Annotation: Jack London, the early 20th century popular adventurer and author, is masterfully displayed as not only a popular author, but as someone who traveled down every road in his path.
Reason for Nomination: Although the book does have a few boring moments, most of it is so interesting that it is hard for your mind to wander. Dyer does an excellent job of showing that Jack London's personal life was just as interesting as his fictional characters'. The book is arranged chronologically, and weaves through London's exceptionally complex life.
As a child, London always wanted to be a writer, but just like today, life gets in the way. London leaves school at age 11 to go to work to earn money for his family. He eventually returns to school again at age 19, but again needs to leave to earn money. He continues this struggle between needing to support his family and wanting to be a writer for a very long period of time. His writing finally begins to earn him money, but London never loses his love for adventure.
Dyer discusses London's love of sailing, his menial jobs working on the docks in Oakland, his involvement with the Socialist party, and his love of writing. We learn that London wrote profusely, as did many people who were close to him, so much of his life has been recorded. Dyer's skill in weeding through the thousands of letters, journals, and other artifacts about London and presenting London's colorful life in a clear way is not lost on the reader.
The younger reader, who may or may not know who Jack London is, will find that regardless of life's circumstances, adventure can be found and choices can be made. London clearly did not find his family's struggles as a barrier to becoming a popular and wealthy author. The reader will also learn how it is possible to balance wealth, family obligations, and the obligation to the poor as London did by fully supporting his entire extended family with his writing salary and by remaining a supporter of the rights of working people.
Genre: Nonfiction biography
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