In 1962, just a few years before his passing, Sinclair shared his reflections on his extensive life and numerous achievements in The Autobiography of Upton Sinclair (Harcourt, Brace). Although The Jungle and the social reforms it spurred are his most significant accomplishments, his life was marked by many other notable works and actions. These include founding the American Civil Liberties Union and challenging the Rockefeller oil monopoly with his novel Oil!.

Leon Harris' biography, Upton Sinclair: American Rebel, published in 1975 by Thomas Y. Crowell Company, offers a comprehensive look at Sinclair's life. It generally presents a positive portrayal, which some critics might consider overly favorable.

Theodore Dreiser's novel Sister Carrie, released in 1900, predates The Jungle by a few years. It stunned contemporary readers with its stark realism and candid treatment of sexuality, showcasing the realistic style Sinclair employed to deliver his social message effectively. Dreiser's later, more renowned work, An American Tragedy (1925), which centers on a notorious murder in Chicago, also mirrors Sinclair's stylistic and social concerns.

James R. Barrett's book, Work and Community in The Jungle: Chicago's Packinghouse Workers, 1894-1922, delves into the social context that Sinclair depicted. Published in 1987, it serves as an excellent companion to The Jungle. The University of Illinois Press released it alongside the authoritative 1988 edition of the novel, for which Barrett provided the notes.

Emile Zola, regarded as the father of the Realist movement, was one of the most committed social critics in literary history. Sinclair's style is heavily influenced by Zola's work. While nearly all of Zola's novels are considered classics, The Dram Shop from 1877, which addresses alcoholism, may particularly interest Sinclair's readers, as this theme recurs in The Jungle.

James T. Farrell, another proponent of Realism, authored a trilogy about an Irish-Catholic boy's upbringing in Chicago. These books, published throughout the 1930s, were later compiled in 1938 into a single volume titled Studs Lonigan, featuring a new introduction by the author.