A London Plane-Tree and Other Verse

A London Plane-Tree and Other Verse (1889) is a poetry collection by Amy Levy. Published in the year of her death at the age of 27, A London Plane-Tree and Other Verse is the work of a pioneering writer and feminist whose poetry and prose explores the concept of the New Woman while illuminating the realities of Jewish life in nineteenth century London. "Green is the plane-tree in the square, / The other trees are brown; / They droop and pine for country air; / The plane-tree loves the town." In these lyric poems exploring the sights and sounds of Victorian London, Amy Levy identifies herself with a modern, urban setting, refusing to rely on tradition in poetry or in life: "Others the country take for choice, / And hold the town in scorn; / But she has listened to the voice / On city breezes borne." Attuned to the urban bustle of work and play, Levy presages the malaise and discontent more often associated with Modernist writers of the early twentieth century: "Dead-tired, dog tired, as the vivid day / Fails and slackens and fades away.- / The sky that was so blue before / With sudden clouds is shrouded o'er." Having struggled with depression her whole life, Levy was keenly aware of poetry's ability to capture the depths of human emotion. "To Vernon Lee," addressed to her lover, herself a famous writer, Levy provides a self-portrait in the throes of heartache, recalling with sorrow a love consigned to the past: "A snowy blackthorn flowered beyond my reach; / You broke a branch and gave it to me there; / [...] / And of the gifts the gods had given to each- / Hope unto you, and unto me Despair." With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition Amy Levy's A London Plane-Tree and Other Verse is a classic work of British 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.