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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE and Other Tales of Hawaii 1913 1st Ed.
232 pp. Red cloth stamped in black
Hardcover
First published March 1, 1912
72 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Jack London
7,626 books7,684 followersJohn Griffith Chaney, better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction.
London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers’ rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".
London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers’ rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 1, 2018
This is a collection of six stories set in Hawaii, plus a short autobiographical sketch about London's early life and development as a writer.
In these stories we learn that London could write beautifully about places other than the Frozen North. If you think that snow, ice and gold rush days are all you will find in London's work this book will give you an intense and vivid introduction to at least one of his many other locations.
You will meet a young girl who finally realizes the true meaning of Aloha Oe, but will it be too late? You will meet a Chinese man who sold himself into slavery to escape an evil uncle, became rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams, and dealt with both his success and his eventual retirement in a wickedly clever manner.
Quite a few of the stories deal with leprosy and how it affected the people, how the threat of banishment to Molokai was always hanging over everyone's head. Even a sheriff who was responsible for helping round up afflicted people and making sure they were put into exile: what happens when his body begins to show early signs of the dreaded disease?
Above all you will meet Hawaii itself. Here is a lovely passage from The Sheriff Of Kona, in which our unnamed narrator is visiting with a friend who owns a coffee plantation in a particularly blessed region free of the high winds that affect other planters.
Indeed, I had noticed that delicious rhythmic, breathing. Each morning I had watched the sea-breeze begin at the shore and slowly extend seaward as it blew the mildest, softest whiff of ozone to the land. It played over the sea, just faintly darkening its surface, with here and there and everywhere long lanes of calm, shifting, changing, drifting, according to the capricious kisses of the breeze. And each evening I had watched the sea breath die away to heavenly calm, and heard the land breath softly make its way through the coffee trees and monkey-pods.
Go ahead, visit Hawaii with Jack. You will remember the trip forever!
In these stories we learn that London could write beautifully about places other than the Frozen North. If you think that snow, ice and gold rush days are all you will find in London's work this book will give you an intense and vivid introduction to at least one of his many other locations.
You will meet a young girl who finally realizes the true meaning of Aloha Oe, but will it be too late? You will meet a Chinese man who sold himself into slavery to escape an evil uncle, became rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams, and dealt with both his success and his eventual retirement in a wickedly clever manner.
Quite a few of the stories deal with leprosy and how it affected the people, how the threat of banishment to Molokai was always hanging over everyone's head. Even a sheriff who was responsible for helping round up afflicted people and making sure they were put into exile: what happens when his body begins to show early signs of the dreaded disease?
Above all you will meet Hawaii itself. Here is a lovely passage from The Sheriff Of Kona, in which our unnamed narrator is visiting with a friend who owns a coffee plantation in a particularly blessed region free of the high winds that affect other planters.
Indeed, I had noticed that delicious rhythmic, breathing. Each morning I had watched the sea-breeze begin at the shore and slowly extend seaward as it blew the mildest, softest whiff of ozone to the land. It played over the sea, just faintly darkening its surface, with here and there and everywhere long lanes of calm, shifting, changing, drifting, according to the capricious kisses of the breeze. And each evening I had watched the sea breath die away to heavenly calm, and heard the land breath softly make its way through the coffee trees and monkey-pods.
Go ahead, visit Hawaii with Jack. You will remember the trip forever!
December 15, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I first read Jack London when I was thirteen - a short story in our eighth grade reader entitled “To Build a Fire.” That story has stayed with me my entire life. As a young adult, I devoured “The Call of the Wild”. Earlier this year my hubby and I read a later piece written by London, “The Scarlet Plague.”
But I digress. Looking around for an “ugly” book, I settled upon “The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii”. What a gem I found! Six throughly enjoyable short stories all set in the tropical paradise of Hawaii. The stories involves themes of race and class, as well as the tragedy of leprosy and the infamous colony on Molokai, where anyone stricken with the disease was forced to relocate. My three favorites were The House of Pride where the protagonist is a stick in the mud, religious snob, who late in life learns that a half breed man whom he despises is actually his brother. Koolau is a brave and defiant leper who revolts and escapes being sent to Molokai, and Chun Ah Chun, the poor Chinese peasant immigrant who rises from poverty to one of the wealthiest men on the island. But seriously, all the stories were excellent.
