Jack London

Dear Editor,

In high school, I read "Call of the Wild" written by Jack London in 1903.

Jack London (1876-1916) died from kidney failure at age 40. He wrote short stories, plays, novels and essays. They were enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

London was born in San Francisco. At age 14, he had to work to support his family. He graduated from high school and attended the university of California for one semester.

After that, he was a laborer and a seaman. by 1897, he was living in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Gary Hobbs, who is now a resident of El Dorado Manor in Trenton, recently loaned me the book "A Jack London Echo" published in 1983. It is a tribute to Russ and Winnie Kingman. He met them while he was living at Glen-Ellen California.

The Kingmans ran a bookstore. They sold Jack London's stories. Russ wrote "A Pictoral Life of Jack London."

Their bookstore was a literary bouquet. Customers would drop in to hear stories about Jack London and to buy books.

Becky London Flemming, daughter of Jack London, lived at Oakland, California. Gary Hobbs became a regular visitor at the Kingman's store. He got to know Becky London Fleming, too.

The Kingman's became good friends with Hobbs, an avid Jack London fan.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

Trenton, Nebraska