Product Description

Alex MacLean was a sailor and sealer, originally from Cape Breton, who was the inspiration for the title character Wolf Larsen in Jack London's best-selling novel, "The Sea-Wolf". When he was just 21, MacLean sailed to the Pacific side of North America, where he operated for 35 years. He was a skilful sailor and a colourful individual whose achievements and escapades while in the Victoria pelagic fleet in the 1880s laid the foundation for his status as a folk hero."Captain Alex MacLean: Jack London's Sea Wolf" is not only the story of this fascinating character but also the construction of his legend. MacLean's biography opens a new window into the complex world of pelagic sealing in the North Pacific. The sealing dispute brought the United States and Britain to the brink of war, with Canadian sealing interests frequently enmeshed in webs of espionage, scientific debate, diplomatic negotiations, and vexing questions of maritime and environmental law.MacLean's story will appeal to maritime historians, historians of the Pacific Northwest, and readers interested in the history of sealing, international relations, and environmental politics. It will also appeal to readers interested in this fascinating character, both in his own right and as mythologized by Jack London.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2192647 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 359 pages

About the Author
Don MacGillivray is a professor of history at Cape Breton University.