Jack London's novel "John Barleycorn" was published in 1913 as a series, later as a single book. London had completed the story in just two months. As the later added subtitle "Alcoholic Memoirs" indicates, the novel is an autobiography focussing on the role of alcohol consumption in London's life. London describes the alcohol abuse and its consequences in detail, but he describes his experiences in an entertaining way and in the style of his adventure novels.