The Call of the Wild + White Fang + The Son of the Wolf (eBook)

Jack London (1876–1916), an American novelist and short story writer, holds a prominent place in 20th-century literature with his distinctive blend of adventure, naturalism, and a stark depiction of the human condition. Born in San Francisco as John Griffith Chaney, London led a life as rugged and adventurous as the characters in his books. His experiences as a sailor, prospector in the Klondike Gold Rush, and vagabond deeply influenced his writing. He emerged as a passionate advocate of unionization, workers' rights, and socialism, themes that appear throughout his work. London's literary acclaim began with 'The Call of the Wild' (1903), a novel that recounts the story of Buck, a domestic dog thrust into the brutal realities of the Alaskan wilderness. This book, alongside 'White Fang' (1906), which explores the world from the viewpoint of a wild wolf-dog, cements London's reputation for exploring complex themes of survival and the dichotomy between civilization and the natural world. 'The Son of the Wolf' (1900), his first collection of stories, drew upon his experiences during the Klondike Gold Rush and further established the raw and vivid prose characteristic of London's stories. London's narratives often focus on the toilsome lives of marginalized characters, set against unforgiving environments, which mirrored his own belief in the deterministic forces of nature over man. Throughout his career, London wrote with an unflinching realism that was both criticized and lauded, positioning him as a significant figure in American literary naturalism.