Only five more to FINISH this challenge before New Year’s.
The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge - 2022
Prompt #38 - Don’t judge a book by its cover!
I first read Jack London when I was thirteen - a short story in our eighth grade reader entitled “To Build a Fire.” That story has stayed with me my entire life. As a young adult, I devoured “The Call of the Wild”. Earlier this year my hubby and I read a later piece written by London, “The Scarlet Plague.”
But I digress. Looking around for an “ugly” book, I settled upon “The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii”. What a gem I found! Six throughly enjoyable short stories all set in the tropical paradise of Hawaii. The stories involves themes of race and class, as well as the tragedy of leprosy and the infamous colony on Molokai, where anyone stricken with the disease was forced to relocate. My three favorites were The House of Pride where the protagonist is a stick in the mud, religious snob, who late in life learns that a half breed man whom he despises is actually his brother. Koolau is a brave and defiant leper who revolts and escapes being sent to Molokai, and Chun Ah Chun, the poor Chinese peasant immigrant who rises from poverty to one of the wealthiest men on the island. But seriously, all the stories were excellent.
Only five more to FINISH this challenge before New Year’s.
The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge - 2022
Prompt #38 - Don’t judge a book by its cover!
October 12, 2021
I think that I may have read these stories years ago when I was in Hawaii. I don't remember any of them, though the one about the leper who refuses to be taken from his native Kauai to the leper colony on Molokai seemed familiar.
Jack London was a master storyteller. He writes in a simple style, but his characters come alive, and there is a complexity in their relationships and motivations that makes the stories good. Also, he is generally respectful of the native Hawaiians and the Chinese immigrants. There is some Orientalizing, but remarkably little for an early twentieth century writer. The focus in most of these stories is on the interplay of cultures in Hawaii, and in most of them the white people come off worse than the Polynesians and Chinese.
Jack London was a master storyteller. He writes in a simple style, but his characters come alive, and there is a complexity in their relationships and motivations that makes the stories good. Also, he is generally respectful of the native Hawaiians and the Chinese immigrants. There is some Orientalizing, but remarkably little for an early twentieth century writer. The focus in most of these stories is on the interplay of cultures in Hawaii, and in most of them the white people come off worse than the Polynesians and Chinese.
April 22, 2015
This was an interesting collection of short stories by author Jack London, of a time mostly gone by in Hawaii. Many of these stories dealt with leprosy and the victims of this disease being sent away to Molokai. Some of the stories also dealt with class differences, some of which still exist in one form or another in society today. All the stories were well written and thought provoking.
January 16, 2022
4 Stars
When I stop and think about my favorite authors Jack London is always at the top of the list. At any given time, he may not be the first name I speak, at times it might me Larry McMurtry, Nevil Shute, or even Thomas Hardy, but always London will be mentioned as one of my favorite authors.
This collection of short stories was typical Jack London, fast reading, action-packed, with well-defined characters, and in most cases a truely memorable story. This is a little different setting than his usual Alaska or Canadian Yukon setting, but just as engaging, as easy recommendation.
When I stop and think about my favorite authors Jack London is always at the top of the list. At any given time, he may not be the first name I speak, at times it might me Larry McMurtry, Nevil Shute, or even Thomas Hardy, but always London will be mentioned as one of my favorite authors.
This collection of short stories was typical Jack London, fast reading, action-packed, with well-defined characters, and in most cases a truely memorable story. This is a little different setting than his usual Alaska or Canadian Yukon setting, but just as engaging, as easy recommendation.
December 23, 2021
Hawaii, this paradoxical place of sheer beauty and sheer despair. Hawaii, this unforgiving paradise eaten away by leprosy.
August 1, 2012
of course I am biased - but the stories about a people who hae been enveloped by American expansionism and the sufferings of the Hawaiian people from missionaries and leprosy are well told by Jack London - he is always my favorite author
December 28, 2018
Throughout House of Pride, especially with the leper stories, the reader can see the dramatic influence London's earlier journey to Hawaii, chronicled in his The Cruise of the Snark, had upon these short stories. Scenes and phrases are virtually lifted from that earlier memoir. As for the stories themselves, the collection is brief and can be read in one sitting. But its imagery is memorable. The plots are terse and tightly structured. And London produces the most melancholy moments with just an implication as to their eventual development, leaving the resolutions to be played out in the readers' minds.
