Jack London : Novels and Stories : Call of the Wild / White Fang / The Sea-Wolf / Klondike and Other Stories (Library of America)

Book Description

Thrilling action, an intuitive feeling for animal life, a sense of justice that often works itself out through violence: these are the qualities that made Jack London phenomenally popular in his own day and continue to make him, at home and abroad, one of the most widely read of all American writers. "The Call of the Wild," perhaps the best novel ever written about animals, traces a dog's education for survival in the ways of the wolfpack. "White Fang," in which a wolf-dog becomes domesticated out of love for a man, is an unforgettable portrayal of a world of "hunting and being hunted, eating and being eaten, all in blindness and confusion." In "The Sea-Wolf," the primitive takes human form in the ruthless, indomitable Wolf Larsen, captain of a crew of outcasts on the lawless Alaskan seas. Set in the Klondike, California, Mexico, and the South Seas, the short stories collected here--many for the first time--show London as one of the great American storytellers.

Customer Reviews:

An American Master..........2007-06-07

You can't lump too many people into the same sphere with London...Twain, Poe, and Lovecraft are a few that spring to mind. He's an American Titan, and he gets the fawning treatment you'd expect from the Library of America in this exemplary, extraordinary, green-registered book.

Call of the Wild is a page-turning yarn about a dog that becomes a wolf. It's listed on the MLA 100, but any competent kid of ten could tackle it...and enjoy it.

White Fang is a canine bildungsroman that inverts the plot of Call of the Wild, with the wolf becoming a dog. Also a page-turner, also something a kid would read without having to be coerced, and possessed of a truly classic scene where White Fang fights a bulldog.

The Klondike Short Stories are all superb--some people think London's metier was the short story rather than the novel--with Batard being a personal favorite.

The Sea-Wolf is a work of genius...until it all comes crashing down with the introduction of Maud Brewster, and the escape to Endeavour Island. What had heretofore been a truly transcendent work of art transmogrifies into a clunky, melodramatic, and tedious chore, where London's love of sailing jargon threatens to overwhelm the reader.

The Selected Short Stories show that London wasn't just a Yukon guy...he had some other arrows in his quiver. A few stories demonstrate his--at the time--devout socialism, which lasted up until he himself got rich. The Apostate is the weakest of these, but The Strength of the Strong is a pretty good allegory for fin-de-siecle capitalism, with all its gory excesses. London also writes convincingly about such diverse topics as boxing, South Sea cannibals, and straight-up science fiction.

This book of books is excellent, and any American who fancies himself a lover of literature would be remiss in not reading it.

Amazing on multiple levels!.......2007-02-24

Novels and Stories was the first of a two volume set that I scored for cheap on ebay a few years ago. The second, Novels and Social writings concentrates on his political/social novels and essays while this one is comprised of his Alaskan and sea bearing adventure stories.

This book weighs in at over 1000 pages and includes three GREAT novels in Call of the Wild, The Sea Wolf and White Fang as well as multitudes of his short stories.

I can't say enough about how much I love Londons writings and how much admiration I have for him as a man as well. I've read Call of the Wild about every two years or so since the first time I read it as a child and I get more out of it every time I re-read it. His adventure stories on one level are just great red blooded adventure stories that anyone who has any heart or spirit would enjoy and there is a deeper level to London as well. His stories are highly spiritual if you are able to look at them on another level. Although thats something that you have to "feel" from within I suppose.

Call of the Wild.......2005-05-17

This book was really good, but I believe that White Fang was better. Many settings took place, but I will start with the main ones. The first setting in this book was Judge Millers Mansion. The second is the dog breakers place, in which Buck (the main character, a dog,) learns the "law of Club and Fang." The third place is where Buck learns the method of husky fighting, and because the other dog died, he lived a long and well-lived life. The first major event in this book is when a person steals Buck from Judge Miller, and he is starved and strangled and is thrown in a shed to wait for a train to the dog breaker. There, he is introduced to the primitive law of club and fang. After that, he, and a Newfoundland, are taken to Alaska. There, he is introduced to the method of Husky Fighting, and then is put into the harness, and is put to work on the mushing sled. The next major event is when Buck is taken of his first mushing trip in the wild. There he learns how to keep warm in the harsh winters by digging into the snow and having your body heat heat up the space. The next area is when Buck and Spitz finally fight to the death, and Buck takes the position of lead dog on the mushing track. Finally, the last major setting is when Buck finaly turns to the wild, and he attacks the YeeHats with a vengance, because they had killed his LOVED master. The conflict in this book is Buck is a spoilled rotten dog, until he reaches the North and finds that he has wild ancestors. They eventually take over Buck and he lives with the wild.

Reality or Fantasy... Which one is it?.......2003-05-18

After reading this book for school, (not that I was forced to) I gave it a 4/5 star rating. It was excellent when it came to the setting of the story. Even though it is a very short, it crams alot of suspensfull and interesting moments into 100 some odd pages. This book is quite good and page turning. I highly recommend it to readers who like a mix of reality and fantasy in one. Masterful piece of writing.

THE GREATES.......2002-09-17

Jack London was one of the greatest American writers. I love everything he wrote and I wish I could write as well as he did.

