Jack London (1876-1916) was an American Author and journalist from San Francisco best known for his novel The Call of the Wild. His personal experiences, including exploits as a sailor, a vagrant, and as a war reporter deeply informed his writing. Much of his work is written in a Naturalistic style and explores themes of man's instincts and the inescapable forces of nature. London was one of the first American authors to become financially successful through his writing, penning more than 50 books in his lifetime.