Tag: Jack London

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The Sea Wolf by Jack London

Sea_Wolf_1005London is probably best known for his book The Call of the Wild and possibly White Fang. London had a short but very prolific career. He was first published at 21 and had drunk himself to death by the time he was 40. The actual cause of his death was a morphine overdose. It remains unknown whether it was accidental or a suicide. He detailed his alcoholism in John Barleycorn or Alcoholic Memoirs. In some ways he had great insight into his alcoholism and at the same time practice great denial. He also wrote a very good book on the slums of London, The People of the Abyss.

I had not heard of The Sea Wolf which only points out my literary ignorance. After reading the book I wondered if they had ever made a movie of it. They have a few times. There is the 1941 version starring Edward G. Robinson. There is a 1993 made for TV movie starring Charles Bronson and Christopher Reeves. There is also a TV mini-series from 2009.

As I was researching the movies I came across a review of the book that stated more than a few critics have called it possibly The Great American Novel. I am not sure I would go quite that far, but I would definitely put it high company. Continue reading “The Sea Wolf by Jack London”

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The Call of the Wild / Wild Fang by Jack London

Avery Templates whitefang_1012I remember reading The Call of the Wild as a youngster. I remember mostly that I enjoyed it and that it dealt with a dog in Alaska or Canada.   I do not recall reading Wild Fang.  Probably because they are seen asanimal stories these books in our time have been pigeonholed as children’s book. While they work very well at this level for younger readers, they are by far from only for children. I recently read both these books as an adult and enjoyed them immensely.

The Call of the Wild is basically about a domesticated dog going back to nature. Wild Fang is about a wild animal, ¾ wolf and ¼ domestic dog, going from wild to domestication. Both books are adventure stories that grab you and keep you turning the page to see what happens next. In both, I felt like I was in the dog’s skin and somehow London knew exactly what the animal was experiencing. Continue reading “The Call of the Wild / Wild Fang by Jack London”

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John Barleycorn or Alcoholic Memoirs by Jack London

John_Barleycorn_Alcoholic_Memoirs_1112Most people know Jack London from such books as Call of the Wild or White Fang.  London was also a Socialist and attempted to motivate public opinion to correct social ills, uplift the poor and champion the working class in such books as People of the Abyss. For the last book, London went undercover in the notorious East End of London, where the poorest of the poor lived.  If you can read this book and remained unmoved about the vileness of unfettered capitalism, you are a stronger person than I.

John Barleycorn or Alcoholic Memoirs is a very interesting book to read. For someone like myself who knows more than a few folks who have shipwrecked their lives on one or both of the conjoined reefs of depression and addiction, it is also a very hard book to read.   London’s goal in writing this book was as a warning to generations coming after him on the dangers of John Barleycorn aka alcohol.

There is some controversy over how Jack London died.  The immediate cause was an overdose of morphine.  Whether it was accidentally or purposeful is the controversy.  What is not at controversy was that he was in the late stages alcoholism.  He was also suffering from various diseases picked up in his travels.

Perhaps one of the most telling of passages in the book is the beginning of chapter one: Continue reading “John Barleycorn or Alcoholic Memoirs by Jack London”