London Jack
Список книг автора London JackThe Iron Heel - The Original Classic Edition
In 1905 the troops of the Tsar crushed the Russian revolution of 1905. Although the uprising did force Nicholas II to establish a constitution and a parliament, the Russian revolution of 1917 would change the face of the world. However, the uprising also had the interesting effect of inspiring two of the more interesting utopian novels of the early 20th century. One was Red Star, the socialist utopia on Mars created by the Russian writer Alexander Bogdanov, a Bolshevik and intimate of Lenin. The other was The Iron Heel, by Jack London, the American author best known for The Call of the Wild. Whereas Bogdanov forsees the ultimate victory of the socialist and scientific-technical revolutions, London predicts global revolutionary and counter-revolutionary forces ending up in an apocalyptic battle betwen the impoverished workers and the privileged minorities. Consequently, the two authors share a common socialist perspective, although Bogdanov writes a utopian novel and London creates a dystopia. <p> The Iron Heel was written in 1908 and remains one of the more prophetic novels of the 20th century. His track record with regards to a national secret police agency, the rise of Fascism, the creation of attractive suburbs for the middle class while the unemployed and menials live in ghettoes, is markedly better than that of Edward Belleamys Looking Backward, Aldoux Huxleys Brave New World, or George Orwells 1984, the novels that are usually lauded and judged by their prescience in terms of utopian literature. <p> The novel presents the story of the American revolutionary Earnest Everhard, as told by his wife Avis, who is actually the more effective revolutionary leader. London tells how the manuscript was unknown for seven centuries, to be discovered long after the final triumph of socialist democracy in the yar 419 B.O.M. Avis Everhard describes the struggles of the working masses against the oligarchy, and how they were ruthlessly suppressed, especially in the Chicago Commune that is the main setting for the action. There is a strong current of violence, with Black Hundreds wrecking the socialist presses,a bomb exploding in the House of Representatives, and revolutionaries being hunted down by the military arm of the government known as the Iron Heel. The Everhard Manuscript breaks off in the middle of a sentence, a footnote explaining that history does not know if the author escaped or was captured. <p> The story is somewhat atypical for London in that it does not represent the white supremacist and male dominant vision of the world we usually find in his novels. Londons message is the blatant warning that if you allow the Revolution to be defeated, then the ruling class will grind you revolutionists down under our heel, and we shall walk upon your faces. Ultimately The Iron Heel is a novel whose importance clearly outstrips its literary quality. The problem is that with the end of World War II and the defeat (essentially) of Fascism that Londons novel was no longer of interest as the world was confronted with a new set of problems. Yet, Londons dytopian novel is one of the works in that genre that deserves to be reconsidered more often.
The Sea-Wolf - The Original Classic Edition
Its the tale of a rather bookish gentleman who is virtually press-ganged to work on a sailing ship. Through vicious hardship he is faced with the choice of survival (and in the process compromising his morality) or almost certain death. The main villain, if you will, is the Captain of the ship, whos physical strength and presence is overwhelming. <p> When I first dipped into THE SEA WOLF, I was struck by its similarity to CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS. Humphrey van Weydons ferry-steamer, The Martinez, is rammed by another ship in San Francisco Bay in a heavy fog. Van Weydon is rescued by Wolf Larsen, captain of the seal-hunter, The Ghost. Larsen refuses to take Van Weydon ashore, laughing at his offer of money. Once again, I am reminded of another famous book, MOBY DICK, and Larsen is Captain Ahab. Ruthless and single-minded, Larsen decides to make Van Weydon his cabin boy on this four month trip to provide seal pelts for fashionable American women. Van Weydon resists until Larsen catches hold of his arm and squeezes. A man of letters who freely admits never working a day in his life, Van Weydon does everything hes told from that point on, including aiding and abetting the Captain as he mistreats his crew. <p> Early on we learn some of Larsens motivation when he and Van Weydon have a literary discussion. We discover that Larsen is a literary bully. Hes never spent a day in school, but he reads Shakespeare, Robert Browning and John Milton. Londons theme becomes clear and Larsen and van Weydon argue about immortality, van Weydon declaring that man has a soul; Larsen retorting with a Scrooge-like Bah! And suddenly we have the first gleanings of an existentialist novel. If there were no God, how should man behave? Larsen, seeing evil everywhere he looks, decides he will do whatever is best for him personally. <p> The conflict is not precisely good versus evil. Van Weydon is a weakling, a pampered rich man, a coward. There is also much to admire about Wolf Larsen. He outduels seven men during a mutiny. Hes constantly reading, constantly trying to understand. When Van Weydons story arc begins to ascend–he learns seamanship, rebuilds the ship when its masts are destroyed–we cant help but give Larsen a bit of credit. Larsen never took no for an answer, no task was too difficult. <p> Another interesting element in the book is Londons fledgling steps toward womens liberation. Van Weydon falls in love with another castaway, Maud Brewster, and together they overcome storms, isolation on a small seal rookery, and sabotage. <p> Its well worth the read. Get past the first ten pages, and you may find it hard to put down. <p> Great book! This book is excellent, entertaining and fast paced.
White Fang - The Original Classic Edition
This is really good literature on a fascinating time in Western history. <p> This is the story of White Fang – 3/4 wolf and 1/4 dog. It tells of White Fangs parentage, his birth, his early days in the wild, his meeting with men and learning to live with them, of his meeting with white men and learning to live with them. Along the way, he learns some terribly hard lessons, and also learns some great joys as well. <p> Once you sit down and read this book, you will clearly see why it is considered a classic! The story is very well-written, filled with action and adventure, and presents a strangely compelling world – the world of the Arctic Circle at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, this is no happy-happy book written for the more sensitive reader. Indeed, the story is filled with violence and conflict and death, much as the Yukon was back then. <p> You will really find this book to be compelling reading, one that you can not put down. Indeed, one of the most interesting facts is how much this story is the mirror opposite of The Call of the Wild, in which a dog moves from the company of men to living in the wild. Anyway, if you want to read some really good literature on a fascinating time in Western history, then get this book. You wont be disappointed!
The Call of the Wild - The Original Classic Edition
One of Londons most popular novels, the plot storyline follows a dog named Buck, who is a four year old 140lb Saint Bernard and Scotch Shepard mix. Buck is abducted from a comfortable life as a pet and tossed into the maelstrom of the Yukon Gold Rush and the brutal realities of frontier life. Buck changes hands a number of times before landing in the kindly hands of John Thornton, a brief respite before the storys final turn. <p> The plot concerns a previously domesticated dog named Buck, whose primordial instincts return after a series of events leads to his serving as a sled dog in the Yukon during the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush, in which sled dogs were bought at generous prices. Buck learns from his experiences and becomes an overall dominant (conquering), primordial (More like ancestors) beast (undomesticated). Buck also learns lessons and remembers instincts (from his ancestors) that help him to become a ferocious beast. <p> Published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is Londons most read book, and it is generally considered his best, the masterpiece of his so-called early period. Because the protagonist is a dog, it is sometimes classified as a juvenile novel, but it is dark in tone and contains numerous scenes of cruelty and violence. The Yeehat, a group of Alaska Natives portrayed in Call of the Wild, were a figment of Londons imagination.