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With eight adventurous works of short fiction, South Sea Tales explores the colonial Pacific during the early 20th century. Jack London’s South Sea Tales is a collection of short fiction that examines themes of racism, colonialism, and tolerance while treating audiences to adventures set on islands and ships.
About the author
Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist and journalist. Dropping out at age twenty-one for personal reasons, London was a temporary student at the University of California, Berkley. Later London attributed his intelligence and talent to be mostly self-taught. He humored several trades before settling as an author, including joining a fishing boat and the California Gold Rush. London later became one of the first American authors to gain celebrity and a fortune primarily from his writing career; his prolific works still inspire adaptations today.
Summary
Featuring eight works of short fiction, South Sea Tales by Jack London is an adventurous collection with a nautical theme. With settings on islands or ships, South Sea Tales tell the exciting, but often heartbreaking tales of violence, colonialism, and racism. The House of Mapuhi follows the son of a trading magnate, who travels from island to island buying valuable items for his mother’s business. When he learns of a brilliant pearl owned by one of the locals on the island of Hikueru, he becomes obsessed with obtaining it. London mocks Christian martyrdom in The Whale Tooth, a story of a man falling victim to his own impulses and inflated self-importance, consequently leading to cannibalism and murder. Yah! Yah! Yah! explores colonial brutality and race relations in the South Sea with a sympathetic portrayal of the native islanders. Further examining these themes, Mauki follows the son of a chief who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Hailed as a fan favorite, The Seed of McCoy depicts a story about sailing the seas with a twist. Finally, with a touching lesson of tolerance, The Heathen portrays two men from different racial backgrounds, Otoo and Charley, as they stay loyal to each other while they fight to survive a brutal shipwreck.
With bold and unique characters, thrilling settings, and thought-provoking themes, South Sea Tales by Jack London is sure to captivate readers. Inspired by London’s own adventures in the South Sea, South Sea Tales brings an authentic and memorable setting for stories that possess in-depth and compelling prose. Jack London’s well-known style of descriptive, visceral prose shines in this classic collection, creating works with intense adventure and an interesting depiction of the early 20th century.
With a striking new cover design and a modern and readable font, this edition of South Sea Tales by Jack London is catered to a contemporary audience. With these accommodations, modern readers can now enjoy the strong prose of Jack London, examine the culture of 20th century colonialism, and explore the islands of the southern Pacific with ease.