Average customer rating:

Good information, but they're not story-tellers
Excellent

The Bre-X Fraud
Douglas Goold , and Andrew Willis
Manufacturer: McClelland & Stewart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The history books will add the Bre-X saga to other legendary frauds like the South Sea Bubble. When the Bre-X bubble burst, the stock that had soared from fifty cents in 1994 to the equivalent of $286 in 1996 was worth nine cents in May 1997, before trading halted forever. And the Busang deposit, supposedly as much as 200 million ounces of gold, worth about $70 billion U.S. – the biggest gold find in history – was actually the century’s biggest fraud.

How did this happen, right under the noses of the financial world?

In this book the experienced investigative team from The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business that broke the story of Bre-X’s troubles has combined forces to answer that question. With literally hundreds of Bre-X interviews behind them, and drawing on resources from several continents, they have been able to explain the twists and turns of this complex tale. The result is a fascinating true story that reads like the wildest fiction.

Customer Reviews:

Good information, but they're not story-tellers.......2005-06-19

This was a very interesting book about sleeze, corruption, culture clash, and outright fraud. From an informational point of view, it was excellent. If you are doing research on Bre-X and want facts, this is your book.

However, this book was not written by story-tellers. There were two co-authors, and I don't think they read each other's material carefully, because there was a lot of unnecessary repitition. Also, the story read like a series of newspaper articles. (The authors are newspaper reporters.) There was no sense of the "big-picture" story until the very last chapter.

So I recommend this book to someone who wants to learn about Bre-X. If you're just looking for an entertaining fraud story, I'm not sure this is the best choice.

Excellent.......1999-12-01

An excellent cautionary tale about sleaze, error, and blind faith. The Bre-X fiasco was perpetrated on people who should have known better, but it also hurt a lot of ordinary Joes. Ironically, Calgary, Toronto and on Wall St are the real villans here, not Indonesia. Even the Suharto family, famed for its corruption, can't keep up with the greed of Western mining promoters, elite underwriters, and savvy investors.

Many people were ruined when Bre-X shot up 10,000 percent, and then tanked in a couple of hours. No one ever seems to learn, not after Keating, BCCI, Drexel Burnham, and Maxwell. Only those of us too poor to be in the stock market ever seem to see this coming. We can only ask ourselves "who's next?" in macabre anticipation.

Average customer rating:

Well executed, but missing something...

Very Poor Ending to a Very Depressing Series

Titanic ending for the second chronicles!

It can't be better

Donaldson Stands Alone

White Gold Wielder (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 3)
Stephen R. Donaldson
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The One Tree (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 2)

The Wounded Land (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 1)

The Power That Preserves (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 3)

The Illearth War: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book Two

Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 1)

ASIN: 0345348702
Release Date: 1987-10-12

Book Description

Thomas Covenant knew that despite his failure on the Isle of The One Tree, he had to return to the Land and fight. After a long and arduous journey, fighting all the way, he readies himself for the final showdown with Lord Foul, the Despiser, and begins to understand things he had only just wondered about before....

Customer Reviews:

Well executed, but missing something..........2007-09-05

Having read all of the first six Convenant books in a relatively short ammount of time, I will say that I came away enjoying the saga. White Gold Wielder, for it's part, provides a very good cross-section of the series as a whole. Donaldson's strengths are present in full force. Unfortunately, so are the weaknesses.
I'll mention the strengths first. Foremost is the character development. Thomas Covenant is a character unlike any other in modern fantasy, and Linden Avery is extremely well developed as his foil and complement. Alternating between their respective points-of-view, Donaldson effectively creates reader sympathy and empathy for their sometimes conflicting motives while at the same time advancing their shared cause.
Donaldson's other strength is world building. After the first five novels, "The Land" and it's encompassing world at large are fairly completely developed, so in WGW, Donaldson is able to use his setting as another character to drive the plot and draw the reader in, much as he did in the early part of the first trilogy when Covenant was many times too unlikeable to be engaging. Covenant does not revert to his dispicable past, far from it, but as his future becomes more and more bleak, the future of the land provides the story with hope of a happy ending.
Now, for the negatives. The biggest problem is that the whole thing is just so dark. Like the Despiser, Donaldson assails his characters with blow after blow, failure after failure. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but in this instance, the darkness is not often enough tempered with moments of light. In spite of everything, we've grown to like Covenant and Linden, and their uninterupted plight is draining. Without giving anything away, while the climax ties up nearly all of the loose ends (not all though), it occurs too close to the end of the book to allow the characters and the reader to soak in the consequences of the saga.
The other problem I'd list as a negative is the overall pacing of the Second Chronicles. The events at the end of The One Tree and the beginning of White Gold wielder render much of the middle book meaningless. The story as a whole could have been more effectively told as two longer books while not leaving out anything significant to the main plot. I spent much of the sixth book waiting for the fifth book to be endowed with some significance, and it just never came.
Despite it's flaws though, White Gold Wielder is a good read and an acceptable conclusion to the Second Chronicles, even though it falls short of matching the level of the previous trilogy. Viewed for what it is, it's a very good book, but as a fan of the series and the genre, it's hard to overlook what the book is not.

Very Poor Ending to a Very Depressing Series.......2007-07-22

I was really disappointed with this final book of the series for two reasons. First of all this book was really slow. This book was nearly as slow as the first book in the series. I hadn't expected this since the previous book(The One Tree) was pretty fast paced and packed with action. Secondly the ending was really disappointing. Possibly one of the worst endings to a series, I have ever read.

