Other editions of book Martin Eden

Martin Eden is a 1909 novel by American author Jack London about a young proletarian autodidact struggling to become a writer.Living in Oakland at the beginning of the 20th century, Martin Eden struggles to rise above his destitute, proletarian circumstances through an intense and passionate pursuit of self-education, hoping to achieve a place among the literary elite. His principal motivation is his love for Ruth Morse. Because Eden is a rough, uneducated sailor from a working-class background and the Morses are a bourgeois family, a union between them would be impossible unless and until he reached their level of wealth and refinement.Over a period of two years, Eden promises Ruth that success will come, but just before it does, Ruth loses her patience and rejects him in a letter, saying, "if only you had settled down ... and attempted to make something of yourself". By the time Eden attains the favour of the publishers and the bourgeoisie who had shunned him, he has already developed a grudge against them and become jaded by toil and unrequited love. Instead of enjoying his success, he retreats into a quiet indifference, interrupted only to rail mentally against the genteelness of bourgeois society or to donate his new wealth to working-class friends and family. He felt that people did not value him for himself or for his work but only for his fame.The novel ends with Eden's committing suicide by drowning, which contributed to what researcher Clarice Stasz calls the "biographical myth" that Jack London's own death was a suicide.London's oldest daughter Joan commented that in spite of its tragic ending, the book is often regarded as "a 'success' story ... which inspired not only a whole generation of young writers but other different fields who, without aid or encouragement, attained their objectives through great struggle".

The semiautobiographical "Martin Eden" is the most vital and original character Jack London ever created. Set in San Francisco, this is the story of Martin Eden, an impoverished seaman who pursues, obsessively and aggressively, dreams of education and literary fame. London, dissatisfied with the rewards of his own success, intended Martin Eden as an attack on individualism and a criticism of ambition; however, much of its status as a classic has been conferred by admirers of its ambitious protagonist. Andrew Sinclair's wide-ranging introduction discusses the conflict between London's support of socialism and his powerful self-will. Sinclair also explores the parallels and divergences between the life of Martin Eden and that of his creator, focusing on London's mental depressions and how they affected his depiction of Eden.

* Beautifully illustrated with atmospheric paintings by renowned artists, Jack London's gripping and ultimately tragic tale charts the fortunes of working-class Martin Eden as he struggles to better himself through study to become a successful writer and win the love of the well-to-do girl he desires. Considered partially autobiographical, the novel is a superb psychological portrayal and has long been regarded as one of the great works of twentieth century English literature. Just as absorbing today as it was for readers when first published over a century ago, it remains hugely popular throughout the world.* This meticulous edition from Heritage Illustrated Publishing is a faithful reproduction of the original text and is enhanced with images of classic works of art carefully selected by our team of professional editors.

Martin Eden (1909) by Jack London is a semi-autobiographical novel, the quintessential and shocking story of a struggling writer. And as such, it is a story of a remarkable human being driven to succeed against all tragic odds. Martin Eden is a young man who rises above his working class Oakland beginnings. At first he is motivated to better himself and acquire an education to be worthy of the love of a beautiful upper class woman. But ultimately it is his intellectual curiosity, the creative drive to express beauty and understand the inner workings of others and the world around him that establish themselves foremost in his consciousness. Drowning in poverty and editorial rejection slips, this is the portrait of the writer as a young fierce artist, lover, philosopher, and above all, a magnanimous human being. Success comes in the end, but it is bittersweet, and too late on the level of the soul. And yet, the creative spirit of Martin Eden soars. An eye-opening, terrifying, yet inspirational must-read for all aspiring writers.

Jack London's Martin Eden was first published in 1909 and is the story of a young writer's quest for celebrity and love. Much loved by writers who identify with Martin's belief that when he posted a manuscript, 'there was no human editor at the other end, but a mere cunning arrangement of cogs that changed the manuscript from one envelope to another and stuck on the stamps,' that automatically returned it slapped with a rejection slip.

