Jack London carved himself a special niche in the annals of American literature. These writings take place in diverse settings and belong to various genres. Born in San Francisco in 1876, the product of a one-year common-law marriage between Flora … He explored San Francisco Bay in his sloop, alternately stealing oysters or working for the government fish patrol. His 1400-acre ranch is now a National Historic Landmark, named Jack London State Historic Park. Where did he get his name. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-London, Jack London State Historic Park - Biography of Jack London, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Jack London, Amercian Society of Authors and Writers - Biography of Jack London, Jack London - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Jack London - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). His mother, Flora Wellman, was unmarried, but lived with William Chaney, an itinerant astrologer. He was a child of the Gilded Age, growing up in a working-class area of Oakland. Jack had a special relationship with his black foster mother, Virginia (Jenny) Prentiss. His mother, Flora Wellman, was unmarried, but lived with William Chaney, an itinerant astrologer. London was an illegitimate child. Jack London, novelist and passionate advocate of labor unions, socialism, and the rights of workers, was born 140 years ago in San Francisco on January 12, 1876. A bone to the dog is not charity. Jack London, probably born John Griffith Chaney, was deserted by his father, William Henry Chaney. The story of … The writer's cottage was preserved by his wife Charmian, who lived there until her death in 1955.His changing views and philosophy were often misunderstood as he grew out of his own mistakes. His mother married a person named John London and, probably, after that he took up the surname of his step-father. London's struggles for survival inspired "To Build a Fire" (1902), which is considered his best short story. The Night-Born Jack London The Madness Of John Harned. Jack London was born on January 12, 1876. Among his readings were works by Gustave Flaubert and Lev Tolstoy. His readings of Carl Jung contributed to his complex philosophy. Jack London was the best-selling, highest paid and most popular American author of his time. Welcome to the Jack London Family. Jack London (born John Griffith Chaney) is a famous American novelist and journalist. 1876 - He's born in San Francisco on Jan. 12 and named John … In 1897 he went to the Canadian Yukon and joined the Klondike Gold Rush. Deserted by his father, a roving astrologer, he was raised in Oakland, California, by his spiritualist mother and his stepfather, whose surname, London, he took. His wife Charmian would gag at the sight. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Jack London (born John George Harper; 23 June 1913 – 19 December 1963) was an English heavyweight boxer.He was British and Commonwealth Heavyweight champion from 1944 to 1945. Jack London’s output, typically hastily written, is of uneven literary quality, though his highly romanticized stories of adventure can be compulsively readable. Although he became the highest-paid writer in the United States at that time, his earnings never matched his expenditures, and he was never freed of the urgency of writing for money. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. John Harned replied nothing. London became the best-selling, highest paid and most popular American author of his time. On September 7, 1876, Flora Wellman married John London, from whom her son Jack took his name. In 1893 he joined the crew of a sealing schooner, bound for Japan. Flora left Ohio and moved to the Pacific coast when her father remarried after her mother died. The Night-Born by Jack London. His second marriage to Charmian Kittrdge, an editor, lasted until his death. Famous People of the History they died young. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Later London disregarded the "superman" theory of Nietzsche, calling himself Nietschze's "intellectual enemy." His first story, "Typhoon off the Coast of Japan", based on his sailing experiences, was published in November of 1893. | Steve Shelokhonov, Other Works The Call of the Wild is about a dog named Buck who is taken to Alaska to work with a pack of dogs pulling a sled. In 1902, a second daughter was born, and Jack … In his 40 years, Jack London never could stop traveling. During his brief life (1876 – 1916), London was a merchant sailor and a professional writer but also a revolutionary socialist. His first book, The Son of the Wolf: Tales of the Far North (1900), a collection of short stories that he had previously published in magazines, gained a wide audience. After graduation from a grammar school he worked 12 to 18 hours a day at a cannery. Jack, as he came to call himself as … Within two years, stories of his Alaskan adventures began to win acceptance for their fresh subject matter and virile force. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Jack London was the best-selling, highest paid and most popular American author of his time.He was born John Griffith Chaney, on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. John Griffith "Jack" London (born John Griffith Chaney, January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916) was an American writer.He wrote many books.He lived in the U.S. state of California but also spent a lot of time in Hawaii and Alaska.. His most famous book was The Call of the Wild. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. His son, who fought as Brian London, also became British … Jack London was born in San Francisco on 12th January, 1876. He saw nothing of what followed. Where and when was Jack London born. It was not until he was seventeen, in 1893, that he got his first writing job. He built a small cottage and made big plans, but he lived only 3 more years. I would rather be ashes than dust! In 1896 he was admitted to the University of California, but after a year was forced to leave due to financial reasons. He smote Luis Cervallos in the face so that he fell like a dead man across the chairs and did not rise again. London’s reputation declined in the United States in the 1920s, when a new generation of writers made the pre-World War I writers seem lacking in sophistication. I would like to introduce the descendants of Jack London and his first wife, Bessie Maddern London. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. While sympathizing with the Mexican revolution in "The Mexican", he wrote differently about it when he was sent to Mexico as a reporter in 1914. San Francisco, California in 1876. Who were his parents. She loaned him some money and in 1891 he bought a sloop and became an oyster pirate. His first story received 600 rejections before being accepted. Publicity Listings Written more than a century ago, these books are still best-selling. In 1913 his Big House was ruined by a devastating fire and Jack was financially and mentally hurt. Childhood & Early Life: He was born on 12th January, 1876 at San Francisco, California, and apparently, was an illegitimate child of Flora Wellman and William Chaney. "The Sea-Wolf" (1904) was turned into the first full-length American movie. ", - IMDb Mini Biography By: Jack London riding on his ranch, photo by Charmian London Jack London is perhaps best known as a writer, but he was also an innovative agriculturalist, adventurer, journalist, and proud socialist. But London began to spend less and less time with his family and more time with friends such as Anna Strunsky and George Sterling, who shared many of London's intellectual interests. He had enter… During the remainder of his life, London wrote and published steadily, completing some 50 books of fiction and nonfiction in 17 years. The highest-paid writer of his time, he earned over $2 million yet he was always broke. When he had time to relax, he could be found at libraries, where he likely developed his love of reading. Other important novels are The Sea-Wolf (1904), which features a Nietzschean superman hero, Humphrey Van Weyden, who battles the vicious Wolf Larsen; and The Iron Heel (1908), a fantasy of the future that is a terrifying anticipation of fascism. A three-volume set of his letters, edited by Earle Labor et al., was published in 1988. At one time he wrote, "I have been more stimulated by [Friedrich Nietzsche] than by any other writer in the world." He was born John Griffith Chaney, on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. I am Helen Darcy Abbott, daughter-in-law of Joan London, their first child. Born out of wedlock on January 12, 1876, he never knew his father, William Henry Chaney, who had left Jack's mother, Flora Wellman, before Jack's birth. His father was likely a traveling astrologer named William Chaney, but he left before London was born and his mother married a disabled Civil War veteran named John London in 1… His first wife, Bessie, gave him two daughters, Joan and Bess (Becky) London, and it is said that their marriage was "Victorian," that is, that they married because it was the "proper" thing to do. He was raised by his mother Flora Wellman and his stepfather John London (he didn't know who his father was until his adulthood). Joan was born January 15, 1901, married Park Abbott, born … I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them, I shall use my time. His Alaskan novels The Call of the Wild (1903), White Fang (1906), and Burning Daylight (1910), in which he dramatized in turn atavism, adaptability, and the appeal of the wilderness, are outstanding. An Overview. The author is known for his unique style of writing and the diversity of his works, which range from adventure novels and romantic stories to science fiction. His short story “To Build a Fire” (1908), set in the Klondike, is a masterly depiction of humankind’s inability to overcome nature; it was reprinted in 1910 in the short-story collection Lost Face, one of many such volumes that London published. He went to Japan as a sailor and saw much of the United States as a hobo riding freight trains and as a member of Charles T. Kelly’s industrial army (one of the many protest armies of the unemployed, like Coxey’s Army, that was born of the financial panic of 1893). Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney in San Francisco, California, in 1916, the son of Flora Wellman and Henry Chaney. At age 14 he quit school to escape poverty and gain adventure. . By age 30 London was internationally famous for his books Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea Wolf (1904) and other literary and journalistic accomplishments. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. I am the matriarch of this family. His books provided operating income. London saw depression conditions, was jailed for vagrancy, and in 1894 became a militant socialist. He once said, "I would write a book for no other reason than to add three or four hundred acres to my magnificent estate." Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... With which U.S. state is the writer John Steinbeck closely associated? Flora married a widower, John London, the same year that her son was born. He maintained his socialist beliefs almost to the end of his life. in poverty on the waterfront which gave him experiences. He was raised by his mother Flora Wellman and his stepfather John London (he didn't know who his father was until his adulthood). The proper function of man is to live, not exist. Because Flora was ill, Jack was raised through infancy by an ex-slave, Virginia Prentiss, who would remain a major maternal figure while the boy grew up. There he experienced all the hardships of uncivilized life and suffered from--among other things--severe frostbite, scurvy, malaria and dysentery. Even after he became a rich and famous author his dinner of choice consisted of 2 wild ducks, boiled for no more than 8 minutes. By age 30, he was internationally famous for Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea Wolf, (1904) and many other literary and journalistic accomplishments. Jack London, pseudonym of John Griffith Chaney, (born January 12, 1876, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died November 22, 1916, Glen Ellen, California), American novelist and short-story writer whose best-known works—among them The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906)—depict elemental struggles for survival. He sailed a ketch to the South Pacific, telling of his adventures in The Cruise of the Snark (1911). Baptism of adventure. His other influences ranged from Rudyard Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson to Charles Darwin, Aldous Huxley and Karl Marx. London struggled with immensely poor health all his life, due in part to his poverty, … Considered by many to be America’s finest author, Jack London, whose name at birth was John Griffith Chaney, was born “south of the slot”—an area south of Market Street and its cable lines in San Francisco, California, on January 12, 1876. The real love of his life was Charmian, whom he met around the time of his marriage, and the day after Bessie finalized their divorce he married Charmian. The optimism and energy with which he attacked his task are best conveyed in his autobiographical novel Martin Eden (1909). Flora and William's "domestic infelicity" was recorded in the San Francisco Chronicle. His short life was controversial and contradictory. Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney on Jan. 12, 1876, in San Francisco, California. Jack London was the best-selling, highest paid and most popular American author of his time. Still unemployed, he became a tramp and hoboed around the country. He struck out his fist. He grew up in a working-class family, and he had to take on hard jobs to pay for what he needed. Best known to U.S. The latter is alleged, as Chaney denied parentage and left before young John was born. By age 40, somewhat disillusioned, he resigned from the Socialist party and from various clubs. In 1894 he was arrested for vagrancy and spent a month in jail, where he was a witness to "awful abysses of human degradation." In 1905 he bought a ranch in California, where he designed the first concrete silo in the state. In San Francisco, Flora worked as a music teacher and spiritualist, claiming to channel the spirit of a Sauk chief, Black Hawk. Jack London wanted a son. This left his health seriously impaired. Jack London was more than just an adventure writer. | Test the "state" of your literary knowledge in this journey through the lives of Jack London, Jules Verne, and other writers. