The Iron Heel
Published in 1908, The Iron Heel is Jack London's stark political novel about the rise of a capitalist oligarchy in early twentieth century America. The book is framed as a manuscript by Avis Everhard, the wife of socialist organizer Ernest Everhard, discovered hundreds of years in the future and footnoted by a scholar from a later, more humane civilization. London follows Avis from a sheltered middle class upbringing to her radicalization by Ernest's analyses of American capitalism, and then through a series of escalating crises: the destruction of small businesses, the corruption of unions, the massacre of strikers, and finally the establishment of an authoritarian Iron Heel that rules for centuries. The novel is often cited as one of the first modern dystopias and influenced George Orwell, who praised its prediction of the rise of fascism and oligarchic violence. It remains a foundational text of American radical fiction.
What you might want to know about The Iron Heel
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Jack London's 1908 socialist dystopian novel about an oligarchic capitalist tyranny that crushes a workers' revolt.
Orwell and others credited London with anticipating fascism and oligarchic violence decades before either dominated world events.
Some passages are heavily ideological, but the narrative chapters remain gripping and influential on later dystopias.
The Iron Heel was written by Jack London, published in 1907 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
The Iron Heel is 287 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Iron Heel takes most readers 4 to 6 hours to finish.
The Iron Heel is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.