The Law of Club and Fang

"The Fight", Barry Moser, illustrating The Call of the Wild

It's been years since I read The Call of the Wild, by Jack London. It held my interest now just as it did when I was twelve--who would not strain to follow the sad and descending path of that noble dog, Buck? I still gasped in horror when he was beaten by the man in the red sweater, still exalted when John Thornton saved his life, and still thrilled when he broke out and pulled for one hundred yards a sled with one thousand pounds of flour.

The impression that had remained with me was that of blood, of strife, of howling. And this time around it was confirmed. London, largely self-educated and a firm believer in the Darwinian gospel, traces Buck's progress as he loses the sheen of civilization applied by his birth in the warm Southland and connects with the atavistic power of his forebears. The book could hardly be called anything but The Call of the Wild, because in relentless, tight prose, London drives Buck toward answering that call. Buck quickly learns that mercy is seen as a form of fear, that if one loses one's footing the horde will devour one, and that man with a club is a god to be feared.

In the rough and brutal world of the Alaskan gold rush, men and dogs alike face physical and emotional challenges inconceivable to many on the Outside. Those who survive will be those who learn the laws that govern them and respect the great crashing forces of nature.

Our lives bear little resemblance to theirs, but that is perhaps part of the interest we have in reading this type of book. We cannot know whether the call of the wild would draw us or our dogs, because we've never gotten quite close enough to hear it. Through Jack London's ruthless prose, we can.

Have you contemplated the Law of Club and Fang? Any thoughts on The Call of the Wild?

Worn-out slippers

Loved this photo. As a girl I dreamed of dancing en pointe, as I'm sure many others did. The determination to make that happen didn't equal the idealistic images and I do not have any training in ballet. I do, however, still gasp and marvel like a little girl over the art and its implements.

Iggy and Squiggy

I'm not sure how many of you know that I'm a Celtic harpist and vocalist... but here is one of my favorite clips of traditional music played very well on a harp! Cheyenne Brown is making quite a name for herself on the instrument. Originally from Alaska., she has lived in Scotland since 2002, graduated with honors from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and has a master's degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Edinburgh. She has also recently released her first solo album which is definitely on my Birthday list!

Christmas Morning

Yes, it's beautiful. It's a home-made cinnamon roll, my family tradition for Christmas morning. Made even better by the kind forethought of my mother, who sent me home with a mound of dough all ready to roll out and slather in butter. Somehow it was my husband's first taste of this delicious treat, and he was an instant convert.

Blogtalk 2012!

I sit at my husband's coffee shop as I write this, a delightful peppermint mocha enjoyed and long gone. I am pondering the beginning of the year and the resumption of this blog. A woman with a face like one of Rossetti's models just walked in with four well-behaved children. I transferred the last of our utilities to our new address today, and picked up the mail--so it truly does feel as if we have moved in!!!!!


I want to thank each of you for your kind comments in the past few weeks, also for following my blog and sharing yourselves with me through the wonderful medium of the internet. I look forward to getting to know you better in the coming months.

As for this blog, I will continue to post random musings on many topics, including various aspects of literature, lifestyle, mindful living, food, and music. It won't be long now until my husband and I welcome our first child (a matter of weeks!!!) so I anticipate a rather irregular posting schedule in the next few months.

If you enjoy this blog, please consider letting your friends know about it, commenting, and suggesting post topics. Thank you for your presence in my life, and I hope this new year is full of delight for you and yours.