Jack London Books

For easy-to-read books, you can't find a better bargain than the Hooked onPhonics books.
Except for the last two items on this list, all of the books are available for 1 cent.

The books in the Hop Book series take an adult reader from 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds to read.
These books are 24 pages long, illustrated with color cartoons:

15. Slam and Dunk and the Big Game (188794236X)
16. Slam and Dunk Go to the Moon (1887942378)
17. Slam and Dunk in the Dark (1887942386)
18. Skip and Spin Swim with Dolphins (1887942394)
19. The Race (1887942408)
20. Mad Dog (1887942416)
21. Whacky Jack! (1887942424)
22. Camper Kim (1887942432)
23. The Best Grandma Ever (1887942440)
24, The Very Hungry Bear (1887942459)
25. Cat Tricks (1887942467)
26. Night is Right for Me (1887942475)
27. The Cereal Box (1887942483)
29. A Rose, a Bridge, and a Wild Black Horse (1887942505)

Beginning with Level 2, the books are of a smaller size,
These books are 64 pages long with black-and-white cartoon illustrations.

Level 2 books take an adult reader a little more than 3 minutes to read.
1. Detective Dog and the Lost Rabbit (1887942564)
2. Detective Dog and the Ghost (1887942572)

Level 3 books take an adult reader a little more than 9 minutes to read.
1. Slam and Dunk Go to Hawaii (1887942971)
3. Detective Dog Goes on Vacation (1887942998) $8.24

Level 5 books take an adult reader less than 20 minutes to read.
2. Goblins (1931020035) $1.00

White Fang was one of my favorites growing up. It is a classic tale of devotion and nature vs nuture!

The perspective of a wolf or a dog may not seem interesting or even plausible, but somehow Jack London's 'character's' in Call of the Wild and White Fang ring with a genuine and yes, realistic, rendering of the life of a wolf and a dog.

The force of these two lovely stories is the idea of nature and the essence of primordial wilderness that lies within all beings, man and animal. But from the perspective of the animal for man, ultimately, is predictable but animals, by nature, are always wild, free and unpredictable. And most poignantly, it is also a tale of love between man and his best friend.

I don't know how one would go about 'being in the mind of a dog or a wolf' but if anyone has done it with such fluidity, beauty and chilling depictions...it is London, no question. The language is expressive, emotional and lyrical. The scenes of the action are vicious and sharp. The stlye, tone and language will elicit some reaction & you can't but help relate to the them too...yes, relate. London has done a wonderful job of melding opposing forces that is vivd and powerful and cativating.

A short bio is given, short but not too lagging. For some reason they put Call of the Wild as the second rather than the first story, considering Call of the Wild is the 'sequel'--of sorts. However, reading one before the other will not interfere between the stories, there are no references between the two. This book preserved the style and language of London but it is quite easy to read. And luckily, it has not been modified to a more modern rendition, which I always apprecaite and it makes the stories so much more richer and set your mind to the timeframe in the stories.

Read it and it'll be keeper in your library!

This book was awsome because it had a lot of supense. The part I liked was when white fang fought a mountain lion and he one.I would recommend this book to dog owners and dogs.

This book is a necessary addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in american literature. Jim McClintock is an athority on London and this book demonstrates his vast knowledge.

Overall I liked this book. I think the author largely achieved what he set out to, which was to tell the story of the lepers of Molokai and tell it in a way that could hold your attention throughout the book.

This book was not however perfect. My main criticism was the constant flow of characters coming in/out of the story, especially all the outsiders (IE members of the board of health). I was often left with questions such as "who was this person again?". I must admit I read this somewhat sporadically over a months time, so that could have had some to do with it, but I did find the sheer number of people presented a bit over the top. This criticism aside, I still found it to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this kind of story.

