE THREE VOICES THE PINES THE HARPY THE LURE OF LITTLE VOICES THE SONG OF THE WAGE-SLAVE GRIN THE SHOOTING OF DAN McGREW THE CREMATION OF SAM McGEE MY MADONNA UNFORGOTTEN THE RECKONING QUATRAINS THE MEN THAT DON'T FIT IN MUSIC IN THE BUSH THE RHYME OF THE REMITTANCE MAN THE LOW-DOWN WHITE THE LITTLE OLD LOG CABIN THE YOUNGER SON THE MARCH OF THE DEAD "FIGHTING MAC" A LIFE TRAGEDY THE WOMAN AND THE ANGEL THE RHYME OF THE RESTLESS ONES NEW YEAR'S EVE COMFORT PREMONITION THE TRAMPS L'ENVOI

Robert William Service (January 16, 1874 - September 11, 1958) was a British-Canadian poet and writer, often called "the Bard of the Yukon". Born in Lancashire of Scottish descent, he was a bank clerk by trade, but spent long periods travelling in Western America and Canada, often in some poverty. When his bank sent him to the Yukon, he was inspired by tales of the Klondike Gold Rush, and wrote two poems "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee", which showed remarkable authenticity from an author with no experience of gold-mining, and enjoyed immediate popularity. Encouraged by this, he quickly wrote more poems on the same theme, which were published as Songs of a Sourdough.

Songs of a Sourdough (Esprios Classics)

Songs of a Sourdough by Robert Service, defined a place and time like only a truly great poet can. Set in the Yukon during the great Klondike gold rush, this collection of poems is full of the wild characters, the freezing snow storms and the vast staggering beauty Artic wilderness. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Robert W. Service

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