Popular American novelist (1876–1916), best known for such adventure classics as The Call of the Wild, The Sea-Wolf, and White Fang, who drew his writings from his experiences as a prospector, hobo, pirate, gentleman farmer, reformer, and war correspondent. Though plagued by addiCtion to drugs and alcohol, London wrote prolifically was the highest-paid American writer of his day. ALS, two pages, 9.25 x 6, Newton, Iowa, postmarked November 29, 1905. London writes to Mrs. Walker ten days after his second marriage, to Charmian Kittredge. In full: “In reply to yours just received. I shall be at time and place appointed. Lecture will be ‘Experiences,’ also, I shall include in these experiences, how I began to write and some of my experiences with editors. This last, I have never done before, and am doing now at request of your committee. Because of this, there will not be time for a reading from ‘Call of [the] Wild.’ Furthermore, I’m a poor reader anyway.” In very good condition, with mailing folds (areas of slight paper loss; professional reinforcements on reverse to separations), mild allover toning. London letters with direct reference to his most famous work are extremely uncommon. A one-page letter on illustrations for Call of the Wild sold at a California book auction for nearly $2,500 in November 1985; an example from the Doheny Collection sold for $17,000 at Christie’s, New York in February1998. Most recently, a letter with only a “tongue in cheek” mention of the book fetched $8,400 at Bonham’s in February 2006. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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