Before Adam
Jack London
eBook
(JA, Aug. 31, 2017)
I have never read a book quite like Jack London's "Before Adam." It would be interesting to learn what his target audience for this book was -- young teens, high school students, adults? In it, London sets the premise for the reason of common dreams we all have, such as the dream of falling through space. He attests that it comes from our pre-man existence when we lived and slept in trees and falling meant almost sure death. He takes this theory a giant step forward through the narrator of the book who claims he has pre-historic dreams in which he sees himself as a pre-historic tree and cave dweller named Big Tooth. He creates a fascinating world for Big Tooth to inhabit, and delves into early evolution and survival of the fittest. There are a few holes in his logic, but mostly the story holds together well with several exciting chase sequences. The world of Big Tooth is horrifying, and I think for young teens who are susceptible, it could induce additional nightmares beyond falling. There are dramatic scenes of killing, torture, wife beating, and mass exterminations which are quite explicit. I'm glad I read it, for the book has given me much to think about.