The People of the Abyss by Jack London

In this nonfiction work, Jack London goes undercover in London’s East End to live among the poor and document their conditions. He stays in workhouses, lodgings, and the streets, observing the desperation, hunger, and exploitation of the city’s forgotten population. The book combines narrative scenes with shocking statistics and social critique. It reads like a dark journey into the heart of an empire’s poverty. Powerful and compassionate, it’s a grim portrait of class divide and systemic neglect.