Pierre Berton (1920–2004)
Author of Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896-1899
About the Author
Pierre Berton was born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon. He worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years, spending four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. After the military, Berton went to Vancouver where he began show more his career at a newspaper. At 21, he was the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He moved to Toronto in 1947, and at the age of 31 was named managing editor of Maclean's. In 1957 he became a key member of the CBC's public affairs flagship program, Close-Up, and a permanent panelist on Front Page Challenge. He joined The Toronto Star as an associate editor and columnist in 1958, leaving 4 years later in '62 to commence The Pierre Berton Show, which ran until 1973. Since then he has appeared as host and writer on My Country, The Great Debate, Heritage Theatre, and The Secret of My Success. He has received numerous honourary degrees and served as the Chancellor of Yukon College. Berton is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, and has received a Stephen Leacock Medal for Humor in 1959, a Govenor's General Award for The Mysterious North in 1956, Klondike in 1958 and The Last Spike in 1972. Berton has also won a Nellie Award for best public broadcaster in radio in 1978, the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for non fiction in, 1981 and the Canadian Booksellers Award in 1982. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Disambiguation Notice:
Wrote a single novel as Lisa Kroniuk.
Series
Works by Pierre Berton
The Arctic Grail: The Quest for the Northwest Passage and The North Pole, 1818-1909 (1988) 514 copies, 13 reviews
My war with the 20th century 4 copies
The National Dream: The Great Railway. 1871-1881 & The Last Spike: The Great Railway, 1881-1885 (2 Volumes) (1973) 4 copies
THE KLONDYKE RIVER` 1 copy
Klondike Stampede (Book 6) 1 copy
Aranylz Alaszkban 1 copy
Steel and steam 1 copy
The Beaver (Vol. 64, No. 2 Summer 1984) — Contributor — 1 copy
Associated Works
For the Love of History : Winners of the Pierre Berton Award Bring to Life Canada's Past (2005) — Foreword — 4 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Berton, Pierre
- Legal name
- Berton, Pierre Francis de Marigny CC, O.Ont
- Other names
- Kroniuk, Lisa
- Birthdate
- 1920-07-12
- Date of death
- 2004-11-30
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of British Columbia (BA | History)
Victoria College - Occupations
- historian
Captain (Canadian Army)
instructor (Royal Military College of Canada)
writer
journalist - Organizations
- The Ubyssey
Canadian Army
Royal Military College of Canada
CBC
Yukon College
Writers' Trust of Canada - Awards and honors
- Order of Canada (Officer ∙ 1974 | Companion ∙ 1986)
Governor General's Literary Award (creative non-fiction ∙ 1956 ∙ 1958 ∙ 1972)
Stephen Leacock Medal of Humour (1960)
CBA Libris Award (Lifetime Achievement Award ∙ 2004)
Gabrielle Léger National Heritage Award (1989)
National History Society (first award for "distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history" ∙ 1994) (show all 15)
Canadian Authors' Association Award, Canada's Man of the Century (1967)
The Alumni Award of Distinction, University of British Columbia (1981)
Canadian News Hall of Fame (member ∙ 1983)
Canadian Railway Hall of Fame Award of Recognition (2002)
Graeme Gibson Award (1992)
Order of Mariposa (1990)
Order of Ontario (1992)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) - Relationships
- Berton, Janet (wife)
Berton, Laura Beatrice (mother) - Short biography
- Pierre Berton was a well-known Canadian historian and TV personality. Berton grew up in the Yukon and worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years. He began his newspaper career in Vancouver, becoming the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily at age 21. Berton moved to Toronto in 1947, and in 1951 he became managing editor of Maclean's magazine.
Berton first appeared on TV in 1952, as a panellist on Court of Opinion. In 1957, he became the host of the CBC's public affairs flagship program Close-Up, and became a panelist on Front Page Challenge. He joined The Toronto Star as associate editor and columnist in 1958, leaving in 1962 to commence The Pierre Berton Show, which ran until 1973. In 1963 he premiered the Pierre Berton Show (also known as the Pierre Berton Hour) on the CTV network. - Cause of death
- heart failure
- Nationality
- Canada
- Birthplace
- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
- Places of residence
- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Place of death
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Burial location
- Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada (ashes scattered)
- Map Location
- Canada
- Disambiguation notice
- Wrote a single novel as Lisa Kroniuk.
