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Dogs of the Islands #2
Mihail, câine de circ
Michael, a likeable, gentle dog, is found on the beach by the crewmen of a whaleboat who believe he can be a turned into a profitable show dog. However, such an endeavor cannot be launched without cruelty to the animal.
263 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1917
19 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Jack London
7,756 books7,759 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 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 23, 2021
Genel olarak iyi ama Beyaz Diş kadar etkileyici bir hikaye değil...
June 28, 2023
kitabı okuduktan sonra köpek sahipleneniz geliyor tertemiz sevgiyi anlatan güzel bi eser londonun yazdığı birşeyin kötü olduğunu görmedim daha
December 22, 2022
Michael, an Irish terrier, was born and raised in the Solomon Islands. The dog now works as a slave hunter aboard a schooner on a mission to recruit native islanders for work. One day the captain accidentally leaves Michael on a beach and sails away. Michael was then abducted by Dag Daughtry, a steward on another ship, who initially planned to sell the dog for money. Daughtry is the real protagonist of the novel, rather than Michael. The story follows the steward’s escapades from ship to ship and port to port while Michael faithfully tags along for the ride. However, later he got attached to Michael and takes the dog to a trip around the world. That is when the adventures begin.
A major theme in the book is how various animals are taught to perform for the public. In his foreword to the novel, London explains that the purpose of this book is to expose the cruel abuse suffered by animals in the world of trained animal entertainment. This subject doesn’t really enter the novel until roughly its final third. London’s depiction of the business of animal taming is most likely a mixture of investigative journalism and sensational exaggeration. Everyone in that line of work is depicted as a complete sadist, to such an extent that it’s difficult to fathom why they would engage in the active destruction of the very animals they’ve invested in. Nevertheless, at least the book tries to make a point. London is often at his best when he’s being preachy, and his enthusiastic devotion to the fight against cruelty to animals serves to enliven the book considerably.
This book was published in in 1917. The story is no fluffy puppy story. It is exciting, the locations exotic, but some of the situations are brutal - it's a Jack London story after all, and the 'N' word appears at least a million times. It is a great opportunity to talk about just what happened to people of color, how they were treated, and why they might be justifiably angry about it. Some of the statements made would not fit very well with today's race sensitive attitudes in this country. With that being said, it still is a dog story, and the adventures are seen through the eyes of the dog. There is a lot of details and particularly detailed descriptions of how the dog thinks, and acts in different situations. When reading this book, you have to have an open mind. If you can get through all the racist characters and situations, it's not bad story but not one of London's great stories.
A major theme in the book is how various animals are taught to perform for the public. In his foreword to the novel, London explains that the purpose of this book is to expose the cruel abuse suffered by animals in the world of trained animal entertainment. This subject doesn’t really enter the novel until roughly its final third. London’s depiction of the business of animal taming is most likely a mixture of investigative journalism and sensational exaggeration. Everyone in that line of work is depicted as a complete sadist, to such an extent that it’s difficult to fathom why they would engage in the active destruction of the very animals they’ve invested in. Nevertheless, at least the book tries to make a point. London is often at his best when he’s being preachy, and his enthusiastic devotion to the fight against cruelty to animals serves to enliven the book considerably.
This book was published in in 1917. The story is no fluffy puppy story. It is exciting, the locations exotic, but some of the situations are brutal - it's a Jack London story after all, and the 'N' word appears at least a million times. It is a great opportunity to talk about just what happened to people of color, how they were treated, and why they might be justifiably angry about it. Some of the statements made would not fit very well with today's race sensitive attitudes in this country. With that being said, it still is a dog story, and the adventures are seen through the eyes of the dog. There is a lot of details and particularly detailed descriptions of how the dog thinks, and acts in different situations. When reading this book, you have to have an open mind. If you can get through all the racist characters and situations, it's not bad story but not one of London's great stories.
