Smoke Bellew

 Smoke Bellew is a totally charming action/adventure story by Jack London published in 1912. I had never heard of it before but I like Jack London so I chose to read it. I loved it. Smoke Bellew is a guy in his mid twenties living in San Francisco in the late 1890's. He is working for a friend as a journalist but he isn't getting paid. Torn by the lack of money and his loyalty to his friend, he is fed up with San Francisco. When his uncle berates him for not making more of his life he lets the criticism fall off of his back. When his uncle invites him to the Yukon to help ferry supplies, he jumps at the chance to get out of town. Carrying heavy packs is difficult for him at first but he finds he loves the rugged life. He likes the cold. He likes the wilderness. He decides to stay when his uncle heads back. He meets a man named Shorty and they become traveling companions. Sometimes they pan for gold. Sometimes they go exploring on their snow shoes in the dead of winter for months at a time. Sometimes they race dog sled teams. Sometimes they gamble on the roulette wheel. Every chapter is a new adventure of Smoke and Shorty. Sometimes they get frost bite. Sometimes they are shot at by others. In one chapter they come upon a small village of immigrants who are all vegetarians. Everyone in the village except for one person has scurvy. Smoke and Shorty try to save the remaining villagers from dying of scurvy. In the final chapter they are kidnapped by a tribe of Native Americans who live to the north of them. The leader of this tribe is a man from Scotland. Through it all Smoke and Shorty are great friends. I thought this book was fantastic.