The Sea-Wolf and Other Stories

by Jack London, Andrew Sinclair (Editor)

A thrilling epic of a sea voyage and a complex novel of ideas, The Sea Wolf is a standard-bearer of its genre. The vivid story of a gentleman scholar's rescue and subsequent ordeal at the hands of a hunting schooner's brutal captain and devious crew, it remains one of Jack London's finest achievements.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Literature, Short Stories, American, Adventure, Nautical

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

John Griffith Chaney, better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction.

London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers’ rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.

His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon 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 about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

JL is not the most thematically subtle writer, but his prose in The Sea-Wolf is much better than I'd anticipated. In fact, I think he's better than Conrad at describing the frightening power of an sea storm. Quite entertaining, and the Wolf is a wickedly vibrant villain who transcends JL's attempts to portray him as mere embodiment of "materialist" animal.
*

My early positive impressions got keel-hauled over the course of the novel. What started as a potentially 4-star read sank to 2-stars by the end. JL's thematic ham-handedness just got hammier and clammier, becoming almost comical by the end, an ending I found unconvincing, a maudlin version of Survivor in which "good" not only prevails over "evil" but attempts
a quasi-reconciliation that with a few more pages threatened to break out into a utopian paean to the power of love. Excuse my crankiness, but the idea behind this vision doesn't bother so much as L's godawful execution of it. Then again, as a generally sentimental slob myself, prone to tears in most death scenes, I might have been more receptive to this vision if it hadn't come after over a hundred pages cloying, eye-rolling exchanges between two aspiring lovers who, despite their life-threatening circumstances, are too prim to admit it. Humphrey becomes so annoying that I was actually rooting for Wolf Larsen to put him -- and me -- out of our shared misery. Part of the problem -- a big part, actually-- is that the novel is told from H's 1st person point of view, and without some authorial distance between his thoughts and constant moralizing and romantic blubbering, at times I felt like I was stuck on a trans-continental flight with a gabby passenger who insisted on passing the time with his life story. And for a spoiled land-lubber, Humphrey sure masters a mulitude of skills in the arts of seafaring, architecture,and engineering in pretty short order.

Nonetheless, JL is good enough to spin a dramatic story that kept me on board til the end, and his portrayal of Wolf, brutal superman and impressive autodidact, makes up for a lot of other literary sins. He was a far more captivating character than Humphrey.

After finishing any novel, even one only moderately stimulating, I usually need a day or two before I'm ready to leave behind any attachement, good or bad, to the characters, but other than annoyance and relief, I felt no lingering pull of L's world. I was ready, even eager, to start something else right away.

[Edward Rathke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic novel with one of the best characters I've come across.

That Wolf Larsen isn't thought of in the same sentence of Ahab is insane to me, because he's much bigger on the page and has an even more brutal life and philosophy.

This book is about ideology, in many ways, and what's interesting is that both Wolf Larsen and Hump are mostly ridiculous. Hump, or Humphrey Van Weyden, is an aristocrat and has all the characteristics you'd expect, even down to philosophy. He believes in all kinds of higher notions but doesn't really act upon any of them. Wolf Larsen is his exact opposite. A selfmade autodidact who believes in a world crueler than Ayn Rand.

These ideologies are pushed against one another for most of the novel, but it would be incorrect to think the novel takes a side. I think London gives us these poles to show us that both are pretty absurd.

Anyrate, it's great. There's adventuring and murdering and mutiny on the high seas! It's also cruel and absurd and punishes characters for what seem arbitrary reasons, which is kind of great.

I loved it.

[ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack London is a wonderful story teller with a grit and style all his own. The Sea Wolf was a literary exploration concerning London's recent readings of Nietzsche's, "On The Genealogy of Morality."

Set in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the 19th century, a dandy literary critic finds himself Shanghaied on a sealing boat, captained by The Wolf, bound for Japanese waters. His new world having become an isolated Clipper, he finds his unbanity little protection from its caustic environment and the work/resolve it requires of him.

