The next author I chose not so much for his literary work (which is far reaching), but for the way he led his life. Jack London's famous credo states:
I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.
These seem like words that we should all take to heart. Existing is easy. Even rocks can do it. But living! Living takes effort and the pay off if you do it right is... there is no better word I can think of than fulfillment. Jack London certainly led a life of fulfillment. Besides his literary work; which includes such masterpieces as the novels
The Call of the Wild and
White Fang and the wonderful short story
To Build A Fire, London also worked manual labor jobs at a cannery, as a sailor and often lived the life of a hobo. He was married several times and was an ardent socialist who ran unsuccessfully several times for mayor. On top of all that, he was self educated. And his writings are masterpieces. No plain old igneous could have done all that. And certainly not a sedimentary.