I don't think anything has ever been written that puts a face on the cold more than the first paragraph of Jack London's White Fang. Now that I have a carbon monoxide alarm for the fireplace, I can safely re-read it at my leisure.
"Dark spruce forest frowned on either side the frozen waterway. The trees had been stripped by a recent wind of their white covering of frost, and they seemed to lean towards each other, black and ominous, in the fading light. A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness. There was a hint in it of laughter, but of a laughter more terrible than any sadness- a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the sphinx, a laughter cold as the frost and partaking of the grimness of infallibility. It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life. It was the Wild, the savage, frozen- hearted Northland Wild."
On second thought, Robert Service has been there too.
Welcome to the Kingdom
6 years ago
7 comments:
Still procrastinating that trip to the laundry mat, then, Buck?
I only ever read The Sea Wolf, and never found old men and seas particularly appealing. Is White Fang your favorite of his works? It might be a good choice, as long as you had a warm fire.
It's been in the 20's here this week. I've been keeping my gloves on at work, which is actually a nice touch and prevents me from getting too much accomplished.
Still @ the procrastinating game. I never thought of using gloves to load laundry, but with that finesse, I could maybe stall another week, or two.
White Fang isn't my favorite actually, but the first paragraph is so gripping that I'm frozen to it.
I have stepped up the technology one more notch here at the Outpost for I now have a land line. I foresee a slide into the clutches of the telemarketers if I am not constantly vigilant.
Terrifying thought "laughter as cold as the frost".
Also good for winter "the Left hand of Darkness" life on the planet winter,with thousand year nights,constantly changing genders and cold cold cold. (by Ursula Le Guin)D
DHK: sometimes a couple of words says it all.
D. I loved the Earth Sea trilogy, especially the middle one, Tombs of Athan? I am going to have to read this next one, sounds like a good one.
Remember the John Prine song with the words "living in the land of the wind chill factor"?D
Oh and The Dispossesed, another Ursula Le Guin,wonderful. Very thought provoking. D
Ha! I love this: "Now that I have a carbon monoxide alarm for the fireplace, I can safely re-read it at my leisure." Carbon Monoxide alarms do allow for more relaxation.
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