The People of the Abyss

In 1902, celebrated novelist and adventurer Jack London disguised himself and plunged into the dark heart of London’s East End to live among the city’s poorest inhabitants. The People of the Abyss is his unflinching, first-hand account of the hunger, filth, and despair endured by thousands who were invisible to the glittering world of Edwardian society.With the vividness of a journalist and the passion of a social reformer, London exposes the brutal realities of overcrowded slums, exploitative labor, and the slow erosion of human dignity. More than a work of reportage, this book is a cry for justice, a portrait of resilience, and a stark reminder of the human cost of inequality.A landmark in social documentary literature, The People of the Abyss remains as relevant today as it was over a century ago, speaking directly to contemporary debates on poverty, class, and survival in modern cities.Jack London (1876–1916) was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. Rising from poverty, he became one of the most widely read authors of his time, celebrated for adventure classics like The Call of the Wild and White Fang. Beyond fiction, London wrote powerful works of social critique, including The People of the Abyss, blending vivid storytelling with a deep concern for justice and human struggle.