Jack London, also known as John Griffith Chaney, was a prolific writer of the nineteenth century. Despite a challenging childhood and financial constraints, he pursued his passion for writing and became a successful author. With a vivid way of expression, London’s writings gained him financial stability and allowed him to support his family. His adventurous voyages and experiences as a journalist provided him with the material for his stories, which continue to captivate readers to this day.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: John Griffith Chaney, John Griffith London
- Died At Age: 40
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Charmian London, Elizabeth Maddern
- Father: William Chaney
- Mother: Flora Wellman
- Children: Bessie London, Joan London
- Born Country: United States
- Quotes By Jack London
- Atheists
- Died on: November 22, 1916
- Place of death: Glen Ellen, California, United States
- U.S. State: California
- Founder/Co-Founder: California Writers Club
- More Facts
- Education:
- 1897 – University of California, Berkeley
- 1896 – Oakland High School
Childhood & Early Life:
Jack London was born on 12th January, 1876 in San Francisco, California. He was an illegitimate child of Flora Wellman and William Chaney. After his mother married John London, he took on his step-father’s surname. The family first moved to the Bay Area and then to Oakland. Jack attended West End School and later Oakland Cole Grammar School. However, he dropped out of school after completing eighth grade.
Career:
At the age of fourteen, Jack London got a job at a cannery and bought a sloop named ‘Razzle Dazzle’, which marked the beginning of his adventurous voyages. In 1892, he joined the California Fish Patrol department and was sent to the coast of Japan on a seal hunting schooner called ‘Sophie Sutherland’. His experiences during this journey inspired his story ‘Typhoon of the Coast of Japan’.
During the economic depression in the United States in 1893, Jack London became a member of the Kelly Army and joined the march of the unemployed people led by Jacob Coxey. He lived a vagabond life and was briefly imprisoned for it. These experiences formed the basis of his book ‘The Road’.
Jack London enrolled at Oakland High School and then joined the University of California, Berkeley in 1896 with the intention of pursuing a literary career. However, financial constraints forced him to drop out after a year. In 1896, he became a member of the Socialist Labor Party and traveled to the Klondike in Canada in search of gold. Although he did not find any material wealth, he gained valuable experiences that later influenced his writing.
In 1899, Jack London sold his story ‘To the Man on the Trail’ to The Overland Monthly magazine, marking the beginning of his career as an author. He went on to write numerous short stories, novels, plays, poetry, essays, and autobiographical pieces.
Major Works:
One of Jack London’s significant works is his book ‘The Call of the Wild’, which tells the story of a dog named Buck and its struggles as a sled dog in a harsh environment. The story explores themes of loyalty and the call of the wild.
Personal Life & Legacy:
Jack London married Bessie May Maddern in 1900 and they had two children. However, they separated four years later. In 1905, he married Charmian Kittredge and the couple went on various voyages together.
Jack London passed away on 22nd November 1916 at his ranch in California. The cause of his death is still unknown. He has been honored with the naming of Jack London Square in Oakland, California and Jack London Lake in Yagodninsky region Magadan Oblast. In 1986, he was featured on a series of postal stamps called the ‘Great Americans’.