Many remember and love the works of the American writer Jack London, who became famous thanks to his adventure novels and stories. He was especially popular in the USSR, where the number of his books was a record for a foreign writer - more than 77 million copies.
Jack London began an independent life very early, he had to endure many hardships. Working from school, he led an interesting and vibrant life, was able to collect material for his works. He was able to draw a peculiar world full of human activity, energy, action, talk about the struggle with nature, about the best qualities of man, as well as about his base instincts.
The writer was an excellent connoisseur of animals and with great love told about their mores and behavior in his novels and novels. You will learn about the contrast between nature and civilization, about people with different characters and moral values, about adventures and much more if you read these works.
We present you the top 10 best books of Jack London: a list of the most famous works of the writer - exciting novels.
10. Love of life
This is a story written in 1905. The main character was betrayed and abandoned by his comrade. He is forced to cross the Canadian tundra, and during this dangerous journey he loses his gun and hat, gets a leg injury. A man is faced with a bear, forced to fight with a sick wolf. Half dead, half mad, he still gets to his goal.
Interestingly, «Love of life"Read V.I. Lenin Nadezhda Krupskaya 2 days before his death, and he really liked him. Nadezhda Konstantinovna herself also believed that this was a very powerful thing.
9. Call of the ancestors
This is one of the earliest works of the writer, created in 1903. Many attribute it to children's literature, because the main character of the story is a dog. But experts believe that this is a very mature work, the depth of the idea of the book makes it interesting for adults as well.
Jack London during the gold rush visited Klondike, where he was heading through Alaska. There he saw many sled dogs and was able to collect material for his work.
The action of the story "Call of the Ancestors"Occurs in Canada during the gold rush, when large and strong dogs were in demand. Dog Back, who once lived on a shepherd's ranch, becomes a sled dog. He has a hard time because of the mistreatment of his masters and the cruelty of other dogs, but he was able to survive and defend his freedom. Beck's prototype was a dog that belonged to Jack's friends, a cross between St. Bernard and the Scottish Collie.
8. The Wanderer by the Stars
Another name for this novel is “Interstellar wanderer" or "Straitjacket". He talks about a prisoner in San Quentin Prison who was sentenced to death. Darrell was forced to sit in solitary confinement, where he was repeatedly tortured: they put on the so-called straitjacket. This piece of tarpaulin pulled his body, causing angina pectoris. In order not to suffer, he tries to enter a state similar to a trance in which he begins to travel among the stars, recalls his past incarnations.
The action of the novel "Star Wanderer"Based on real facts. San Quentin really used straitjackets. This was told to Jack London by convict Ed Morrell, who himself was once a gangster, spent 14 years in prison, 5 of them in solitary confinement. The writer helped him go free.
7. Smoke Bellew
This is a rather famous cycle of novels and short stories written in the years 1911-1912. He talks about a certain Keith Bellew, who for a long time was engaged in routine work. But somehow he had the opportunity to radically change his life, and he took advantage of it.
The North found out about a new man, Smoke Bellew, who climbed to the top of Chilkut, visited Klondike, participated in dog races and experienced many other adventures.
The book "Smoke Bellew"- about true friendship and love, light, entertaining, was written with humor. But the author did not portray harsh reality, but showed an idealized, fascinating world where any adventure ends well.
6. Little mistress of a big house
The novel was completed at the end of the writer's life, he called it his best work. He is full of intrigue, but at the same time he glorifies nobility and honor. The plot of the novel "Little mistress of a big house"Is rather unusual with an unexpected ending, he talks about the" love triangle ", about 3 personalities with deep feelings.
This novel was created in a genre unusual for the author. Therefore, after publication, the contemporaries of the writer left a lot of bad reviews. But Jack London himself had a different opinion, he said that this book was not like everything that he had created before, but that was what he had been striving for all his writing life.
5. White Fang
An adventure story written in 1906 that tells about the White Fang, the half-dog, half-wolf, about his adventures, a difficult fate. Everything happens at the end of the 19th century, during the gold rush in Alaska. The narration is conducted on behalf of the White Fang, we seem to see everything that is happening through his eyes. We see how people can relate to animals in different ways.
Also, the reader, getting acquainted with the story "White Fang”, Is faced with the vastness of the northern lands, with unique natural landscapes, where nature is harsh, but fair. For good animals pay good, love is answered with love.
4. Moon Valley
The novel is a writer utopia, born in 1913, which shows that Jack London was disappointed in socialism, but showed interest in scientific farming. He talks about a girl and a working-class guy, Saxon and Bill. They meet at dances, fall in love and marry.
At first, the newlyweds are doing well: well-established family life, the first-born should soon be born. But the workers' strike begins, in which Bill also participates. She turns everything upside down, such, seemingly, strong family happiness collapses. Will he be able to save it?
The book "Moon valley"Is not as famous as other works of London, but, nevertheless, it is regularly reprinted.
3. Sea Wolf
In 1904, this novel was written. He talks about the captain of the fishing schooner Phantom, whose name is Wolf Larsen. The prototype of the protagonist was Alexander MacLane, the most famous poacher of the late 19th century, who was once incredibly poor, but could become the owner of yachts and ships. Everyone called him “Sea Wolf”, which can be translated as “pirate”.
When London began working on the novel "Sea wolf“MacLane was 45 years old, he was already a legend, he was wanted by 5 states, including Russia. He was suspected of killing 70 people. And this controversial character became the main character of his novel. As in the book, life itself was even with McLain, his body was found on the coast of Canada in 1914. What it was, an accident or a murder, is still unknown.
2. The hearts of three
One of the last novels of Jack London, published in 1919 - 1920. This is his 50th book co-written by screenwriter Charles Goddard. The writer admitted that he decided to write this novel, because fresh plots for cinema were needed.
«Hearts of three"Talks about Francis, a wealthy heir who would like to find the pirate treasures of Henry Morgan in South America. And he finds that more than any wealth - true love and friendship.
1. Martin Eden
This is an autobiographical work of Jack London, because there is much in common between the future writer and his hero Martin Eden. He is also a native of the lower classes and was able to achieve much thanks to his efforts and success in the literary field.
Jack London has tried many professions, so he can reliably talk about the work of a sailor, factory worker or laundry. But there are differences. And the most important of them is philosophical and political views. The writer himself was a socialist, unlike his hero. And he was not disappointed in life, like Martin.