I suppose that the government officials in Hawaii in the 1860s assumed that they were doing the right thing by isolating lepers on an almost uninhabited island. Compared to the biblical era of rags, bells, and calls of "unclean, unclean!", they may have been somewhat correct. What they didn't realize, however, was the human toll living on that island would take on those people. It's actually amazing that so many surivied for a long time, considering the conditions. Of course, eveyone has heard of Father Damien, but the story doesn't begin, or end, with him.There were those who dedicated their lives to helping these people, and were successful , mostly. It's a grim and harrowing tale that this well-written book tells, but it should always remind us that even the best of intentions don't always turn our the way that we had intended them.

It was well written and easy to follow. A lot of information in the book which I did not know. If there is/are anyone still afraid of leprosy should read it.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE COLONY, A NON-FICTION ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORY OF THE LEPER COLONY ON MOLOKA'I. THE BOOK IS TERRIFIC. BUT THE READER IS NOT. HE COMMITS THE CRIME OF MIS-PRONOUNCING ALL OF THE HAWAIIAN PLACE NAMES, FAMILY NAMES, AND WORDS. HE EVEN MISSPRONOUNCES THE ISLAND NAME OF MOLOKA'I!!!!!! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS FAILURE TO GET THE PRONUNCIATIONS CORRECTLY!!!!!!!!I REALIZE THAT THE READING ACTOR'S IGNORANCE IS NOT DIRECTLY THE FAULT OF AMAZON. I WOULD LIKE, HOWEVER, AMAZON TO PASS THIS COMPLAINT TO THE AUDIO RECORDING DEPARTMENT OF THE PUBLISHER, SO THAT IN FUTURE THEY HIRE ACTORS WHO READ WORDS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE WITH ACCURACY.

I am little more than 100 pages into this book and already I can find more than a dozen cases where I question the author's over-dramatization and/or artistic license. I caution everyone who may read this and--goodness forbid, choose take it as a definative work of "history"--to approach the book with the skepticism it deserves. From the first pages of the preface--where the author quotes Jack London entirely out of context and leads the reader to believe London believed something he did not--to the blinding acceptance of newpaper accounts of the time as entirely factual (when, in fact, newspapers were notoriously biased in the days of the haole-controlled government), this book is already riddle with enough suspect material to make me shy away from it entirely. I'm certain Mr. Tayman did much research, but whether he has distilled it into a factual account is highly suspect to me at this point. It reeks of sensationism and I implore those who choose to read it to keep that in mind. This may indeed be more fiction than substative fact.

I first read this book in junior high, and when I read it again the brutality of this book made me realize how cruel life can be. I had forgotten much of it and I was somewhat surprised how cruel this book was. Jack London uses human emotions and characteristics as he writes of Buck, the loyal, strong dog that goes from a passive life in Cailfornia to the barreness of the Alaska gold rush.

London's human characters are merely role players, cameos if you will, while the animals undergo a reverse evolutionary process from tranquil to ferocious beasts of the wild. In the end, the civilized dog, Buck, takes his rightful place at the head of a pack of wild wolves. Whether this is believable or not remains to the reader to decide, but London writes artfully and conviningly about his subject.

London lived part of what he wrote about, so the fact of the gold rush towns and personalities are true, but his dogs achieve a superior role that may or may not be really possible. Nevertheless, this truly is a gripping story and, while it is aimed at a male audience, any reader who enjoys this type of book will be rewarded with a good story.

In the book, The Call Of the Wild, by Jack London, an abused dog named Buck is stolen by an evil groundskeeper named Manuel. After many struggles and challenges he is sent north to Canada were he peruses the role as a sled dog. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good dog story.
This book was one of the best books I have ever read and held it reputation throughout the whole thing. The main Theme of the book was to inform people that if you ever have problems or challenges in your life, stay strong and overcome them. This book also helped alert people that dogs are being abused everywhere and that they are living things just like us.
Buck goes through many owners, one selling him to the next and so on so forth. The new owner hurts and pushing him more then the one before. When Buck gets to his final owner, John Thornton loves Buck just as much as buck loves him. This really shows because when Buck hears the call of the wild he feels the temptation to run off and chase it, but he resists the erg simply for the love of a man. One of Bucks former owners had a very fun accent witch made the book way more fun and interesting.
In conclusion this was a great and interesting book with believable characters and a terrific story line. I would surely recommend this book to any reader of any age looking for a satisfactory book.

