Jack London was one of the first writers to earn a living in part from his writings in commercial fiction magazines. London became a socialist and his writings reflect this change in his political views. He is best known for his novels The Call of the Wild and White Fang. Stories in this collection include LOVE OF LIFE, A DAY'S LODGING, THE WHITE MAN'S WAY, THE STORY OF KEESH, THE UNEXPECTED, BROWN WOLF, THE SUN-DOG TRAIL, NEGORE, and THE COWARD,

LOVE OF

LIFE (excerpt)

"This out of all will remain - They have

lived and have tossed: So much of the game will be gain, Though the

gold of the dice has been lost."

THEY limped painfully down the bank, and once the

foremost of the two men staggered among the rough-strewn rocks. They

were tired and weak, and their faces had the drawn expression of

patience which comes of hardship long endured. They were heavily

burdened with blanket packs which were strapped to their shoulders.

Head- straps, passing across the forehead, helped support these

packs. Each man carried a rifle. They walked in a stooped posture,

the shoulders well forward, the head still farther forward, the eyes

bent upon the ground.

"I wish we had just about two of them

cartridges that's layin' in that cache of ourn," said the second

man.

His voice was utterly and drearily expressionless.

He spoke without enthusiasm; and the first man, limping into the

milky stream that foamed over the rocks, vouchsafed no reply.

The other man followed at his heels. They did not

remove their foot-gear, though the water was icy cold - so cold that

their ankles ached and their feet went numb. In places the water

dashed against their knees, and both men staggered for footing.

The man who followed slipped on a smooth boulder,

nearly fell, but recovered himself with a violent effort, at the same

time uttering a sharp exclamation of pain. He seemed faint and dizzy

and put out his free hand while he reeled, as though seeking support

against the air. When he had steadied himself he stepped forward, but

reeled again and nearly fell. Then he stood still and looked at the

other man, who had never turned his head.

The man stood still for fully a minute, as though

debating with himself. Then he called out:

"I say, Bill, I've sprained my ankle."

Bill staggered on through the milky water. He did

not look around. The man watched him go, and though his face was

expressionless as ever, his eyes were like the eyes of a wounded

deer.

The other man limped up the farther bank and

continued straight on without looking back. The man in the stream

watched him. His lips trembled a little, so that the rough thatch of

brown hair which covered them was visibly agitated. His tongue even

strayed out to moisten them.

"Bill!" he cried out...

About Jack London:

Jack London (1876-1916), was an American author and a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction. He was one of the first Americans to make a lucrative career exclusively from writing. London was self-educated. He taught himself in the public library, mainly just by reading books. In 1898, he began struggling seriously to break into print, a struggle memorably described in his novel, Martin Eden (1909). Jack London was fortunate in the timing of his writing career. He started just as new printing technologies enabled lower-cost production of magazines. This resulted in a boom in popular magazines aimed at a wide public, and a strong market for short fiction. In 1900, he made $2,500 in writing, the equivalent of about $75,000 today. His career was well under way. Among his famous works are: Children of the Frost (1902), The Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea Wolf (1904), The Game (1905), White Fang (1906), The Road (1907), Before Adam (1907), Adventure (1911), and The Scarlet Plague (1912).