Martin Eden

by Jack London

Overview

Martin Eden (1909) by Jack London is a semi-autobiographical novel, the quintessential and shocking story of a struggling writer. And as such, it is a story of a remarkable human being driven to succeed against all tragic odds.

Martin Eden is a young man who rises above his working class Oakland beginnings. At first he is motivated to better himself and acquire an education to be worthy of the love of a beautiful upper class woman. But ultimately it is his intellectual curiosity, the creative drive to express beauty and understand the inner workings of others and the world around him that establish themselves foremost in his consciousness.

Drowning in poverty and editorial rejection slips, this is the portrait of the writer as a young fierce artist, lover, philosopher, and above all, a magnanimous human being. Success comes in the end, but it is bittersweet, and too late on the level of the soul. And yet, the creative spirit of Martin Eden soars.

An eye-opening, terrifying, yet inspirational must-read for all aspiring writers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781934169582
Publisher:	Norilana Books
Publication date:	02/18/2007
Pages:	396
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist and journalist. Born in San Francisco to Florence Wellman, a spiritualist, and William Chaney, an astrologer, London was raised by his mother and her husband, John London, in Oakland. An intelligent boy, Jack went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley before leaving school to join the Klondike Gold Rush. His experiences in the Klondike—hard labor, life in a hostile environment, and bouts of scurvy—both shaped his sociopolitical outlook and served as powerful material for such works as “To Build a Fire” (1902), The Call of the Wild (1903), and White Fang (1906). When he returned to Oakland, London embarked on a career as a professional writer, finding success with novels and short fiction. In 1904, London worked as a war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War and was arrested several times by Japanese authorities. Upon returning to California, he joined the famous Bohemian Club, befriending such members as Ambrose Bierce and John Muir. London married Charmian Kittredge in 1905, the same year he purchased the thousand-acre Beauty Ranch in Sonoma County, California. London, who suffered from numerous illnesses throughout his life, died on his ranch at the age of 40. A lifelong advocate for socialism and animal rights, London is recognized as a pioneer of science fiction and an important figure in twentieth century American literature.

Reading Group Guide

Martin Eden, Jack London’s semiautobiographical novel about a struggling young writer, is considered by many to be the author’s most mature work. Personifying London’s own dreams of education and literary fame as a young man in San Francisco, Martin Eden’s impassioned but ultimately ineffective battle to overcome his bleak circumstances makes him one of the most memorable and poignant characters Jack London ever created. As Paul Berman points out in his Introduction, “In Martin, [London] created one of the great twisted heroes of American literature . . . a hero doomed from the outset because his own passions are bigger and more complicated than any man could bear.”

Editorial Reviews

One of Jack London’s greatest works.” —Upton Sinclair

From the Publisher