Jack London (1876-1916) was born today, January 12. London was one of Robert E Howard’s favorite writer, which is why he is of importance to this blog.
I must admit I haven’t read much by London. Of course I read “To Build a Fire” in school. I mean, who hasn’t? I’ve also read “A Relic of the Pliocene” and “Moonface”. I’ve enjoyed all of them, but beyond that I don’t think I’ve read any of his other works. I think I may have read a little bit of The Call of the Wild when I was a kid, but if I did, I didn’t get very far into it. I have vague memories that it was a bit beyond my reading level at the time.
So I’m going to try to read more London this year. I want to have a better understanding and appreciation of the writers who influenced my favorites.
My dad read me Call of the Wild and White Fang as a child. They are pretty raw for a kid. I think it might have warped me a little. In a good way.
They are on my radar for later in the year. My father encouraged me to read them, but I was a little too old for him to read them to me when he did.
The Call of the Wild is a great place to start. When I read it at 12, it was a great adventure story. I’ve read it twice since then. Like the Wizard of Oz, its true meaning becomes clearer as you grow and learn.
CALL OF THE WILD and WHITE FANG are great, but you should also check out THE STAR ROVER and BEFORE ADAM. One is an excellent fantasy that REH loved, the other is an SF tale of prehistoric man.
They are on my radar, and you have never steered me wrong.