This is a book about an individual facing humanity and nature alone, about self respect and the becoming of a man. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys sailing, adventure and/or Nietzsche's writings concerning die Entwicklungsgeschichte des Menschen, WerdenMensche, und die UberMensche.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great rise of Humphrey Van Weyden to "the facts". Wolf Larsen plays a fantastic man as Lucifer. Tragically, the last third of the book is man and woman bullshit. It felt like the plot "lost its course". Still, a happy ending if a sort of lacklustre one.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spend a ton of time in Oakland now so I felt like I had to read some Jack London- and I’m really glad this edition of Sea Wolf included some of his short stories at the end because it helped me get a deeper feel for his writing. His writing is so good at painting a picture- even as someone who has very minimal experience with sailing. I felt like the romance at the end actually detracted from the core of the story, which is what took away one star for me haha.

What I got from London is a deep understanding of man’s connection to wildness, and how we’re always at the earth’s mercy. But what makes his writing even more interesting is that man’s relationship with man is actually the most dangerous & lethal element in every story. This felt deep and true! I loved every short story, I love short stories in general because you get to the core quickly without superfluous details, but I also think Wolf Larsen ~had~ to be written in novel form, his character was so complicated and interesting. I also spent a lot of time Wikipedia-ing the late 1800s seal trade which makes me really fun at dinner parties >:)

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So great to grab this anniversary collection which not only has the story "The Sea Wolf" but a few more short stories by such an amazing author added in,

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

So refreshing to read an older piece of literature and enjoy the beautiful language. It was exciting and thought provoking. The ending, though, should have had a final confrontation or something a little more exhilarating.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He is all the happier for leaving life alone. He is too busy living it to think about it. My mistake was in ever opening the books” (88)

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breathtaking story of a literary, upper class man's journey from "sissy" to capable, seal slaying, woman rescuing, sailor. An absolute delight to read, I couldn't put it down the entire time I was reading it. The details about life on the sealing schooner Ghost bound from San Fransisco to Japan are wonderfully vivid and moving. This might be difficult to get through for people who don't have a good sailing vocabulary (as someone only recently acquainted to schooners, I was puzzled for some of it.) However if you're a non sailor who enjoys muddling through the Master and Commander Jack Aubrey series, or someone who loves characters this is definitely worth a try. "Wolf" Larsen is one of my favorite literary villains now -- ruthless yet intelligent. His fate, and the fate of all the characters in this book are wonderfully funny, touching and moving.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was AWESOME. The very first few pages were intensely exciting and it continued from there. There was tons of unexpected moments, pirates (they were actually seal hungers, but they acted like pirates) and a bit of a love story during the final 1/3. The ending was a tad on the soft-hearted and cliche side, but the character development of the captain and the personal transformation of the narrator were awesome. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I guess the 'old classics' are classics for a reason. The only drawback that i can think of is that I don't know a lot of sailor lingo (e.g. jib, maintopmast, lazaret, forecastle, etc) and it made it a bit hard to visualize sometimes.... I want to go out and find some more awesome old books. After I read my two book-club books, I guess.

[Caseythehun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read this book in high school and I'm pretty glad I didn't. I probably would have slacked off and only read half of it. But now I'm reading it and its great. London is a fabulous writer and it is turning out to be a terrific, quintessential adventure book. It does, however, drip with masculinity, but seeing that I get little of that in my life in academia (which I can't really complain about; its nice having a straight, unbroken nose), I don't mind. And anyways, traditional gender and class roles and its critique there of, is a big theme of the book. Who knew that falling in love while braining seals and men could be so rewarding.
-Casey

