The Book of Jack London, , 1921, 1st Am. edition

Two volumes. xvi, 422; viii, 414. Illustrated with several plates from photographs; frontispiece portraits with tissue-guards. Photograph of Jack and Charmian London mounted on front free endpaper of volume II. 22.5x15 cm (9x6"), green cloth, spines lettered in gilt. First American Edition. Both inscribed on front free endpaper, by bookseller Russ Kingman (owner of The World of Jack London Museum and Bookstore). Also mounted is his personal card. A separate sheet of detailed notes on the book has been inserted by a previous owner. Woodbridge notes that "these two volumes contain over 250 letters, telegrams and inscriptions by Jack London to various correspondents, some complete and some excerpted. The majority are first printings...." Woodbridge 1180. About this book Charmian Kittredge London (November 27, 1871 in Wilmington, California – January 14, 1955 in Glen Ellen, California[1]) was an American writer and second wife of Jack London. Charmian Kittredge was born to poet Dayelle "Daisy" Wiley and California hotelier Willard Kittredge at a railroad outpost south of Los Angeles. Charmian played a direct role in her husband's writings. First, she was the model for many of his fictional characters, such as Saxon in The Valley of the Moon, Lute in "Planchette," and Paula in Little Lady of the Big House. Although London portrayed New Women prior to marrying Charmian, these and other characters incorporated full dimensions of his wife's character. Latest scholarship reveals Charmian was a collaborator as well. Often described as London's typist, she was also his editor. As part of her marketing London's name, Charmian published The Book of Jack London (two volumes) (1921). Scholars consider the book to be an important if sometimes flawed sources of biographical information. One biographer calls it "an uneven account that omits Jack's illegitimacy, yet has surprisingly frank information nonetheless concerning his personality." (Wikipedia)