Jack London was an American author born in 1876 in San Francisco, California. He died in 1916 at the age of 40. As a young man, he had several odd jobs including working on fishing boats and sailing on whaling ships. He joined the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1890s to support his family after his step-father died. Many of his novels were based on his experiences, including adventures at sea and the harsh conditions of the Klondike. Some of his most famous works include The Call of the Wild and The Sea Wolf. He was married twice and had three children total.