Each short story paints a picture of a time long gone. Adventure, bravery, and honor are the values of the men in these stories. In a harsh time, the men and women had to be resilient, and maintain their cheer in the face of hardship. The tales are a window into the past, and Jack London, one of the greatest writers of his time, captured the essence of life in the frontier, on the sea, and in the hearts and minds of the people of the past.