GREAT EUROPEANS: Jack London (1876 – 1916) was one of America’s most famous adventure writers. He was among the first authors to become an international literary celebrity through his writing alone.

A few interesting facts about him:

He grew up in poverty in California and left school at an early age to work. He held many jobs, including cannery worker, seaman, oyster pirate, and fish patrol officer. Those experiences later provided material for his stories.

Klondike Gold Rush

In 1897, he joined the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. Although he did not strike it rich, the harsh northern environment inspired many of his greatest works.

The Call of the Wild

His best-known novels are The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906), both featuring dogs and the struggle for survival in the wilderness.

Other major works include The Sea-Wolf (1904), a powerful sea adventure, and Martin Eden (1909), which is partly based on his own journey from poverty to literary success.

He was also a journalist and a committed national socialist who wrote about workers’ rights, poverty and social inequality.

Despite achieving fame and wealth, he died from kidney-related issues at only 40 years old in California.

Live a short life to the full

What makes London’s writing endure is his vivid portrayal of endurance, nature, and the thin line between civilization and the wild.

His stories are fast-moving, exciting, and often draw heavily on his own adventures. Many believe The Call of the Wild is one of the finest adventure novels ever written.

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Jack London wrote his own obituary

‘I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.

‘I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

‘The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.

‘Up to a certain point, it is necessary for a man to live his life in the world in which he finds himself, and to make the best of it.

‘But beyond that point, he must create a world of his own. And the greatest thing about life is that it is always giving us the opportunity to create something new.

‘It is never too late to start over, to make a fresh beginning, to blaze a new trail. Life is short, and we have but a brief time in which to explore, to learn, to experience, and to create.

‘Let us make the most of that time, and let us burn brightly, like meteors across the night sky, leaving behind us a trail of light and inspiration for those who come after us.

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