Customer Reviews

Jerry of the Islands

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4 star:		(2)
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A little corny but a great read for Dog Lovers. The sequel is "Michael, Brother of Jerry". If you like London's tales, especially his dog stories or South Seas stories you'll like this. If you've owned an Irish Terrier you'll know how accurate London is, he definitely had owned one and, from the preface, one very similar to Jerry.

Jerry is born on a plantation in the Solomon Islands, accompanies a White Trader and lives among the natives. The book is filled with South Sea Islands lore of the turn of the century before last. Right up there with Conrad and Stevenson for lovers of that millieu.

Jerry of the Islands is a good book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, it is not for everyone. If you can get past the archaic, and sometimes objectionable use of the language. You will like this book.

In the author's defense, this story was written in 1914, and the terms used at that time were considered to be more acceptable.

I like this book because I used to own an Irish Terrier, and I considered the dog to be the most splendid animal in all the world. This book brought back memories of the types of things that my dog would, and would not do. So if you have a fondness for dogs, especially Irish Terriers. You will enjoy this book.

This is a well written book but is difficult to digest. I can see where people come off calling London a racist, this book is full of those tones but in context they fit the story line and one can see that London was writing from the perspective of the time and the stage he was trying to set. Very different than other London books I've read, canabalism, dog language, and an obscure setting in the Solomon Islands. However, very imaginative and vivid in it's character descriptions as always. Worth reading, especially if you like dogs.....