To Build a Fire

By: Jack London

Narrated by: Richard Rohan

To Build a Fire is the best known of all London's stories. It tells the story of a new arrival to the Klondike who stubbornly ignores warnings about the folly of traveling alone. He falls through the ice into a creek in 70-below weather, and his survival depends on being able to build a fire and dry his clothes—which he is unable to do. The famous version of this story was published in 1908.

(P)2007 Listen and Live Audio, Inc.

Nothing to lose

This is such a well-regarded story and it's offered so cheaply that I found it hard to pass up. The audio is fine and the reader does a fair job, though I sometimes felt the tension in his voice was a bit forced. I think the story could have benefitted from a somewhat graver, perhaps gruffer, voice. But that's nitpicking really.

I might actually prefer to read the paper version on its own, but for a couple of bucks there is nothing to lose here. It's a tense outdoor survival story and I certainly feel like I got my money's worth!

Maybe we are not invinsible

Loved it, very detailed writing for a short story. Highly recommended

A Tale of Survival?

This is a pretty straightforward story about a man trying to survive in the bitter cold of the North. It's well-written and well-told, but otherwise unremarkable. It's difficult for me to see why it's one of Jack London's best-known stories when he has so much other great work out there.