In this book we see the same recurring theme whenever Covenant and Linden have been together. They constantly question their own motives, they question their pasts, they question each other, and they question everyone around them. The difference in this book is that we see it over and over again. Just when it seems that they have finally resolved their issues and we are finally going to be able to move on, the whole cycle starts all over again.........self doubt, doubt of each other, doubt of those around them. This whole tiresome debate really slows this book down. It is like Donaldson needed something to fill the pages before the ending and this was all he could come up with. It is really tiresome to see the same issues debated over and over without ever seeing a solution or resolution.

The ending was a real let down for me. We have had to suffer through 6 books of drudgery, death, and sacrifice where time and again the forces of evil have prevailed and countless noble characters were killed. Now things can finally be made right at the ending of the book, but that is not the ending we get.

WARNING SPOILERS FOLLOW: Instead in the end, Foul lives to rise another day, and two of the three Ravers who have been personally responsible for so much of the death and destruction in the series, walk away with not as much as a hand slap. Linden may have restored the Land, but we never really know if her efforts were effective. Covenant never really learns how to control his power (he just becomes a lightening rod for Foul), Covenant and Linden are separated, and Covenant dies a brutal death. Overall this was a really depressing ending for a very depressing series.

Titanic ending for the second chronicles!.......2006-07-29

Amazing! Absolutely the best book of both trilogies and one of the best of all fantasy literature! With a major change of character for both Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery, the second chronicles go down with a bang...and a cliff-hanger.

After the Starfare's Gem's awful failure at the Island of the One Tree, Linden convinces Covenant to return to the Land and put out the Banefire, the Sunbane's main source of energy. That might even reduce the horrendous power of the Sunbane. After harsh travels back to the Land, the crew finally reaches Revelstone, home of the Clave and the Banefire. There, after a great battle against Gibbon-Raver, Covenant FINALLY knows how to call on, and control, the tremendous power of the white gold. He is truly ready to take on Foul in an ultimate confrontation.

From start to finish, it is nothing short of action and surprises. At the end of White Gold Wielder, you will be shocked...if you read it. I was so ecstatic and heartbroken at the end because of major character changes and redemption. Totally satisfying.

It can't be better.......2005-05-24

Despite the crushing failure at the Isle of the One Tree, Covenant and Linden realize that they have no choice but to go on fighting the nefarious plots of Lord Foul. They decide to return to The Land and attempt to extinguish the Banefire hoping that this will slow the desecration of the Sunbane. The minions of Lord Foul are poised to oppose them every step of the way. They also know that even if they slow down the Sunbane, they still must eventually find a way to stop Lord Foul himself.

Donaldson brings the trilogy to a brilliant conclusion in this volume. Linden finally comes to terms with the "ghosts" of her past and realizes that she is not inherently evil despite having made mistakes in the past. Covenant achieves an inner peace after he finally accepts what he must do to defeat Lord Foul. The triumph of two flawed human beings over the "devil incarnate" provides an interesting premise for Donaldson to explore the frailties of human nature. I finally began to like Covenant in this volume and I actually began to empathize with him. Although we expect Covenant and Linden to win in the end, the ending was inventive and engaging and not at all what I expected.

There is a rumor that Donaldson may write the Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I, for one, am avidly awaiting their publication.

Donaldson Stands Alone.......2005-04-28

And the epic continues. SRD is one of my all-time favorite fantasy writers. It's been awhile since I picked up the First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. But these books are so rich in symbolism and meaning. Some people are turned off by the main protagonist dreery and often pessimistic viewpoints. And these books are quite anti-typical and anti-archtypical fantasy, in similar likeness of Martin and Erikson. But Donaldson speaks with a rich prose that ignites off the pages in a similar fashion -yet completely different than that to- of Lovecraft. The Land is a wealth of wonder and awe wreathed in mysticism, myth, and held in otherworldly Laws.Now Donaldson is not for everyone, optimism is not always a focus but seeking solutions, accountability, love, and drama are deeply examined. Never expelled. And some readers are turned off and despise the leper Thomas Covenant because of his actions whom mysteriously arrives at a alternate reality aptly called simply The Land, whether real, imagined, hallucinated, or dreamt is a question that may or may not be answered. His science fiction The Gap series should not be dismissed by serious readers but is even more brutal than TCoTC in regards to portraying the baser nature of human beings in a most graphic sense. It's about the human condition. Except for a couple of events, TCoCT is more filtered in fantasy entrappings but no less diminishing on it's impact on readers. Truly emotionally moving in a high order. Great sci-fi reading, but might be a bit too harsh for new readers introducing themselves to this remarkable writer. These are the books that I read with the same amount of zeal, color, and drama as watching the Original Trilogy of Star Wars as a youngster only deeper. A complex Star Wars series in fantasy trappings. Be warned, this series is not for everyone as I said before. IMO, kicks the tail off Tolkien in-spite the latter's great literary merit and love how it takes many of the master's long established and overused archtypes and sacred literary laws and dumps them on their head, such as one Thomas Covenant that is relunctant, griping, cowardly even, indecisive, discompassionate, selfish, and capable of even heinous crime. And for those that thought they'd been dragged through a wilderness of morass self-pity, remember... Star Wars. IMO, one of the greatest fantasy series ever written and would love to debate or discuss it with anyone. It is a realm where one's choice are held balanced in scales, bearing gravity on one's own or other's futures. Even possibly whole civilizations. A stunning and thoroughly thought provoking and stimulating masterpiece.Love it or hate it, SRD's works have left their mark.There are so many awesome moments in both trilogies. TCoTC is quite biblical in that sense but not expounding age old religious stories and principals and spiritualities of course.These books discombobulates the mind, with the wide range of fluent implications and messages. Allusions are confounding and staggering.Probably my favorite moment, of countless, countless favorite moments is Blood of the Earth piece in The Illearth War:TCoTC Book 2.And..."Covenant! Beloved! Strike a blow for me!" rings in my ears forever.

