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Five Great Short Stories
One of the most widely read of all American writers, Jack London (1876–1916) based his novels and stories on the experiences and observations of a life that took him from the frozen wilds of the Klondike to the sun-drenched atolls of the South Seas. This volume presents a selection of five of his best stories, each brimming with the energy, color, and drive typical of London's vivid story-telling style.
"The White Silence," "In a Far Country," and "An Odyssey of the North" are suspenseful tales that bring the harshness of the frozen wilderness of the north powerfully to life. "The Seed of McCoy" reflects London's experience as a sailor in the South Pacific. The last story, "The Mexican," displays London's celebrated talents as a sportswriter in this sympathetic portrayal of a prizefighter working for the success of the Mexican Revolution. Here are five stories that epitomize Jack London's mastery of the adventure story and the compelling prose style that influenced generations of writers.
"The White Silence," "In a Far Country," and "An Odyssey of the North" are suspenseful tales that bring the harshness of the frozen wilderness of the north powerfully to life. "The Seed of McCoy" reflects London's experience as a sailor in the South Pacific. The last story, "The Mexican," displays London's celebrated talents as a sportswriter in this sympathetic portrayal of a prizefighter working for the success of the Mexican Revolution. Here are five stories that epitomize Jack London's mastery of the adventure story and the compelling prose style that influenced generations of writers.
96 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 1992
24 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Jack London
7,722 books7,718 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 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 12, 2025
Not my favorites of London’s work but I really appreciate his range of stories and their settings.
March 22, 2020
The Seed of McCoy, and The Mexican are fantastic tales, that gripped my attention all the way through.
But the others could not excite me in any way.
But the others could not excite me in any way.
December 27, 2014
Each of these five short stories kept me interested from start to finish.
We pampered Westerners live in times of great comfort, leisure, and isolation from nature. It is difficult for us to remember that we live in a very peculiar time and in a very peculiar setting. Typically, life brings with it much hardship, physical pain, uncertainty, and death. Nature is incomprehensibly unforgiving. However, people will trek on in the face of these difficulties - for what choice do you have? Sometimes people succeed, and sometimes people fail miserably (with failing often equaling death). We now live very different lives than those of the characters featured within Jack London's works. London reminds you of all this in these five short stories.
Some of the language relating to sailing and sledding was tough to get through (for I needed to keep at dictionary at my side to look up terms), but if this language had not been included the stories would not have been as vivid and as solidly anchored in a certain place and time.
We pampered Westerners live in times of great comfort, leisure, and isolation from nature. It is difficult for us to remember that we live in a very peculiar time and in a very peculiar setting. Typically, life brings with it much hardship, physical pain, uncertainty, and death. Nature is incomprehensibly unforgiving. However, people will trek on in the face of these difficulties - for what choice do you have? Sometimes people succeed, and sometimes people fail miserably (with failing often equaling death). We now live very different lives than those of the characters featured within Jack London's works. London reminds you of all this in these five short stories.
Some of the language relating to sailing and sledding was tough to get through (for I needed to keep at dictionary at my side to look up terms), but if this language had not been included the stories would not have been as vivid and as solidly anchored in a certain place and time.
January 11, 2017
Honestly, the first four stories were interesting but did little for me, but I would recommend The Mexican to anyone. Worth the price of the collection alone - even if that's not saying too much seeing as it's a Dover Thrift Edition.
July 3, 2023
“FIVE GREAT SHORT STORIES”
*first story is about travellers so short on supplies the sled dogs are turning cannibalistic, lead guy is brutally injured and demands his friend shoot him to save on supplies*
Me: THIS ISN’T GREAT
Spouse: That’s Jack London, what did you expect?!
(Caveat: I didn't finish reading, I was too depressed)
June 3, 2024
Uneven. The first 3 are of the Klondike goldrush and a bit convoluted. But the last two are special: The Seed of McCoy is an engaging tale of a ship of sail afire in the hold desperately seeking a beach to ditch for the crew to be saved, boarded by a most capable governor of Pitcairn Island . . . lots of suspense. The last story is The Mexican, a quiet but fierce boxer Rivera. Who knew that London was a good punch-by-punch storyteller? As good as my fav. Louie L'Amour at fist-flying combat.
January 17, 2026
Only found the last two stories (The Seed of McCoy and The Mexican) engaging and worth the read. I am not a huge fan of London's writing (thus far), so take my opinion with a grain of salt if you're a devoted fan.
July 7, 2017
Seed of McCoy alone is worth it, but all are gripping.
April 19, 2020
These are some really great stories. Enjoyable with well painted pictures of a lived experience I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
May 20, 2024
The beginning of each story was hard to interpret and read as incredibly pompous. By the end of most, I was hooked, but not super worth the effort and annoyance.
July 21, 2024
Nothing groundbreaking about these stories. Some I enjoyed more than others, and some were not great at all.
May 11, 2016
“From Frozen Climes to the Steamy Tropics “
The first three tales are set in London’s beloved but unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. The first two are short—grim and grimmer—as he warns of the insidious danger on Western man’s soul and psyche of the great White Silence on sunless Alaska, and the cruel indifference
of the uninhabited mountainous vastness. Man versus both Man and Nature are the themes which are played out with disastrous results.
But London’s unique style as storyteller—gripping our interest-- rises to the fore in the next three tales—each set in very different milieus. “An Odyssey of the North” depicts (actually, a tale within a tale) the lifelong search of an enamored but robbed Native American bridegroom for the woman who was stolen by a great, yellow-maned Nordic adventurer. The narrator pursues the elusive pair until their ultimate and inevitable destruction occurs. Fascinating reading!
