John Griffith London was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist born in 1876 in San Francisco, California. Some of his most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, set during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as short stories like To Build a Fire. London wrote across several genres, including science fiction, dystopian novels, and works exposing social issues. He died in 1916 at his ranch in California from complications of various illnesses contracted during his travels and from late-stage alcoholism.