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite Jack London books but it was an enjoyable read. The characters were over the top and so provided great amounts of interesting conversations. He describes in detail the brutality of sailor life, a world before reading I was truly ignorant of. London brings up two polar opposite philosophies of life through the two main characters; materialism and morality(not sure on the technical term for this). Pretty much might makes right and good/evil rational thought. The two perspectives both have their merits and completely change the way any given person would handle a situation.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I began this book I didn't think I would love it as much as I did. However, about three quarters of the way through I found myself actually saying out loud: I love this book. The characters were really brought to life for me and I couldn't seem to leave the book alone. I obsessed over it until it was over and on that sad occasion I wondered if I would ever love again. Which I did...frequently. But I was still sad it was over.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out solid but by the end it was overkill. The back and forth with Wolf goes for too long and the romance is almost unbearable. There is also this interesting turn towards the end where London spends several chapters providing a detailed instruction manual for how to replace a mast on a ship that has run aground. I have the older edition of this book, so I don't know if the selected stories are the same but I enjoyed those a whole lot more, especially The One Thousand Dozen

[Mike Breton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't really the book I'm reading, but it is a compendium of Jack London short stories with a novel or two as well which is similar to the book I AM reading. . The book I'm reading has been in my library for years and now I'm returning to the harsh realities of his work. My book is called "The Collected Jack London", edited by Steven J. Kasdin.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books in high school. I recently reread it this past week for a naturalism paper about the SuperMan. I still really enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. The romance between the main character and Maud is a bit much. She seems like a mirror figure to Van Weyden. She saves his idealism right when it is about to be turned into materialism.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh.
I loved when there was all that action and talk of philosophy, good vs. evil. Why did that man have to throw in romance? Why is there always romance in sea stories?
Greh. I learned I have to read what I'm made to read, but I don't have to like it.

[Woodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 8th grade we were given a list of classics, told to choose one and read it. I picked this one and was so glad I did. This is a great sea-adventure story and I've since read it again.

[Lala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for teenage boys :) lots of adventure at sea, some philosophical musings, but mostly a good adventure story.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible ending...minus the love story. Blech. But Wolf Larsen...I hate to bandwagon on what everyone else already knows is true, but he was an amazing character.

[Mark Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Many interesting topics.

[Richard Houchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at ethics, as well as useful meditations on the vagaries of fate.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to awake the man inside right before you climb a mountain or kill an ant.

[Mark Noce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't get much better than Jack London:)

[Jim Janus · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You stand on dead men’s legs.”

So says Captain Larsen to his human find, the once drowning stranger now plucked from San Francisco Bay by the crew of The Ghost, a schooner starting for the coast of Japan to hunt seals.

The captain ordered his crew to lift the chance man from the freezing water only because they were short one. (The captain's mate died onboard from a “debauch” the night before.)

The rescued man is Humphrey Van Weyden, who responds to Larsen’s questions of occupation by identifying himself as a “gentleman” who has an “income.”

The angered captain responds, “Who earned it? Eh? I thought so. Your father. You stand on dead men’s legs.”

Humphrey dismisses the abuse and asks to be put ashore.

It’s then that Wolf Larsen, as the captain’s known, refuses Humphrey’s request and commits to make him stand on his own legs.

"My mate’s gone, and there’ll be a lot of promotion. A sailor comes aft to take mate’s place, cabin-boy goes for’ard to take sailor’s place, and you..."

Thus Humphrey Van Weyden, gentleman, is impressed into service as “Hump,” cabin boy of The Ghost.

This is the setup for Jack London’s 1904 novel The Sea-Wolf. London pits Wolf and Hump against each other for an engaging tale on the sea and to explore whether humans have immortal souls.

It’s Van Weyden who tells the story. He shows Larsen both as a fierce captain of super-human strength who abuses his crew, and as a self-educated man (his state-room full of literary classics and scientific works) who’s curious but skeptical about the value of life.

During breaks in the hard work of sailing and the terror, Wolf seeks Hump to debate whether life is anything more than “particles of yeast...striving to devour each other.” Hump’s impressed by Wolf’s ability to reason and argue, but is unable to change him from “a man of whom to always be afraid.”

Wolf does have a weakness--he gets migraines. This enables two things: opportunity for Hump to save himself, and a gradual physical deterioration that presents an idea about life being more than the desire to devour.