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It was in the old Alta-Inyo Club--a warm night for San Francisco--and through the open windows, hushed and far, came the brawl of the streets. He was raised by his mother Flora Wellman and his stepfather John London (he didn't know who his father was until his adulthood). I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. "The Call of the Wild" (1903) was his biggest success. Writing became his ticket out of poverty; a way, in his words, to "sell his brains". At 19 he crammed a four-year high school course into one year and entered the University of California, Berkeley, but after a year he quit school to seek a fortune in the Klondike gold rush. In 1910 he settled on a ranch near Glen Ellen, California, where he built his grandiose Wolf House. Later came "The Iron Heel" (1908), a premonition of the Orwellian world, and the autobiographical "Martin Eden" (1909). Jack London was born on January 12, 1876. How was Jack raised. More by this Author. His first marriage to Bess Maddern began as a friendship, not love, and ended 3 years later, leaving her with two daughters. Jack Londonwas not always a writer. During his last years London was in extreme pain, caused by complications from kidney failure (uremia is recorded on his death certificate). His mother, Flora Wellman, was a music teacher and a spiritualist who claimed to channel the spirit of the Sauk chief Black Hawk. In addition to Martin Eden, he wrote two other autobiographical novels of considerable interest: The Road (1907) and John Barleycorn (1913). Jack London, pseudonym of John Griffith Chaney, (born January 12, 1876, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died November 22, 1916, Glen Ellen, California), American novelist and short-story writer whose best-known works—among them The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906)—depict elemental struggles for survival. He wrote a book called How I Became a Socialist . While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Jack was born in San Francisco, California on January 12, 1876. The quality of the selections ranges considerably as well. Omissions? Though he wrote passionately about the great questions of life and death and the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity, he also sought peace and quiet inspiration. Official Sites. Marshall Wellman was descended from Thomas Wellman, an early Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Night-Born contains ten short stories by Jack London, first published together as a collection in 1913. More Books. Returning the next year, still poor and unable to find work, he decided to earn a living as a writer. Jack's parents were not married at the time of his birth. A few months later he joined the California Fish Patrol. On November 22, 1916, London, author of The Call of the Wild, died at age 40. His entire life, after these events, became a race to erase the traumatizing memories of his childhood and youth.He continued his self-education at the Oakland Public Library. During the 20th century he was one of the most extensively translated of American authors. But I … His ecological approach and effort to adapt the ideas of Asian sustainable agriculture was ahead of his time. Jack London was born January 12, 1876. Jack London grew up in the slum area of Oakland, California, a place which he later called "the cellar of society." You can't wait for inspiration. . He was laid to rest at his ranch according to his will: "And roll over me a red boulder from the ruins of the Big House. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Learn more about Jack London in this timeline of his remarkable life and legacy. You have to go after it with a club. Born in 1876, the year of … an astrologer father and a spiritualist mother. Pictured on a 25¢ US definitive postage stamp in the Great Americans series, issued 11 January 1986. He spent many of his teen years taking on various tasks, such as working on trains and ships and in a factory or two. He was born John Griffith Chaney, on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. During the 20th century he was one of the most extensively translated of … Page 11 of 12. John Griffith Chaney, better known as Jack London, was born on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco, California. London acquired a taste for raw meat during his gold prospecting days. Who was . He was raised in Oakland by his mother Flora Wellman, a music teacher and spiritualist. Jack London The iconic American novelist, short story writer, journalist and social activist, Jack London is best known for writing Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang. London educated himself at public libraries with the writings of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche, usually in popularized forms. The man who would become Jack London was born in San Francisco as John Griffith Chaney, in 1876 – the son of a music teacher-cum-spiritualist mother Flora Wellman, and a travelling astrologer father named William Chaney. London studied magazines and then set himself a daily schedule of producing sonnets, ballads, jokes, anecdotes, adventure stories, or horror stories, steadily increasing his output. London openly had affairs, and he traveled a great deal. Corrections? Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog. They lived in happiness, sharing the same adventures, until his death. His mother married John London when Jack was a baby. 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