Customer Reviews

The Valley of the Moon

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read this book after biking through a lot of the California towns London mentions. I pedaled through Glen Ellen and saw some of the missions. Since I am male, I could relate to the character of Billy. He is an early 20th century renaissance man. I never got bored with this book. It has a lot of personal meaning to me. I come from some of the "old stock" Billy and Saxon refer to. Tons of detail. I had to read it twice to get all the details. If you like northern California and want to know what it was like 100 years ago, read this.

As in many of his books, Jack London enraptes the reader, but this time in a story of love. It is extremely refreshing because it shows the good side of true love without that sickening sweetness so many love stories have... I read this book a few years back and read it again just recently. I am SIXTEEN. This book is definetly one that many can enjoy, no matter your age.

This book is a reprint of the 1913 edition published by Cosmopolitan Magazine. IT IS NOT A COMPLETE VERSION. Some parts, I think the most typical for Jack London, are absent. (For example sport games and fighting in Weasel Park, Chapter IV, are not present in this edition.)

I think the version can be used to comparative analysis by specialists in history of literature but if you want to take pleasure in reading I strongly recommend you to purchase another edition.

Against a backdrop of the deadly struggles of organized labor in turn-of-the-century California, Jack London created an odyssey of two young lovers who pursue their dream of returning to the roots of their American pioneer ancestors. This book was originally written as a serial for Cosmopolitan magazine, and is reprinted in sections representing each issue. It is wonderfully illustrated by Howard Christy. Despite the xenophobia (quite common in the era), the book presents two compelling protagonists, and follows them in a struggle against union-busting bosses, poverty, and nature. The pages fly by.

This book rings true to Jack London's character - strong, nobel and powerful. It is interesting to see how truly his character comes through even in the smallest characters or the smallest insignificant event. Very inspiring!
The actual story deals with this couple who decide to leave Oakland. It is autobiographical and again its amazing to see how many books have come out of Jack London's rich and variegated life! Also the turning point in the character's lives comes through another character who must have been the young Jack London!
The interesting side to this book is a potrayal of two women and feminine views (not to be misunderstood with feminist views). Its surprising to read Jack London talking about pretty underthings!
On the whole a beautiful book, very varied in character!

I don't really have time for that, but some may say that the hero's of this book are naive, some say that happened long time ago,and is not up to date.I have read the book in the czech language and it gave me great pleasure of being able to just fall in and let the story take me away. It has everything what you want to find in the good book. Love , hate, survival, courage and big dream which everybody hope to find. Some looks for the valley, but The valley can represent anything else for a different person - money ,hapiness, e.t.c. Just stop and look around to find it.

I felt that the book was technically well written, but the story, subject, and outcome, were all very melo-dramatic and predicatble. The love story was unimaginable, the plot "twists" were that of a second rate novel, and the outcome completely unlikely in real life, even back then. I live in the California valley, and I have been through every town that is tramped through in this book, and only by Mr. London's sheer talent for writing did I keep enough interest to finish it. There are better, more rewarding books in London's canon than this.

This is a long book, maybe one of the longest London wrote, but no matter, you can take it in small doses, because the book is a straight narrative with no suspense, no drama, only London's wishful fantasy working overtime. No matter the obstacle, and London lays them on with heavy-handed doses of pessimism, the lily-white hero and heroine, Billy and Saxon, easily overcome each while giving the author plenty of opportunity to express his famous prejudice against all non-Anglo Saxons. London also builds his case for scientific farming, sustainability, as a method that will win out every time. While in truth, London was an abject failure at farming with every experiement ending in disaster. The tale is sugar coated fantasy, London dreaming his couple into everlasting happiness. The coincidence at the end is not to be believed. It's pure sap written in the twilight of his career when his talents appear on the wane. It's the only London book I have read to date that I would not recommend on any level.