1. Jack London Background and Life

2. The Early Years • Born: January 12, 1876 • Was born John Chaney in San Francisco, California • Son of Flora Wellman and William Chaney • Father was an attorney, journalist and pioneered in American astrology • Father was never part of his life. • Grew up working constantly • Rode trains, pirated oysters, shoveled coal • Spent much of his time in libraries

3. A Young Writer • Began writing in 1873 • Described a voyage in which a typhoon took out his crew • His mother encouraged him to enter a writing contest • Beat out students from Berkeley and Stanford with only an eighth grade education • Trouble finding a publisher • Enrolled in Berkeley but headed north to Canada

4. Young Writer cont. • Trouble with gathering recognized and little following • 1899 begins to publish stories in Overland Monthly • Learned a lot and became a very disciplined writer • Wrote AT LEAST a thousand words a day

5. SUCCESS! • At age 27, London found success with his novel, The Call of the Wild • Goes on to publish over 50 books in the last 16 years of his life • White Fangwas published in 1906 and considered one of his better novels • Covers the Russo-Japanese War in 1904

6. Family Life and Death • Marries Bess Maddernin 1900 • Couple has two daughters, Joan and Bess • Not a loving marriage but one to have healthy children • Divorced by 1905. • Remarries Charmian Kittredge • Faces a number of health problems including kidney disease • Dies November 22, 1916