To Build a Fire

by Jack London

Book Overview

To Build a Fire is one of Jack London's most famous short stories, and like his best known works, it pits man against nature. It recounts the struggles of a man on the Yukon Trail.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1500104833
• ISBN13: 9781500104832
• Release Date: June 2014
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 62 Pages
• Weight: 0.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

To Build a Fire

Re-read this book for an online English class. I had forgotten how well London was able to convey the message of how you should listen to those who are only trying to look out for your best interests. I even went so far as to turn up the heat in my house after reading this book!

One man's suspenseful journey through the frozen wilderness

Although at times this book becomes slightly boring, the overall effect makes it well worth reading. A multitude of stories are told throughout time, yet few truly well-told tales exist among them. These well-told tales are not only memorable, they also exhibit exceptional grammatical ingenuity. The extreme setting and vivid, descriptive adjectives, by a notable author, make this a remarkable piece of literature. A lone, rather unlikable man and his dog are portrayed throughout the story. This inhumane man, in ingnoring his elders, does himself great damage. As the temperature in the story lowers, the suspense rises considerably. The reader may find themself at the edge of their seat while reading, as the man, oblivious to the cold, continues to trudge on. This book ought to be read by everyone, for the theme of the story appears to be that oftentimes an animal's instincts prove to be far better than one human's supposed intellegence

Good to read on a hot day!

Jack London truly depicts the cold bite of the Arctic night and the personal tragedy brought on for the want of a small fire. Written in the day and age long before television, radio and other forms of mass media entertainment, this short story is well worth and hour or so of "low tech" reading. The reader truly gets the feel of the very slow and dulling death by hypothermia. Great to read on campouts with kids