Members
Reviews
Pierre Berton (1920-2004), famous popularizer of Canadian history, is my favourite non-fiction author. His telling of the story of Niagara follows all the same patterns as his other great works. Here he takes a James Michener approach, framing a location through multiple generations; yet rather than fictionalizing the story, he lets the true events and people populate the tale. He also keeps his work to a reasonable length. The result is just enough coverage of each related tale for a good show more story before he's moved on to the next vignette, so I was frequently consulting Wikipedia and other online sources to get the rest.
And you do want to get the rest. What's presented here is a fascinating overview of the earliest explorers and their impressions, then the next generation of explorers, then the first generation of visitors, etc. Soon these are joined by the geologists, the engineers, the entrepreneurs, the opportunists, the conservationists, the showmen, the daredevils, the activists - all the facets of human activity in the region are present and touched upon [or nearly: military history is omitted, as the author has covered those events in detail elsewhere]. I was reluctantly pulled forward each time, not quite done with wanting more of the previous section, only to become equally fascinated with the next.
I've been to the Falls two or three times, so I could easily imagine the scenes. This book is understandably not as popular among his works as his others with more national coverage and relevance. But if you've any intention of visiting Niagara Falls yourself, whether again or for the first time, this book provides what is probably the most excellent pre-reading available - not to mention a wonderful introduction to this author. show less
And you do want to get the rest. What's presented here is a fascinating overview of the earliest explorers and their impressions, then the next generation of explorers, then the first generation of visitors, etc. Soon these are joined by the geologists, the engineers, the entrepreneurs, the opportunists, the conservationists, the showmen, the daredevils, the activists - all the facets of human activity in the region are present and touched upon [or nearly: military history is omitted, as the author has covered those events in detail elsewhere]. I was reluctantly pulled forward each time, not quite done with wanting more of the previous section, only to become equally fascinated with the next.
I've been to the Falls two or three times, so I could easily imagine the scenes. This book is understandably not as popular among his works as his others with more national coverage and relevance. But if you've any intention of visiting Niagara Falls yourself, whether again or for the first time, this book provides what is probably the most excellent pre-reading available - not to mention a wonderful introduction to this author. show less
Eseménydús és lelkesült beszámoló a klondike-i aranyláz rövid, de annál intenzívebb lefolyásáról. Mint minden aranyláz, ez is azzal kezdődött, hogy a kőkemény, de becsületes pionírok (akiket Berton valamiféle protohippiként ábrázol, akik folyton-folyvást menekülnek a civilizáció és a bürokrácia elől) megérkeztek az ősvadonba, elkezdtek aranyat mosni, és hát általában nem találtak semmit. Viszont ha igen (a Klondike-pataknál pont ez volt a helyzet), show more akkor a nyomukban megjelentek a zöldfülű álmodozók, no és a csőcselék: az ügyeskedők, a hamiskártyások, a kurvák (na jó, nevezzük őket markotányosnőnek, esetleg dance-girl-nek) és a satöbbik hada. Ebből is fakad, hogy ez a könyv egyszerre vádirat és szerelmetes óda: vádirat az emberi kapzsiság és ostobaság ellen, ugyanakkor pedig himnusz az emberi találékonysághoz – hiszen ennyi fogalmatlan városi fazon eljut Alaszkába, és még túl is éli, hát ez azért nem semmi.
Hihetetlenül izgalmas és színes iromány – ami azt illeti, talán kicsit túl színes is. Berton olyan mennyiségben önti rám extrém anekdotáit, hogy azok egy idő után nem annyira extrémnek, mint inkább sablonosnak tűnnek. Persze ez is lehet üzenet, hogy ott és akkor az abnormális volt a normalitás, de mégis, talán üdvösebb lett volna felére csökkenteni a sztorik számát, és a hiányt mondjuk valami összegző áttekintéssel pótolni. Így gyakran éreztem eltemetve magam egy halom apró-cseprő információdarab alatt. Ettől függetlenül ez egy korrekt hiánypótló munka, és ha valaki szeretett elmerülni Jack London jeges történeteiben, ebben a kötetben szép hátteret kap hozzájuk. show less
Hihetetlenül izgalmas és színes iromány – ami azt illeti, talán kicsit túl színes is. Berton olyan mennyiségben önti rám extrém anekdotáit, hogy azok egy idő után nem annyira extrémnek, mint inkább sablonosnak tűnnek. Persze ez is lehet üzenet, hogy ott és akkor az abnormális volt a normalitás, de mégis, talán üdvösebb lett volna felére csökkenteni a sztorik számát, és a hiányt mondjuk valami összegző áttekintéssel pótolni. Így gyakran éreztem eltemetve magam egy halom apró-cseprő információdarab alatt. Ettől függetlenül ez egy korrekt hiánypótló munka, és ha valaki szeretett elmerülni Jack London jeges történeteiben, ebben a kötetben szép hátteret kap hozzájuk. show less
I've seen increasingly less mention of Pierre Berton since his death in 2004, but the quality of his work will always speak for itself. He was a bestselling non-fiction author of popular Canadian history throughout his lifetime, and a proper ordering of his work tells a largely complete story of our country's first hundred years. This one is a collection of Canadian biographies, spotlights on individuals representing various pieces of history related to Canadian frontiers. In his show more introduction he contrasts these stories with those of the American frontiers littered with violence. The Canadian story is one of struggle against forbidding physical obstacles, backed by a respect for orderliness. But those who braved it were not any more tame. The seven lives Berton covers here, like a modern Plutarch, explore the frontiers which each of them faced as they plunged into the wilderness: both the Canadian lands which challenged them, and those more personal frontiers within themselves.
