Ebook108 pages1 hour
The Call of the Wild
By Jack London
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this ebook
Buck, a sturdy crossbreed canine (half St. Bernard, half Shepard), is a dog born to luxury and raised in a sheltered Californian home. But then he is kidnapped and sold to be a sled dog in the harsh and frozen Yukon Territory. Passed from master to master, Buck embarks on an extraordinary journey, proving his unbreakable spirit...
First published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is regarded as Jack London's masterpiece. Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.
No other popular writer of his time did any better writing than you will find in "The Call of the Wild". —H. L. Mencken.
Few men have more convincingly examined the connection between the creative powers of the individual writer and the unconscious drive to breed and to survive, found in the natural world… London is in and committed to his creations to a degree very nearly unparalleled in the composition of fiction. —James Dickey
First published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is regarded as Jack London's masterpiece. Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.
No other popular writer of his time did any better writing than you will find in "The Call of the Wild". —H. L. Mencken.
Few men have more convincingly examined the connection between the creative powers of the individual writer and the unconscious drive to breed and to survive, found in the natural world… London is in and committed to his creations to a degree very nearly unparalleled in the composition of fiction. —James Dickey
Author
Jack London
Jack London was born in San Francisco in 1876, and was a prolific and successful writer until his death in 1916. During his lifetime he wrote novels, short stories and essays, and is best known for ‘The Call of the Wild’ and ‘White Fang’.
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Reviews for The Call of the Wild
Rating: 3.883720930232558 out of 5 stars
4/5
129 ratings114 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent writing but I can see why I didn't like this in junior high - the cruelty to animals is pretty difficult to take. I saw recently that this is on a "banned book" list - have no idea why.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Call of the Wild by Jack LondonI re-read Call of the Wild by listening to it on audio from Audible. Although I have read it a few times over the years, I wanted to refresh it in my mind before seeing the up-coming movie. I am so glad that I did. I never fail to be taken back to my positive reading experiences of youth and the simple and powerful story lines where classics such as: White Fang, Old Yeller, Where the Red fern Grows, and Call of the Wild bring to the reader. It is perfect for young readers and those that love animal or dog stories. It does describe the cruelties and hardships endured by these wonderful dogs so consider this when choosing for a child. I give this story a 5 stars and consider it a classic.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This classic book is about a young man who is attempting to make his fortune during the Alaskan Gold Rush era. It is a significant literature piece since it is one of the first time an American novel has Nature triumph over Man. Young adult readers will find it this historical fiction is very realistic and it provides a window into the lives of minors. The reader may need to look up some key vocabulary words if they are not familiar with extremely cold climates.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I think I started this book a long time ago, recommended by my brother Ben. It is awesome, and I can see why he liked it. This is a book for everyone, but I think it is especially appropriate for men.... Honest men live in the balance between the wild and civilization. Something calls them to a less predictable, more demanding life while safety and commitment calls them back. In his rise from a pampered hunting dog to leader of a sled team, there are also leadership lessons that any man interested in his work could stand to learn. This is a great book, and short enough for anyone to enjoy, even if they are not an avid reader.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jack London tells the tale of Buck, a dog used to a life of entitlement until he is stolen away and shipped off to Alaska, where he is sold as a sled dog. In Alaska, he learns the ways of club and fang, and begins to understand the brutal ways of the wild. On this second reading (I read it in highschool), I could better appreciate the descriptive style of the book. Buck is sort of an idealized dog -- smarter, larger, faster, better than all the rest. Despite that idealism, this story is certainly realistic, in that I'm sure many dogs did go wild, and still do from time to time. Its an interesting transgression, the movement from civilisation to wildness, and I'm sure there' s a message in there about the call of savageness in humanity as well as animals. Not necessarily a favorite, but an easy read, and enjoyable overall.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Call of the Wild takes place in the late 1890’s and it temporarily takes place in California but moves onto Alaska and the Klondike Region of Canada. The theme of this novel is the laws of the wilderness and the struggle for mastery. In this novel, Buck is the main character. He is a dominant dog who lives in his own world and he lives by his own rules till he gets beaten by his owners. After being beaten by his masters, he loves his last master, John Thornton.In The Call of the Wild, I like how Buck is able to connect with his final master and treats him better than his others at first sight. In addition, I like how Buck returned a favor to his owner after his owner saved his life from Hal, who is an American Gold Seeker. I also like how Buck, being a powerful dog, is able to work as a team with other dogs to carry loads through the snow. I truly like Buck and John Thornton’s relationship in this book, how it really shows how dogs are mans best friend.In addition to Buck and John Thornton’s relationship, I like how they watch out for each other and how they can work together to accomplish challenges, such as their adventures through the snow carrying loads of supplies. They also work together to find supplies they need to survive and fight off predators. I really liked when Buck came