February 7, 2020
Am Anfang war ich enttäuscht- Michael zieht sich ganz schön, während ich bei Jerry sofort begeistert war. Das letzte Drittel des Buches ist dafür fast stärker als Jerry war. Ein wirklich bemerkenswertes Buch!
March 11, 2024
An important novel to read for its expose of animal cruelty in circuses and vaudeville.
April 25, 2016
Michael is a dog. An exceptional dog. A rough-coated, crinkle eared Irish terrier, playful and intelligent, he can effectively count to five and 'sing' 'Home, Sweet Home' and 'Shenandoah' amongst others.
His story takes him from the Solomon islands to San Francisco, then all the way across America and back again, at times the beloved companion to a master he adores, at other times a wretched prisoner to human callousness and cruelty.
Posthumously published I believe, London retreads many of the observations he had made in his previous doggie books here, how they view humans as their gods, how the ancestral pack calls out to them in their dreams etc.
I don't mind him saying those same things in slightly different words. I enjoy his take on it.
He had a specific purpose this time around though, over and above merely delivering another stirring canine adventure story, which he still managed to do in spades during the first half of the narrative.
When Michael is forcibly separated from the loving master who steals him at the start of the book, the drunken, likable ship steward Dag Daughtry, he falls into the hands of animal trainers. What's so bad about that, right? Surely animal trainers love their companions?
Think again. Sticks, whips, clubs, starvation, spiked collars, spiked saddles, electrified cages - these are the methods by which animals are trained to perform on call. Not love, but fear is the motivation.
London obviously loved dogs. I don't think any other writer understood them quite like he did. He doesn't anthropomorphize them as such, just tries to consider them on their own terms, but very much within the context of their relations with humans.
'Whatever the human soul may be—informing spirit, identity, personality, consciousness—that intangible thing Michael certainly possessed. His soul, differing only in degree, partook of the same attributes as the human soul.'
I don't know if that's true, but I hope so.
His story takes him from the Solomon islands to San Francisco, then all the way across America and back again, at times the beloved companion to a master he adores, at other times a wretched prisoner to human callousness and cruelty.
Posthumously published I believe, London retreads many of the observations he had made in his previous doggie books here, how they view humans as their gods, how the ancestral pack calls out to them in their dreams etc.
I don't mind him saying those same things in slightly different words. I enjoy his take on it.
He had a specific purpose this time around though, over and above merely delivering another stirring canine adventure story, which he still managed to do in spades during the first half of the narrative.
When Michael is forcibly separated from the loving master who steals him at the start of the book, the drunken, likable ship steward Dag Daughtry, he falls into the hands of animal trainers. What's so bad about that, right? Surely animal trainers love their companions?
Think again. Sticks, whips, clubs, starvation, spiked collars, spiked saddles, electrified cages - these are the methods by which animals are trained to perform on call. Not love, but fear is the motivation.
London obviously loved dogs. I don't think any other writer understood them quite like he did. He doesn't anthropomorphize them as such, just tries to consider them on their own terms, but very much within the context of their relations with humans.
'Whatever the human soul may be—informing spirit, identity, personality, consciousness—that intangible thing Michael certainly possessed. His soul, differing only in degree, partook of the same attributes as the human soul.'
I don't know if that's true, but I hope so.
February 3, 2017
The Ancient Mariner, fraud of a man, still more of a man than many men claims to be.
The Steward with whom you could entrust your life.
The slave with whom you could entrust your property.
Killiney Boy with whom you could entrust your humanity.
The Kannan Ranch which is itself not anything less than a paradise.
Jack London knew how to write a good ending.
The Steward with whom you could entrust your life.
The slave with whom you could entrust your property.
Killiney Boy with whom you could entrust your humanity.
The Kannan Ranch which is itself not anything less than a paradise.
Jack London knew how to write a good ending.
February 22, 2010
A fascinating, unfaiirly unprized "dog storie" by the Master of wolf/dog stories - Jack London. This book, along with its twin - "Jerry of the Islands", will be perfect read for everyone who loved the stories about White Fang and Buck.