Jack London's remarkable saga of Buck's adventures in the Klondike during the days of the Gold Rush should be read by every child, especially any child in a family considering adding a pet to the family.
Sharing the experience of the protagonist will instruct the reader and develop an understanding and love for man's best friend.
Samuel L. Kalush, M.D.

This story has affected many and helped people care about how animals are treated, making humans less brutish

Call of the Wild Review
Alex
Call of the Wild is a nail biting book of thrills. It is by Jack London and was published in the late 1800s. The Call of the Wild is when a family dog named Buck is stolen from his cozy fire and sold as a sled dog. Buck must overcome harsh conditions and vicious enemies, to find his part in the wild. This book is perfect for dog lovers who need to find out the life of sled dogs. But it is easy to doze off because of the tiny print. CAUTION: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF TEN!
This story takes place during the gold rush in Alaska. The family servant steals Buck, and sells him for money for his gambling needs. Buck is trained as a sled dog to find gold. As Buck stops for a break, the sled team is stolen. Many dogs die, for the stealers don't know how to handle sled dogs. Buck is one of the few soul survivors. Finally Buck is saved by John Thornton right before he is killed. This book has good information on the Alaskan Gold Rush.
The author's addition of Spits gave the story a little more suspense. He was the bad guy in dog sense. He killed other dogs for pleasure. It shows what Buck will have to do to become the best dog in the pack. The writer's purpose was to show a life with many debates and issues and what that person has to do become a legend.
I hope my review helped you with your chose of Call of the Wild. Thanks for reading my review.

Our protagonist, Martin Eden, a poor, struggling writer, wants nothing more than to be like those glitterati he admires....Their way of speaking, their seemingly effortless flow through life, and their perceived depth of spirit give him a goal, and he is dedicated to achieving it.

Unfortunately for Martin and his illusions, those he thought superior (based on the facades they've perfected), turn out to be mere shells, and it's not something he was prepared for:

He is actually the higher being.

This book is a life lesson for all people who have ever envied those they feel are "superior" to themselves because of their incomes, the films they watch, the cars they drive, or the names they can drop.

If you stop looking over the fence, you may find that the grass is actually greener on your own side.

This is the American version of "Hunger" - an author striving to succeed despite background and social status. There is desolation within this text, a longing fraught with energy unbound. The pulse of desires roars here. Eden is the near-transparent mask of the young Jack London himself. Reading it, the educated reader will be reminded of the philosophies of Nietzsche, Herbert Spencer and Schopenhauer. Social Darwinism, the Will-to-Live, the Will-to-Power all resonate here.

But in the long run, the philosophies are just part and parcel of the story. "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild" are excellent books, easily accessible. London, in my mind, is the Great American Author because his writing doesn't exclude readers, young and old can enjoy him. As for this work, "Martin Eden", it is a dark horse compared to his earlier works, perhaps prophetic of Jack London's later life.

If anything, this novel is about success, its consequences, and what we sacrifice to achieve it. It also concerns the inner madness of attaining a goal, how nothing else seems important. Books will come go, but this book continually moves with me, a perennial home on my library shelf.

I'll admit at the outset that I've not read anything by Jack London since high school days, until this book was recently recommended. I was astonished by the high quality of the concepts explored, clear prose, wonderful character development, and the unfolding tragedy of the plot. I was also amazed at how Jack London weaves the philosophical currents of the time with a frank appraisal of the realities of class divisions of East Bay (Oakland, California) society, together with their intellectual limitations, which clearly echoed those more often associated with the eastern United States.

One should know, fairly early on, where this novel is ultimately headed. But what holds our interest is the deeply insightful study of the consciousness of this aspiring intellect, aesthete, and writer in the process of becoming inspired, going through the darkness, ultimately finding empty triumph, paired exactly with his choice of an end.

