Jack London (1876-1916) was born John Griffith Chaney. Famous for a number of classics today he is by some considered best represented by his many short stories, the historian Dale L. Walker wrote of him: “London's true métier was the short story ... London's true genius lay in the short form…”Having read some of his shorter works I agree that they are extremely good, however I cannot discount his longer works, White Fang and Martin Eden are two full length novels and both are fantastically well written.London had a style that reflected a number of his non-conformist views. He wrote on behalf of those whose voices were seldom heard, or understood. His early years, indeed his birth were difficult affairs. His parents were perhaps unmarried, his father, who disclaimed any responsibility for him, wanted him to have been aborted. His mother then shot herself and though she did not die, was unable to raise a baby, and so little London was sent off to stay with an African American wet-nurse, Jennie Prentiss. He later referred to Prentiss as his primary source of love and affection.His mother was a spiritualist and claimed to be able to channel the spirit of a Sauk chief called Black Hawk (Wikipedia). It is with these elements in his armoury perhaps that Jack London was so drawn to the stories and lifestyles and beliefs that he either wrote about or enjoyed.He and his first wife Bessie Maddern were perhaps not so well suited. He criticised her for her purity. No doubt she had a number of reasons to criticise him too. His second marriage was to a woman who was more in tune with his passions. It is said that Charmian Kittredge was very different to Bessie, and her aunt, a disciple of Victoria Woodhull, had “raised her without prudishness.” (Wikipedia).London was a war journalist and a socialist and had strange thoughts on eugenics I could never ascribe to, and yet he wrote with such grace of the plight of those who suffered greatly in his times.I hope you enjoy the story…
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PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.
