To Build a Fire and Other Tales of the North

by Jack London

To Build a Fire and Other Stories , originally published in 1916 under the title Lost Face , is a collection of adventure stories set in the North American Arctic and Pacific Northwest. These tales feature characters, mostly men, struggling against the harsh elements and the unpredictable nature of the wilderness. The title story follows an unnamed protagonist as he treks alone through the Alaskan Yukon, where he must battle extreme cold and treacherous terrain to survive. Along the way, he faces a number of challenges, including a lack of preparation, the animal kingdom, and his own pride. Ultimately, he must make a choice between life and death, and the consequences of his decision will stay with him for the rest of his life. Other stories in this collection explore themes of courage, loyalty, and the human spirit. Each tale is written with London's characteristic wit and insight, making To Build a Fire and Other Stories a timeless classic of adventure fiction.

. This collection includes the following, beloved short Jack London (1876-1916) is one of the most renowned adventure and fiction authors in history, known for works such as The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and The Sea Wolf. He was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876 in San Francisco, California. London was the illegitimate son of astrologer William Chaney and Flora Wellman, a spiritualist and journalist. His mother married John London shortly after Jack's birth, and the family moved to Oakland, California. London's writing career began at the age of 17, when he worked as a reporter for the Oakland Herald. He then left school and began working aboard a sealing schooner, an adventure he later wrote about in The Sea Wolf . Later, he joined the Klondike Gold Rush and had a variety of experiences which he wrote about in his stories and novels. In 1900, London published his first novel, The Son of the Wolf . This was followed by a series of highly successful novels and stories, such as The Call of the Wild and White Fang . His works often featured themes of nature, adventure, and survival against extreme odds. London was also a socialist, and many of his works reflect his views on politics, social justice, and the environment. Jack London died of a kidney ailment on November 22, 1916 in Glen Ellen, California. He is remembered as one of the greatest authors of his time and his works continue to be widely read today.

106 pages, Paperback

Published February 14, 2020

About the author

John 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".

Reviews

[Graeme Strachan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me quite some time to finish this book, almost 3 years off and on, but it’s been worth it. London’s stories are darkly comic, bleak and often as harsh as the winters he describes.

Lost Face and To Build a Fire are easily the best but the others are a medley of interesting conundrums and explorations of human greed, stupidity and cleverness.

Wrap up warm if you plan to read it. It gets chilly.

[Hal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read “White Fang” and “Call of the Wild” when I was much younger and liked them both, but there was nothing enjoyable about any of these stories. They are bleak, harsh, and rather depressing. I managed to finish the book because it was so short, which is why I gave it two stars instead of one. I cannot, however, recommend it.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories each stand on their own but live within the same environment. You sense the harshness of the characters’ lives. I wouldn’t describe this as enjoyable or entertaining. There was nothing uplifting within these tales. But the book is a solid read and well paced.

[Nick O'R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty rough stuff here. London handles the rather bleak material very well though.

[Pablo Ramos Figueroa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hay alguna historia que merece la pena pero odio cómo escribe el ciudadano este