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The Call of the Wild

by Jack London

3.63 · rating details · 53,257 ratings · 1,863 reviews

An unusual dog, part St. Bernard, part Scotch shepherd, is forcibly taken to Alaska where he eventually becomes leader of a wolf pack.

Paperback, 218 pages

Published January 1st 2001 by Scholastic (first published 1903)

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Community Reviews

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Mar 29, 2008

brian rated it

· review of another edition

i am a dog obsessive. i'm nuts. dogs are my moby dick. they're my opera-house in the jungle. if i had a genie in a bottle, i'd wish away all human life (including my own) so dogs could take over the world. wait. that'd be wish number two. number one would be that i had an olympic sized swimming pool filled with dogs and i could do a few laps. then i'd erase humanity. seriously. my dog is the coolest guy i've ever met, my best friend, and love of my life. if it sounds weird: piss off. i don't wan...morei am a dog obsessive. i'm nuts. dogs are my moby dick. they're my opera-house in the jungle. if i had a genie in a bottle, i'd wish away all human life (including my own) so dogs could take over the world. wait. that'd be wish number two. number one would be that i had an olympic sized swimming pool filled with dogs and i could do a few laps. then i'd erase humanity. seriously. my dog is the coolest guy i've ever met, my best friend, and love of my life. if it sounds weird: piss off. i don't wanna know you.

so, i kinda can't not like this book. and it's weird that i've never read it. well, today i did. picked up this new puffin edition and polished it off in one sitting.

good goddamn is this a great book. as an adventure story it's just incredible and then all that regression shit? wow. Buck, the main dog, goes back through his bloodline, down his ancestry... where he watches a primitive man, all hunched over and furry, peer out the mouth of a cave into the cold blackness of the UNKNOWN. there's some seriously badass jungian shit going on here. spooky and ineffable and just fucking gorgeous. masterpiece, baby, masterpiece.

and check this passage in which Buck and the other dogs chase a rabbit through a snowy, moonlit forest:

"All that stirring of old instincts which at stated periods drives men out from the sounding cities to forest and plains to kill things by chemically propelled leaden pellets, the blood lust, the joy to kill - all this was Buck's, only it was infinitely more intimate. He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood.

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. This ecstasy, this forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad on a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf-cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight. He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. he was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars and over the face of dead matter that did not move."

yes.

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Jun 29, 2011

Stephen rated it

Shelves: classics, easton-press, audiobook, animalistic, 1900-1929

REVIEW ADVISORY: Please be aware that while the following review contains several cute animals pics, young Ricky Schroder (who starred in the movie version) will not be appear...I just thought that would be too much.

Ahhhh, the classic “coming of age” story with a nifty twister of having the main character be a puppy going on doggiehood. I like it, so two paws up there.

BTW, I'm not gonna worry too much about spoilers (except for the very end) as I think most people readi...more

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Jul 02, 2009

Valerie rated it

Shelves: male-protagonist, classic

First off I should say that London is a great writer. This is the first book I've read of his. His description of the Alaskan terrain is incredible. I have never been to Alaska but when I read this book I could picture it in my head very clearly.

However that does not take away what I think of the story itself. It wasn't bad. It was interesting, but I could not seem to grasp exactly what London's point was. Was it animal cruelty? Was it the wild should be kept wild? Or is there some ...more

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Apr 12, 2008

Scoobs rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Scoobs by: Juliet Echo Whisky

Buck did not read the newspapers...

of course he didn't. he was too busy being a badass. chasing down a big ass moose. saving john thornton's life. killing the indians who killed john thornton. running with the other wolves. winning bets. bitch slapping other dogs who got out of line.

buck's first snow experience...
"At the first step upon the cold surface, Buck's feet sank into a white mushy something very like mud. He sprang back with a snort. More of this whit...moreBuck did not read the newspapers...

of course he didn't. he was too busy being a badass. chasing down a big ass moose. saving john thornton's life. killing the indians who killed john thornton. running with the other wolves. winning bets. bitch slapping other dogs who got out of line.

