1. #1. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

3. London’s Childhood #2. Born in 1876 in San Francisco #2. Became one of America’s most famous writers

4. #3. Childhood marked by poverty and unhappiness #3. Raised by his mother and stepfather; uncertainty about his father who deserted them #3. However, became an avid reader when an Oakland librarian encouraged him to escape his life of poverty through reading London’s Childhood

5. London dropped out of school at age 14 and held many low-paying jobs: seaman paperboy sweatshop worker cannery worker freight train hobo cleaned a local saloon London loved to hear stories about the Gold Rush #4. As a Young Person

6. #5. As a Young Adult Experiences that shaped London’s life and attitudes: -oyster pirate -seal hunter in the North Pacific -1894—arrested and jailed for vagrancy However, he attended the University of California at Berkeley Left school after 1 year to seek his fortune

7. #6. Gold Rush Adventure Traveled to Klondike Gold Rush in 1897 Came down with scurvy; his severely swollen gums caused him to lose his four front teeth Did not find gold; had a wealth of experiences he would later use to write stories and books Supported himself by writing books and stories

8. Jack London outfitted to travel to the gold fields of the Klondike Gold Rush

9. #7. London—the Author Began avidly writing in 1897 Spent 15 hours a day writing Wrote 1000 words a day One of the 1st American authors to make a living exclusively as a writer

10. Jack London wrote 50 books and 1,000 articles between 1899 and 1916.

14. “ By 1916, London was the highest-paid writer in the country and the most widely read American author in the world. ”

16. Jack London had a personal library of over 15,000 books!

17. #8 Jack London died on November 22, 1916. HeHe was only 40 years old.

18. #9 London ’ s Credo Credo = principles or beliefs that guide a person through life

19. Jack London's Credo I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.… The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.

21. #10 Title: The Call of the Wild Genre: Realistic Fiction Setting: Late 1800 ’ s

22. #11. London was paid three cents per word for the story.

23. London received a total of $2,750.00 for his work.

24. #12 The book has never been out of print during the last seventy-five years

25. “ The Call of the Wild is the greatest dog story ever written and is at the same time a study of one of the most curious and profound motives that play hide-and-seek in the human soul. ” -- Carl Sandburg

26. From the time The Call of the Wild caught the imagination of the world in 1903, until his death by a stroke and heart attack in 1916, his 51 books, hundreds of short stories, essays and other writings had more newspaper coverage than any other writer.