While reading this book I thought a good deal of other works that explore the consciousness of writers and societal studies, such as those of more highly touted contemporaries in Joyce's Ulysses and Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, and even the often derided Henry Miller, who was a later master of the genre. I would imagine Miller was influenced by Martin Eden, but I have no evidence of that.

This book is well worth reading for anyone who wants to experience a young American novelist at the height of his powers. Highly recommended.

It's surprising that London is so well known for his writings about nature while a classic like Martin Eden is practically forgotten. Here London shows that he is equally adept at setting a story in an urban landscape by chronicling a landed sailor's attempt to become a self-taught writer, no easy task for a man who has lived the rough and vulgar life of a sailor. But Martin is extremely persistent in spite of all the obstacles he faces. Everyone including his friends, family, and classy girlfriend question his ability to make such a transformation from a nobody to a somebody. It's hard to imagine anyone being as devoted as Martin is to improving himself, and it's a bit intimidating seeing how much devotion it can take to achieve your dreams. Knowing that London used his own life story as a strong inspiration for Martin Eden, you expect that Martin will someday be successful, yet the results of all his work are still unexpected. With enough reading, learning, and life experiences, do we all eventually take Martin Eden's point of view? That's a question this book still has me thinking about months later.

In Martin Eden, Jack London provides the portrait of a young man who thirsts for knowledge, for self-improvement, to join the upper ranks of the intelligent and cultured within his society. We seem to be setting off in a "Jude the Obscure" direction. Martin loves a young woman from this society, and strives to make himself worthy. His chosen vehicle from his class and station to hers is self-education, and then the writing of serious and important work. Along the way, Martain has to swallow the unpleasant truth that those he believed to be so intelligent were actually entirely superficial in understanding. Pieces of London from other novels come through. London's belief in the "superman" comes through, as well as his disdain for the oligarchs, for example. What is most striking, however, is the dead-on skewering of celebrity worship. "Where were you when I needed you" might be Martin's refrain. The same people who ignored and derided him suddenly can't get enough of him. Why? He was the same person he was before. It was simply because other people told them so. They all just want a piece of the celebirty, to be associated with him somehow. While in real life London of course courted celebrity, the stupidity of this is blindingly apparent and even more important nearly a century later. London readers may miss the absence of the "Charmian" strong female counterpart in this book (unlike in the Sea Wolf or The Abysmal Brute or Mutiny on the Elsinore, for example). The "classy" love interest doesn't measure up in terms of independent intelligence or strength of will, and her last appearance is particularly troubling. Lizzie, from the lower socioeconomic classes, has the spark but is too held back by her upbringing. This is truly an important book.

First time I read Jack London and thoroughly enjoyed Star Rover. Found the 1914 book in a used book store for only $10 and in good condition being nearly 100 years old. The Star-Rover was mentioned in a Robert E. Howard book The Barbaric Triumph by Don Herron-pg 144-145 via a letter from REH to Preece he mentions a book by Jack London-The Star Rover ultimately became the single most influence on him as a writer. In the 1930 letter to Preece REH says that 'London's The Star Rover is a book that I've read and re-read for years, and that generally goes to my head like wine.' 'In The Star Rover, London builds his dark hero Darrell Standling's list of grievances and enemies into a powerful and mountainess indictment of man's propensity for cruel and hate. At a time when most authors were trapped in the rut of boilerplate Ameri-Christian morality, London reveled in the power gained by embracing his irrational, barbaric nature and the hates that accomplished it. To London, and later to REH, hate was a pure, clean emotion, man's most natural impulse, unfettered by civilized morality.' 'To REH, London's prose was perhaps most notable for its ability to pile outrage upon outrage until hate became exaggerated into a towering, unstoppable force. Twenty years later, REH would perfect such writing until it could be argued that he improved upon the master. The Dark Barbarian and The Barbaric Triumpth by Don Herron and Two-Gun Bob are must reads for ALL new to REH and fans alike. Must reads The Last of the Trunk and Selected Letters of REH by Paul Herman, Blood & Thunder, The Life & Art of REH by Mark Finn, Solomon Kane, Kull, By This Axe I Rule, Beyond The Black River in Best of REH Vol I, Bran Mac Morn, Lord of Samarcand, Cormac Mac Art, Dark Horse comics Conan and Pigeons from Hell, and Savage Sword of Conan a B&W Magazine in the 1970's by Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, and more. Thank you to Paul Herman, Glen Lord, Mark Finn, Don Herron, Dark Horse comics, and everyone else who has kept REH's legacy alive. I'll definitely be reading more of Jack London.