buck's first snow experience...
"At the first step upon the cold surface, Buck's feet sank into a white mushy something very like mud. He sprang back with a snort. More of this white stuff was falling through the air. He shook himself, but more of it fell upon him. He sniffed it curiously, then licked some up on his tongue. It bit like fire, and the next instant was gone. This puzzled him He tried it again, with the same result. The onlookers laughed uproariously, and he felt ashamed, he knew not why, for it was his first snow."

buck's first theft...
"This first theft marked Buck as fit to survive in the hostile Northland enviroment. It marked his adaptability, his capacity to adjust himself to changing conditions, the lack of which would have meant swift and terrible death. It marked further decay or going to pieces of his moral nature, a vain thing and a handicap in the ruthless struggle for existence. It was all well enough in the Southland, under the law of love and fellowship, to respect the private property and personal feeling; but in the Northland, under the law of club and fang, who so took such things into account was a fool, and in so far as he observed them he would fail to prosper."

just before buck's first kill...
"All that stirring of old instincts which at stated periods drives men out from the sounding cities to forest and plain to kill things by chemically propelled leaden pellets, the blood lust, the joy to kill - all this way Buck's, only it was infinitely more intimate. He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood."

after winning a bet for his best bud john thornton...
"'Gad, sir! Gad sir!' spluttered the Skookum Beach king. 'I'll give a thousand for him, sir, a thousand, sir - twelve hundred, sir.'
Thornton rose to his feet. His eyes were wet. The tears were streaming frankly down his cheeks. 'Sir,' he said to the Skookum Beach king, 'no sir. You can go to hell, sir. It's the best I can do for you, sir.'

as the man who recommended the book to me would say, "yee-haw."
this book fucking rocked.

'vaya con los lobos!'(less)

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Feb 01, 2008

Tess rated it

I am such an animal hugger, and many people love this book. From my perspective though, it is shakespeare with puppies. No offence to those shakespeare lovers. All of the dogs die and there is no happy ending. Half of the book also consists of words that mean something very simple, but are confusing and long and sound smart. I thought the book was boring, and It made me sad to hear about the dogs treatment. I give this book 2 stars.

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Dec 31, 2010

Hannah Colvin rated it

Let's go run around the Arctic trying to prove our "dog strength"!

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Jan 06, 2010

Greg Zink rated it

Shelves: 2008, koen-100, libjrnl-150, modernlib-100, radcliffe-100

I found The Call of the Wild to be a pretty enjoyable quick read, though I didn't really find a lot of deeper significance to it. It is a straightforward tale of a dog who gradually returns to a wilder state after being forced from a content life in the civilized world. Along the way there are adventures and scrapes with various humans and animals which make the story interesting, as is the transformation of the main character.

This book is told from the point of view of the dog, Bu...more

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Oct 27, 2008

Mark rated it

Mark McConnell

Mrs. Ebarvia
World Lit
10/21/08
Online Book Review
The novel I chose to read was The Call of the Wild<i/> written by Jack London. Other famous books by Jack London include White Fang, The Sea Wolf, and The Scarlet Plague. The Call of the Wild is about a dog named Buck who has an trouble-free life living on an estate in San Diego. However, Buck gets captured and sold as a sled dog to gold hunters. Buck is new to the sled dog life, and he must ...moreMark McConnell

