3 Review(s)

One of the most literary annals of life in the North American West in the 19th century, The Western Avernus (1887) recounts the treks and toils of a Victorian gentleman abroad in a rough and dangerous land. Singing with a frontier authenticity of hard work, rugged adventure, and restless travel, the book has been likened to Conrad's Heart of Darkness. But it is perhaps best known as a major inspiration for Robert Service, the great Scottish poet of the Yukon, with its exhilarating depictions of work on railroad crews and mountaineering in British Columbia. This new edition brings to light a perspective on North American history little encountered since the book's last printing 80 years ago.