Book Club

In January of the new year 2015, the Ainsworth Book Club will read two books to go along with the theme of our winter Dog Sled Event. The first is the classic tale by Jack London, Call of the Wild, about a giant dog who is stolen from his home in Southern California, where he is a pampered famiy pet, and then transported to the frozen wildness of the Alaskan frontier in Gold Rush times. There, due to harsh treatment by various humans, he undergoes a transformation from friendly pet to creature of the Wild. The second work is a biography for young people by local author Hope Irvin Marston entitled Eye on the Iditarod: Aisling's Quest. This is an interesting story of a girl's determination to overcome hardships and pursue her dream of mushing in the historic and grueling race, the Iditarod, along with an accurate depiction of the skills of dog sledding. Then author Hope Marston will be present at our Dog Sled Event on January 24, 2015, to answer questions and sign books. Book Club will meet on Monday, January 19, 2015, at 6 PM at the library. Come and join our discussion group.

Summary from NCLS

When gold was discovered in the Yukon in 1896, Jack London caught the fever and rushed off to the northlands to try his luck. When he returned home, he had not mined an ounce of gold but brought back a greater treasure -- vivid recollections of rugged life in the frozen wastelands. London converted his experiences into exciting adventure tales, including The Call of the Wild, which has been called his masterpiece. It tells the story of the magnificent dog Buck, who is a loyal pet until cruel men make him a pawn in their search for the gold of the Klondike. Brutally treated, Buck finds the blood of his wolf ancestors rising within him and breaks free to roam the Alaskan wilderness as leader of a ferocious pack.

Author Notes

One of the pioneers of 20th century American literature, Jack London specialized in tales of adventure inspired by his own experiences. London was born in San Francisco in 1876. At 14, he quit school and became an "oyster pirate," robbing oyster beds to sell his booty to the bars and restaurants in Oakland. Later, he turned on his pirate associates and joined the local Fish Patrol, resulting in some hair-raising waterfront battles. Other youthful activities included sailing on a seal-hunting ship, traveling the United States as a railroad tramp, a jail term for vagrancy and a hazardous winter in the Klondike during the 1897 gold rush. Those experiences converted him to socialism, as he educated himself through prolific reading and began to write fiction. After a struggling apprenticeship, London hit literary paydirt by combining memories of his adventures with Darwinian and Spencerian evolutionary theory, the Nietzchean concept of the "superman" and a Kipling-influenced narrative style. "The Son of the Wolf"(1900) was his first popular success, followed by 'The Call of the Wild" (1903), "The Sea-Wolf" (1904) and "White Fang" (1906). He also wrote nonfiction, including reportage of the Russo-Japanese War and Mexican revolution, as well as "The Cruise of the Snark" (1911), an account of an eventful South Pacific sea voyage with his wife, Charmian, and a rather motley crew. London's body broke down prematurely from his rugged lifestyle and hard drinking, and he died of uremic poisoning - possibly helped along by a morphine overdose - at his California ranch in 1916. Though his massive output is uneven, his best works - particularly "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" - have endured because of their rich subject matter and vigorous prose. (Bowker Author Biography)

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The Second Book: Eye on the Iditarod: Aisling's Quest

This is a biography of Aisling Lara Shepherd, a young girl who aspires to drive her own dog sled team in the grueling race, the Iditarod. Hope Irvin Marston is the author, and Bob Renaud the illustrator.

Abstract:

"'I was born to race. Born to drive a team of sled dogs. Born to follow my dream of running the Iditarod.' This is the real-life story of a young girl with a big dream. From the time she was three years old, Aisling (pronounced 'Ashley') Lara Shepherd loved watching sled dog racing on television. Inspired by the drive and determination of the dogs and the people who race them, Aisling set out on a personal quest to one day run her own dogs in the famous Iditarod race in Alaska. Follow eleven-year-old Aisling as she conquers obstacles, deals with heartbreak and loss, and achieves great victories--all while keeping her eye on the Iditarod"--P. [4] of cover.