Reading The Sea-Wolf I felt like I too was captive on The Ghost, in a good way.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was naughty and I only read one short story, so this is going to be a review of The Sea-Wolf only!

The first two-thirds of this book were fantastic. I loved London's prose. I loved Humphrey's POV, and the contrast between Humphrey and Wolf, and their weird, tenuous relationship. I loved all the other crew on board and witnessing their struggles, and I loved the encompassing bubble of bleak desolaton that is borne out of imprisonment on such a hell ship, the worst hell to have ever shipped, in fact.

I was in this book's thrall until the introduction of Maud Brewster. Maud is the protagonist's female counterpart in every way possible, except she's nowhere near as interesting as Hump. She might as well have introduced herself as "Eve, from Adam's rib." And Maud is here not just to be his helper, but to make the story exponentially more boring when the story shifts from being a tense power struggle between Hump and Wolf to a survival and love story between Humphrey van Weyden and future Mrs. van Weyden.

Now the romance between these two is godawful. It's saccharine, gooey, and incongruous to the overall tone of the book. It's really very hard to watch, but this isn't poor Maud's fault, because women aren't inherently boring or sickly sweet, nor are women best characterized as mirror images to men's ideal mate based solely on values hearkening back to when we were all living in caves and wearing fig leaves on our crotches. It's Jack London's fault. Why, Jack? This was the turn of the century, Jack, not 2018, where unnecessary and cringe-inducing romantic subplots litter any and all forms of entertainment produced for mass consumption. You didn't have to do this.

Still, those two-thirds were absolutely worth 4 stars. I also desperately need to mention my dreamcast for a movie adaptation was originally Leonardo DiCaprio as Hump, Henry Cavill as the Wolf, and Kiera Knightley as Maud, but then I switched out DiCaprio for James McAvoy, and then I erased Keira Knightley and her role out of the script altogether.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, timeless classic! Gentleman bred Humphrey feels blessed that he is picked up by a passing schooner, on her way to hunt seals, after his ship has sunk only to find out that he's been plunged into a world that is foreign to him; that of hate, honor, brutality where only the strongest will survive. Humphrey finds himself learning to do things that he never thought possible in fear of his life and earns a morsel of respect from the captain -- the Sea Wolf. That morsel of respect is just enough to keep him on the right side of a fight for his life.

London writes from his experiences and one may question if he embodied Humphrey, the Sea Wolf or one of the other mates in his time plying the waters in a schooner. He writes with an extreme handle on vision and passion ... he takes 19 lines to describe the Sea Wolf's color of his eyes. He debates the irony of life between Humphrey and the Sea Wolf, begging one to ask if these debates were done in public or within his own soul.

[Chad CG · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.7)

I love the writing style of the early 1900s. Jack London writes in a way that embodies this but feels a little more readable than others of the same time. The more scholarly writing also fits perfectly for the themes grappled with in this book. Wolf Larsen is a character that I won’t soon forget and I found myself fascinated with him throughout the story. The author pays good attention to the details he chooses and is thoughtful about the structure and building up of character, conflict, setting and theme. This is a sophisticated (in theme) version of treasure island! If you enjoy philosophy and moral wrestling as well as action packed pirate adventuring then you should read this.

[Seth Tomko · Rating 3 out of 5]

London is an author I appreciate more than I enjoy. The stories are good, but I can't say it was a great pleasure to read them. This is not to say that London isn't a good writer. He is, but elements of his style are not to my liking.

If you're hesitant about reading Moby-Dick, then you should read The Sea-Wolf first. It has some similar ideas, but it is more approachable in part by being less robust and more focused on the protagonist. I will say the Wolf Larsen is one of the most assertive and articulate nihilists in American Literature.

[Ashley Boggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sea Wolf was a nice detour from my typical reading. Some twists and turns, and Ghost Larsen always surprising everyone! I don’t think I could have survived out at sea in this world personally.

Sidebar- I enjoyed reading the intro about Jack London’s life- helped give some color to the novel. He was actually working on the ships and docks in SF at a very early age so he knows what he’s talking about throughout the book.