Mrs. Ebarvia
World Lit
10/21/08
Online Book Review
The novel I chose to read was The Call of the Wild<i/> written by Jack London. Other famous books by Jack London include White Fang, The Sea Wolf, and The Scarlet Plague. The Call of the Wild is about a dog named Buck who has an trouble-free life living on an estate in San Diego. However, Buck gets captured and sold as a sled dog to gold hunters. Buck is new to the sled dog life, and he must learn about it quickly if he wants to survive.
In the novel, I liked the way that London used foreshadowing. At the beginning of the book, Buck is beaten with a club by a man in a red sweater. He gets stricken constantly, but he does not give up and he keeps coming back for more. This persistence gives you a hint of what may happen on later in the book. One case where it returns is when Buck battles Spitz for the coveted alpha dog spot on the dog sled team. The moment Buck and Spitz met, they were mortal enemies. After many previous scuffles between the two, Buck and Spitz have a fight to the death. Spitz gets out to an early lead and appears that he will be the victor; however, Buck is able to use his persistent ways to keep battling until he wins. Because Buck showed his restless behavior at the beginning of the story, it could be inferred that he would win the fight.
One weakness I found in the book was in the ending. I disliked the ending very much. Buck leaves the place that his dog team and masters were camping at for a brief moment and when he returns, his team and masters had been killed by the Yeehat Indian Tribe. Buck becomes furious at the Yeehats because they had just wrecked one of the only things left in life that he had to live for. Buck goes out of control and charges the Yeehats, killing some of them and scaring the rest away. After this aggressive display of emotion, Buck wanders off into the wild in search of a new life. I did not like this ending because it made me feel like the book had no point. I think London should have changed the ending or added onto the rest of the story because I feel like the story is unfinished and I think that he could have added an exciting twist onto the end while Buck was alone.
Besides the ending, The Call of the Wild was an amusing novel. Anybody that likes dogs, the wilderness, or action/suspense would find this book interesting.
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Jan 15, 2008

Mallory rated it

What if you were torn away from your home, your life, your family, and everything that was ever familiar to you, and got thrown into harsh, life threatening situations? In Jack London’s book “Call of the Wild”, it shows that anyone or thing can be taken from its surroundings and thrown into a world where it has to learn to survive. Buck, a domestic dog from Santa Clara Valley is forced into the Yukon because of mans need for money, gold and sled dogs . His life starts to change in a hurry and he...more

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Dec 12, 2010

Sandra rated it

I read this book to a 92 year old woman who was dying and loved dogs. She was caring for a shaggy little white one with three legs. Needless to say, I was not prepared for all the violence and phrases like 'the dead twig', 'the dying moon'. Her fragile fingers were holding onto her blankets for dear life. This book was a rough ride. And even though I had a revelation where I said 'oh my god, I'm buck' and excused myself to the restroom so I didn't cry in front of my dying friend, the rumors that...more

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Jan 07, 2009

John rated it

· review of another edition

Things Jack London likes:
- clubs
- fangs
- Alaska
- reconnecting to the dormant ancestral ur-wolf
- doggies

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Feb 14, 2008

Jeff rated it

· review of another edition

Savage, compelling, manipulative, simple, poetic...These adjectives all apply, but they do not save the book from its negative traits. Jack London was a natural storyteller, but he was also a racist and a sexist. I thought it was my imagination at first, but after some research I realize that those accusations are common. I mention this fact because it distracted me from the story.

The imagery is rich, the spirituality moving, and by the end, I was completely enthralled by Buck's ad...more

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Sep 26, 2009

Gabriella rated it

I just started to read it yesterday. Only on the third chapter. It's kinda sad because of all the deaths. I mean I know that their just dogs but its sad all the same.

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Mar 14, 2009

Summer rated it

Shelves: engl-7701

I was inspired to read The Call of the Wild after a friend raved about it. When I picked it up, I knew to expect a story that focused on the adventures of a dog based on the cover art. The dog appears strong and determined, and I wondered from whose perspective the story would be told. I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive as to whether or not I would enjoy this story because I do not normally read adventure/nature texts, especially those texts that do not feature heroines.

...moreI was inspired to read The Call of the Wild after a friend raved about it. When I picked it up, I knew to expect a story that focused on the adventures of a dog based on the cover art. The dog appears strong and determined, and I wondered from whose perspective the story would be told. I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive as to whether or not I would enjoy this story because I do not normally read adventure/nature texts, especially those texts that do not feature heroines.