this is the best book illustrating how reincarnation works in our everyday life. i've been recommending this book to people ever since it was re-printed years ago. and the kicker is that it was wrtitten by the great jack london - just before his death. i believe, as i've read that he did also, that it is a true story.

In 1915, just one year before his untimely death, Jack London's most ambitious work was published. It is "The Star Rover" (aka "The Jacket"), story about Darrell Standing, former university professor who is now a Death Row inmate of San Quentin. Opinions about this unique novel still divide among readers, but his intense descriptions about the people in extreme situations are as riveting as his more famous works like "To Build a Fire."

The story of "The Star Rover" is told in the first person by Darrell Standing. In prison he is subjected to severest tortures including straightjacket by the brutal guards and sadistic officers. In this story set in San Quentin (the prison part based on the accounts of London's friend Ed Morrell), Darrell finds a way to escape from the pains by separating his spirit from his body and living the past lives of other people - a little boy in the westward emigration in America; a shipwrecked English sailor in medieval Korea, and so on.

In a way "The Star Rover" is a collection of short stories put together by the framing story of Darrell Standing. The tense and passionate sentences of Jack London are gripping in most of the story, but it must be said that some parts are redundant and a little boring, London not knowing where to go next. Still, once actions start, the book becomes a page turner. Like many stories by Jack London, the protagonists must experience and endure severe conditions of life and their willpowers are tested in the process.

"The Star Rover" is a book about a man who lives many lives. After all the fact that it is written Jack London is nothing surprising because Jack London really lived many lives. The book is certainly flawed and less famous than his Klondike stories, but its style is definitely that of Jack London.

I read this wonderful book in high school, more than 40 years ago. Some parts of it are still fresh in my mind... clinging to the rock in the middle of the sea... (illustrated on the cover of the edition I read). The Mountain Meadows massacre, which I had never heard of, and did not believe until I went to the encyclopedia to look it up. The determination of the protagonist not to yield to the abuse of the warden. The transcendence of the soul!

Many of London's stories are testaments to the will to survive or to overcome some desperate situation. I kept hoping that Standing would escape the prison or be pardoned. He did escape, but in a very different way than I was expecting.

I agree with others that this is one of London's greatest works, and it is surprising it is so little known.

Although barely known, this novel is one of the greatest works of Jack London; the reader will certainly feel trapped by the deep voice of a narrator who reveals the mysteries of other lifes, and life and death themselves, without leaving the four walls of an early 19th century prison. The problem is not the book but the binding which is too tight and makes it very difficult to flip the pages comfortably in order to enjoy the journey.

With all the gushy, cliche-ridden, Recovery oriented self-help books teeming in the bookstores these days, it's always refreshing to find a well-written, lyrical account of of an author's love/hate affair with alcohol. This said, the book hardly seems one to be recommended by AA or the temperance movement. Although, as pointed out by another reviewer, the author equivocates in usually one or two line disclaimers after long passages in which he narrates an alcoholic episode, the overall effect almost amounts to an apotheosis of alcohol and its effects. Indeed, it is personified in the book by what London calls "The White logic," and the most moving, lyrical and philosophical passages are given to this "character" in the book.

Consider the following quotes about "him" and his effects:

"He is the august companion with whom one walks with the gods."

