American writer of 46 adventure tales and hundreds of short stories. His major works included “The Son of the Wolf,” 1900, “The People of the Abyss,” 1902, “The Sea Wolf,” 1904, “Call of the Wild,” 1903, and “White Fang,” which was later made into a movie. At one time the best-read writer in the United States, his work was said to reflect every tendency and big idea, and he himself was a study in contrasts.
Born in San Francisco, London was the natural son of Irish astrologer William Chaney and spiritualist Flora Wellman. After Chaney disappeared from her life, Flora married John London, a migrant worker and widower with two small daughters, one of whom looked after young Jack’s upbringing. When he was ten, the family moved to Oakland, Calif. Raised in a childhood of poverty, he struggled through a lifetime of financial difficulties, but he managed to develop a love for books and the sea. After one year of college, he dropped out and began his life as a self-taught vagrant. He joined the gold rush in the Klondike, roamed London’s slums, sailed, drove, drank and savored his adventures, writing them down. His writing earned him a fortune, but he was constantly in debt.
In 1913, he built Wolf House, a dream castle of stone, but it was consumed by fire just before its completion. He never disturbed the ruins but abandoned the dream. He married Beddie Madden, a Math and English teacher, in 1900, with whom he had two daughters, Joan and Becky. The marriage lasted four years, and the day after the divorce was final, he married Charmian Kittredge.
London had been ailing from a variety of problems prior to his early death. He was lame, had pyorrhea, a rectal ulcer, skin problems that were either pellagra or psoriasis, and a kidney disease that may have contributed to his death. In addition, he was an alcoholic, and had unusual dietary habits, including raw fish, and raw-meat sandwiches.
On the morning of 22 November 1916, London’s valet found him comatose. It was evident that he had taken a lethal dose of morphine, but whether or not the intent was suicide is a debated conclusion. He was treated for morphine poisoning, but died without recovering consciousness at 7:45 PM, 22 November 1916 at Glen Ellen, Calif.
Link to Wikipedia biography