'John Barleycorn' is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Jack London about his lifelong struggle with alcoholism. In the book, London refers to alcohol as John Barleycorn, personifying it as a perverse, destructive force. The narrative follows the author's experiences with his 'disease', from his first sip at five years old through the various stages of his addiction, highlighting the deeper clutches of a societal problem, its acceptance, and his self-awareness and struggle for sobriety.