Gold Thunder: Autobiography of a NASCAR Champion

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Gold Thunder
Wonder book, wonderful person
Gold Thunder a NASCAR Treasure

Gold Thunder: Autobiography of a NASCAR Champion
Rex White , Anne B. Jones , and Rick (FWD) Minter
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 078641975X

Book Description

In the 1950s Chevrolet fans prayed for a savior, and Rex White answered. He took on big muscle cars, eventually winning both the 1960 Winston Cup Championship and the Driver of the Year title, and would later be named by NASCAR as one of their 50 all-time greatest drivers.

This memoir tells the story of Rex White's struggle to become a champion despite a poverty-ridden childhood and a devastating physical disability. A firsthand account of the early days of NASCAR and southern stock car racing, the text is based on extensive research and hundreds of hours of interviews with Rex White by writer Anne B. Jones. It includes tales by participants and fans and is peppered with anecdotes of a virtual who's who of NASCAR drivers, including Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, and a host of other drivers. The book is well illustrated, largely with photographs from Rex White's private collection.

Customer Reviews:

Gold Thunder.......2005-06-08

This book is wonderful! I don't know how to describe it. I'm not into sports and all that, but this was a riveting read.

In many autobiographies, it seems obvious that someone wrote the book for that person. But in Gold Thunder, Rex's no-punches-pulled account blends with Anne's seamless strorytelling to the point that one can almost imagine Rex sitting next to you.

Gold Thunder is very fast paced. You put the key in the ignition, rev it up a few times, and then watch it go. As the motor purrs to a stop and you turn the last page, you'll wonder where all the time went

Anyone will enjoy this book,including non race fans like myself. I'm sure that many aspects of it make more sense to race fans, but the book itself is a wonderful introduction to racing. I had no idea that NASCAR had such a colorful history. What a cast of characters! It's enough to make even the newest fans feel a bit of nostalgia.

Wonder book, wonderful person.......2005-03-20

Here's another great auto racing book that will not only let you into the life of Rex White, it will teach you along the way. Stricken with polio at a young age, growing up in poverty and working countless hours on a farm never hindered little Rex White's passion to get behind the wheel of a race car. You'll find out why his father played a major role in his "race to finish, race to win" atttitude, and you'll meet all of the people who impacted Rex's life on his way to becoming a NASCAR champion. People like modified great Frankie Schneider, who became White's mentor, to partner Louie Clements are all given prime space in this book. Rex tells what racing was really like in the good old days, his love of Chevrolet, and the countless hours on the road traveling on nickles and dimes to get to the next race. A regular dinner was a package of Lance crackers. You'll also attend several wild parties honchoed by Clown Prince Joe Weatherly.
The best part of this book are the lessons learned thanks to a great work ethic. You'll laugh at the loads of funny characters that come into Rex's life, and then also deal with racing's dangers and the many tragic events that happened on the track. It's loaded with photos, tells of the great/not so great 1963 year at Daytona with his Mystery Motor 427 Chevy, GM's "on again, off again" policies on racing and becoming a member of the official Chevy racing teams.
Another can't miss book on the great sport of auto racing from the eyes of one of NASCAR's all-time best 50 drivers. He may have stood only 5'4" in stature, but this is a giant of a man when it comes to racing and winning in life.

Gold Thunder a NASCAR Treasure.......2005-02-23

This well-written biography of Rex White, one of NASCAR's Fifty Living Legends, will keep you reading to the end to find out the outcome of all White's adventures in the 1950s and 60s on the early NASCAR circuit. White drove before the ovals were paved, and seems as comfortable on dirt tracks and on the road to the next race as anywhere in the world. Along the way, readers will learn as much about the stock car racing sport as readers of "Seabiscuit" found out about the life of the jockey and the history of the horse racing sport. This is a very enjoyable book with delightful accounts of team high jinks throughout the story and enough historical material to keep NASCAR fans arguing for years.

Men of Salt: Crossing the Sahara on the Caravan of White Gold

Average customer rating:

5 Stars!
Witty and Descriptive as well as Informative and Fascinating
The Salt Caravans -- An Inner World that Sustains the Outer World
True-life adventure in a world of desert and camels
Real life adventure turns into thriller

Men of Salt: Crossing the Sahara on the Caravan of White Gold
Michael Benanav
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592287727

Customer Reviews:

5 Stars!.......2007-04-17

This proved to be a very good read- a great insight into the culture of the Saharan people. It was wonderful reading about how the author was able to bond with the azalai, and amazing reading about the tremendous effort and feats it takes to survive there.

