Jerry of the Islands

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This vivid depiction of the South Pacific was forged in the crucible of Jack London’s own extraordinary life. Born in San Francisco in 1876, London worked as a gold prospector, a sailor, and a journalist. The inspiration for Jerry’s world came directly from a daring, real-life voyage London undertook between 1907 and 1909 aboard his self-built ketch, the Snark. Sailing across the South Seas, London witnessed the realities of colonial expansion, the devastating impacts of disease, and the friction between Western traders and indigenous tribes. He even encountered the real-life canine inspirations for Jerry and his brother, Michael, whilst sailing through the archipelago. Jerry of the Islands was one of the final pieces of literature London ever completed, published after the author’s death at the age of forty.