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John Barleycorn
John Barleycorn

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of John Barleycorn is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Jack London • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 12 of John Barleycorn by Jack London holds 137 sentences, grouped into 28 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 12 of John Barleycorn contain?

Chapter 12 holds 137 sentences of John Barleycorn, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of John Barleycorn by Jack London exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 137 sentences, grouped into 28 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 12 of John Barleycorn?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading John Barleycorn

Common questions about reading John Barleycorn by Jack London on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of John Barleycorn?

Yes. All 3987 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #318 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of John Barleycorn is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #318, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does John Barleycorn take to read?

About 332 minutes of reading across 798 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read John Barleycorn section by section

How to work through John Barleycorn section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of John Barleycorn to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in John Barleycorn

Words and structures a reader meets early in John Barleycorn, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Election
A word that appears in the opening chapter of John Barleycorn; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
California
A word that appears in the opening chapter of John Barleycorn; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Afternoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of John Barleycorn; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ridden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of John Barleycorn; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for John Barleycorn
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.
He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.
To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.
To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.
Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

John Barleycorn

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of John Barleycorn is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.
Line 2
He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.
Line 3
To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.
Line 4
To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.
Line 5
Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.
All words in this reading · 60

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

all

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
an

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
attempt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
blow

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
by

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
COULD

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
dare

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
destruction

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
devilry

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
did

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
do

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
else

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
even

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
ever

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
every

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
everybody

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
frighten

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
have

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
He

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
high

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
him

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
his

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
I

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
if

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
inch

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
instant

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
joy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
low

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
mad

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
man

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
mania

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
miss

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
months

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
Nelson

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
Never

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
Nor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
not

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
or

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
pride

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
put

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
reef

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
reefed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
regretted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
Reindeer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
sail

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
sailed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
spent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
steer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
that

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He COULD sail, even if he did frighten every man that sailed with him.

Pending verification
the

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
those

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification
time

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Never to reef down was his mania, and in all the time I spent with him, blow high or low, the Reindeer was never reefed.

Pending verification
To

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To steer to miss destruction by an inch or an instant was his joy.

Pending verification
what

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To do what everybody else did not dare attempt to do, was his pride.

Pending verification
with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Nor have I ever regretted those months of mad devilry I put in with Nelson.

Pending verification