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To Build A Fire Audiobook
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(4.35) - 52 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
To Build A Fire is the best known of all London's stories. It tells the story of a new arrival to the Klondike who stubbornly ignores warnings about the folly of traveling alone. He falls through the ice into a creek in seventy-below weather, and his survival depends on being able to build a fire and dry his clothes, which he is unable to do. The famous version of this story was published in 1908.
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"It's the second story, Love of Life, that haunts me---the feel of the wolf's breath on his cheek, the will to life. Our Russian friends turned me back on to London, just as they did Somerset Maugham, and they were right. Two unappreciated, great writers."
— Deirdre (4 out of 5 stars)
To Build A Fire Listener Reviews
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" I've read this a few times as well as listened to it on tape. Everytime it makes me cold. Also, everytime I'm out in the snow parts from this story cross my mind. I know it's not supposed to be a scary story, but I've been scared because of it more than a lot of other stories I've read. "
— KatieSuzanne, 2/18/2014 -
" It can be the middle of a sweaty, hot, summer day, and Jack London's "Th Build a Fire" can still make me shiver with cold. "
— Bookwyrmgyrl, 2/15/2014 -
" To build a fire is one of my favorite short stories of all time. Except for a few other people like Borges or Chekov I cannot think of anyone who does short stories better. "
— Peter, 2/12/2014 -
" Crazy stuff happens in Alaska. Happened back then, happens in the present day. "
— Mary, 2/8/2014 -
" you'll never feel cold again. "
— Daniel, 2/4/2014 -
" Superb. Especially To Build a Fire. "
— Autumn, 2/2/2014 -
" haven't read the whole thing, but there are some great works in here...London really had the short story down. "
— Christopher, 1/22/2014 -
" To Build a Fire is story enough by itself, towering over the other stories. Brutal and simple, the perfect Jack London story like David Allen Coe wrote the perfect country and western song. All the important elements are there. "
— Lyn, 1/15/2014 -
" The title story is one of the best short stories in the English Language, in my opinion. "
— Charles, 12/23/2013 -
" For any lover of adventure or the outdoors London is a must read. To build a fire bring into dramatic contrast the divide between the power of nature and the abilities of man. "
— Abram, 12/7/2013 -
" I guess it's a good story because I still think about it all the time, but dang, sooo depressing. "
— Jonathan, 12/6/2013 -
" 'To Build A Fire' - arguably the greatest short story written in the English language? London at his very best. "
— Paul, 12/2/2013 -
" To Build a Fire is to climb into the Alaskan cold. Only a few pages long but well worth the time; make hot chocolate to drink after. "
— Nancy, 11/12/2013 -
" To Build a Fire is a wonderful short story that has the same great descriptive imagery in many of London's novels. A story about a stubborn and in the end, out of luck man in the mean and brutal wild. A touching piece written wonderfully. "
— Mat, 8/21/2013 -
" I've read these stories a number of times and enjoyed them. listened to a tape of to build a fire with my family on a trip through Las Vegas, we were still feeling like we might get frostbite. "
— Lorrie, 6/17/2013 -
" How to write with color like painting a picture. "
— Jay, 4/12/2013 -
" "To Build a Fire" is probably my favorite short story EVER. Read it with a warm cup of tea and a blanket - it'll make you feel like you're in Alaska! "
— Jessica, 3/14/2013 -
" Not as good as call of the wild and White Fang - but London was a global explorer and these stories show the amazing range of places he visited. "
— Sara, 2/10/2013 -
" i don't know how many times i read "The Mexican", it's my personal favourite. And, "To Build a Fire" because of Haruki Murakami. "
— Bahar, 1/24/2013 -
" There's not much from Jack London I don't like. These short tales started my guided tour of his voluminous works. "
— Robert, 1/14/2013 -
" The greatest short story ever " All Gold Canyon " "
— G0rd0, 1/3/2013 -
" Jack London just can't go wrong; I have not read anything by him that I have not absolutely loved. This book is a nice collection of some awesome stories with interesting facts, such as at what temperature does spit freeze? "
— blereader, 12/27/2012 -
" Characteristically London -depressing. I went through a Jack London phase several years ago and "To Build a Fire" is among my favorite stories of his. Perfect for dark moods. "
— Denise, 12/9/2012 -
" To Build a Fire is one of the best stories. It reminds me of The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol. "
— Kathleen, 12/5/2012 -
" Simple stories but touching on some great themes. "
— Dc96, 11/24/2012
About Jack London
Jack London (1876–1916) was an American author, journalist, and social activist. Before making a living at his writing, he spent time as an oyster pirate, a sailor, a cannery worker, a gold miner, and a journalist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction writing. He is best known for his novels The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set during the Klondike gold rush, as well as the short stories “To Build a Fire,” “An Odyssey of the North,” and “Love of Life.” He also wrote of the South Pacific in such stories as “The Pearls of Parlay” and “The Heathen.” He was a passionate advocate of unionization, socialism, and the rights of workers and wrote several powerful works dealing with these topics, including The Iron Heel, The People of the Abyss, and The War of the Classes.
About Richard Rohan
Richard Rohan is a stage, film, and voice-over actor who has narrated hundreds of audiobooks over the last decade, in every genre. He is particularly proud of his work as director and performer on the acclaimed Space Fantasy audio drama series Deathstalker.