Synopsis
This ebook includes a biographical introduction, a short, critical analysis of London's work within the historical context and a brief introduction to this work.
Published in 1911, Adventure is an excellent example of one of London's South Sea novels. When David Sheldon becomes sick only the intervention of Joan Lackland saves his life. Sheldon is the proprietor of a coconut plantation of Guadalcanal in the Solomons and there's every likelihood that his illness will prompt his native workers to rebel and kill him. Lacklands unlooked for intervention averts disaster and together they work to resolve problems with the workers and how to manage his estate more effectively.
The distinction between the two characters, Sheldon a chivalrous but mean Englishman and Lackland a liberated American, provides a certain romantic tension to contrast with the sense of insecurity imposed by the dangers inherent on the island.
About Jack London
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One of the pioneers of 20th century American literature, Jack London specialized in tales of adventure inspired by his own experiences. London was born in San Francisco in 1876. At 14, he quit school and became an "oyster pirate," robbing oyster beds to sell his booty to the bars and restaurants in Oakland. Later, he turned on his pirate associates and joined the local Fish Patrol, resulting in some hair-raising waterfront battles. Other youthful activities included sailing on a seal-hunting ship, traveling the United States as a railroad tramp, a jail term for vagrancy and a hazardous winter in the Klondike during the 1897 gold rush. Those experiences converted him to socialism, as he educated himself through prolific reading and began to write fiction. After a struggling apprenticeship, London hit literary paydirt by combining memories of his adventures with Darwinian and Spencerian evolutionary theory, the Nietzchean concept of the "superman" and a Kipling-influenced narrative style. "The Son of the Wolf"(1900) was his first popular success, followed by 'The Call of the Wild" (1903), "The Sea-Wolf" (1904) and "White Fang" (1906). He also wrote nonfiction, including reportage of the Russo-Japanese War and Mexican revolution, as well as "The Cruise of the Snark" (1911), an account of an eventful South Pacific sea voyage with his wife, Charmian, and a rather motley crew. London's body broke down prematurely from his rugged lifestyle and hard drinking, and he died of uremic poisoning - possibly helped along by a morphine overdose - at his California ranch in 1916. Though his massive output is uneven, his best works - particularly "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" - have endured because of their rich subject matter and vigorous prose.
Published May 12, 2012
by The Macmillan Company.
186 pages
Genres:
Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Action & Adventure, History, Horror, Education & Reference, Crafts, Hobbies & Home, Children's Books, Humor & Entertainment, Sports & Outdoors, Crime, Romance.
Non-fiction