The Short Story Collection: Adventures in Far-Off Places

Written by Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson and Rudyard Kipling

Narrated by Frank Muller

At the turn of the century, the short story form gained enormous popularity. As readers looked for diversion and entertainment, they found the attraction of a good tale irresistible-especially when the action was packed into a few pages instead of a hundred. Here are three timeless stories that will whisk you into exotic lands and unforgettable adventures. Against the frozen Alaskan landscape of To Build a Fire, a miner struggles to survive the splintering whiteness of sub-zero temperatures. Isle of Voices captures the Hawaii of old, where magic transports a young man to an island of powerful spirits. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi pits a mongoose against a cobra in the steamy beauty of an Indian garden. Recorded Books' award-winning narrators turn these three adventure stories into absorbing audio productions. Listen as their dramatic performances bring out the full richness of far-off lands and breathtaking challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9781436181082

Jack London

Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist and journalist. Born in San Francisco to Florence Wellman, a spiritualist, and William Chaney, an astrologer, London was raised by his mother and her husband, John London, in Oakland. An intelligent boy, Jack went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley before leaving school to join the Klondike Gold Rush. His experiences in the Klondike—hard labor, life in a hostile environment, and bouts of scurvy—both shaped his sociopolitical outlook and served as powerful material for such works as “To Build a Fire” (1902), The Call of the Wild (1903), and White Fang (1906). When he returned to Oakland, London embarked on a career as a professional writer, finding success with novels and short fiction. In 1904, London worked as a war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War and was arrested several times by Japanese authorities. Upon returning to California, he joined the famous Bohemian Club, befriending such members as Ambrose Bierce and John Muir. London married Charmian Kittredge in 1905, the same year he purchased the thousand-acre Beauty Ranch in Sonoma County, California. London, who suffered from numerous illnesses throughout his life, died on his ranch at the age of 40. A lifelong advocate for socialism and animal rights, London is recognized as a pioneer of science fiction and an important figure in twentieth century American literature.