I visited my uncle in California last week. He encouraged me to read the short story To Build a Fire by Jack London as it was memorable to him and Jack London is a well known local for Oakland. We checked out a bookstore and they had a used compilation, so I picked it up as a souvenir.
The story was quite grim and though I was not looking for such a grim tale, it was quick and fits these cold winter months. I will likely return to some other Jack London stories in the future, but for now, my reading obligation to my uncle is complete.