back to camp, found out his master died from a pack of Indians and decided to attack the Indians showing how much he loved his master.After this severe event, Buck moves on to become the leader of a pack of wolves inspiring fear in the Indians that killed his master and every year he returns to the place where John Thornton, his master died. Buck does this to think about his master and the great things they have done together.In The Call of the Wild, I really dislike how Buck has to deal with so many bad people and losing most of his friends. Curly, one of Bucks friends he met on a boat heading towards Canada. As she was leaving the boat, Buck watched her die from a pack of huskies. Buck also had to watch one of his teammates get shot by his owner only because he was too sick to carry the supplies through the snow with the other dogs. I also dislike how Buck is beaten and starved for most of this book by his masters. Buck is a very powerful dog but I believe having to deal with his masters could have been taken differently other than risking his life. I believe his masters should have given him time to calm himself down instead of beating him into the way they wanted him to behave. Also this novel could have had more situations where Buck was given a chance to mess around or have fun like most dogs do.In conclusion, I believe that Buck started out living an extremely tough life but finished with a group of friends and family that will always be there for him.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book has a special place in my heart, I remember reading it as a child and crying at some crucial moment, it really touched me. I reread it just for nostalgic reasons but could never quite find the part where I cried before, in fact I remembered parts that seemed to have gone. Some kind of internal embellishment must have happened over the years. A thoroughly enjoyable book for any confident readers over age 9 or 10.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My favorite Jack London novel! I love how he writes from Buck's perspective. I felt I could relate the the dog on a personal level... feeling like I knew what he was going through.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Call of the Wild, while synonymous with certain biological functions, is not a precursor to Everybody Poops.Jack London, in one of his many stories of adventure centering around the Klondike Gold Rush, introduces us to a pampered and domestic dog named Buck, who is kidnapped and sold into dog-slavery, being tied to a sled and forced to run, run, run!The human that befriends Buck, John Thornton, spends his time looking for gold and figuring out what he'd do for a Klondike bar, so he could get a decent drink!The story is one that is told in its title: Buck, once domesticated, proves that you can take the dog out of the wild, but you cannot take the wild out of the dog, which is why most veterinarians do not offer wildectomies.This is, by far, one of London's most read books, so you've probably already read it, if you've ever read anything by London before; but if you haven't, and you enjoyed his other work, you might want to pick up The Call of the Wild before people start giving you strange looks. They know!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overall I liked the book even though there was a lot of blood and cruelty. In this story Buck a dog who lived the easy life at an estate was not use to the ways of the wild. The wilderness taught him to adapt or to die and he chose to adapt. This book takes you through the joys and griefs of Buck's life.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The main character of this story is a dog that is called Buck.He was had by a man, but one day he is carried off and meets various people and dogs. He is very clever and strong, so I think he is like a wild wolf.Buck's life is thrilling and terrible. But he followed the call of the wild finally, so his life may be happy.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Maybe it's because I'm not a dog, but I just don't find it interesting being in the mind of Buck. I was very excited to read this because so many people raved about it, but it just didn't hold my interest even as a child.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It's pretty hard to find fault with this story or the way it's told. It was particularly engaging to read while my family is in the process of rehabilitating a very fearful rescue dog. Jack London is among the go-to authors for perspective on how we think when you pare away frivolous comforts - and that's exemplified in CotW.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5When I initially read this American classic, I was in either elementary or high school. It had all the elements to entice a young boy. It is an adventure which occurs during the Yukon gold rush. The story's protagonist is Buck, an 140 lb St. Bernard and Scotch Collie mix, who is abducted from an easy life as the pet in St. Clara, California, and sold to dog traders who eventually sells him to mail couriers as a sled dog in the Yukon Territory. Buck will need to tap in to his more primeval instincts if he is to survive the harsh northern conditions. The third reason I chose this book is that it was short at less than 100 pages. I had recently read Moby Dick and I needed a break!It has been good revisiting some of the classics I read as a youth. They become more enjoyable when you understand better literary themes and metaphors.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Believe it or not, I've never read The Call of the Wild (1903) by Jack London, which one would think is a requirement of being a kid in America. And I still haven't read it, although on a whim I listened to my library's audiobook copy, albeit not very carefully. Narrated in an appropriately macho fashion by Frank Muller, The Call of the Wild tells the story of Buck a farm dog who is kidnapped from Northern California and forced to pull sleds for for miners in the Yukon gold rush. A cushy pet learns to fight for food and compete for leadership of the pack through fighting and violence, and eventually becomes alpha dog in a wild wolf pack after his owner dies.Yes friends, before I read this book I knew it had something to do with Alaska and dogs, but I had no idea that the entire book is about a dog from a dog's point of view. Granted, the book is very symbolic in that we humans sit very tenuously on the edge of civilization and brutality and savageness (and London wrote this before the World Wars, the Holocaust, and all the horrors of the 20th century that tested humanity). Still, as a book about dogs it's a very good and accurate look at what may be going on in a dog's mind.