There’s more to Jack London than Alaska

John Barleycorn (1913)

If you didn’t know, “John Barleycorn” is a nickname for alcohol. This is an autobiographical work of fiction by Jack London, recounting his adventurous life and his gradual descent into alcoholism. Learn about his thrilling early days as an oyster pirate and how he went from a boy with a taste for candy to a man who could not turn down a cocktail. The passages are entertaining and also exhibit the power of social pressures.

The Sea Wolf (1904)

This is the tale of a privileged young man (Humphrey Van Weyden) who accidentally ends up on a working ship, under the heel of a harsh, Social Darwinian captain (Wolf Larsen) who is determined to make a real man of him. Wills and philosophies are tested (especially Nietzsche and Schopenhauer). It will make you never want to end up on a working ship by accident.

Martin Eden (1909)

This is a work of fiction that is loosely based on London’s own life. It is the story of a young man falling in love with learning, falling in love with a girl, becoming a writer, and working manual labor while striving for success as an author. It gives great insight into London’s own experiences and the social and working conditions of his time. It’s a sad tale of success. It deserves to be read alongside works like Look Homeward, Angel and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

The Iron Heel (1908)

This is not Jack London’s best work, but it is interesting. He had many socialist convictions and believed that society and its class structure could not go unchanged forever. The Iron Heel is dystopian science fiction set in the future, concerning a socialist mass movement. You get fighting in the streets, calls to action, and a few personalities that could use a bit more development.

Compiled by Elizabeth Stice