Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876. He was an American author and journalist, also noted for his work in social activism. The native San Franciscan adopted the name Jack as a boy, and worked odd jobs that usually involved hard labor as a teenager. London was always an avid reader and began submitting his own stories and poems to many publications. He decided to become a writer to escape the laborious lifestyle of a factory worker, though initially he garnered little success.
It wasn't until after a winter in the Yukon, where London found inspiration for The Call of the Wild, that he achieved writing success. He began publishing in 1899 and after achieving some public notoriety began using it as a platform for disseminating his views of socialism. However, London often received criticism for these writings since his life was marked by capitalist achievements in seeming direct contradiction to his beliefs. Later in life, London developed a strong interest in agriculture and settled on a California ranch where he died from renal failure in 1916 at the age of 40.
For an audio experience of London's most popular novel, try the The Call of the Wild, his unique novel portraying the life of a once-pampered dog who is uprooted from his life of luxury to work as part of a dogsled team. Also available on audiobook is The Mutiny of the Elsinore, which portrays a disillusioned New Yorker who embarks for a grueling life at sea. Finally, there is The Sea Wolf, which tells a psychological tale of man's dual nature amidst a backdrop of ocean dangers.