by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“The book appeals to people of red blood and clear eyes and the way I have seen boys and girls and old men and hacked-up literary connoisseurs take to this book makes my heart beat high for the final destiny of the human mob.”
That’s how poet and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg described “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London.
If you have seen people reading the book lately, there’s a reason: it’s the Jacksonville Public Library’s “Jax Reads” selection for 2009. Each year, a book is selected and everyone in the city is encouraged to visit the library, check out one of hundreds of copies available, read the book and then participate in a month-long series of events at the Main Library and neighborhood branches. The program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of “The Big Read” initiative.
Copies of the book have been provided to Impact House, Ribault High School and The Bridge of Northeast Florida and the library has partnered with Duval County Public Schools to make “Call of the Wild” suggested reading in middle schools this spring.
While not the longest work in print at between 100 and 140 pages depending on which edition you find, “Call of the Wild” contains everything that makes a good story. There’s adventure, there’s love and hate, cruelty and mercy, and even some much-needed revenge and redemption toward the end of the novel.
Published in 1903, it’s told from the viewpoint of the main character, a Saint Bernard/German shepherd mixed-breed named Buck who begins the story as a beloved pet in Northern California. Then he’s abducted and sold into slavery as a sled dog in the Yukon Territory during the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1800s.
Buck’s story is not unlike Jack London’s life story, said author Paul Malmont, who has published a novel, “Jack London in Paradise,” that presents a possible end to London’s life story, an ending that has not been accurately recorded by history. During his research for his novel, Malmont learned a great deal about London in general and “Call of the Wild” in particular.
“London was raised in poverty in Oakland, California. He was a prospector during the Gold Rush, an oyster thief, a seal hunter and a hobo, all before he was 21 years old,” said Malmont. “Then he became a writer and published stories based on his adventures. Jack London sold his work to the pulp magazines of the day and is considered to be the first American who was able to make a living as a writer.”
Malmont traveled London’s routes from California to Alaska to Hawaii while doing the research for his novel, which details what might have taken place during the last year of London’s life.
“He died mysteriously at 40 years old. He was living in Hawaii and had discovered Jungian philosophy. One of the biggest questions about London’s life is, how did he die? His death certificate lists uremia, but another theory is that he died of a morphine overdose,” said Malmont. “But he wanted so much to live. It doesn’t make sense to me that he would do that.”
Malmont said “Call of the Wild” makes an excellent choice for Jax Reads for several reasons. The story and the way it’s written can appeal to a wide age group and it can be appreciated on different levels.
“It’s also short and a quick read,” he added. “When Jack London finished it, he invited his friends over to his house and read it to them in one night. It’s a small commitment but it’s very rewarding.”
Next week’s First Wednesday ArtWalk will mark the official kickoff of the events scheduled at the Public Libraries. Laura Street will be closed and a snow machine will turn the area in front of the Main Library into a snow bank. A climbing wall will be installed in the courtyard on the second floor and a portable stream will be set up to allow “panning” for gold nuggets. In keeping with the winter theme, Kathryn Pearson Peyton — Mayor John Peyton’s wife — will read the children’s book, “The Snowy Day,” by Ezra Jack-Keats.
For all the details and schedules, visit www.jpl.coj.net.
356-2466