Jack London

The People of the Abyss (1903) is a work of nonfiction by American writer Jack London. Written after the author spent three months living in London's poverty-stricken East End, The People of the Abyss bears witness to the difficulties faced by hundreds and thousands of people every day in one of the wealthiest nations on earth. Inspired by Friedrich Engels's The Condition of the Working Class in England (1845) and Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives,...

A Daughter of the Snows is Jack London's first novel. Set in the Yukon, it tells the story of Frona Welse, "a Stanford graduate and physical Valkyrie" who takes to the trail after upsetting her wealthy father's community by her forthright manner and befriending the town's prostitute. She is also torn between love for two suitors: Gregory St. Vincent, a local man who turns out to be cowardly and treacherous, and Vance Corliss, a Yale-trained mining...

"The Game" is a 1905 novel by Jack London that tells the story of Joe, a twenty-year-old man who participates in boxing matches to make some extra money for his family. Engaged to be married, he resolves to give up his pugilistic career, but only after one last match-a match that would be his last whether he wanted it to be or not. The story is told from the point of view of his fiancé, Genevieve. John Griffith London (1876 – 1916), commonly known...

Part wolf and part dog, orphaned White Fang relies on his instincts as well as his inborn strength and courage to survive in the Yukon wilderness despite both animal and human predators but eventually comes to make his peace with man.

"There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival...

"As a frail young scholar, Humphrey Van Weyden knows nothing of physical labor. But when an accident at sea leaves him stranded on a seal-hunting ship controlled by the strong, brutal Wolf Larsen, Humphrey is suddenly forced into the backbreaking life of a sailor. For a time, he seems to be learning the ropes and making progress. But as Larsen becomes more and more violent with his crew, Humphrey realizes that he must escape from the clutches of this...

The Iron Heel (1907) is a novel by American writer Jack London. A groundbreaking work of dystopian science fiction, The Iron Heel was, inspired by London's socialist views and belief in an eventual global upheaval. Although his predictions proved wrong for the United States of the early-twentieth century, London was, recognized by such figures as George Orwell for his foresight regarding the rise of fascism in Europe. The novel is, told from the perspective...

Featuring eight works of short fiction, South Sea Tales by Jack London is an adventurous collection with a nautical theme. With settings on islands or ships, South Sea Tales tell the exciting, but often heartbreaking tales of violence, colonialism, and racism. The House of Mapuhi follows the son of a trading magnate, who travels from island to island buying valuable items for his mother's business. When he learns of a brilliant pearl owned by one...

From the author of the classic novel Call of the Wild, Jack London's Smoke Bellew features a vivacious depiction of a gold rush adventure. Christopher Bellew, more commonly known as Kit, lives a comfortable life in San Francisco. He writes daily for a paper and his inherited wealth promises to keep him well-off for a long while. Still, Kit cannot help but feel complacent. As a young man, he has not completely figured out what he really wants in life....

The Valley of the Moon (1913) is a novel by American writer Jack London. Inspired by his experiences as a working-class man and dedicated socialist, London incorporates aspects of his own biography-his interest in sailing, his life on a ranch in Sonoma County-to tell a story of hardship, hope, and perseverance. Having grown disillusioned with the labor movement, London uses the novel to advocate for sustainable agriculture and other alternatives to...