"And every thought was a vision, bright-imaged, sharp-cut, unmistakable. My brain was illuminated by the clear, white light of alcohol."

Most importantly consider what "he" says:

"Let the doctors of all schools condemn me....What of it? I am truth. You know it....Life lies in order to live. Life is a perpetual lie-telling process. Life is a mad dance in the domain of flux, wherein appearances in mighty tides ebb and flow...You are such an appearance, composed of countless appearances out of the past. All an appearance can know is mirage."

I don't think so great a poet as Shelley could have put this ghastly vision of life more powerfully in prose form, though he does in verse, in his last, ironically titled poem, The Triumph Of Life.

I don't know whom London thought he might be fooling here with his mild calls for Prohibition pitted against the Romance and lyricism he associates with his drinking episodes and, above all, the profoundly counterbalancing effect of "the White Logic." The book is ultimately an autobiography of this voice within him.

`John Barleycorn' is the so-called "Alcoholic memoirs" of American literary icon Jack London. John Barleycorn was London's nickname for booze, and his relationship with Mr. Barleycorn is one of love/hate. In spite of the sub-title, London persists throughout this drunken autobiography that he is not an alcoholic. Nevertheless, he eloquently chronicles his tumultuous drinking career with the goal of demonstrating the enormous toll that alcohol can take on the mind, body, and spirit. At times, he glorifies his drinking, but for the most part he seems to resent this seductive destroyer of men, and claims that the only reason he drinks so much is because it is everywhere. He sees drinking as sort of a social obligation, a manly thing to do around other men. Not only does he resent it, but he concludes that prohibition is the only way to stop the destructive force of alcohol.

`John Barleycorn' is not only a story about the effects of alcohol on one man's life, but it is also an adventurous tale of one of America's first celebrities rise from rags to riches. The narrative begins with London's poverty-stricken childhood in San Francisco, continues through his teenage years as a brawling oyster pirate, and on into his adult years as a celebrated writer and passionate socialist. The prose is magnificent, and although `John Barleycorn" was highly entertaining, there is also a sense of sadness for me because I know first-hand how agonizing this type of life can be. With that said, this is a fantastic piece of American literature.

Jack London is the author that I admire the most among the American authors and this memoir, like his other works I read, gave me great reading pleasure. His life started in poverty, he lived a life of struggle and adventure, alcohol was always present as he grew up, and he felt obliged to drink to fit in the macho social environment, eventually developing a heavy drinking habit. In John Barleycorn he tells his story honestly, he describes the surroundings and characters around him beautifully, and especially his psychological descriptions are superb. In one part, while he was drunk and going by himself on a sloop at night, he falls in the water and he describes how all of a sudden he found himself thinking about committing suicide:

"Thoughts of suicide had never entered my head. And now that they entered, I thought it fine, a splendid culmination, a perfect rounding off of my short but exciting career. I, who had never known a girl's love, nor woman's love, nor the love of children; who had never played in the wide joy-fields of art, nor climbed the star-cool heights of philosophy, nor seen with my eyes more than a pin-point's surface of the gorgeous world; I decided that this was all, that I had seen all, lived all, been all, that was worth while, and that now was the time to cease.....The water was delicious. It was a man's way to die. It was a hero's death, and by the hero's own hand and will."

Such is the depth of his character descriptions, such is the way he reflects the mood beautifully. A "must read".

I was tempted into reading this book after finishing London's "Martin Eden", a somewhat autobiographical work of fiction. "John Barleycorn" purports to be more a striaght autobiography that focuses on the role of alcohol in London's life from his first tentative introduction at the age of five to his millde-career as a celebrity author.

Since it is autobiographical and there is no "plot", per se, it was a bit less interesting than "Martin Eden", in that I wasn't quite compelled to turn the page to see what happened next. However, he end of the book makes the intial effort worthwhile. London confronts "death" as a character, having philosophocal discussions with it. These conversations are dark and intellectauly compelling. Turns out that, for London, alcohol was a force promoting death and the contemplation of death.