In “The Seed of McCoy” London resurrects the grisly tale of the Mutiny on the Bounty which captured late 19th century popular imagination. The descendant of one of the ruthless mutineers, McCoy, now governor of Pitcairn Island, proves the antithesis of his progenitor; with mild manner and pervasive calm he offers to board a stricken ship in order to pilot her to a safe haven in the Dangerous Archipelago. Good men and desperate struggle for days to cope with the capricious strokes of heartless Nature. Will they survive against overwhelming odds? Gripping, gutsy adventure combined with a study in human nature.
The last tale, “The Mexican,” offers readers an entirely new setting, though it is not clear on which side of the border it takes place or which Revolution inspires the title youth. Technicalities—which do not in the least impact the increasing tension as the tale unfolds. A quiet but inwardly-seething youth offers himself to fight with the Junta, but his eyes burn with hatred for the injustices endured by his family. He willingly endures all forms of humiliation and social ostracism—just to wreak personal revenge on the hated dictator. Then Suddenly we are transported from Revolution preparation to the prize fight ring, where he wagers his body to earn the last money needed to start the Revolution. But it proves a crooked ring where the referee is not the only one against him. “Surrounded by treachery” Rivera, the lone wolf Mexican, will not surrender his goal, while coveting his hatred for Yankees in general. Mesmerizing. A great introduction to Jack London, the storyteller.
May 11, 2016
The first three tales are set in London’s beloved but unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. The first two are short—grim and grimmer—as he warns of the insidious danger on Western man’s soul and psyche of the great White Silence on sunless Alaska, and the cruel indifference
of the uninhabited mountainous vastness. Man versus both Man and Nature are the themes which are played out with disastrous results.
But London’s unique style as storyteller—gripping our interest-- rises to the fore in the next three tales—each set in very different milieus. “An Odyssey of the North” depicts (actually, a tale within a tale) the lifelong search of an enamored but robbed Native American bridegroom for the woman who was stolen by a great, yellow-maned Nordic adventurer. The narrator pursues the elusive pair until their ultimate and inevitable destruction occurs. Fascinating reading!
In “The Seed of McCoy” London resurrects the grisly tale of the Mutiny on the Bounty which captured late 19th century popular imagination. The descendant of one of the ruthless mutineers, McCoy, now governor of Pitcairn Island, proves the antithesis of his progenitor; with mild manner and pervasive calm he offers to board a stricken ship in order to pilot her to a safe haven in the Dangerous Archipelago. Good men and desperate struggle for days to cope with the capricious strokes of heartless Nature. Will they survive against overwhelming odds? Gripping, gutsy adventure combined with a study in human nature.
The last tale, “The Mexican,” offers readers an entirely new setting, though it is not clear on which side of the border it takes place or which Revolution inspires the title youth. Technicalities—which do not in the least impact the increasing tension as the tale unfolds. A quiet but inwardly-seething youth offers himself to fight with the Junta, but his eyes burn with hatred for the injustices endured by his family. He willingly endures all forms of humiliation and social ostracism—just to wreak personal revenge on the hated dictator. Then Suddenly we are transported from Revolution preparation to the prize fight ring, where he wagers his body to earn the last money needed to start the Revolution. But it proves a crooked ring where the referee is not the only one against him. “Surrounded by treachery” Rivera, the lone wolf Mexican, will not surrender his goal, while coveting his hatred for Yankees in general. Mesmerizing. A great introduction to Jack London, the storyteller.
May 11, 2016
January 27, 2016
If it weren't for Jack London, I wouldn't know the terror of the North. He is the ultimate writer on the brutality of cold.
The first three stories in this collection conform to our usual expectations for Jack London: stories of death and survival in the Klondike.
The last two show a different side. The Seed of McCoy gives us London's take on the real life Lord of the Flies, Pitcairn Island. The Mexican gives us London's take on the Mexican revolution. Both flesh out the author London as not just a writer of the North and of fear but as a man with a profound respect for peace and a champion of the oppressed.
The first three stories in this collection conform to our usual expectations for Jack London: stories of death and survival in the Klondike.
The last two show a different side. The Seed of McCoy gives us London's take on the real life Lord of the Flies, Pitcairn Island. The Mexican gives us London's take on the Mexican revolution. Both flesh out the author London as not just a writer of the North and of fear but as a man with a profound respect for peace and a champion of the oppressed.
September 6, 2015
Surprisingly, I enjoyed this short book of short stories. I'm not much of a fan of short stories - they always seem so incomplete to me. However, London does a good job of character development and action and resolution in each of these stories, that I wasn't left wanting more.
There are 3 stories set in his signature Yukon territory, 1 story is a sailing story (probably my least fave of the 5) and the last story is about boxing and revolution.
I read this for my 2015 reading challenge, "short story" category. Recommended for a taste of London if you haven't read him before.
There are 3 stories set in his signature Yukon territory, 1 story is a sailing story (probably my least fave of the 5) and the last story is about boxing and revolution.
I read this for my 2015 reading challenge, "short story" category. Recommended for a taste of London if you haven't read him before.
January 9, 2014
My husband and son love Jack London books. These stories were very well written but a bit too violent and raw for me.
Want to read
December 27, 2011'The Mexican'
October 17, 2014
The title is no exaggeration--London could really spin a yarn. Does anyone read him any more?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews