Tag Archives: Jack London

“Fear urged him to go back, but growth drove him on.” — White Fang, by Jack London

“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” — Jack London Jack London was born on this day, January 12, 1876. … Continue reading

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2019 Books Read

It’s been such a busy year for me as a writer. The busiest. I’ve had to “make time” for reading stuff that has nothing to do with anything writing-wise. I need to read for pleasure. Many of the books I … Continue reading

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2017 Books Read

I got into a good rhythm with reading this year. I did a lot of re-reading, going back to books I haven’t read in 20 years or whatever. It was fun, like a reunion with an old friend. Much of … Continue reading

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The Books: “The Call of the Wild” (Jack London)

Daily Book Excerpt: Adult fiction: The Call of the Wild by Jack London This is one of those books I was forced to read in 8th grade (not even 10th or 11th grade – when I was a bit older … Continue reading

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“Like Peter Pan…”

Like Peter Pan, he never grew up, and he lived his own stories with such intensity that he ended by believing them himself. — Ford Madox Ford on Jack London, 1916

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Famous epitaphs

John Keats, great poet, who died in 1821 (and I think his birthday was Sunday), wrote his own epitaph, which is now rightly famous: “Here lies one whose name was writ in water.” But actually, the full epitaph reads like … Continue reading

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“It was an old song”

More from Jack London’s “Call of the Wild” Here and there, Buck met Southland dogs, but in the main they were the wild wolf husky breed. Every night, regularly, at nine, at twelve, at three, they lifted a nocturnal song, … Continue reading

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“The summit of life”

From Jack London’s “Call of the Wild” There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it … Continue reading

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Man’s Proper Function

“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” — Jack London

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Famous Epitaphs/Last Words

Famous Epitaphs A reader sent me a bit of trivia she thought I might be interested in (she was right!) John Keats, great poet, who died in 1821, wrote his own epitaph, which is as follows: “Here lies one whose … Continue reading

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