Roslyn Jolly is Lecturer in English at the University of New South Wales, Australia. She is the author of Henry James: History, Narrative, Fiction (OUP, 1993).

“South Sea Tales” is a fantastic 1911 collection of short stories written by Jack London, most of which centre around island communities or life abroad a ship. The stories include: “The House of Mapuhi”, “The Whale Tooth”, “Mauki”, “'Yah! Yah! Yah!'”, “The Heathen”, “The Terrible Solomons”, “The Inevitable White Man”, and “The Seef of McCoy”. This volume will not disappoint lovers of the short story form, and it constitutes a must-read for fans and collectors of London's seminal work. John Griffith London (1876 – 1916), commonly known as Jack London, was an American journalist, social activist, and novelist. He was an early pioneer of commercial magazine fiction, becoming one of the first globally-famous celebrity writers who were able to earn a large amount of money from their writing. London is famous for his contributions to early science fiction and also notably belonged to "The Crowd", a literary group an Francisco known for its radical members and ideas. Other notable works by this author include: “Martin Eden” (1909), “The Kempton-Wace Letters” (1903), and “The Call of the Wild” (1903). Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Jack London was an American novelist, journalist, social-activist and short-story writer whose works deal romantically with elemental struggles for survival. At his peak, he was the highest paid and the most popular of all living writers. Because of early financial difficulties, he was largely self educated past grammar school.

In 'Rain and Other South Sea Stories,' William Somerset Maugham takes readers on a captivating journey through the exotic South Seas, painting a vivid picture of the colonial experience through a series of short stories. Maugham's literary style is marked by a keen eye for detail and a masterful use of irony, bringing to life the complexities of human nature and the impact of cultural clashes. Set against the backdrop of British imperialism, these stories offer a glimpse into the lives of colonizers and colonized, exploring themes of love, desire, and power dynamics in a foreign land. William Somerset Maugham, a prolific writer and renowned playwright, draws inspiration from his own experiences traveling across the South Pacific to craft this collection. His firsthand observations and interactions with the diverse cultures of the region lend authenticity and depth to the narratives, making them both compelling and thought-provoking. I highly recommend 'Rain and Other South Sea Stories' to readers interested in exploring the complexities of colonialism and cultural encounters. Maugham's poignant storytelling and subtle commentary make this collection a timeless masterpiece worth delving into.

South Sea Tales - Jack London - Published in 1911 by MacMillan, South Sea Tales is an anthology of stories linked by their setting. Alongside London's Klondike works, his South Sea stories, of which these are a great example, come fresh from his times on board ocean going ships and boats. While his racist overtones are in evidence here, so too is London's gift for plotting and his detailed knowledge of sailing, amply demonstrated by the last story in the set The Seed of McCoy.Set aboard a ship that is on fire below deck, the story concerns the efforts of the ship's captain and the Governor of Pitcairn, acting as a pilot, to steer the doomed ship to a lagoon in which she can be beached so that the hull can be saved. To see this done, they have to overcome the South Sea Island currents, reassure the ship's crew, keep the deck corked so that the fire doesn't get fed and overcome their own doubts. The story is a minor triumph of plotting.

Tales from the South Seas comprises The Beach at Falesá, The Bottle Imp, The Wrecker, The Ebb Tide, The Isle of Voices, and Letters, and is introduced by Jenni Calder.