March 21, 2020
Sonunun mutlu bitmesi için aklima gelmeyen senaryo kalmadi, her ne kadar sevsem de Jack London'i bu kitabi bana yalnizca mutsuzluk getirdi ve bitirene kadar gün gün öldüğümü hissettim. Yazar muazzam, kitap sürükleyici, başlangıç ve ortalar güzel ama sonu cok umutsuz.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2018
Mi primer libro de London! Una aventura preciosa!
May 12, 2021
Cât timp fusese pe bordul vasului Eugenie, Mihail nu plecase niciodată din Tulagi ca vânător de negri. Din cinci în cinci săptămâni ancora ta Tulagi şi steamerul Makambo, venind dinspre Noua Guinee şi Shortlands. În drum spre Australia. Într-o seară însă căpitanul Kellar, fiind foarte grăbit, îl uită pe Mihail pe ţărm. La drept vorbind nu era nicio nenorocire, pentru cu pe la miezul nopţii căpitanul Kellar se afla din nou pe ţărm, şi urca dealul spre vila guvernatorului, în timp ce echipajul pornea să scotocească împrejurimile şi hangarele de bărci.Şi iată cum s-au petrecut lucrurile: cu un ceas mai devreme, pe când Makambo îşi ridica ancora, iar căpitanul Kellar cobora de pe Eugenie pe pasarela de la babord, Mihail se urca pe vasul ce tocmai pleca, intrând pe fereastra unei cabine din tribord. Lucrurile s-au petrecut aşa pentru că Mihail nu avea încă şcoala vieţii şi se aştepta să-l întâlnească pe Jerry pe bordul vasului Makambo. Ultima oară tot pe un vas îl întâlnise şi se împrieteniseră.
Pe Makambo era stewardul Dag Daughtry; un om ca el ar fi putut să ştie mult mai multe lucruri, ba chiar ar fi putut să facă o treabă mai bună în viaţă, dacă nu s-ar fi lăsat ameţit de faima pe care o avea. Fire veselă şi blinda, puternic şi bine legat, i se dusese vestea că în douăzeci ele ani nu lipsise o singură zi de la lucru, dar nici de la cele şase sticle de bere de câte un litru ― nici chiar atunci când, după cum se lăuda el, naviga în apele insulelor germane, unde fiecare sticlă de bere conţinea zece decigrame de chinină împotriva frigurilor.
Căpitanul de pe Makambo (şi înaintea lui căpitanii de pe Moresby, Masena, Sir Edward Grace şi de pe alte vase cu nume ciudate, care aparţineau companiei Burns Philp) avea obiceiul să-l arate cu mândrie pasagerilor, ca pe o pasăre rara în analele marinăriei. În asemenea împrejurări, Dag Daughtry, care îşi vedea de treabă jos, pe puntea din faţă, făcându-se că nu vede nimic, dar trăgând cu coada ochiului spre puntea de comandă de unde îl priveau căpitanul şi pasagerii, îşi umfla pieptul de mândrie, pentru că ştia ce spune căpitanul: Priviţi-l vă rog! Asta-i Dag Daughtry, omul butoi. În douăzeci de ani de serviciu pe mare n-a fost niciodată nici beat, nici treaz, şi, n-a uitat niciodată de cele şase sticle de bere pe zi. Când îl vezi nu-ţi vine-a crede, dar vă asigur că aşa e!
Pe Makambo era stewardul Dag Daughtry; un om ca el ar fi putut să ştie mult mai multe lucruri, ba chiar ar fi putut să facă o treabă mai bună în viaţă, dacă nu s-ar fi lăsat ameţit de faima pe care o avea. Fire veselă şi blinda, puternic şi bine legat, i se dusese vestea că în douăzeci ele ani nu lipsise o singură zi de la lucru, dar nici de la cele şase sticle de bere de câte un litru ― nici chiar atunci când, după cum se lăuda el, naviga în apele insulelor germane, unde fiecare sticlă de bere conţinea zece decigrame de chinină împotriva frigurilor.
