Jack London and the Captains Who Inspired Him

Before Jack London captained his own boats as an oyster pirate and bestselling author, he was inspired by the captains of his time: Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail solo around the world; William T. Shorey, the whaling captain known as the Black Ahab whose home port was Oakland; and Alexander McLean, an inspiration for Wolf Larsen, the sadistic captain who animates the dark side of London’s novel, The Sea-Wolf. Join Aleta to learn about the captains who inspired London and how they found their way into his imagination.

About the speaker: Aleta George writes about the nature, history, and culture of California. Her work has appeared in Smithsonian, the Los Angeles Times, Bay Nature, Estuary News, and Latitude 38. She is the award-winning author of Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate (one of Jack’s mentors) and is working on a biography about London’s formative, lifelong relationship with San Francisco Bay.

This event is part of a speaker series co-hosted by Jack London Park Partners and the Jack London Society, honoring the 150th anniversary of Jack London’s birth. JLPP is grateful for the support of the Jack London Society and its scholars in bringing this speaker series to life. Join us at Jack London State Historic Park throughout 2026 for a compelling lineup of speakers celebrating Jack London’s legacy.