Witty and Descriptive as well as Informative and Fascinating.......2006-07-19

Rather than repeating others' rave reviews, as the thirteenth reviewer, I'd like to give prospective readers a sampling of what makes this book such a great read--notably Benanav's descriptions and wit.
--To explain his reservations about the trip, Benanav writes, "I was a bit uneasy about the historical precedent of guides killing their clients in the middle of the desert.... Moreover...six months earlier, the United States had invaded Iraq....Though I knew that most people in most places easily distinguished between individuals and their government, I was wary of how I'd be received as an American at that time; it'd be best, I concluded, not to let anyone know that I was Jewish, too."
--The first time he had dorno, "the nomad version of an energy shake," Benanav describes it as "a good substitute for papier mache paste."
--As he walks along side his nomadic guide, Benanav notes that "though my strides were longer, my feet sank and slid backward in the sand while Walid's padded nimbly over the surface. Walking through the desert with a nomad was like swimming with a seal."
--Aware that trucks will soon likely replace camels on the salt route, Benanav laments that "the noble ships of the desert, it seems, were bound for dry dock."
--After enduring his second torturous day, Benanav realizes "that the safest place in the Sahara was not a place at all, but a time: night." And as the caravan begins to travel again, he observes that they "marched through the glow of a lustrous copper sunset and into the ghostly light cast by the almost half-moon. The world was shades of indigo and steel. The hills before us rose like rollers in a dark sea."

And so on. There was so much stellar writing in this book by page 50, in fact, that I put down the library copy I was reading and went to Amazon to order my own so that I could underline the many parts I wanted to share with friends.

The Salt Caravans -- An Inner World that Sustains the Outer World.......2006-06-18

Exotic space, broken languages, sand for toilet paper, 40 days away from what you know and whom you love, such is the inner and outer world of the Sahara desert that Michael Benanav draws you into in his book, Men of Salt. Unlike other adventure books that celebrate the challenge between the mind and the physical, Men of Salt is so much more than that. Benanev in order to enter the desert must leave behind who he is, his girlfriend, and his identity as a Jew. He must leave behind all manner physical comforts -- including when to wake, when to sleep and when to eat. As he learns to rein the literal camel that he is riding, he discovers that he must also rein in the stallion of his mind which would rather quit or be in control but can do neither.

Benanev is a brilliant writer. While he unveils his story in language as simple and clear as an article in the National Geographic, he explores the territory of the Taureg people, their world where men cover their faces and women do not, and, the very stability of their harvest of salt in an era of the internet and cell phones. Gifted in languages, he speaks French fluently and is well versed in Arabic. Unfortunately, although the trekking company promised him a guide fluent in French, he finds that he must rely on Walid who speaks no French and his Arabic is more Taureg than conversational Egyptian. Like a mountaineer who discovers that his map of the route is incomplete but is is the only one he has, Benanev finds that he must take Walid as his compass, even if -- and they do -- get lost.

Benanev also does a wonderful job of describing the salt trade and how its economy sustains the people and culture of Mali. Seemlessly, he weaves into his story his observations on the impact of globalism -- especially road building. However, rather than presenting a sermon, he leaves the reader with useful questions to ask, many of which may challenge basic assumptions.

And yet, no matter how intellectually speculative Benanev becomes, he is ever ready to return to reality. Be it the saddle sores on his butt or the joy of finding a thorn tree in the empty space, our writer is always aware of the frailties of his own body -- and hilariously, his own ego. A master linguist, he finds himself again and again in situations where he has thought he has everything figured out, only to find that that he has said, while completely understood, was completely rejected and the only one who didn't get it was he.

For the sake of credibility, I wish I could find a way to criticize this book but I cannot. Men of Salt is simply the best book I have read in a year and his capacity for story telling and reflection is totally on a par with Joe Simpson's "Touching the Void." Benanev's book will touch anyone who loves history, adventure, economics, or the uncharted areas of the heart. He may have started out as a stranger in a strange land, but when you join him in his return to Timbuktu, you, too, feel as if you've come home.

Roseanne Freese

True-life adventure in a world of desert and camels.......2006-04-13

MEN OF SALT: CROSSING THE SAHARA ON THE CARAVAN OF WHITE GOLD recounts the experiences of an author who joined what is known as the Caravan of White Gold on its mission into the heart of the Sahara to haul back slabs of salt for sale. He lived for weeks among the camel drivers, experienced their daily hardships and journey, and learned all about how to care for and ride camels and how to approach the desert world. His story is true-life adventure at its best, and provides insights into the culture and experiences of a world few outsiders get to see.

Real life adventure turns into thriller.......2006-04-11

As an avid reader but seldom of non-fiction, I was completely surprised by an instant addiction to "Men of Salt" by Michael Benanav. His real life drama as it unfolds, sinks its teeth into the reader as much as a page turner as a thriller. Mr. Benanav looks for and finds so much that is positive in a very hostile environment and from a culture so different from his own. We
can only hope for more from this talented writer.

The Call of the Wild, White Fang & To Build a Fire (Modern Library Classics)

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Jack London's Finest Fictional Work (?)
Call of the Wild
Tim's Book Review For White Fang
Three classics in one!