I was pleasantly surprised with the way the novel flowed. Reading it was effortless, and I found myself finishing the story in a day. This happened for a few reasons. Firstly, the story was easy to understand even though it took place in Alaska, and I have very little to no background knowledge about Alaska. And while the story is not written from first-person point of view, the simple language mirrors how we might imagine Buck would talk. Secondly, the storyline was captivating. I simply could not put the book down no matter how often I tried. London succeeds in creating a character that the reader can sympathize with and root for, even during moments in the story when he kills. I found this particularly fascinating as I was reading. Even as I saw the change in Buck, a primal regression you might say, I wanted him to succeed in killing Spitz, the lead dog. It seemed to me that this was the natural thing for Buck to do – to succeed in becoming head of the pack.

One of the more difficult aspects of the novel to read was descriptions of animal brutality. The scene in the novel when Buck is beaten for the first time is raw and discomforting. My initial reaction was complete hatred toward Buck’s attacker. I wanted Buck to succeed in killing him, though I knew that he would not. What is interesting about the scene is the fact that Buck’s attacker had no choice but to hide behind his club; without it, he would never have succeeded in “breaking” Buck. This brought to light the realization that while humans are considered the top of the food chain and most intellectually advanced, there are many animals that could crush them easily. The vulnerability of man was highlighted in this scene as well as man’s wickedness. I found it revolting, and from then on was fiercely loyal to Buck throughout the rest of the novel. I do not think for a second that this was not London’s intention for his readers.

One book this novel calls to mind is Lord of the Flies. There are several similarities between the novels, most notably the similarity of transformation in the wild. The boys in Lord of the Flies experience this transformation when they realize they are devoid of authority figures, rules, and routine. They are ecstatic about it initially, though some realize early on the need for a leader. Buck’s transformation is different. While he is thrown into a situation due to circumstances that are out of his control just like the plane crash that landed the boys on the island, the marked difference between the stories is that Buck’s initial feelings are confusion and anger. Unlike the giddy boys who romp through the forest and play games, Buck is caged, denied water and food, and finally beaten into submission.

Another important similarity between the stories is the shedding of blood. A change takes place in Jack, the antagonist in Lord of the Flies, once he kills the boar. The same is true for Buck once he succeeds in killing Spitz. Both characters develop a taste for blood; however, there is an important difference between the two. When Buck begins to tap into his wild side, it seems natural. After all, he is an animal, and part of survival as a wild animal is the ability to dominate. I think this is why I did not have a problem with Buck’s change. However, Jack’s transformation once he gets a taste for blood is frightening and unnatural. It does not take long for his taste for killing an animal to translate to his desire to kill another human being. His transformation speaks to the inherent wickedness in man when his world is devoid of rules by which to obey.

After reading this novel I thought long and hard about our choices to domesticate animals. I did not think I would have this reaction to the novel, but I wondered if we are not robbing all animals of their inherent, natural rights to be wild, living things separate from the domination and control of man. I wonder why we domesticate some animals. Farm animals I understand a little better – they provide food and nourishment. But what about dogs we keep for companionship? It appears that nothing motivates this decision but pure selfishness on the part of humans, and no matter how well we treat our pets, we cannot deny the selfish reasons behind our choices. It’s an interesting thought, and one that I’ve since struggled with trying to find an answer. Perhaps there is no answer. And perhaps we have bred certain animals and conditioned them throughout centuries to rely so heavily on human interaction and care that they could never survive on their own. Frankly, the thought makes me sad. I am not sure if London intended for his readers to come away from his novel with these thoughts about animal domestication, but I believe the novel speaks heavily to this idea.

VOYA Evaluation: 5Q, 4P(less)

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Dec 15, 2011

Moses Kilolo rated it

Bucks story is a beautiful, multilayered tale that shows the basic plot of the journey towards the call of destiny. There is what we are all meant to be, and if we but hear the call, then our duty is but to obey.

Like happened to Buck, the dog, there is ever a process, ranging from our familiar comforts to our deepest defeats, to our highest achievements – all of which we must transcended in our journey to being free and self accomplished.

