Publisher's Synopsis
Before Adam is a novel by Jack London, published in 1906. The book tells the story of a young man named Big-Tooth, who is a member of a prehistoric tribe living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Big-Tooth is unique among his people because he possesses a higher level of intelligence and self-awareness than his peers. As he grows older, he begins to question the origins of his tribe and the nature of humanity itself. Through a series of dreams and visions, Big-Tooth begins to piece together the story of his ancestors, who lived millions of years earlier. He learns about the struggle for survival among early humans, and the emergence of traits such as language, tool-making, and social organization. As Big-Tooth's understanding of the world expands, he becomes increasingly isolated from his tribe, who view him as strange and dangerous. Eventually, he decides to leave his people behind and strike out on his own, determined to uncover the mysteries of his past and the origins of human consciousness. Before Adam is a thought-provoking exploration of human evolution and the nature of consciousness. London's vivid descriptions of prehistoric life and his imaginative speculations about the origins of humanity make this a fascinating and engaging read.The first morning, after my night's sleep with Lop-Ear, I learned the advantage of the narrow-mouthed caves. It was just daylight when old Saber-Tooth, the tiger, walked into the open space. Two of the Folk were already up. They made a rush for it. Whether they were panic-stricken, or whether he was too close on their heels for them to attempt to scramble up the bluff to the crevices, I do not know.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