Căpitanul de pe Makambo (şi înaintea lui căpitanii de pe Moresby, Masena, Sir Edward Grace şi de pe alte vase cu nume ciudate, care aparţineau companiei Burns Philp) avea obiceiul să-l arate cu mândrie pasagerilor, ca pe o pasăre rara în analele marinăriei. În asemenea împrejurări, Dag Daughtry, care îşi vedea de treabă jos, pe puntea din faţă, făcându-se că nu vede nimic, dar trăgând cu coada ochiului spre puntea de comandă de unde îl priveau căpitanul şi pasagerii, îşi umfla pieptul de mândrie, pentru că ştia ce spune căpitanul: Priviţi-l vă rog! Asta-i Dag Daughtry, omul butoi. În douăzeci de ani de serviciu pe mare n-a fost niciodată nici beat, nici treaz, şi, n-a uitat niciodată de cele şase sticle de bere pe zi. Când îl vezi nu-ţi vine-a crede, dar vă asigur că aşa e!
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December 8, 2024Okurken duygulandığım, hüzünlendiğim ender kitaplar arasında yerini aldı Katıksız Sevgi. Çünkü kurgunun içinde gerçeklik, gerçekliğin içinde de acı barındırıyordu.
Michael isimli akıllı mı akıllı bir köpek ve onu sahiplenen Dag Daughtry isimli genç bir adamın hikayesi anlatılıyor. Yaşamı denizlerde geçen Dag Daughtry, kendine yoldaş edindiği Michael ile pek çok badireler atlatıyor, pek çok yerlerde konaklayıp, vakit geçiriyor.
Ancak bu yoldaşlık Michael de gözü olan ve onu almak isteyen kötü niyetli bir doktorun oyunu ile son buluyor. Doktor, Daughtry' in cüzam olduğunu ve artık köpeğinin onunla kalamayacağını söyleyerek ikisinin yollarını ayırıyor.
Zavallı Michael, elden ele, evden eve, sirkten sirke geziyor. Acımasız birçok insanın işkencesine maruz kalıyor, dayak yöntemi ile oyunlar öğretilip sahibine para kazandırmak için elinden geleni yapıyor.
Okurken gerçekten çok hüzünlendim. Çünkü hayvanlara karşı çok hassas bir yapım var ve bu romanda da hayvanlara yapılan eziyeti tüm çıplaklığı ile görüyor insan. Aslında insan dediğimiz canlının para, hırs ve şöhret uğruna ne kadar çirkinleşebileceğini, masum canlılara ne tür eziyetler yapabileceğini sorguladım okurken. Ve okudukça üzüldüm, okudukça ezim ezim ezildim. İnsanlığımdan utandım. Çok öğretici, ders çıkartıcı ve vicdanı titreten bu kitabı okumanızı öneririm. Zaten Jack London' un kitapları genel olarak güzeldir. Bu kitabı da öyle. Herkese keyifli okumalar...
Michael isimli akıllı mı akıllı bir köpek ve onu sahiplenen Dag Daughtry isimli genç bir adamın hikayesi anlatılıyor. Yaşamı denizlerde geçen Dag Daughtry, kendine yoldaş edindiği Michael ile pek çok badireler atlatıyor, pek çok yerlerde konaklayıp, vakit geçiriyor.
Ancak bu yoldaşlık Michael de gözü olan ve onu almak isteyen kötü niyetli bir doktorun oyunu ile son buluyor. Doktor, Daughtry' in cüzam olduğunu ve artık köpeğinin onunla kalamayacağını söyleyerek ikisinin yollarını ayırıyor.
Zavallı Michael, elden ele, evden eve, sirkten sirke geziyor. Acımasız birçok insanın işkencesine maruz kalıyor, dayak yöntemi ile oyunlar öğretilip sahibine para kazandırmak için elinden geleni yapıyor.
