A mulligan stew with a few choice chunks
The problem with Revolution and Other Essays is that there’s too little “Revolution” and far too much “Other”. This collection is a hodgepodge of Jack London’s early nonfiction writings, in which he waxes poetic on subjects various and diverse, among them architecture (“The House Beautiful”), globalization (“The Shrinkage of the Planet”), literature (Maxim Gorky in “Fomá Gordyéeff” and Rudyard Kipling in “These Bones Shall Rise Again”), zoopsychology (“The Other Animals”), and the rise of Asia as a world power (“The Yellow Peril”). Uncharacteristic of London, the majority of these pieces are written in rather decorative prose, adorned with flowery language and gratuitous literary references. Even diehard fans of London will find most of these essays too esoteric in subject matter and too antiquated in style to be considered a necessary read.Fortunately, a few worthy pieces redeem this volume and elevate it to the realm of readability. The title piece, “Revolution”, is a state-of-the-union address for socialism in the year 1905. It serves as a stirring call to arms to the world’s 7,000,000 comrades, and a warning to the uninitiated that the revolt of the working class is imminent. “What Life Means to Me” is a mini-manifesto of London’s political thought. In it he provides an abbreviated autobiography charting his gradual transformation from a naive child with grand illusions to an educated socialist confronting the hypocrisy of a capitalist society. The only piece of fiction in this volume is a masterful short story entitled “Goliah”. It’s a sci-fi thriller about a seemingly omnipotent mystery man who appears on the world stage, cripples the military forces of the superpowers, and demands that society reorganize itself into a rational utopia. It is an audacious and exciting tale which bears some similarities to London’s brilliant novel The Iron Heel.
With the exception of the pieces I’ve singled out above, Revolution and Other Essays is a volume casual readers of London would do best to skip. “The Somnambulists” and “The Dignity of Dollars” will also be of value to those with a fervent interest in London’s politics, but if you’re looking for a really good collection of London’s political writings, I would suggest War of the Classes. For those who are only interested in London’s fiction, just read “Goliah”.
Essays and stories in this collection
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