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great book. Everyone should read it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jack London's "Call of the Wild" follows the journey of one dog as he laboriously toils in the artic regions of Canada and comes closer and closer to answering his true calling. The main character, a mixed breed dog named Buck, is pulled suddenly away from his life in domesticated society and is sold into the strenuous world of dog sledding. He goes through many hard experiences and learns valuable lessons about the primitive world and the "Law of Club and Fang." He often finds himself either at the receiving end of harsh blows from the club or in fights to the death with his fellow teammates as tries to assert his dominance among them. He is continuously passed from owner to owner and suffers through different experiences with each. Each step he takes as sled dog makes him less and less of a domestic animal and more of a "thing of the wild." He begins to acquire some of the traits of his ancestors, such as acting on impulse, while all the while wrestling whether or not to give into the call of the wild. "The Call of the Wild" relates to our Search for Self theme because the main character, Buck, spends the entire novel taking steps that bring him closer towards reconnecting with his inner "beast." In a way, the novel is similar to "The Alchemist" in that Buck is called towards his destiny in the wild, but must choose whether to answer that call or remain tied to humans and the domestic world. In this book, the idea of "self" mainly equates to the awakening of Buck's ancestors within himself, and his longing to enter into the primitive world. He spends a great deal of time searching in the forest for the source of what drives him there in the first place. As I began reading the novel, I quickly learned that the book was not what I had expected it to be. It was extremely graphic, to say the least. Each chapter featured some sort of brutality against Buck or the other dogs as they were either beaten mercilessly with a club, starved to death and killed with an ax, or ripped savagely apart by their fellow teammates. I typically hate to read, watch, hear, or see any form of animal abuse (I know, I'm such a girl...) so it was really hard for me to concentrate on the message within the story while all this torture and death was going on. Moving past the graphic parts, however, I thought the novel overall was very compelling and intriguing. I loved the way the story was written and the ability of the narrator to be in Buck's shoes and feel what he was feeling without actually having Buck do any physical talking either mentally or verbally. Since dogs obviously can't talk, this feature made the novel seem more realistic, yet still formulated a strong bond between the reader and Buck. Many of the reviews on this site have said that they read this book in high school as a requirement, and I can see why. It was a simple, quick read that still was chalk full of advanced literary elements and techniques that could be included in a literary analysis chart. I would recommend it to anyone who wouldn't mind reading all the graphic details and who was looking for something to read and finish relatively quickly.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A great story of the struggle between tame and wild. A true classic that everyone should read. Great for the younger generations.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stolen from his home and sold to dog sled outfitters, Buck hears his call and is forever changed…for his better. Makes one think about his personal callings and decisions.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I never read this as a youngster though it seemed to be "unofficially required" reading in elementary school. I always assumed it was man and his dog story, but it turned out to be civilized dog returns to wilderness story told from the dog's point of view. And it worked well. Very well written and engaging.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It’s hard to review this without using the term “ripping yarn,” and I guess I just did, but it’s a ripping yarn with majesty. A good quick read if you like myths of the Old North.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When Buck is taken from his comfortable home, sold as a work dog, and sent to Alaska, his whole world changes. Brutality and hard work. Cold and crazy men. All of these forever change Buck's nature. As his instincts take over, can Buck continue to exist in the world that his various owners have brought him into?I went into this book with no expectations and was blown away by the writing. London's prose is gorgeous and rich; I found myself relishing each sentence and the language he uses to perfection. I also was impressed that the novel is told from Buck's perspective but never comes to a point of anthropomorphization nor is it saccharine. The novel doesn't shy away from the brutality of the life of men who went in search of gold in Alaska and London never pulls punches when describing animal cruelty. But don't let the harshness frighten you away. There are also wonderful passages depicting the special bond that form between animals and their people. A short classic that pleasantly surprised me.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This rating is not just for Call of the Wild, but for "To Build A Fire", which was in this edition of the book as well.
I felt that CofW was a really good read--even if at times I cringed at the pain and suffering Buck went through. To see how his life is altered by the humans he was kidnapped and 'broken' by is interesting, and kept me enthralled. It is not a long book (novella?), but one that kept me wanting more.
Fire was a great story that had me wanting to see how the idiotic human would react...and ultimately face his demise from not listening to those more experienced in the Alaskan wilderness than himself.
After reading both stories, I really wonder if London was a fan of Alaska, or if he found it to be the most base of human (and animal) existence. I can say for certain that if I had ever held Alaska as a "must see", I now do not.
