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Jack Carr's take on noted writer Jack London, born on this day, January 12: 'Fascinating character'
Jack London was born on Jan. 12, 1876. I’ve always felt drawn to his work and to the Northern Territory he often highlighted.
Exploring the land of his books and short stories helped propel me into the backcountry at a very young age.
Jack London was a fascinating character in his own right. Having spent time growing up around some of his old haunts, I became familiar with his background: amateur boxer, war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War, oyster pirate, hobo, gold miner in the Klondike Gold Rush, sailor, journalist and author.
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My favorite Jack London short story is also his most well-known: “To Build a Fire.”
Inspired by his experience in the Yukon, it explores wisdom, experience, hubris, arrogance, intellect, reason, self-reliance, perseverance and death against the backdrop of an unforgiving wilderness.
No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr (left) says Jack London “was a fascinating character in his own right.” London was an “amateur boxer, war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War, oyster pirate, hobo, gold miner in the Klondike Gold Rush, sailor, journalist and author.” (Jack Carr/Getty Images)
I first read the story in middle school, and it has stayed with me.
There are two versions of the classic tale.
One was written in 1902 and the other in 1908.
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The latter is recognized as one of the classic short stories of all time.
To this day, when building a fire in the woods, I never fail to remember Jack London’s lessons — and look up to inspect the boughs above.
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More about Jack London
London (1876-1916) was born in San Francisco.
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At age 14, “he quit school to escape poverty and gain adventure. He explored San Francisco Bay in his sloop, alternately stealing oysters or working for the government fish patrol,” noted Britannica.
He later taught himself at public libraries, voraciously reading the works of Charles Darwin, among others — and after trying to seek his fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush, he returned to California and chose to embark on the life of a writer.
Jack London (1876-1916), born in San Francisco, largely taught himself at public libraries, voraciously reading the works of Charles Darwin and other authors. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Among the American novelist and short-story writer’s best-known works are “The Call of the Wild” (1903) and “White Fang” (1906) — which depict “elemental struggles for survival,” as Britannica also said.
During the 20th century, he became one of the most extensively translated American authors.
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“Though he wrote passionately about the great questions of life and death and the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity, he also sought peace and quiet inspiration,” says the website of the Jack London State Historical Park in Glen Ellen, California.
“His stories of high adventure were based on his own experiences at sea, in the Yukon Territory, and in the fields and factories of California. His writings appealed to millions worldwide.”
Jack Carr’s upcoming nonfiction work, “Targeted: Beirut – The 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing: The Untold True Origin Story of the War on Terror,” with co-author, military historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist James Scott, will be published in 2024. (Jack Carr)
Calling him “strikingly handsome, full of laughter, restless, courageous [and] always eager for adventure,” the same source says that “Jack London was one of the most romantic figures of his time. He ascribed his worldwide literary success largely to hard work — to ‘dig,’ as he put it.”
Between the years 1900 and 1916, London completed over 50 fiction and nonfiction books, hundreds of short stories and numerous articles, the site says.
Fox News Digital staff contributed reporting.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
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Bullet point summary by AI
- San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello faces mounting criticism after his recent public remarks about his team’s performance.
- Vitello’s approach has begun to fracture the unity within the clubhouse just as the season heads toward a critical juncture.
- The front office now weighs whether to make broader changes or let the rookie manager work through his growing pains.
The San Francisco Giants lost five straight games heading into Sunday’s contest against the Colorado Rockies. While Rafael Devers has turned his season around to some degree, the same cannot be said of manager Tony Vitello, whose antics have put him between a rock and a hard place. Vitello’s hiring was a controversial one to begin with, as he had no big-league experience but thrived at the collegiate level with the Tennessee Volunteers. Buster Posey surely couldn’t have seen this season’s struggles coming.
Vitello hasn’t maintained his composure well this season, and it’s starting to impact the Giants clubhouse as this season fades into obscurity. Posey himself has stayed relatively quiet on Vitello’s future, and if Giants fans had their way he’d likely be a one-and-done manager. Vitello’s players, to their credit, have stayed together…until now. Over the weekend, the first-time MLB manager questioned his players’ effort and pride, a tactic that may have worked for him in Knoxville but will surely backfire in a larger market like San Francisco.
Tony Vitello betrayed the trust of Giants players
The Giants took a 6-3 lead in Friday’s game against the Rockies, but eventually blew that advantage in an 8-6 defeat. They fell behind quickly on Saturday in Colorado as well.
There’s only so much a manager can do to shoulder blame when his players aren’t performing up to par. However, blaming them to the media isn’t going to sit well in the clubhouse.
“We need to take a little more pride, I think, in how we…It’s ideal to not have last night occur, but bounce back,” Vitello told the media. “I got the vibe like we were in a position to do that. The first six outs we had at the plate would say that, but getting in a hole makes it a little tougher after that.”
Vitello isn’t necessarily wrong in his commentary of the Giants’ play of late, and even what he perceives as a lack of effort. However, he’d be wise to keep that criticism internal and call clubhouse leaders into his office to better apply that feedback.
Are bigger changes coming for the San Francisco Giants?
Speaking of fair criticism, this is one the players could surely push back onto their first-time manager: Vitello is in over his head. The Giants have already reassigned third-base coach Hector Borg in a wake-up call of sorts. If that doesn’t work — and the five straight losses suggest it hasn’t — then perhaps larger changes are looming.
Posey could opt to sell at the trade deadline. While Devers and Willy Adames are likely here to stay thanks to their large contracts, Robbie Ray is an attractive trade asset for contending teams and is on the final year of his deal. FanSided’s Chris Landers ranked Ray ninth on his trade deadline big board just last week.
“Ray…is an open and shut case: He’s in the final year of his five-year contract, and while he’s no longer the power pitcher he was in his prime, he’s still got gas left in the tank as a No. 4 starter who could even pivot to a valuable bullpen role in the postseason,” Landers wrote.
Posey and the Giants should not rush to panic and fire Vitello in season. Doing so defeats the entire purpose of hiring him. Vitello is learning on the job. Perhaps he’ll find his footing in the dog days of summer. Criticizing his own players, who thus far have had his back, isn’t a step in the right direction.
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The Seattle Seahawks lost a key member of the front office to the Minnesota Vikings, as the NFC North team named Nolan Teasley its new general manager. The hire could change the fortunes of both teams in the immediate future.
Teasley will be taking over a Vikings team that isn’t far away from contending. One of the key reasons the team fired former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasn’t that he couldn’t build a collection of talent, but that he didn’t seem to understand how to get the best possible answer at the most important position in sports: Quarterback.
Vikings fans watched as former QB1 in Minnesota, Sam Darnold, signed with the Seahawks last offseason, and then followed that by helping lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. That was Seattle’s second title. Minnesota has never won a Super Bowl.
Minnesota Vikings hire Nolan Teasley from the Seattle Seahawks
Teasley, though, has the experience and, clearly, the ability to create an environment in which a team will thrive. He has been working with general manager John Schneider in Seattle since 2013, and has worked in scouting and been the director of pro personnel. He has most recently served as Schneider’s assistant GM.
Schneider could very well be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day after leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl wins. Still, with teams with two completely different rosters and coaching staffs (Schneider is the only GM to ever do that), Teasley would have learned at the knee of one of the best to ever perform general manager duties.
Nolan Teasley could also be entering a situation where his new team is already poised to make a deep run in the playoffs. Minnesota finished 9-8 last season despite the fact that its quarterback play was among the worst in the NFL. This offseason, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray.
Murray underwhelmed or was injured throughout his career with the Arizona Cardinals, as Seattle Seahawks fans know well due to their favorite team counting on two wins every season against the NFC West brethren, but under the wise direction of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, Murray could be coaxed into playing a much better form of football.
As the Minnesota Vikings play in the NFC, and could potentially be a difficult obstacle for the Seahawks to repeat as Super Bowl champions, Teasley is already in a good spot. The issue for Seattle is that Teasley is smart enough to make moves to get Minnesota even better well into the future. A great rivalry between Seattle and the Vikings might be about to start.
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