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From 1912 to 1932, an authoritarian government rises to power in the United States, crushing the labor movement and ensuring the population remains mired in poverty with no hope for power or change. Against this dystopian backdrop, a young revolutionary places the hopes of mankind before her own survival. The Iron Heel is a science fiction novel by Jack London.
About the author
Jack London (1876-1926) was one of the the first American novelists to earn worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from writing. In addition to his wildly popular adventure tales, he wrote some of the earliest works of science fiction, newspaper articles, essays, plays, and poetry. A political radical, he championed unionization, worker's rights, and socialism, and fiercely advocated against cruelty to circus animals.
Summary
The Iron Heel (1907) is a novel by American writer Jack London. A groundbreaking work of dystopian science fiction, The Iron Heel was inspired by London’s socialist views and belief in an eventual global upheaval. Although his predictions proved wrong for the United States of the early-twentieth century, London was recognized by such figures as George Orwell for his foresight regarding the rise of fascism in Europe. The novel is told from the perspective of a scholar named Anthony Meredith who lives in the post-revolutionary Brotherhood of Man in the year 2600 AD. Having discovered the “Everhard Manuscript,” a record of the rise of the Oligarchy in twentieth century America that provides the bulk of the narrative, Meredith writes the introduction and extensive footnotes throughout. The Manuscript is the story of Avis Everhard, a young woman who becomes radicalized by the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and eventually leads a failed revolution against the Oligarchy. While the frame narrative provides a sense of hope for the future of humanity, the Manuscript describes a society crushed by the consolidation of economic and political power by a wealthy few, who control all aspects of everyday life and rule with the help of a ruthless mercenary army. As she rises through the ranks of the resistance movement, Everhard comes to understand that the sacrifices required of a hero must be made for a future she holds little hope of seeing. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jack London’s The Iron Heel is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
