viprholmes's review against another edition
5.0
Shocking yet true, this sometimes sensitive, sometimes snarky peek behind the cheapside life of the poor of the early 1900s is a surprisingly easy read. London makes an enourmous amount of social history accessible. It's an emotional read, make no mistake, but i was unable to put it down.
mad_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
Awareness of the Victorian era is widespread. It is an historic designation that goes beyond the boundaries of Queen Victoria’s empire. Victoria ascended the throne as a girl of just 18 and reigned for 63 years and seven months, longer than any of her predecessors.
Modern authors write historical fiction not only about Victorian England, but about Victorian San Francisco. Victorian New York and other places over which Victoria did not rule but where her influence meandered. While the death of the Queen, in 1901, more or less marked the end of that era, conditions do not immediately change with the ascension of the new monarch. Likewise, the sweeping domestic and international changes associated with this time period began sometime before she was crowned. Quite simply, one person may symbolize an era, but it is political and social temperature that brings about that notoriety.
Jack London was an American journalist, novelist, and social activist. THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS is a narrative of London's East End specifically, and on a deeper level, a treatise on conditions in Great Britain as a whole. Poverty, or as London calls it, pauperism, is as rampant today as it was at the turn of the 20th century. It is terrifying to think that now, nearly 120 years later, people in first world countries are living hand to mouth just waiting for the thing to happen that will push them over into destitution. The thing, as explained by London, is inevitable. It might be illness or injury or simply being fired from one's job. The only sure thing is that a thing will happen.
It is frightening to read about the truly horrifying conditions in London's East End, in 1902 and find that where Jack London refers to the London Abyss you can easily substitute American Abyss. Although I have read a considerable number of accounts of the Jack the Ripper murders, that occurred in 1888, and have been horrified by the description of conditions then, THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS, written 14 years later, describes filthy living conditions and an appallingly short life expectancy in the most stark terms I have ever read. Many families who live in the slums of Whitechapel, Spitalfields, and the like are doomed to die out during the third generation.
Surprisingly, there was a Public Health Committee that investigated overcrowding in dwellings in London at the time this was written. The numbers cited throughout the book detail unimaginable unsanitary conditions and overcrowding along with innumerable people of all ages living on the street. While I was reading about these conditions, newspapers today were detailing the unsanitary conditions of caged human beings right here in the United States. It is a stark reminder of how far we have come juxtaposed with how easily we can slip backwards.
Although not a terribly long book, THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS is not an easy read. It is a piece of investigative journalism written in the vernacular of its day. Along with that, Jack London has attempted to convey, through misspellings, the accent of those with whom he talked. He also makes it quite clear, that he wanted to write this from personal experience, but he always had a safe haven to which he could escape. He also made legal preparations should he fall victim to illness or crime.
I am glad to have read THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS, but I can't say I enjoyed reading it. I rather think it is immoral to enjoy a book that describes the horror that was the truth of human beings' existence.
Modern authors write historical fiction not only about Victorian England, but about Victorian San Francisco. Victorian New York and other places over which Victoria did not rule but where her influence meandered. While the death of the Queen, in 1901, more or less marked the end of that era, conditions do not immediately change with the ascension of the new monarch. Likewise, the sweeping domestic and international changes associated with this time period began sometime before she was crowned. Quite simply, one person may symbolize an era, but it is political and social temperature that brings about that notoriety.
Jack London was an American journalist, novelist, and social activist. THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS is a narrative of London's East End specifically, and on a deeper level, a treatise on conditions in Great Britain as a whole. Poverty, or as London calls it, pauperism, is as rampant today as it was at the turn of the 20th century. It is terrifying to think that now, nearly 120 years later, people in first world countries are living hand to mouth just waiting for the thing to happen that will push them over into destitution. The thing, as explained by London, is inevitable. It might be illness or injury or simply being fired from one's job. The only sure thing is that a thing will happen.
It is frightening to read about the truly horrifying conditions in London's East End, in 1902 and find that where Jack London refers to the London Abyss you can easily substitute American Abyss. Although I have read a considerable number of accounts of the Jack the Ripper murders, that occurred in 1888, and have been horrified by the description of conditions then, THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS, written 14 years later, describes filthy living conditions and an appallingly short life expectancy in the most stark terms I have ever read. Many families who live in the slums of Whitechapel, Spitalfields, and the like are doomed to die out during the third generation.
Surprisingly, there was a Public Health Committee that investigated overcrowding in dwellings in London at the time this was written. The numbers cited throughout the book detail unimaginable unsanitary conditions and overcrowding along with innumerable people of all ages living on the street. While I was reading about these conditions, newspapers today were detailing the unsanitary conditions of caged human beings right here in the United States. It is a stark reminder of how far we have come juxtaposed with how easily we can slip backwards.
Although not a terribly long book, THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS is not an easy read. It is a piece of investigative journalism written in the vernacular of its day. Along with that, Jack London has attempted to convey, through misspellings, the accent of those with whom he talked. He also makes it quite clear, that he wanted to write this from personal experience, but he always had a safe haven to which he could escape. He also made legal preparations should he fall victim to illness or crime.
I am glad to have read THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS, but I can't say I enjoyed reading it. I rather think it is immoral to enjoy a book that describes the horror that was the truth of human beings' existence.
_anns_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
amittaizero's review against another edition
4.0
Jack London = BAMF. The man usually remembered as a writer of easily abridged adventure stories was also a fierce social critic and activist. London descends into the slums of the British Empire to live and learn the conditions there. His approach is incredibly modern: he uses anecdotes, sociological data, court records, etc. to draw a comprehensive picture of extreme social and economic injustice.
thepaige_turner's review against another edition
1.0
Racist, classist, just horrible. Very interested to see what my professor is going to say about this book since I had to read it for class.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up a copy of this (it's free on kindle) as someone I was twittering with told me it inspired Orwell to write Down and Out in Paris and London.