John Jewitt - while it's meant to be the story of John, it is as much or more the story of Maquinna, a chief of the Nootka. Berton points out that unfortunately few Native American figures were recorded as their own personalities in the European-written history of this period, but Maquinna is an exception.
Wilfred Grenfell- St. Anthony in Newfoundland has a tourist centre in honour of this man, who selflessly fundraised for and helped develop the East Coast area to which which his heart was clearly devoted, from the 1880s into the 1900s. He was a larger-than-life personae, difficult for his handlers but hero-worshiped by many.
Sam Steele - easily the best-known name among the vignettes in this collection, the quintessential RCMP officer still embodies the symbol of all the force stands for. Unfortunately he could not play the political game that never recognized him with the promotion his talents and dedication deserved.
Isaac Jogues - one of several Jesuit martyrs who proselytized among the aboriginal peoples of Canada. I find him impossible to relate to, as Berton admits is difficult, but there's no questioning his bravery.
Cariboo Cameron - I can far better relate to these lugubrious types, men like Cameron who would have preferred to stay low profile. He was destined to attract attention due to striking it rich in BC gold, and couldn't always deal with it gracefully.
Mina Hubbard - Labrador explorer, following in the footsteps of her husband. A rare case of an explorer who was hardly motivated by new discoveries.
Almighty Voice - the most challenging tale for Berton to maintain a fair perspective on. A young brave who murdered three RCMP officers, stories have been told for and against his side of the story. Berton aims for dry facts and judges accordingly. "They were attempting to become farmers and herdsmen with the help of the Indian department" is an outdated sentence: the 'Indians' were forced to resort to farming and herding, rather, and 'help' is being generous. show less
John Jewitt - while it's meant to be the story of John, it is as much or more the story of Maquinna, a chief of the Nootka. Berton points out that unfortunately few Native American figures were recorded as their own personalities in the European-written history of this period, but Maquinna is an exception.
Wilfred Grenfell- St. Anthony in Newfoundland has a tourist centre in honour of this man, who selflessly fundraised for and helped develop the East Coast area to which which his heart was clearly devoted, from the 1880s into the 1900s. He was a larger-than-life personae, difficult for his handlers but hero-worshiped by many.
Sam Steele - easily the best-known name among the vignettes in this collection, the quintessential RCMP officer still embodies the symbol of all the force stands for. Unfortunately he could not play the political game that never recognized him with the promotion his talents and dedication deserved.
Isaac Jogues - one of several Jesuit martyrs who proselytized among the aboriginal peoples of Canada. I find him impossible to relate to, as Berton admits is difficult, but there's no questioning his bravery.
Cariboo Cameron - I can far better relate to these lugubrious types, men like Cameron who would have preferred to stay low profile. He was destined to attract attention due to striking it rich in BC gold, and couldn't always deal with it gracefully.
Mina Hubbard - Labrador explorer, following in the footsteps of her husband. A rare case of an explorer who was hardly motivated by new discoveries.
