Jack London

Jack London, born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco, California, was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. He rose from a background of poverty and working-class struggle to become one of the most celebrated and widely translated American authors of his time. London educated himself at public libraries and by the age of 14, he was an avid reader, particularly drawn to the novels of adventure and survival in the wild. He briefly attended the University of California at Berkeley but left to join the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon in 1897. The harsh conditions and the colorful personalities he encountered there would deeply influence his writing. He started publishing stories in the Overland Monthly in 1899, and his career as a professional writer began. London's firsthand experience with the lawlessness and desperation of the Klondike, as well as his time as a sailor and a hobo, informed much of his work. His most famous novels include "The Call of the Wild" (1903) and "White Fang" (1906), both set in the Canadian wilderness, which explore themes of nature, survival, and the conflict between civilization and the wild. London was also known for his socialist views; his novel "The Iron Heel" (1908) predicted the rise of fascism. Throughout his life, he wrote passionately on labor issues, the plight of the underprivileged, and the failings of capitalist societies. Despite his success, London's life was marked by health issues and personal struggles. His extensive travels to places like Hawaii and the South Seas were attempts to escape these problems as much as they were fodder for his writing. Jack London died at the age of 40 on November 22, 1916, at his ranch in Glen Ellen, California. Though his life was short, his body of work has endured, cementing his place as a literary giant of the early 20th century.