The Best of Robert Service

More about the book

From the Cremation of Sam McGee to The Ordinary Man, this collection features beloved works by Robert Service, a celebrated poet known for capturing the adventure and rugged beauty of the Canadian North. As the voice of the Yukon Gold Rush, Service became a legend, resonating with readers who identified with the intrepid souls seeking fortune under the midnight sun. This anthology includes his iconic Klondike ballads, such as *The Cremation of Sam McGee*, *The Spell of the Yukon*, and *The Shooting of Dan McGrew*. It also showcases poems inspired by his experiences as a stretcher-bearer in World War I and his subsequent life in bohemian Paris, where he penned vivid portrayals of artists and their lives. Additionally, the collection features his reflective verses on the human condition, revealing his homespun philosophies on women, success, failure, and life and death. Born in England in 1874, Service developed his adventurous spirit in the Scottish Highlands before moving to Canada at 22, where he spent 16 years in the North. After leaving the Yukon in 1912, he settled in France post-WWI, marrying and continuing to write, ultimately publishing 19 books of verse until his death in 1958.