It's equally fascinating a social history as Orwell's book. Still relevant today too as the gap between rich and poor widens again and the underclass of third generation unemployed grows inexorably.
I did find London's attempts to transcribe the eastenders' voices slightly annoying though - think Dick Van Dyke's chimney sweep!
It's an important and horrifying read.
It's equally fascinating a social history as Orwell's book. Still relevant today too as the gap between rich and poor widens again and the underclass of third generation unemployed grows inexorably.
I did find London's attempts to transcribe the eastenders' voices slightly annoying though - think Dick Van Dyke's chimney sweep!
It's an important and horrifying read.
bibliobethreads's review against another edition
I found this 100 yr old book to be very readable. Jack londons curiosity about the east end poor makes you look at poverty in a new light. Although he does get a bit preachy at the end.
greek_book_wanderer's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I had never read any books written by Jack London before. I only knew that that he was the author of White Fang but I didn't attempt to read any of his works. The People of the Abyss is the first book I read by him and it will certainly not be the last. Even though I thought that it would be a novel, I was surprised to see that it was memoir and I was quickly intrigued by it, especially when I saw that it depicted the lifestyle of poor people in London during the turn of 20th century. It's remarkable to note that this book influenced George Orwell to write Down and Out in Paris and London and The Road to Wigan Pier.
In 1902, Jack London disguised himself as a stranded American sailor and set out to discover how the East End London poor lived. He depicted the life style of the poor people of London, the architecture of the places they lived in and their treatment from the goverment. The book presents the circumstances these people had to live in and despite the year it was written, it remain relevant today.
London's writing style is simple and witty and sometimes I could distinguish a humorous tone in the narration. Like a journalist, he describes his first-hand experiences and witnesses in great detail, while presenting his personal criticism and comments. He doesn't try to sugar-coat the truth and he is very honest with his description of people's lives. Throughout the book, I couldn't help but feel angry at the way the lower class was treated and I could hardly believe that the book's events were not made up by London himself. In order to understand how difficult the life of the poor was, I'll tell you that not only they lived without the bare necessities, but they also commited suicide because of poverty and their fear of the workhouses.
The book contains a lot of disturbing information that made me shiver while I was reading. Each chapter began with quotes from famous people of the times and it was very interesting to read them. London includes extracts from documents which centered around the living conditions of London's working class, alongside statistics data and official statements, which give a bigger picture of the situation. He provides full insight into the hardships of the lower class and the everyday life of the early 1900s. It was so hard for me to imagine what was life back then and the more I learned and read, the more upset I got.
London's portrayal of life in the slums of London is very raw. He highlights the reasons why the "paupers" of London had to live under these difficult conditions and he doesn't forget to mention the exploitation from the higher class. It was so painful to see the unfair and cruel treatment of the poor citizens of London and it was even more painful to see that it was almost impossible for them to get the upper hand in their lives. Because of the "abyss", people had their souls sucked out of them and as a result, they lived a depressing and unmeaningul life full of miseries. London depicted them in a very realistic and intriguing way and he raises awareness of the working and homeless classes.
The People of the Abyss was a very informative book and despite its depressing tone and disturbing information, I found it to be very interesting. I would definitely recommend it to people who want to gain more information about life in early 1900s London and I believe that more readers should give it a try, just to see that despite the years that have passed, there are still many people who continue to live in the "Abyss" of our times.
In 1902, Jack London disguised himself as a stranded American sailor and set out to discover how the East End London poor lived. He depicted the life style of the poor people of London, the architecture of the places they lived in and their treatment from the goverment. The book presents the circumstances these people had to live in and despite the year it was written, it remain relevant today.
London's writing style is simple and witty and sometimes I could distinguish a humorous tone in the narration. Like a journalist, he describes his first-hand experiences and witnesses in great detail, while presenting his personal criticism and comments. He doesn't try to sugar-coat the truth and he is very honest with his description of people's lives. Throughout the book, I couldn't help but feel angry at the way the lower class was treated and I could hardly believe that the book's events were not made up by London himself. In order to understand how difficult the life of the poor was, I'll tell you that not only they lived without the bare necessities, but they also commited suicide because of poverty and their fear of the workhouses.
The book contains a lot of disturbing information that made me shiver while I was reading. Each chapter began with quotes from famous people of the times and it was very interesting to read them. London includes extracts from documents which centered around the living conditions of London's working class, alongside statistics data and official statements, which give a bigger picture of the situation. He provides full insight into the hardships of the lower class and the everyday life of the early 1900s. It was so hard for me to imagine what was life back then and the more I learned and read, the more upset I got.
London's portrayal of life in the slums of London is very raw. He highlights the reasons why the "paupers" of London had to live under these difficult conditions and he doesn't forget to mention the exploitation from the higher class. It was so painful to see the unfair and cruel treatment of the poor citizens of London and it was even more painful to see that it was almost impossible for them to get the upper hand in their lives. Because of the "abyss", people had their souls sucked out of them and as a result, they lived a depressing and unmeaningul life full of miseries. London depicted them in a very realistic and intriguing way and he raises awareness of the working and homeless classes.
The People of the Abyss was a very informative book and despite its depressing tone and disturbing information, I found it to be very interesting. I would definitely recommend it to people who want to gain more information about life in early 1900s London and I believe that more readers should give it a try, just to see that despite the years that have passed, there are still many people who continue to live in the "Abyss" of our times.