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Jack London: by Amy Ingram, 7th Grade English
Jack London was born in San Francisco, CA, January 12, 1876 to Flora Wellman and William Chaney.
Chaney deserted his common-law wife when he found out she was pregnant.
When Jack was eight months old his mother married John London who had two daughters of his own and accepted Jack.
Over the next ten years, John moves the family to Oakland, Almeda, San Mateo, Livermore, and back to Oakland.
Around this time, Jack acquires his dog, Rollo, who he loved very much. It is suggested that some of London's works were based on feelings he had towards his beloved pet.
Oakland is also where Jack discovers the Oakland Public Library and reads his first two books: Ouida's Signa and Irving's Tales of the Alhambra.
At age 11, he enrolls in the Oakland Grammar School.
At 14, he works in a salmon cannery for 10 cents an hour. At age 15, Jack graduates from 8th grade,
borrowed $300 and bought the sloop Razzle Dazzle and becomes an oyster pirate on San Francisco Bay. The very next year he becomes
a member of the Fish Patrol. At age 17 he became a *** on the Sophia Southerland and served 8 months and writes the story Typhoon off the Coast of Japan - the first story every written by Jack for publication.
In 1894, he joins General Kelley's Army, marching to Washington, D.C. He leaves the Army and becomes a hobo, and is eventually thrown in Eerie County Penitentiary in Buffalo, New York, for 30 days for vagrancy.
In 1907 he wrote the book The Road, recounting these experiences. At 19,
he entered Oakland High School and writes essays and short stories for the school paper.
He attends the University of California at Berkeley for one semester, but drops out because he doesn't have the financial resources.
Afterwards he begins writing a great deal and decides to sail on the ship the Umatilla,
to join the gold rush in the Klondike.
He returns to Oakland after a year because he came down with scurvy and he discovered that his father, John, had passed away.
He writes for the next couple of years, novels and stories, and marries Bessie May Mattern. He publishes his first book, The Son of the Wolf.
The London's have two daughters. After 3 years of marriage, Jack and Bessie divorce.
The same year, The Call of the Wild was submitted by Jack London to the Saturday Evening Post.
In 1905 at age 21, Jack marries Charmain Kittredge.
Tales of the Fish Patrol is also published this year.
Wanting to sail around the world, he and his wife set out on their ship The Snark.
They stop in Sydney, Australia so Jack can obtain medical care. As a result, they cut the trip short.
He publishes the Iron Heel, and upon return to the States,he buys a ranch.
Over the next several years, London continues to write and publish more stories and books, and he purchases several more ranches.
In 1916, at the age of 40, Jack London died at one of his beloved ranches.
Jack London leave a legacy of extraordinary literature. He is also remembered by the establishment of organizations such as the Jack London Society, Jack London Foundation, and the Jack London State Historical Park, just to name a few.
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