The Call of the Wild, White Fang & To Build a Fire (Modern Library Classics)
Jack London
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 037575251X
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Book Description

Fiction        U.S.A. $7.95
Canada $10.95

To this day Jack London is the most widely read American writer in the world," E. L. Doctorow wrote in The New York Times Book Review. Generally considered to be London's greatest achievement, The Call of the Wild brought him international acclaim when it was published in 1903. His story of the dog Buck, who learns to survive in the bleak Yukon wilderness, is viewed by many as his symbolic autobiography. "No other popular writer of his time did any better writing than you will find in The Call of the Wild," said H. L. Mencken. "Here, indeed, are all the elements of sound fiction."
        White Fang (1906), which London conceived as a "complete antithesis and companion piece to The Call of the Wild," is the tale of an abused wolf-dog tamed by exposure to civilization. Also included in this volume is "To Build a Fire," a marvelously desolate short story set in the Klondike, but containing all the elements of a classic Greek tragedy.
        "The quintessential Jack London is in the on-rushing compulsive-ness of his northern stories," noted James Dickey. "Few men have more convincingly examined the connection between the creative powers of the individual writer and the unconscious drive to breed and to survive, found in the natural world. . . . London is in and committed to his creations to a degree very nearly unparalleled in the composition of fiction."

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Generally considered to be London's greatest achievement, The Call of the Wild brought him international acclaim when it was published in 1903. His story of the dog Buck, who learns to survive in the bleak Yukon wilderness, is viewed by many as his symbolic autobiography. White Fang (1906), which London conceived as a "complete antithesis and companion piece to The Call of the Wild," is the tale of an abused wolf-dog tamed by exposure to civilization.

Customer Reviews:

Jack London's Finest Fictional Work (?).......2005-04-30

These three stories are amongst London's best fictional works- some say they *are* the best, especially, "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang", it all depends on one's taste, of course, but rest assured, these stories are gripping and the intrigue of their moving plots keeps one glued to the book.

As a freind once said of "Call..." and "...Fang": "These are just about the two doggone best [canine] stories I have ever had the pleasure to read!". Indeed.

All three stories are set in Alaska during the gold rush days of the late 1800's and London spent time there to absorb the feeling of this beautiful, but unforgiving land. He is so descriptive of the landscape, one feels like they are there themselves. This is the magic of London's writing- he so expertly drops the reader right into the scenery and the characters. Indeed, we see and feel what they see and feel- even the animals- especially, the animals, for they have personalities that engage and create both sympathy and admiration for their trials, tribulations and triumphs. London is one of those that the measure of literary genius is judged by and taking in just about any of his works will demonstrate why.

The basic storyline of the "The Call of the Wild" has a dog named "Buck" who is living in a comfortable setting in California, suddenly yanked away by black-market dog thieves who are selling them to the ravenous needs of the gold prospector's supply market where they are then pressed into the tortuous dogsled industry. Buck eventually gets free and joins his native soul-brothers, the wolves. From the human world back to his ancestral roots, hence, the calling of the wild instinct.

"White Fang" is the antithesis of Buck`s situation: a wolf pup raised partly by Indians, wolves, and eventually being absorbed all the way into the human world... you guessed it, in California where he settles into the same basic comfortable world that Buck was torn from. The tale of how that turn-of-events happens is as engaging as Buck's story.

"To Build A Fire" is a very short read and describes a man and the unforgiving, harsh winter of the Alaskan outback. He finds himself trapped by an intense snow storm and soon realizes that this normally easy trek is turning dangerous. What will happen? London skillfully gives us the psychological drama of harsh realities setting in.

For those that have not yet taken in any of London's work, this book is a good place to start. One might then want to take in more, including London's non-fictional work.

Call of the Wild.......2003-01-31

I thougth that it was a good book. There is some good action in it but at the same time its a very sad book. Although the character is a dog you can relate to him how he is a outcast and no one likes him to learning the way of the wild and becoming a good sled dog. He is a fast learner to the law of club and fang and is a strong leader. This was a good book with a great ending and i would suggest reading it.

Tim's Book Review For White Fang.......2001-10-25

The book White Fang was about a wolf-dog that lived with his
owner.Then one day his master got drunk by drinking and his master
sold him to a mean man.

Three classics in one!.......2000-07-29

I remember reading "To Build a Fire" in school in eighth grade. It is a fairly short story about a man travelling in extremely cold conditions who falls in a creek and, in order to stay alive, has to build a fire. It by itself is a great story, but along with "White Fang" and "The Call of the Wild," this is just an excellent book for anyone who likes life and death struggles and, well, dogs and wolves.

White Gold: The Extraordinary Story of Thomas Pellow and Islam's One Million White Slaves

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An exciting, educational book
What a Surprise!
white European slaves of Islam
Historical Account
Those that forget history will repit it

White Gold: The Extraordinary Story of Thomas Pellow and Islam's One Million White Slaves
Giles Milton
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312425295
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Book Description

In the summer of 1716, a Cornish cabin boy named Thomas Pellow and fifty-one of his comrades were captured at sea by Barbary corsairs. Their captors--Ali Hakem and his network of Islamic slave traders--had declared war on the whole of Christendom. Pellow and his shipmates were bought by the tyrannical sultan of Morocco. Drawn from the unpublished letters and manuscripts of Pellow and survivors like him, White Gold is a fascinating glimpse at a time long forgotten by history.

Customer Reviews:

An exciting, educational book.......2007-07-09

This is a very exciting story that is based primarily on the recorded tale of a British individual who was captured from a British ship by Muslim pirates. The individual, Thomas Pellow, was 11 years old and serving as a cabin boy in the early 18th century on a ship captained by his uncle. The ship was captured during a trading voyage and the entire crew (of around 8) was captured, along with the crews from 2 other ships (about 50 captives in total). The British sailors were taken as slaves and received terrible treatment for years, or until they died (as most did). The story of their captivity and abuse is very powerful.

