London knew little about navigation, and his schooner, the Snark, possessed numerous defects, including a tendency to leak &3133; London knew little about navigation, and his schooner, the Snark, possessed numerous defects, including a tendency to leak. His account of this extraordinary trip is charming and fascinating by turns, and a wonderful display of his eye for poetic and ironic details. Navigating more by feel than by skill, London visited Hawaii, the Marquesas, Tahiti, and the Solomon Islands. For the most part, the voyagers were greeted with South Seas hospitality, though the trip had its dangers—including head-hunting natives. London claimed that sailing the Snark gave him his greatest sense of personal accomplishment, and The Cruise of the Snark is saturated with his enthusiasm and sheer love of adventure.
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After leaving school at the age of 14, Jack London worked as a seaman, rode in freight trains as a hobo, and adopted socialist views as … After leaving school at the age of 14, Jack London worked as a seaman, rode in freight trains as a hobo, and adopted socialist views as a member of the protest armies of the unemployed. After educating himself in public libraries, London began writing fiction but left to seek his fortune in the Klondike gold rush of 1897. His first novel appeared in 1900, and was followed by his hugely popular Alaska stories, which included The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and Burning Daylight.
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