Okurken gerçekten çok hüzünlendim. Çünkü hayvanlara karşı çok hassas bir yapım var ve bu romanda da hayvanlara yapılan eziyeti tüm çıplaklığı ile görüyor insan. Aslında insan dediğimiz canlının para, hırs ve şöhret uğruna ne kadar çirkinleşebileceğini, masum canlılara ne tür eziyetler yapabileceğini sorguladım okurken. Ve okudukça üzüldüm, okudukça ezim ezim ezildim. İnsanlığımdan utandım. Çok öğretici, ders çıkartıcı ve vicdanı titreten bu kitabı okumanızı öneririm. Zaten Jack London' un kitapları genel olarak güzeldir. Bu kitabı da öyle. Herkese keyifli okumalar...
May 30, 2022
If I were rating this story just on the adventure, then I would rate it highly. There are many adventures that take place in this story including a ship destroyed by a whale. However, as a whole, I rate this story low for several reasons:
- This is another racist Jack London novel and if it's possible, the bar is actually pushed higher than some of London's other racist novels (not all of London's novels are racist).
- There are no virtuous characters in this story except Michael and Michael is a dog.
- The last third of the novel can be viewed as a manual of how to torture animals of all kinds: dogs, cats, bears, lions, tigers, elephants, etc.
Human characters in this story in general try to screw other characters of their property and money and then when those characters find others who are as morally corrupt as they are, they join forces and help each other screw more characters out of property and money, their justification being that the people they're robbing are more morally corrupt than they are.
Michael like Jerry, is taught to show aggression towards blacks. My comments to Jack London's "Jerry of the Islands: A True Dog Story" holds for this novel here as well however, Michael does far less chasing than his brother in the novel mentioned above simply because there are fewer black characters in the Michael novel.
- This is another racist Jack London novel and if it's possible, the bar is actually pushed higher than some of London's other racist novels (not all of London's novels are racist).
- There are no virtuous characters in this story except Michael and Michael is a dog.
- The last third of the novel can be viewed as a manual of how to torture animals of all kinds: dogs, cats, bears, lions, tigers, elephants, etc.
Human characters in this story in general try to screw other characters of their property and money and then when those characters find others who are as morally corrupt as they are, they join forces and help each other screw more characters out of property and money, their justification being that the people they're robbing are more morally corrupt than they are.
Michael like Jerry, is taught to show aggression towards blacks. My comments to Jack London's "Jerry of the Islands: A True Dog Story" holds for this novel here as well however, Michael does far less chasing than his brother in the novel mentioned above simply because there are fewer black characters in the Michael novel.
November 19, 2025
Ο Μάικλ ένα ευφυές Ιρλανδικό τεριέ αρχικά ζει στα νησιά του Σολομώντα, όπου χρησιμοποιείται σε μια σκούνα για το κυνήγι σκλάβων (στρατολόγηση ιθαγενών εργατών). Κατά λάθος, ο καπετάνιος τον εγκαταλείπει σε μια παραλία. Εκεί τον βρίσκει ο Νταγκ Ντάουτρι, ένας επιστάτης σε άλλο πλοίο, ο οποίος, αν και αρχικά σχεδιάζει να τον πουλήσει, τελικά δένεται μαζί του και τον παίρνει σε ένα ταξίδι σε όλο τον κόσμο.
Στη συνέχεια, η πλοκή μετατοπίζεται στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, όπου ο Μάικλ καταλήγει στον σκληρό κόσμο των τσίρκων και των εκπαιδευτών ζώων. Εκεί, υφίσταται σκληρή εκπαίδευση και βία για να μάθει κόλπα και να διασκεδάζει το κοινό ....
Στο βιβλίο τονίζεται ο βαθύς δεσμός αφοσίωσης που μπορεί να αναπτυχθεί μεταξύ ενός σκύλου και του αφεντικού του, σε αντίθεση με την απάνθρωπη συμπεριφορά των εκμεταλλευτών .
Ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να αποδώσει τις σκέψεις και τα συναισθήματα του Μάικλ με βιολογικό ρεαλισμό, χωρίς να τον εξανθρωπίζει υπερβολικά.
Το θέμα της κακοποίησης στα τσίρκα καταλαμβάνει κυρίως το τελευταίο τρίτο του βιβλίου .
Σύσταση:Αυθεντικό και ειλικρινές .
Στη συνέχεια, η πλοκή μετατοπίζεται στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, όπου ο Μάικλ καταλήγει στον σκληρό κόσμο των τσίρκων και των εκπαιδευτών ζώων. Εκεί, υφίσταται σκληρή εκπαίδευση και βία για να μάθει κόλπα και να διασκεδάζει το κοινό ....
Στο βιβλίο τονίζεται ο βαθύς δεσμός αφοσίωσης που μπορεί να αναπτυχθεί μεταξύ ενός σκύλου και του αφεντικού του, σε αντίθεση με την απάνθρωπη συμπεριφορά των εκμεταλλευτών .
Ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να αποδώσει τις σκέψεις και τα συναισθήματα του Μάικλ με βιολογικό ρεαλισμό, χωρίς να τον εξανθρωπίζει υπερβολικά.
Το θέμα της κακοποίησης στα τσίρκα καταλαμβάνει κυρίως το τελευταίο τρίτο του βιβλίου .
Σύσταση:Αυθεντικό και ειλικρινές .
May 12, 2023
Вторая собачья история. Хотя это должно быть, "Джерри, брат Майкла", но так получилось, что из двух братьев Джерри был поименован первым. Я вообще не люблю собак, но здесь про гениального пса. Здесь две истории самого Майкла, который сделал карьеру в цирке в руках жестоких и тупых укротителей. И история стюарда Доутри, которая может идти отдельно и из человека вызывавшего отвращение в начале: "вор собак", этот человек вызывает симпатию в конце его истории. Джек Лондон решил пощадить читателя и сделал счастливый конец, Стюард, Моряк и слуга-абориген оказываются на райском острове, хоть и с проказой. Майкл, пусть жизнь его тяжело и неисправимо потрепала, оказывается воссоединен со своей семьей. К сожалению в счастливый конец здесь верится слабо.
April 10, 2022
I love the books in which the protagonists are dogs but when not tortured i was so tense reading, even though I skipped the torture parts... Also the end wasn't like I hoped 😔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2025
“Tek kad se nešto nemogućno desi, život postane vredan življenja.”
March 11, 2017
Het beste kinderboek uit mijn jeugd dat me nog altijd zal bijblijven.
September 23, 2016
Майкл — ирландский терьер, сообразительный пёс. Ему бы радовать хозяина, а не в цирке выступать. Жизнь так просто не делится счастьем — нужно заслужить на него право. Для этого необходимо пройти ряд испытаний, начиная от морских путешествий и заканчивая осознанием творимых людьми зверств. Многое произойдёт с Майклом, покуда читатель не начнёт сомневаться в логичности описываемых злосчастий собаки. Может оказаться, будто Лондон представил в образе главного героя именно себя: сообразительного, способного и обречённого на страдания, ожидая разрешения, может быть в духе Мартина Идена.
(c) Trounin
(c) Trounin
January 8, 2009
Published posthumously this book is basically a 200 page setup for a 75 page lecture on the horrors of animal training, with a sappy ending thrown on for a closer.
Currently reading
July 25, 2012Is it odd to say the beginning reminded me of Moby Dick? I'm most interested in the critique of how show animals were trained so I must confess I skipped ahead to the very depressing chapter 25.
July 3, 2016
İlk 150 sayfadan sonrası okuyucuyu içine çekiyor. Öncesi tipik Jack London denizcilik hikayesi...
October 17, 2019
Un po' forte in certi punti, che lascia continuamente con il fiato sospeso sul destino di Micheal.
June 5, 2009
Decent book-- hard to take animal rights seriously in the face of so many N words though.
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