Giles Milton, the writer, uses the story of Pellow as a proxy for the stories of the estimated 1 million european slaves taken by Muslim pirates during that age. While focusing on Pellow, Milton still ventures out to tell additional information about the other slaves during that time, and about the forces that ultimated decided the issue of slavery in that part of the world, at least as far as European slaves went.

Pellow spent 23 years as a slave before he finally escaped and made his way back to England. According to the text, Milton found enough supporting evidence regarding Pellow's story that he believes it to be substantially true. Since I don't have all of his sources, which themselves are based on Pellow's account, I don't buy in 100% to his stories, which I suspect were "pumped up" to support book sales almost 300 years ago. Still even if the story is exaggerated in some detail, we do have enough information to reasonably believe that countless individuals had experiences that were the same or similar to many of his experiences in the book. Also, the background information throughout the book is a great historical primer for those of us who have not studied this segment of history.

I found it frustrating that many of the issues they dealt with 300 years ago are similar to the issues we deal with today from Muslim terrorists. In the book, we would see the King of England send representatives to meet with the Sultan to try to negotiate freedom for the British slaves. Time and time again the Sultan would agree to free the slaves for a price, but then refuse to do so once he had what he wanted. It wasn't until the Western world grew technologically and was able to blow the Muslim ports to pieces that the Muslims finally stopped the practice of capturing European slaves (Whoever said violence never solved anything?). In fairness to the Muslims, it also took violence to get Christian Southerners in the USA to stop the practice of slavery.

Overall, this is a great book that is fascinating reading while being very educational at the same time.

What a Surprise!.......2007-05-27

The story of white slavery has gone virtually untold.........it is an amazing and well written story that is to be found in White Gold......and definitely worth reading.

white European slaves of Islam.......2007-04-16

This book presents a narrative of white Europeans who were enslaved by Islamists, focusing on the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The scholarship is respectable with the author refusing to accept statements unless they are confirmed by Arabic manuscripts from the period. The narrative is as gripping as an action/adventure novel.

The emphasis is mainly restricted to English men, women and children, although the author does occasionally mention Danes, Norwegians, Spanish and Italians and others who were enslaved, as well as American colonials. Later, Americans in the newly formed United States of America were captured. The U. S. government immediately sent warships and marines to the shores of Tripoli; and after that, the Islamists left the Americans alone.

Too bad the United States today has forgotten that early lesson. Now, of course, the Islamists are not using outmoded tactics like pirate ships. They are using immigration, both legal and illegal. For the facts on the rebirth of Islamic imperialism, see While America Sleeps: How Islam, Immigration and Indoctrination Are Destroying America From Within and "While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within."

Historical Account.......2007-03-11

Having heard of this book from friends, I checked it out before purchase as there are nowadays many examples of history being rewritten for what might be termed "politially correct" reasons.
Indeed this book may soon be unavailable due to those reasons. It could be construed that this account of slavery might cause offense to Muslims, though none of the Muslims I know personally would be so offended. But one of the motivations for me to buy this book was the "review" by the (Islamic?) correspondent of the Washington Post, which you kindly reproduce. Viewing this distainful dismissal was for me most revealing and may (I hope) encourage others to make this purchase also.
They will be rewarded by an account of a period of history which is being quietly swept under the carpet and out of sight.

Those that forget history will repit it.......2007-02-25

This a very interesting book about a part of the european history don't well known. In Spain the tourists can see small towers all over the coast for vigilance of "moros" and the little towns were builded in the interior of land by fear to these savages and as Mr Pellow said " horde of fanatics". So after read this book those persons that think that muslim people are similar to white people ( most of the muslim people have black blood )are blinds or fools. Islam is many centuries back to cristian religion and western culture. But sadly every day we find people in western countries that justify all the attrocities of Islam.
Only two commentaries : One is that this book is the story ( very, very interesting, even better that a novel), of the life of Thomas Pellow and the british slaves, just a small part of the white slaves in muslim world and in Morocco. We don't know a lot about the slaves in another muslim countries ( Turkey, Arabia, etc ). Not the story of "...Islam's one million white slaves" as in the title of the book appears.
Another point is that the map of Morocco at the beginning of the book is wrong. It shows as part of Morocco the northern part of western Sahara a old spanish colony, that Morocco occupied by force in the 70's of last century and is waiting a UN referendum for freedom long ago. It's a irony that a book that shows the cruelty of people of morocco and the islam mentality in general, justify this blood occupation. If it's a mistake, I hope that Mr Milton will correct it in next editions.
Anyway a very interesting book.

Good as Gold: Techniques for Fundamental Baseball

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A superb manual, training tool, and self-teaching guide

Good as Gold: Techniques for Fundamental Baseball
Frank White , and Matt Fulks
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582617414

Book Description

Former Kansas City Royals second baseman Frank White, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, offers his fundamental approach to baseball in a book designed for players at every level.

Customer Reviews:

A superb manual, training tool, and self-teaching guide.......2004-06-07

Written by Frank White, an African-American expert player who first reached the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 1973, Good As Gold: Techniques For Fundamental Baseball is a solid instructional book written for players of all levels of skill and experience. Coverning defense, hitting, running, throwing, the psychological side to baseball, and much more, Good As Gold combines explicit instructions with a wealth of black-and-white photographs to accurately demonstrate its advice and techniques. A superb manual, training tool, and self-teaching guide for anyone seeking to undertake the sport or improve their skill.

