Bonus Episode

As a heavy snowstorm moves in where the Porcupine is, there’s one story that always comes to mind: “To Build a Fire.”

This bonus episode of The Porcupine Presents is shared not because it was on the schedule, but because the weather demanded it.

Jack London’s classic short story is one of the starkest expressions of literary naturalism — a reminder that nature does not negotiate, confidence is not the same as wisdom, and small decisions can carry irreversible consequences.

After the story, stay with me for a brief discussion of:

• literary naturalism

• how each choice the man makes narrows his chances

• and why this story remains so unsettling more than a century later

For now, settle in somewhere warm, let the snow stay outside, and listen.

Stay warm — and enjoy.

Originally aired: January 2026

Approx. runtime: 48 minutes