A collection of Jack London stories, including When God Laughs, The Apostate, A Wicked Woman, "Just Meat," Created He Them, The Chinago, Make Westing, Semper Idem, A Nose for the King, The "Francis Spaight," A Curious Fragment, and A Piece of Steak.. Jack London (1876-1916), an American novelist and short-story writer whose works deal romantically with elemental struggles for survival. At his peak, he was the highest paid and the most popular of all living writers. Because of early financial difficulties, he was largely self educated past grammar school. London draws heavily on his life experiences in his writing. He spent time in the Klondike during the Gold Rush and at various times was an oyster pirate, a seaman, a sealer, and a hobo. His first work was published in 1898. From there he went on to write such American classics as Call of the Wild, Sea Wolf, and White Fang. "Jack London is at his best - that peculiar best which is inimitable... Nothing is more important to note, however, than the soundness of the psychology of all these stories. They are made out of the deep fibre of humanity. By command over such material does Jack London hold his place in our literature. By command over the knack of clearly flowing, acid-biting English that often takes rich color." - Boston Transcript