The Sea-Wolf

The Sea-Wolf (1904) is an adventure novel by American writer Jack London. Inspired by his acquaintance Captain Alex MacLean, a sailor from the Pacific Northwest, London sought to write a novel of the high seas with psychological and philosophical underpinnings.

An intelligent scholar named Humphrey van Weyden boards a ferry in San Francisco. Lost in the fog, the Martinez collides with another ship, and van Weyden is tossed overboard. Afloat in the Bay, he is discovered and rescued by Wolf Larsen, a gruff captain of a seal-hunting vessel. Aboard the schooner Ghost, van Weyden finds himself conscripted as a cabin boy, and must quickly adjust to the rough nature of seafaring life while immuring himself to the rages and peculiarities of Larsen. When his disgruntled crew stages a mutiny in response to his abuses, the savvy and powerful captain overwhelms them, and van Weyden, now known as Hump, is promoted to mate. With a depleted crew, the Ghost continues on through the hunting season, but its troubles are far from over. The Sea-Wolf is a story set in some of Earth's harshest environments that brings two men from opposite positions in life together with one goal in mind: survival.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jack London's The Sea-Wolf is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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.