The many lives of the American literary legend whose works include the classic Call of the Wild. "I would rather be a superb meteor, and that each of my atoms shines with a magnificent brilliance, rather than a sleeping planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I will not waste my life trying to prolong my life. I want to burn all my time." - Jack London Jack London (1876-1916), the author of such classics as Call of the Wild, White Fang and Martin Eden, was the last great voice of the American frontier and a master of the adventure novel. The Lives of Jack London was published first in France as Les vies de Jack London to coincide with the release of the film documentary of the same name in 2016, the centenary of his death. This book's title is apt, for London's adventures and achievements far exceeded his short life. Shared here are stories of a life of magnificent brilliance - riding the rails, pirating oysters, shoveling coal and joining the Gold Rush, sailing the world, immersing himself in island societies, joyous family life, a lifelong "1,000 words a day habit" and ultimately tragedy. This engrossing and beautifully illustrated account features 400 period photographs, press clippings and letters, the majority of them never before published. Jack London lived his meteoric life during a time of tumultuous change in North America. The Lives of Jack London is an engrossing and beautifully illustrated retelling of the vibrant and ultimately tragic life of one of America's greatest writers. AUTHORS: Noel Mauberret is a specialist in Jack London and a translator. He is the director of the Jack London Collection at Editions Phebus and was president of the Jack London Society from 2012 to 2014. Michel Viotte has directed over forty television documentaries filmed around the world. Most of his films explore themes of adventure, discovery, memory and artistic creativity. He is the author of La Guerre d'Hollywood.