Jack London: Biography, A (Paperback)

~ Michelle Nagler (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

London's remarkable life makes for good reading: He was a fearless explorer whose struggles to become a successful writer filled his short life. Dyer makes it easy to marvel at the breadth and depth of London's early failures, which he overcame by self-discipline, including a regular routine of reading and writing, even when he was at sea--he didn't wait for inspiration. Through this well-written biography, readers gain a sense of London's spirit; he relished personal achievement ``for my own delight.'' (index, not seen, b&w photos, bibliography) (Biography. 11-13) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

While researching Jack London, biographer Daniel Dryer uncovered an amazing truth - that London's real life was just as rich and exciting as the stories and characters he created. Equally adept in writing as he was at thrill-seeking, London left school at age eleven to begin his lifelong courtship of adventure. He worked as a seal hunter, an oyster pirate, and a factory worker. And by the time of the Klondike gold rush, he was well on his way to becoming one of the world's most popular writers. This comprehensive biography takes the reader into the mind and life of this memorable author.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 043944957X
• ISBN-13: 978-0439449571
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,658,260 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book about a Sometimes Great Man, February 10, 2007

By	A. Luciano (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Jack London: A Biography (Hardcover)

Jack London, the author of many stories such as "Call of the Wild" and "White Fang," was a very interesting man. This book tells the story of his life, from his rough childhood up to his death as a rich and famous man. I didn't always like Jack London as he was portrayed in this book--he spent some of his life as a drifter, stealing rides on trains and begging for money on the streets. He was also not a very good father to his two daughters. I have to admit, though, that his life was terribly interesting. He traveled a great deal, all around the world both when he was young and as he grew older. It was fascinating to see where he got the ideas for his stories--most of them were based on experiences he actually had. Jack London was admirable in that he always knew he wanted to be a writer, and he dind't let anything stand in his way. He achieved his goal through hard work and dedication, despite all obstacles he had to overcome.

I liked that this book was a wealth of information, containing a lot of details about London's thoughts and feelings at certain times in his life, gathered from journals, letters and from people who knew him. I felt like the book gave a well-rounded description of his life.

4.0 out of 5 stars Jack London, October 14, 2009

By	SciFan (Declo,, Id. USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jack London: Biography, A (Paperback)

London is my inspiration. From working for ten cents an hour at menial jobs, to the Crimean War, to becoming one of the greatest American authors, this book details his life. He literally learned his craft to keep from starving to death. This book is geared more toward young adults. It's a quick read and can be used to inspire the young to read his other works. L.W.
(I studied his life in preparation for my novel A Benwarian Fix: The Intercolonization of Earth.)

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack London: a biography by Daniel Dyer, October 17, 2001

By	Doug - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jack London: A Biography (Hardcover)

This book was a great book and I would suggest that anyone out there who likes Jack London books read this biography of him! Jack is a great person to write this on, he is a courageous hard worker and a family man, but his own family keeps moving while Jack is out on business trips. The author did a fantastic job on making details so you could actually picture exactly what it was he was tlaking about! This book is also very unique, but probably because it was the first biography I have ever read, but it was a great one. The author used a lot of strange words that I did not understand, but that is why he put a glossary in the back of the book. That was very useful. The author used several metaphors and similes, and acted a little sarcastic at times. I really, really enjoyed how this book was published and how the author decided to write it! I think everybody should read this biography, especially if you are a fan of Jack London's work!