London did well to capture Hawaii at a moment that its Americanization was becoming complete. He knows the history of the Islands. And he understands the motivations of the people who arrived, the missionaries and traders, and the sense of loss of the native Hawaiians, who were overwhelmed with the immigration of Americans, British, Japanese, and Chinese.
If the impact of London's own earlier work is obvious on this volume, so, in turn, does the influence of London's Hawaii seem to play on later authors. Notably, James Michener. Michener must have been familiar with London's tales, for his own mammoth novel, Hawaii, not only is embedded with the themes and stories that London first explored but also shares something of the same viewpoint towards the various peoples who inhabit the Islands.
London did well to capture Hawaii at a moment that its Americanization was becoming complete. He knows the history of the Islands. And he understands the motivations of the people who arrived, the missionaries and traders, and the sense of loss of the native Hawaiians, who were overwhelmed with the immigration of Americans, British, Japanese, and Chinese.
If the impact of London's own earlier work is obvious on this volume, so, in turn, does the influence of London's Hawaii seem to play on later authors. Notably, James Michener. Michener must have been familiar with London's tales, for his own mammoth novel, Hawaii, not only is embedded with the themes and stories that London first explored but also shares something of the same viewpoint towards the various peoples who inhabit the Islands.
November 14, 2021
Having known Jack London only from childhood readings of White Fang and Call of the Wild, I was not expecting him to be such a philosopher, a poet, prosaic, a keen observer of humanity.
Across these six stories, London tackles the trappings of religion, the blessings and trials of family ties, colonization, love of woman - and a lot of leprosy, which must have been something quite prevalent on Hawaii at Jack's time.
With the exception of the thrilling Koolau the Leper, which features an exciting gunfight standoff, London is not as interested in plot as he is in character - describing a character, putting that character through some transformative event, and see how that character does or does not change under that pressure.
London also likes to use the device of retelling someone else's telling of a story. In this way he can have an outside perspective, give his own opinion - I guess - or it's just that he is literally writing down conversations he had with people during his time on Hawaii.
There's a little of the European veneration of the "native", a romanticizing of the religion and customs of the Hawaiians - that tendency to believe they're more in touch "with nature", or with "their true human nature", or with the "spiritual world". It can be a little cringe - that's pretty much the only negative I have here.
Favourite story: Chun Ah Chun. A delightful story of a immigrant Chinese man who grows greatly rich, and placidly deals with his offspring's attempts to get their hands on his wealth.
Would I re-read: yes. But there is still a wealth of other London short stories to get through first.
Across these six stories, London tackles the trappings of religion, the blessings and trials of family ties, colonization, love of woman - and a lot of leprosy, which must have been something quite prevalent on Hawaii at Jack's time.
With the exception of the thrilling Koolau the Leper, which features an exciting gunfight standoff, London is not as interested in plot as he is in character - describing a character, putting that character through some transformative event, and see how that character does or does not change under that pressure.
London also likes to use the device of retelling someone else's telling of a story. In this way he can have an outside perspective, give his own opinion - I guess - or it's just that he is literally writing down conversations he had with people during his time on Hawaii.
There's a little of the European veneration of the "native", a romanticizing of the religion and customs of the Hawaiians - that tendency to believe they're more in touch "with nature", or with "their true human nature", or with the "spiritual world". It can be a little cringe - that's pretty much the only negative I have here.
Favourite story: Chun Ah Chun. A delightful story of a immigrant Chinese man who grows greatly rich, and placidly deals with his offspring's attempts to get their hands on his wealth.
Would I re-read: yes. But there is still a wealth of other London short stories to get through first.
December 9, 2025
London nos lleva a viajar a la Polinesia con esta serie de relatos en los que describe las vidas y situaciones por las que pasaron personajes de su novela, sin dejar a un lado todo el torrente de descripciones paradisiacas de las islas.
Como se introdujo la Lepra en las islas a través de inmigrantes procedentes de Asia para trabajar en los campos de azúcar y como eran abandonados en la isla de Molokai al menor indicio certero o no (dado que de mano no existía método de detección), con lo cual se mezclaban verdaderos infectados con los que no lo estaban, hasta que poco más tarde se descubriría una “prueba infalible” para detectar el Bacillus leprae, tal y como él alude en la historia, y así excluir definitivamente de las listas a los sanos.
