The Last Match

Jack LondonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 95K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Viimeinen ottelu by Jack London. Author: London, Jack, 1876-1916. Language: Finnish. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Mar 20, 2018

Editor's review

Viimeinen ottelu is a Finnish translation of a work by Jack London, digitized and released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook. Jack London is known for gritty, powerful storytelling, often exploring will and fate in extreme situations; this Finnish version gives Finnish readers and language learners access to his short-form narrative. The translation's style bears the marks of its era, and its syntax and vocabulary are not fully identical to contemporary Finnish, which makes it a useful sample for observing changes in the target language. Its value lies in offering both the tension of the original narrative and practice in Finnish reading comprehension, making it suitable for language study and literary appreciation alike. Readers are advised to learn about Jack London's writing background before entering the text, and to consult the English original or other translations when encountering unfamiliar expressions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with some Finnish foundation who want to read literature in the original
Readers interested in Jack London's works and their translations
Those studying Finnish translation style and public-domain electronic texts
Literature lovers who enjoy short narratives and are willing to try reading in a non-English language

Not a good fit for

Readers with no Finnish at all who only want a Chinese translation
Readers expecting the structure of a complete full-length novel

Reading tips

First look up the author and the background of the piece to understand the general situation of the story before entering the Finnish text.
Read through the first time to grasp the plot; on the second pass, mark unfamiliar words and sentence patterns and read closely with a dictionary.
Read alongside Jack London's English original to compare how the translation handles the text and the differences between the languages.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Finnish or English?

This is a Finnish translation; the title Viimeinen ottelu is in Finnish. The Project Gutenberg record lists its language as Finnish and classifies it under American and Canadian literature. English-speaking readers will need a translation or the original to read it, while Finnish learners can use it directly.

Can I read it if my Finnish is not strong?

The translation's language has period features, and its syntax and vocabulary differ from contemporary Finnish, so it is fairly demanding for beginners. An intermediate level of Finnish reading ability is recommended, along with a dictionary, a bilingual edition, or the English original, to follow the plot more smoothly.

Are there restrictions on using the public-domain electronic edition?

The book is released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook and can generally be read and downloaded free of charge; specific use must follow Project Gutenberg's terms. Personal reading, study, or teaching quotation is generally convenient, while commercial use should first be checked against the relevant licensing information.

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About the author

Jack London Author · American · 1876–1916

Jack London (1876–1916) was an American realist writer born in San Francisco; his original name was John Griffith Chaney. He left school early to make a living, worked as a sailor and a tramp, and once went to Alaska to search for gold. These hard experiences became an important source of his writing. His works cover a wide range of subjects and often focus on the harsh struggle for survival in the northern wilderness, the relationship between humans and animals, and the misery of the lower classes. His style is vigorous and forceful, his plots are tightly constructed, and his writing combines adventure with social criticism. His representative works include The Call of the Wild, The Sea-Wolf, White Fang and Martin Eden. The library holds 91 of his works, including White Fang, Martin Eden, The Iron Heel and The People of the Abyss. He wrote about 50 works in his lifetime and is one of the most widely translated American writers of the twentieth century.