The Real Klondike Kate

James G. Snell is a professor of History at the University of Guelph,
author of In the Shadow of the Law: Divorce in Canada, 1900-1939, and
co-author of The Supreme Court of Canada: History of the Institution.

Brennan tells Kate Ryan’s life story in an entertaining and enjoyable
fashion. Caught in the opening up of the Yukon and northern British
Columbia at the turn of the century, Ryan carved a life for herself in a
region dominated by men.

At age 28, Ryan headed north to the Yukon, already having demonstrated
her independence by travelling west from New Brunswick to seek her
fortune. Establishing herself in the Yukon took a while, but she managed
it by repeatedly using her cooking skills to gain a foothold, since the
men were often desperate for a well-cooked meal. Beyond that, Ryan used
her intelligence and her personality to secure a prominent position in
Whitehorse for almost two decades. She invested wisely, played a minor
role as a government and police official, and was a leader of the local
community.

Brennan tells the tale well, particularly considering the rather sparse
information actually available. Despite there being very few of Ryan’s
own words or thoughts in the book, The Real Klondike Kate presents a
credible picture of a remarkable minor figure.