Almighty Voice - the most challenging tale for Berton to maintain a fair perspective on. A young brave who murdered three RCMP officers, stories have been told for and against his side of the story. Berton aims for dry facts and judges accordingly. "They were attempting to become farmers and herdsmen with the help of the Indian department" is an outdated sentence: the 'Indians' were forced to resort to farming and herding, rather, and 'help' is being generous. show less
Berton published this volume in 1984, after his books about the forging of the national railroad and the Klondike gold rush. This volume was necessary to complete the picture of that period in Canada prior to the outbreak of World War One (which is best covered by Berton in "Vimy"). The settling of the Canadian prairies is not as compelling a subject on the surface as locomotives and gold, but Berton once again constructs a cohesive narrative forged from mining the recorded experiences of show more settlers, newspaper archives and political documentation. Its introduction misleadingly suggests this book has not aged well. While Berton's work does not always choose the same places for emphasis and prominence of key elements that a similar book would today, it (eventually) makes up for it to a degree.
Berton's theme is the forging of Canadian identity in the West: who's immigrant heritage was sidelined, and who's became fused into the new. Not surprisingly numbers told, but it was surprising to me that half the number of new arrivals were American migrants. They sold heavily taxed farm land for a premium in the south, in order to obtain free or very cheap land in the north where there were easy fortunes to be made. The remainder of immigrants more closely matched with images I initially had - Ukrainians and Poles producing sod huts on the prairie, with a smattering of Russians but more British than I'd imagined. Others from Germany, Scandinavia, etc. are acknowledged but barely mentioned. Berton moves on to look at the developing west more broadly as a whole, and offers a small bit of history for the Canadian National railroad.
Berton does not shy away from the story's darker notes. There are full descriptions of the misleading promotions by the Government of Canada, their prejudice against some sources of immigrants in favour of others, the swindling of immigrants by those employed to deliver them to Canadian shores, and extensive coverage of the scandals tied to Clifford Sifton for which justice was never served. What's notably absent in the introduction and through the first six chapters is any analysis of the original occupants of this "empty", "untrammeled" country these immigrants were coming to occupy. When Berton does address them at last, he correctly describes the many injustices of their treatment in principle, including the residential schools but none of their horrors. This may indicate how little of that had been shared and known in the 1970s. Or listened to, when it was. Any book published today on this subject would have that topic front and centre.
An excellent but short chapter similarly describes the unjust experience of American black immigrants, including the hassles stemming from unstated racism (in policy, anyway) that was no less prevalent north of the border. Whereas vast numbers might have come and wished to, they were restricted to barely more than a thousand. There is also content about Nellie McClung, a key figure in the Women's Suffrage movement.
This is maybe not a good Berton volume to start with, better reserved for later when you've read and appreciated some of his other work, unless you've a particular interest in the locale and in a broad overview that addresses this part of our first one hundred years. show less
Berton's theme is the forging of Canadian identity in the West: who's immigrant heritage was sidelined, and who's became fused into the new. Not surprisingly numbers told, but it was surprising to me that half the number of new arrivals were American migrants. They sold heavily taxed farm land for a premium in the south, in order to obtain free or very cheap land in the north where there were easy fortunes to be made. The remainder of immigrants more closely matched with images I initially had - Ukrainians and Poles producing sod huts on the prairie, with a smattering of Russians but more British than I'd imagined. Others from Germany, Scandinavia, etc. are acknowledged but barely mentioned. Berton moves on to look at the developing west more broadly as a whole, and offers a small bit of history for the Canadian National railroad.
Berton does not shy away from the story's darker notes. There are full descriptions of the misleading promotions by the Government of Canada, their prejudice against some sources of immigrants in favour of others, the swindling of immigrants by those employed to deliver them to Canadian shores, and extensive coverage of the scandals tied to Clifford Sifton for which justice was never served. What's notably absent in the introduction and through the first six chapters is any analysis of the original occupants of this "empty", "untrammeled" country these immigrants were coming to occupy. When Berton does address them at last, he correctly describes the many injustices of their treatment in principle, including the residential schools but none of their horrors. This may indicate how little of that had been shared and known in the 1970s. Or listened to, when it was. Any book published today on this subject would have that topic front and centre.
An excellent but short chapter similarly describes the unjust experience of American black immigrants, including the hassles stemming from unstated racism (in policy, anyway) that was no less prevalent north of the border. Whereas vast numbers might have come and wished to, they were restricted to barely more than a thousand. There is also content about Nellie McClung, a key figure in the Women's Suffrage movement.
This is maybe not a good Berton volume to start with, better reserved for later when you've read and appreciated some of his other work, unless you've a particular interest in the locale and in a broad overview that addresses this part of our first one hundred years. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 103
- Also by
- 13
- Members
- 7,387
- Popularity
- #3,306
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 114
- ISBNs
- 248
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- 3
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- 14