Jack London was born in San Francisco in 1876 to unmarried parents and raised by his mother. He had a difficult childhood marked by poverty and left school at age 14. London experienced many hardships and adventures, working as a sailor, hobo, and gold prospector, which provided inspiration for his writing. He became a prolific and popular author, writing novels, short stories, and non-fiction works, gaining fame for books like The Call of the Wild and White Fang. London married twice and continued traveling and writing until his death in 1916.