Nos cuenta historias como la del chino Ah Chun comerciante que se hace millonario y de su prole.
Todo el libro es una mezcla de temas como comercio del opio, surf, cafetales, campos de azúcar, y sobre todo la sensibilidad para describir un paraíso (especial mención a los vientos céfiros de la costa de Kona).
La actitud vitalista del escritor deja huella en el libro. No cabe duda de que ha vivido en primera persona circunstancias que luego nos transmitiría, la empatía, sensibilidad y pasión delata una vida muy intensa en la que tuvo que tocar fondo de alguna manera.
Como se introdujo la Lepra en las islas a través de inmigrantes procedentes de Asia para trabajar en los campos de azúcar y como eran abandonados en la isla de Molokai al menor indicio certero o no (dado que de mano no existía método de detección), con lo cual se mezclaban verdaderos infectados con los que no lo estaban, hasta que poco más tarde se descubriría una “prueba infalible” para detectar el Bacillus leprae, tal y como él alude en la historia, y así excluir definitivamente de las listas a los sanos.
Nos cuenta historias como la del chino Ah Chun comerciante que se hace millonario y de su prole.
Todo el libro es una mezcla de temas como comercio del opio, surf, cafetales, campos de azúcar, y sobre todo la sensibilidad para describir un paraíso (especial mención a los vientos céfiros de la costa de Kona).
La actitud vitalista del escritor deja huella en el libro. No cabe duda de que ha vivido en primera persona circunstancias que luego nos transmitiría, la empatía, sensibilidad y pasión delata una vida muy intensa en la que tuvo que tocar fondo de alguna manera.
December 12, 2021
En 1909 se publicó "La casa del orgullo", libro que contiene seis relatos cortos ambientados en las islas de Hawai. Las historias en general se centran en la relación entre la población autóctona y "el hombre blanco" que poco a poco se fue apoderando de todo el territorio. OPINIÓN: Jack London se adelanta a su tiempo con la crítica que realiza al proceso de colonización de las islas y el daño provocado a la población nativa. Las historias son muy humanas y además de conmover muestran al lector cómo se llevó a cabo el proceso y cómo se fue formando una sociedad donde los blancos se quedaron con casi todo. Especialmente recomiendo los relatos Kulau, el leproso, Chun Ah Chun y El sheriff de Kona.
"Vinieron con el noble propósito de enseñar a los kanakas la verdadera religión, el culto al Dios único y genuino e innegable. Tal fue el éxito de esa misión, así como la de civilizar al kanaka, que, en la segunda o tercera generación, el kanaka estaba prácticamente extinguido."
"Vinieron con el noble propósito de enseñar a los kanakas la verdadera religión, el culto al Dios único y genuino e innegable. Tal fue el éxito de esa misión, así como la de civilizar al kanaka, que, en la segunda o tercera generación, el kanaka estaba prácticamente extinguido."
March 7, 2025
Six underappreciated short stories by American novelist Jack London. First published in 1912.
The House of Pride – The white son of a prominent missionary suffers from wounded pride due to the debauchery and idleness of his Hawaiian half-brother.
Koolau the Leper – An honorable man afflicted with leprosy defends his right to remain free in the sacred Kalalau Valley on the island of Kauai.
Good-By, Jack – A white landowner has a difficult decision to make when the love of his life is diagnosed with leprosy and ordered into exile.
Aloha Oe – A Senator’s daughter learns the true meaning of the song “Aloha Oe” from a native Hawaiian surfing legend.
Chun Ah Chun – A Chinese immigrant seeks prosperity in the islands.
The Sheriff of Kona – A lawman with extraordinary strength and vitality is laid low by a dreaded disease.
The House of Pride – The white son of a prominent missionary suffers from wounded pride due to the debauchery and idleness of his Hawaiian half-brother.
Koolau the Leper – An honorable man afflicted with leprosy defends his right to remain free in the sacred Kalalau Valley on the island of Kauai.
Good-By, Jack – A white landowner has a difficult decision to make when the love of his life is diagnosed with leprosy and ordered into exile.
Aloha Oe – A Senator’s daughter learns the true meaning of the song “Aloha Oe” from a native Hawaiian surfing legend.
Chun Ah Chun – A Chinese immigrant seeks prosperity in the islands.