Martin Eden is a novel by American author Jack London, about a proletarian young autodidact struggling to become a writer. It was first serialized in the Pacific Monthly magazine from September 1908 to September 1909, and subsequently published in book form by Macmillan in September 1909.This book is a favorite among writers, who relate to Martin Eden's speculation that when he mailed off a manuscript, 'there was no human editor at the other end, but a mere cunning arrangement of cogs that changed the manuscript from one envelope to another and stuck on the stamps,' returning it automatically with a rejection slip.[citation needed] The central theme of Martin Eden's developing artistic sensibilities puts the novel in tradition of the Künstlerroman genre, in whici is narrated the formation and development of an artist.( wikipedia.org)

How is this book unique?Font adjustments & biography includedUnabridged (100% Original content)IllustratedAbout Martin Eden by Jack LondonMartin Eden is a 1909 novel by American author Jack London about a young proletarian autodidact struggling to become a writer. It was first serialized in The Pacific Monthly magazine from September 1908 to September 1909 and published in book form by Macmillan in September 1909. Eden represents writers' frustration with publishers by speculating that when he mails off a manuscript, a "cunning arrangement of cogs" immediately puts it in a new envelope and returns it automatically with a rejection slip.[citation needed] The central theme of Eden's developing artistic sensibilities places the novel in the tradition of the Künstlerroman, in which is narrated the formation and development of an artist. Eden differs from London in that Eden rejects socialism, attacking it as "slave morality", and relies on a Nietzschean individualism. In a note to Upton Sinclair, London wrote, "One of my motifs, in this book, was an attack on individualism (in the person of the hero). I must have bungled, for not a single reviewer has discovered it." Plot: Living in Oakland at the beginning of the 20th century, Martin Eden struggles to rise above his destitute, proletarian circumstances through an intense and passionate pursuit of self-education, hoping to achieve a place among the literary elite. His principal motivation is his love for Ruth Morse. Because Eden is a rough, uneducated sailor from a working-class background[4] and the Morses are a bourgeois family, a union between them would be impossible unless and until he reached their level of wealth and refinement. Over a period of two years, Eden promises Ruth that success will come, but just before it does, Ruth loses her patience and rejects him in a letter, saying, "if only you had settled down ... and attempted to make something of yourself". By the time Eden attains the favour of the publishers and the bourge

"Martin Eden"follows the rise and fall of a young sailor who by sheer force of will educates himself and succeeds in becoming a famous writer. First published in 1909, the book is Jack London's autobiographical novel and was written when London was thirty-three and the most popular living writer in the world. London's prose is straightforward and vibrant, much like the author at his best. Martin Eden falls victim to the vicissitudes of his fame and fortune, much like the author at his worst (too much hard living is often given as the reason for London's death at forty). London spends a lot of time in this book criticizing American materialism in the way that materialism ought to be criticized. He also displays a certain kind of American work ethic (five hours of sleep a night, perseverance through failure, etc.) that sometimes doesn't know what to do with itself once it achieves success. We should all have that problem--just hope that we deal with it better than young Martin Eden does. "Martin Eden" is full of philosophical and artistic commentary. It is also a love story, although tragic, that shows some brilliant writing on what young love and infatuation is. If you want pure action, this novel is not for you. If you enjoy beautiful prose and novels which delve deeply into humanity, this is for you. Ultimately, readers will sense "Martin Eden" heading towards tragedy. Like an epic Shakeperian poem, the setup pulls the story towards an unhappy climax. However, the ending fits the character. If you want classic American literature at its finest, read this novel.

This carefully crafted ebook: “MARTIN EDEN (Modern Classics Series)” is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.Martin Eden is a tale about a young sailor struggling to become a writer. Eden is trying to rise above his destitute, proletarian circumstances through an intense and passionate pursuit of self-education, hoping to achieve a place among the literary elite. His principal motivation at first is his love for Ruth Morse. Because Eden is a rough, uneducated sailor from a working-class background and the Morse's are a bourgeois family, a union between them would be impossible unless and until he reached their level of knowledge and refinement. Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. His amazing life experience also includes being an oyster pirate, railroad hobo, gold prospector, sailor, war correspondent and much more. He wrote adventure novels & sea tales, stories of the Gold Rush, tales of the South Pacific and the San Francisco Bay area - most of which were based on or inspired by his own life experiences.