If you're interested in getting inside the head of one of America's classic authors, John barleycorn is your ticket there.

_John Barleycorn_ by American writer Jack London is a semi-autobiographical novel which deals with Jack London's experiences with alcohol, nicknamed "John Barleycorn" throughout this novel. Jack London was a rugged adventurer who was born into poverty and only became wealthy after his success as a novelist. His early experiences, which he writes about in this novel, were particularly important in the shaping of his thought and writings. London was a very thoughtful writer and all of his writings are philosophical in nature. Philosophically London was influenced by such thinkers as Charles Darwin (and his notion of the "survival of the fittest"), Friedrich Nietzsche (whose superman ideal is seen in London's ultra-masculine heroic characters), and William James (whose psychological theories regarding religion play an important part in the writing of this book). London was a devout socialist (he had been born into poverty and witnessed firsthand the oppression of the working class and the poor by the capitalists); however, his socialism is highly idiosyncratic in that all of his heroes are rugged individualists. London also recognized the harm that alcohol had done to himself and to youth of his generation which led him to believe that Prohibition was necessary (although he continued to drink). While London insists that he is not an alcoholic or dipsomaniac, his experiences with alcohol show the harmful effects that it had upon him.

_John Barleycorn_ began as a suggestion from London's second wife, Charmian, that he write about his experiences with alcohol. London, who had originally opposed woman's suffrage, had just voted for a bill that would give women the vote because he believed that women would vote for Prohibition. Indeed, the novel _John Barleycorn_ became popular with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the Prohibition Party which actively campaigned for Prohibition. While London could not have foreseen some of the more disastrous consequences of Prohibition, such as the formation of the mob and organized crime, he certainly understood the dangers that alcohol posed because he had experienced them firsthand.

_John Barleycorn_ relates the adventures of the young Jack London beginning with his earliest experiences with alcohol as a young lad of only five years old. London had been born into poverty and forced to work in a cannery. London, being an adventurous sort with an active mind, grew dissatisfied with his life of toil, and eventually became an oyster pirate. It was at this point where his first real encounters with alcohol and saloon life began. London describes his adventures as an oyster pirate along with his experiences at the saloons and the subtle rules that accompanied the drinking game. Eventually London returned to steady work; however, he quickly experienced the immoralities of the capitalist system when he was asked to shovel coal and made to work the job of two men. London relates further adventures in which he became an unemployed vagrant and was arrested for vagrancy and a gold prospector in the Yukon. London also shows how "John Barleycorn" came to play an important role in his life, as a means for easing social relationships. London also describes his experiences with school and how he attained his education (including a year at the university level) through extreme efforts. London makes use of Viking imagery throughout many of his descriptive passages showing his love for adventure and Nordic folklore. Eventually London was to make his way in the world as an author and he became very wealthy doing so. Later when London had achieved both wealth and fame he was to take a series of voyages to Hawaii, the Tropics, and the South Seas which served as an impetus for new stories. During this time, London became "sun sick" and took to drink to ease his troubles brought on by the tropical climate and the diseases that accompanied it. When London returned home he continued drinking heavily. London describes his encounters with "the White Logic", a gloomy depression brought on by drink, his alcoholic reveries and philosophical musings, and his encounters with death ("the Noseless One"). Indeed, the thought of suicide was to plague London for much of his life. At one point London decided that he would stop drinking; however, he eventually realized that he was unable to do so and decides that he will continue to drink in moderation. However, he came to believe that Prohibition was necessary to prevent the harmful effects of alcohol on the youth. While London argues that he is not an alcoholic, it is clear however that alcohol has had a profound effect on his constitution and mind.

_John Barleycorn_ is a fascinating adventure novel which traces Jack London's life from the time he was a young boy into his adult years as a famous writer. The novel also shows the harmful effects of alcohol on London and shows the need for restraint. Like a great deal of London's work, this novel reveals London's defining social conscience which framed so much of his thinking. In addition, it provides for a fascinating read and is a great source of entertainment.