Jack London

An item at American Writers Museum

Jack London found salvation from an impoverished childhood at his local library. Forced to earn a living at age 14, London held a dizzying succession of jobs-sailor, "hobo," gold prospector, socialist agitator-that would inspire a prolific outpouring of stories. London's work celebrates the will to survive extreme hardship, whether in the urban jungle or Arctic cold. For example, in The Call of the Wild (1903), a domesticated dog must rely on primordial instincts when thrust into the wilderness. London's thrilling plots and unpretentious style made him a best-selling author in his day (he became a millionaire) and influenced younger writers like Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac.

AMERICAN VOICES

An exhibit at American Writers Museum

American writing is distinctive, diverse, and comes in many forms from across the nation. The 100 authors featured here represent the evolution of American writing. Learn more about each writer on the timeline by turning the panels below their portraits. Explore centuries of writing by pulling, turning, and touching the interactive elements on the counter.

This is not meant to be a list of the greatest or most influential writers. Instead, we present authors and works as part of the American story as it grows and changes. Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.

American Writers Museum