The Sheriff of Kona – A lawman with extraordinary strength and vitality is laid low by a dreaded disease.
May 23, 2021
This book made me finally realize why I’ve never been the biggest Jack London fan: he writes location and scenery beautifully, is bold enough to take on unfamiliar and interesting plots, but man oh man is he terrible at writing people, particularly if that person is a woman. I would have been happier with these stories if they had no females in them, so poorly did he write the women themselves and any interactions with the women by the men. Interesting topics, and I love his descriptions of Hawaii, but wow. Perhaps a bit of a product of his time, but this went above any beyond being attributable to only that. Glad I read it, but I don’t think I will seek out his writing much more in the future
June 9, 2019
London has such a voice! In this collection of short stories he explores the peoples and values and geography of Hawaii with respect and admiration. From old women sitting on a porch discussing the men who had significance in their past to the now-old man who dove into a cave to extract the shinbones of his ancestors, London populates his stories with people who might have been. I hope he really did meet all these folk. He wrote about "the maze of memory." I enjoyed reading about his recollection of those islands, learned more about a place I have so enjoyed.
October 16, 2024
“Llegaron como corderitos, con sus buenas palabras. Hicieron bien en llegar así, porque nosotros éramos muchos y muy fuertes, y éramos dueños de todas las islas. Como ya he dicho, llegaron con sus buenas palabras. Eran de dos tipos. El primer grupo nos pidió permiso, nuestro gracioso permiso, para predicar entre nosotros la palabra de Dios. El otro grupo pidió nuestro permiso, nuestro gracioso permiso, para comerciar con nosotros. Ése fue el comienzo. Hoy son dueños de todas las islas, de toda la tierra, de todo el ganado. Son los dueños de todo.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2024
My second Jack London book of short stories and very different indeed from the other as we have moved away from the Yukon as this is set in Hawaii. So the dilemmas and descriptions of the locals are played out in relation to the visitors who infected the islands not only with illness but with their values! Some tales I enjoyed more than others of course..the final instalment was Jack London describing the life which led him to writing and gives a fascinating insight into what made the man and a book I would like to read!
December 1, 2024
A short collection of short stories set in Hawaii. The stories do a very strong job of setting the scene of a mixture of native Hawaiians, mixed ancestry people, people with leprosy, missionaries, millionaires, Chinese origin, surfers (!) and others. They're less good on character and even less good on plot. But nicely conveys the flavor of a particular slice of Hawaii and there horrors of the approach the leprosy at the time.
January 19, 2023
I listened to an audiobook that had this collection and On the Makaloa Mat combined, though I didn't know it was a combination. I puzzled over why I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the second (I started skipping a few stories in the second half). Anyway, I liked this one, not so much Makaloa.
August 28, 2024
Mesmerizing stories by a master craftsman, Jack London. I have enjoyed this book over the decades, pulling it out at least once a year to read some of my favorite short stories. I lived for 6 years in the Hawaiian Islands and his stories give me a peak into what 'civilization' was like back then. Fascinating for this aspect alone!
August 19, 2021
Stories describing Hawaiian society in the late 18th/early 19th century I think. Includes stories set around the Molokai leper colony. Interesting. Jack London gives the impression of being a curious, interested, big-hearted person. A pleasant host to travel with.
August 28, 2017
Cuentos entretenidos, pero nada excepcional. Sólo para pasar un buen rato.
September 9, 2017
So glad that we found this book! Great stories of the old days in pre-statehood Hawaii. Pure Jack London too.
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August 8, 2021to-read
March 24, 2022
I loved hearing how much London obviously loved Hawaii but the stories themselves were just meh.
April 1, 2022
Mixed bag. Too many stories about the leper colony. Not enough evocation of Hawai'i the place.
June 10, 2022
A quick read as it is a series of short stories. Leprosy had such a huge impact on Hawaiians, yet it is talked about so little in other spaces.
March 27, 2023
"Life in Hawaii is a song."
March 28, 2023
Not the best of Jack's work in my opinion, but still quite solid.
Two stories stood out for me.
"Farewell, Jack" and "Choon A-Choon".
Two stories stood out for me.
"Farewell, Jack" and "Choon A-Choon".
July 3, 2023
I recommend reading it while in Hawaii. ❤️
December 28, 2023
While I’m not a huge fan of short stories, I do love Jack Londons writing and I find Hawaii and the people fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews