The Jack London Library

In which the peculiar and purposeful jargon known as bêche de mer English is explored, revealing a creole born of necessity among traders and islanders in the tangled linguistic archipelago of Melanes...

10 Sep 15min

In which the ancient and elaborate custom of stone-fishing at Bora Bora unfolds, revealing a communal rite that blends artistry, tradition, and the rhythms of the sea into a vibrant festival of paddle...

9 Sep 15min

In which the narrator wrestles with the complexities and confusions of amateur navigation aboard a small vessel, contending with unreliable captains, deceptive compasses, and the whimsical movements o...

9 Sep 40min

In which Jack London encounters Ernest Darling, a sun-browned and free-spirited soul who has cast off conventional society to embrace a life in harmony with nature, pursuing health through bare living...

8 Sep 27min

In which the Snark encounters the gracious hospitality of Raiatea and Tahaa, where the author is captivated by a marvel of Polynesian canoe craftsmanship and experiences the boundless generosity and w...

8 Sep 38min

In which the Snark undertakes a formidable and solitary journey across the vast and often baffling South Pacific, battling variable winds, calms, squalls, and the merciless equatorial currents, all wh...

7 Sep 35min

In which the Snark, driven by the southeast trade wind, makes landfall at the hauntingly beautiful but fading Marquesan isle of Nuku-hiva, where the once-mighty valley of Typee lies shrouded in jungle...

7 Sep 30min

In which the Snark voyages along the coast of Molokai, revealing a leper settlement far removed from the lurid tales of horror, where afflicted men and women lead lives marked by community, work, and ...

6 Sep 30min