Too savage for me! But definitely worth reading, both stories. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Call of the Wild by Jack LondonHad read this in high school and trying to get my husband into reading and he had read White Fang so thought he'd enjoy this one.Figured we could read along with one another, out loud. Well ok we each read it at our own pace.Story is about Buck, a dog that is sold and ends up getting beatten and transported to Alaska, the time frame of the Klondike gold rush.He learns fast when he gets hurt-how to go along with things that are happening so he can heal. When he meets up with the other dogs in the harnesseshe learns again how to survive in the snow-which is new to him. and how to dig a hole to stay warm overnight. Love the tip about sleeping on the leeward side of the wind.Good instincts as he is thrown into the pack and new territory for them all. Especially liked the travel and was able to follow along as it gave city names and other landmarks.Lessons learned, the hard way usually for not only the dogs but Buck and his owners, over time. Loved the scenes where Mercades and her crew lost all their belongings all over the main street.Laughed so hard and they just didn't get it. Loved also the part where a human comes to the dogs rescue by not letting him get beatten to death.Lots of action and adventure and travel. Buck gets so lost and battered he falls into a state of mind where he no longer feels the pain. He still has the urge to go with his fellow dogs when he hears them but he wants to stay with the human that saved his life.Loved the northern lights. Interesting that my husband read his version of this at the same time and we are able to discuss different aspects of what is happening. Will have to find more of this type to read, together.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wrong edition, but after going through 10 pages of different editions with no end in sight, I got tired. Mine is by Random House in 2009 & read by Jeff Daniels (the star of Newsroom on HBO). Daniels' reading of this story is FANTASTIC.
I let far too many years go by between reads of this story. London paints a wonderfully brutal picture of the Klondike gold rush as seen in relation to Buck. He doesn't anthropomorphize terribly, but I found the hereditary memories of the primitive man a bit much. Still, the point of the title was well made.
I found Buck's breeding to be especially pleasing. One of my best dogs was a Great Dane/mostly Shepard cross. Maverick looked like a really big, relatively short haired German Shepard & had more personality than most people. He was sweet as could be to 'his' people & animals, while he was pure death to any predator or other varmint. He would literally lay next to a lost chick & howl in despair. He carried an orphaned kitten in his mouth around the house for weeks until it was big enough to get around by itself, but killed many racoons, groundhogs, possums, & a weasel with one snap. (Oh, this is supposed to be about the book. Sorry, but Mav deserves to be remembered.
I got it wrong in my review of "The Sea Wolf" where I said London didn't think of wolves as a social animal. He did, in their own society. It's just that they were at odds with ours.
Anyway, this was obviously a classic that really hit home. It's not a terribly happy story. In fact, it's brutal, but fantastic. I can't recommend it highly enough, especially this particular version. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5It was ok. It's no White Fang.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This book was okay. That's all.
I was expecting a bit more really. so much happens in the book but it's glossed over pretty quickly each time and then something new comes along. The characters are all fairly vague so you don't really care when they pass out of the story.
It was short but I was more than ready for it to end. Not a bad book but just not one I was drawn in by. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I read this book when I was a freshman in hih school and while I have nor surviving record of what I thought about it when I read it mymemory is that I liked it a lot.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5For Christmas, I ordered an mp3 player (Library of Classics) that was pre-loaded with 100 works of classic literature in an audio format. Each work is in the public domain and is read by amateurs, so the quality of the presentation is hit or miss. The Call of the Wild is a classic short story (or perhaps a novella) written by Jack London. Its protagonist is a large, mixed breed dog named Buck who is kidnapped (dognapped) in California and relocated for conversion into a sled dog at the height of the Alaskan gold rush. The story is told from Buck’s point of view, as he goes through a progression of owners, some kind and competent, others cruel and hopelessly stupid. He traverses the route from Skagway to Dawson several times before coming into the company of his final owner. London’s writing is sublime and the imagery is first rate. Buck’s progression from a family pet, to an ultra-competent lead sled dog to finally a creature of “the wild” is vastly entertaining and educational.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5*sigh* Story time. When my father was about fifteen, he was at his much older brother's house. His brother was helping him with his homework (reading this book). After the first chapter, my father had no idea what the book was about. His brother was astounded. No matter how many times they read the chapter, my father couldn't tell his brother a danged thing about what was going on or what the book was about. My aunt - a psychologist - got involved and began talking to my father about the book. By the end of the conversation, my aunt proclaimed that my father had textbook {insert primitive name of what would eventually be called ADD}.Quite frankly, if anyone were to talk to me about this book, try quizzing me on it, or simply watch me reading it, they'd accuse me of having ADD. It is exceptionally boring. Painful almost. All emotion is sucked out in favor of analysis.
Book preview
The Call of the Wild - Jack London
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