The Married Life

First Marriage

Jack London married Bess Maddern on April 7, 1990, the same day The Son of the Wolf was published. Bess had been part of his circle of friends for a number of years. Jack had made it clear to Bessie that he did not love her, but that he liked her enough to make a successful marriage. On July 24, 1903, Jack London told Bessie he was leaving and moved out. During 1904 Jack and Bess negotiated the terms of a divorce, and the decree was granted on November, 1904.

Second Marriage

After divorcing Maddern in 1904, London married Charmian Kittredge, in 1905. She was whe perfect match for London. Their time together included numerous trips, including a 1907 cruise on the yacht Snark to Hawaii and on to Australia. Many of London's stories are based on his visits to Hawaii, the last one for 8 months beginning in December 1915. Charmian was lustful and sexually vigorous, and London was restless in his marriage, he sought extramarital sexual affairs; and found, in Charmian London, not only a sexually active and adventurous partner, but his future life-companion. They attempted to have children. However, one child died at birth, and another pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

Charmian Kittredge(left) and Bess Maddern(right)