Hold My Gold: A White Girl's Guide to the Hip-Hop World

Average customer rating:

Are you serious?
silly and hilarious
just plain stupid
Comedic gold
Hold My Gold- A White Girls Guide to the HipHop World

Hold My Gold: A White Girl's Guide to the Hip-Hop World
Amanda McCall , and Albertina Rizzo
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743264606

Book Description

Every night there is a white girl crying herself to sleep somewhere in America,

listening to Ludacris and wishing she could be part of that gold-rimmed, Cristal-soaked hip-hop dream. Hope has arrived in the wise counsel given in Hold My Gold: A White Girl's Guide to the Hip-Hop World. From "Da Basix: Vocab, Grammar, and Translation" to "How to Be a Video Ho or "Just look Like One," authors McCall and Rizzo deliver a comprehensive education in hip-hop history, language, accessories, social etiquette, and more. Loaded with spot-on satire and hilarious tongue-in-cheek advice, Hold My Gold is required reading for bling-deficient white girls looking to conquer their hip-hop illiteracy.

Customer Reviews:

Are you serious?.......2007-03-31

I've read the book, and believe me, my sense of humor did not make me find this funny. I think more accurate word choice would be: if you're WHITE with a sense of humor and a lack of the understanding of what racism is, then you will find this book absolutely hilarious. I found this book to be insulting and perpetuating negative stereotypes. It wouldn't be so bad if it were actually accurate, but that's not even how real hip-hop musicians talk; this book is nothing more than some white girls' ignorant interpretation of what they think hip-hop music is like. I don't consider this book satire because it is so far off the mark with its commentary; it is mocking hip-hop by referring to stereotypes rather than actual facts.

silly and hilarious.......2006-10-20

i beg all those who take themselves too seriously to lighten up. this book is satire at its finest and should not be taken as a white woman's honest view of black people in general or their culture. to even consider that is even more ridiculous than the book itself. thanks to the authors for making me laugh the entire train ride home from work today, and from one silly bitch to anotha....HOLLA!

just plain stupid.......2006-07-29

this whole thing is a bad joke based on a bunch of inaccurate stereotypes...but if blatant ignorance and a genuine lack of creative humor is your thing, then I'd say go for it...

Comedic gold.......2005-08-17

It just goes to show...it takes a book labeled "comedy" for white society to speak honestly about what it thinks about black people.

Hold My Gold- A White Girls Guide to the HipHop World.......2005-08-15

It was absolutely hysterical! It's the perfect gift for the whitest white girl!!

The Tripods Boxed Set of 4: When the Tripods Came/ the White Mountains/ the City of Gold and Lead/ the Pool of Fire

Average customer rating:

A great read for kids and adults.
Oldies but Goodies!
the white mountains
A great series
Very good series, both entertaining and thought provoking

The Tripods Boxed Set of 4: When the Tripods Came/ the White Mountains/ the City of Gold and Lead/ the Pool of Fire
John Christopher
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 068900852X

Customer Reviews:

A great read for kids and adults........2006-05-31

I originally read this series of novels back in the late 1960's. As a matter of fact I still have my copy of The White Mountains. The ONLY negative thing I have to say is that "When the Tripods Came" is written 20 years after the series was first published and I thought this book was unnecessary - a person's imagination doesn't need EVERYTHING spelled out for them. If you kids (or you) haven't read this series, then do so ASAP!

Oldies but Goodies!.......2006-03-16

I remember reading these books in School, and thought I would just buy them for grins...... Amazon HAD all 4 of them Cheaper than the Bidding was on just 3 of them on E-Bay! Such a deal! Thanx Amazon..... you have not failed me yet!

the white mountains.......2006-01-15

I know these books are supposed to be for youngsters, but i read it the first time i my twenties and loved it so much that i am buying it again today--at the age of 49.

A great series.......2005-09-20

I read the original three when I was thirteen back in the 70's. I had always wanted my boys to read these books but I had lost the first two over the years. I have just found the series again and I'm thrilled to turn my kids on to this great read.

Very good series, both entertaining and thought provoking.......2005-08-31

I first borrowed these from my local library after seeing them mentioned on a booklist. I have since read each of them more than once. Since they are not always checked in when I want them, I decided to buy them. (I also plan to have my children read them.)

When the Tripods Came was originally written as a prequel, after the other 3 books. Personally, I think it is best read after the other 3 as well, but it is good in any order.

The prequel explains how earth came to be taken over by a group of aliens, and how these aliens managed to control the minds of nearly every person on the planet. It also explains how a small group managed to avoid this mind control, setting up the possibility of a resistance.

The other 3 books take place a century later, in a world that does not remember the time before the Tripods, except by the ruins of ancient cities. Those who have the mind control "caps" surgically implanted on their heads (a rite that takes place at the age of 13) are incapable of questioning their Masters, and accept that everything the Tripods do is completely right and good. A few boys (and a very few girls) manage to escape before the "capping" ceremony, and find their way to the high mountains of Switzerland, where there is a small group of the "Free". After a hundred years of preparation, the Free are preparing to begin the battle for the freedom of Earth.

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