In the past, people in Southern California used to envy those in the North, for they could feast on the fresh oysters harvested from the cold northern waters. Among those waters, in the oyster beds of San Francisco, a young boy made a living stealing oysters. He lived with his mother and stepfather, but to escape their frequent quarrels, he sought refuge in the library.
His early years were a kaleidoscope of hard labor and grit. He worked in canneries, ice cream parlors, and bowling alleys. He ran with political gangs and lived the life of a hobo, hopping freight trains across the country. Through these raw experiences, he encountered a vast array of human characters and learned the harsh realities of life. He even ventured to the frozen Klondike in Alaska, chasing dreams of gold, only to be met with biting cold and starvation.
He poured these rugged journeys into his writing. His works eventually made him the first millionaire author in American history.
On this day, January 12, 1876, Jack London, the chronicler of the wild, was born. He later served as a war correspondent and even built his own sailing vessel to cross the Pacific. He left behind the timeless classic, The Call of the Wild, a book that mirrored the intensity of his own life.
He passed away at the young age of 40—a death that many speculate was a suicide. His obituary read: "Every worker who knew how to read, read Jack London."
*Source: "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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