The Sea-Wolf
by Jack London · first published 1900
63% recommend38% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Adventure novel set aboard a sealing ship, valued for its collision-and-shipboard opening and the sharp, philosophical presence of the captain Wolf Larsen; often recommended alongside Moby-Dick.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Jack London's novel The Sea Wolf became an instant bestseller on its release in 1904. Ambrose Bierce wrote "The great thing - and it is among the greatest of things - is that tremendous creation, Wolf Larsen...the hewing out and setting up of such a figure is black for a man to do in one lifetime." The Sea Wolf tells the story of intellectual Humphrey van Weyden's toughening and growth in the face of brutality and hardship. Set adrift after his ferry collides in fog and sinks, van Weyden is pulled out of the sea by Wolf Larsen.
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The Bible. Mysterious Island (1874), Around the World in Eighty Days (1873), and other books by Jules Verne. Books by James Fenimore Cooper. The Sea-Wolf (1904) by Jack London. The Count of Monte Cristo (1844) by Alexandre Dumas. Oliver Twist (1839) by Charles Dickens.
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books or essays written at least 100 years ago?” ↗…for keeping Mind and Body in harmony and Scientific Materialism to enjoy the World. PS: You might also be interested in life arguments put forth by Jack London via his hero Wolf Larsen in the novel The Sea Wolf - https://old.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1jqpar/what_book_sin...
on “Ask HN: Ex-atheists/agnostics, I will be 50 y/0 soon. Should I explore Faith?” ↗I really rate Jack London as the great American novelist. I like the lessor known Sea Wolf the best of his but White Fang and The Call of the Wild really capture a sense of adventure and the history and vibe of that period of American expansion into the West.
on “The Great Gatsby: Misunderstood Novel” ↗…do people refuse to face Reality? We are just Biological Animals with a Complex Social Structure called "Civilization" which is but just a veneer. Reminds me of one of my favourite passages from The Sea-Wolf by Jack London; “Do you know, I sometimes catch myself wishing that I, too, were blind to the facts of life and only knew its fancies and illusions. They’re wrong, all wrong, of course, and contrary…
on “Google cancelled a talk on caste bias” ↗…(controlling for other factors). This kind of behavior has had a strong appeal throughout history to many of those with the strength to carry it out without any real risk to themselves. See Jack London's "The Sea Wolf" for a great portrayal of the conflict between this mindset and our own. It's player-killing in video games in the real world and the only effective way to respond is with greater force.
on “The Drug Cartels' IT Guy” ↗Ha - nice Moby Dick reference! I would add Jack London's The Sea Wolf to that -- both for the collision aspect early in the book then life aboard the ship. Hell - add Dan Simmon's "The Terror" to that list too :)
on “Norwegian frigate sinking has far-reaching implications” ↗…ratio; the pithiness really challenges your mind and forces it to consider different interpretations under different contexts which leads to wisdom. As an example, the sayings of "Wolf Larsen" from "The Sea Wolf" by Jack London have had a profound influence on my thinking. Here is a passage; Do you know, I sometimes catch myself wishing that I, too, were blind to the facts of life and only knew its fancies…
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?” ↗…thoughts well over and above that of mere survival and reproduction. Hence my need for meaning and happiness. One way is a completely materialistic viewpoint best laid out by Jack London in his novel "The Sea Wolf" - https://old.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1jqpar/what_book_sin... The other way is to either subscribe (suspending judgement) to an existing school and follow its Religion or come up with your own based…
on “Ask HN: Learning about philosophy” ↗…status in a hierarchical society. Recognizing where you stand and who you are indebted to, is the first step towards a equitable society. If you have not already read it, i recommend Jack London's The Sea-Wolf to you (have listed some excerpts in this thread).
on “The complicated reality of doing what you love” ↗…previous comments are relevant here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32920232 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32920420 The following two books helped me wrestle with this problem; * The Sea-Wolf by Jack London - Some relevant excerpts can be found here: https://old.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1jqpar/what_book_sin... * Philosophy in a Meaningless Life: A System of Nihilism, Consciousness and…
on “Ask HN: How do I find my “purpose”?” ↗For me it was Jack London's fiction The Sea-Wolf. I was/am interested in philosophical ideas/frameworks but the simple direct materialistic philosophy espoused by Wolf Larsen in the above book made me question everything i had read. Here are the relevant…
on “What's the most radical book you've read?” ↗…paint our chosen "Schools of Philosophy". One needs to be very aware of this important difference. IMO, it is better to live with Unpleasant Reality than Pleasant Fancy. The following passage from The Sea-Wolf by Jack London nicely illustrates this dichotomy; === As he went on his voice again grew soft, and a confiding note came into it. “Do you know, I sometimes catch myself wishing that I, too, were blind…
on “In Praise of Idleness (1932)” ↗…of “nobody is entitled to survival”? Simple; the reality of my "Existence" gives me the right to Survive using any and all means. Here is a passage between Hump and Wolf Larsen from Jack London's The Sea-Wolf. [Hump] “What do you believe, then?” I countered. [Wolf Larsen] “I believe that life is a mess,” he answered promptly. “It is like yeast, a ferment, a thing that moves and may move for a minute, an…
on “The complicated reality of doing what you love” ↗…abandon his racist beliefs, gave up sex, and invented satyagraha. London: got arrested for being a Socialist, and wrote The Call of the Wild, The Unparalleled Invasion, To Build a Fire, White Fang, and The Sea-Wolf, all of which are still read today. Darrow: represented Debs in the Pullman Strike case, once successfully and once unsuccessfully; helped organize the Populist Party; successfully defended Big Bill…
on “Winning Isn't Normal” ↗…ardent follower of a Religion/Cult/Group etc. * A Scientist/Artist totally focused on their respective areas of study. Interestingly, i had the light-bulb moment while reading Jack London's novel "The Sea Wolf". Here is the insight from the protagonist "Wolf Larsen"; “Do you know, I sometimes catch myself wishing that I, too, were blind to the facts of life and only knew its fancies and illusions. They’re…
on “The Deadly Boredom of ‘A Meaningless Life’” ↗