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This is a seminal book-fully revised with new poetry and photographs-of exploration and discovery into the literary genesis of Jack London, one of American's most famous authors. It brings together all the poetry of Jack London to support the assertion that he was first and foremost a poet who wrote fiction and nonfiction and not a writer of fiction and nonfiction who also wrote poetry.
After more than 30 years of research in all the known depositories and databases of Jack London material, Wichlan publishes his groundbreaking research and analysis. The book contains the poetry embedded in London's writing and correctly identifies previously uncredited authors and defines the poetry probably written by Jack London. Included in this book are two published plays in verse, "The First Poet" and "The Acorn Planter," and book inscriptions Jack London wrote in his first editions given to his first wife, Bessie Maddern, their children and his second wife, Charmian London. Twenty-eight pages from his first log book "No 1-Magazine Sales" are reproduced, which reveal the true extent of London's avid study of classical prosody taken from a previously unknown source.
In an extended introduction Dan Wichlan cites many examples and quotes from London's 55 books, numerous letters, and descriptions of his life with poetry from Charmian London's biography of her husband. Dan connects and links London's words and actions from many sources to support the central theme of the book that Jack London was a poet and his lyrical prose style a direct consequence of prosodic studies, poetic aspirations and a lifelong passion for poetry. Therefore, this book is essential reading for those interested in discovering the true Jack London.
