Jack London, His Circle of Women, and His Times
Charmian Kittredge London at a Solomon Islands market.
Before moving to California, I had never read Jack London. Still in snobby young adulthood, I considered him a "dog story writer." Little did I know he and his times would consume my life. A neighbor stopped by and said, "I've just returned from Jack London State Historic Park. You should go there. His wife was really interesting. I think you should write a book about her." I had recently read Nancy Milford's book on Zelda Fitzgerald, and conceived a similar story arc, that Charmian would suffer in the shadow of a famous man.
The literary executor then, Irving Shepard, granted me permission to write the book and see all archives. He introduced me to Earle Labor, leading literary scholar who helped me when we worked together at the Huntington Library. There I spent several summers reading hundreds of Charmian's letters, thirty years of her diaries, and a chunk of Jack's enormous correspondence.
My initial theory proved incorrect. Charmian was no victimized Zelda, but very much her own independent woman. I continue to learn about her, and Jack of course. After publishing several scholarly articles, I wrote my first book, American Dreamers. Twenty years later, spurred on by Helen Abbott, the wife of Jack's grandson Park Abbott, I composed a book that took in the large circle of women who were related to or influenced his life in significant ways. This became Jack London's Women.
I manage the key website, https://london.sonoma.edu
The literary executor then, Irving Shepard, granted me permission to write the book and see all archives. He introduced me to Earle Labor, leading literary scholar who helped me when we worked together at the Huntington Library. There I spent several summers reading hundreds of Charmian's letters, thirty years of her diaries, and a chunk of Jack's enormous correspondence.
My initial theory proved incorrect. Charmian was no victimized Zelda, but very much her own independent woman. I continue to learn about her, and Jack of course. After publishing several scholarly articles, I wrote my first book, American Dreamers. Twenty years later, spurred on by Helen Abbott, the wife of Jack's grandson Park Abbott, I composed a book that took in the large circle of women who were related to or influenced his life in significant ways. This became Jack London's Women.
I manage the key website, https://london.sonoma.edu