Though Buck was comfortable in the J...more

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Nov 21, 2011

Alexandra rated it

"It was the call, the many-noted call, sounding more luringly and compelling than ever before." The book Call of the Wild by Jack London is an interesting story through the journey and trials a husky dog named Buck has to go through. Overall the book was a well written story. Some of the human character’s dialogue in the book is in a strange manner, but it is not hard to understand. He wrote the story with a good style, with long chapters each containing the next’s parts of a story whi...more"It was the call, the many-noted call, sounding more luringly and compelling than ever before." The book Call of the Wild by Jack London is an interesting story through the journey and trials a husky dog named Buck has to go through. Overall the book was a well written story. Some of the human character’s dialogue in the book is in a strange manner, but it is not hard to understand. He wrote the story with a good style, with long chapters each containing the next’s parts of a story while at the same time revealing a bigger picture. For instance the I never thought that a book about a dog could be any good but it was not bad. Being an overall non-fan of novels this one was not bad, it was actually a pretty exciting story with crazy yet realistic twists.
The main character is Buck, a husky dog. Though only a dog he is cunning, smart, has great instincts, and is a very dynamic character that dramatically changes throughout the book. Other characters include other dogs including Spitz, Dave, Nig, and Skeet, and multiple humans including John Thornton, Perrault and Francois. Each man and dog has unique characteristics that makes them all individual and adds good elements to the developing storyline.
There are a few major themes to the book. First off is the survival of the fittest theme. This basically describes that in nature or in life the thing that succeeds is the thing that was best suit to the situation. The next theme is loyalty. The loyalty dogs give to humans or to work or to each other is a is shown throughout the book. Last but not least, yet another major theme to the story is power. The book entails multiple scenarios giving examples to which power is wielded, used in the extremity or out of stupidity. There are also plenty of minor themes throughout the book. In other words, it’s not only about a dog; there are multiple good points to see from the story. To conclude my review I would like to say that Call of the Wild by Jack London is a well written classic that includes elaborate characters, and multiple themes.
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Nov 08, 2011

Greg Linster rated it

Call of the Wild is considered by many to be Jack London's greatest novel. It is a grim and harsh depiction of the bitter realities of life during the days of the Alaska Gold Rush. The story is about a dog named Buck who is kidnapped from a pleasant life in Santa Clara, CA. He was abused and beaten to the point of almost dying, but a man named John Thornton ultimately saves him. Buck is used as a sled dog and quickly learns the laws of nature that define his new existence. The competitio...more

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Oct 24, 2011

Lucasj rated it

The call of the wild By Jack London
There is a dog named Buck who is sold for money. The dog Buck Fights for his life as a husky. He learns the ways of his ancestor dogs/wolves. He fights his way to his rightful position, Leader husky! He leads the dogs/wolves during wolf attacks and leading the team while pulling their slay.
I would be friends with Buck. My first reason is that he is 140-150 pounds and could easily defend me and attack me. He would be one of my favorite dogs. Not the ...more

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Oct 24, 2011

Anjali rated it

This book is entitled "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London.

This book is about Buck, a dog who learns to be a tough wolf. This story takes place in 1896. He is sold by Judge Miller's gardener's helper to pull a sled for people who come to the Yukon to get gold. In this book, Buck learns to be less dependent on man and more dependent on himself. He is sold from person to person because he is strong. Once didn't get any rest and a horrible thing happened to the dogs and Buck...more

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Oct 24, 2011

Oumie rated it

The book i read was "The call of the wild" by Jack London!

Its about a dog called Buck, who learns how to be a wolf,day by day! Then he learns how to be like a wolf, sleep like a wolf, hunt like a wolf, and do more! They were in a city where they discovered gold on the sea shore! Jack London went for a search of gold, but instead of bring Gold he brought a bigger Treasure! VIVID!

I would like to be Bucks friend, because he is a person who never gives up! So if I...more

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Sep 28, 2011

Vivian rated it

I cannot fathom why this book, filled with senseless brutality, is required reading for so many of this nation's fourteen year-olds. I would almost as soon have them read Hunger Games as this. Requiring this (and so many other "bent" or "broken" books) could explain why so many adults never open another book upon graduating.

Spoiler alert... (basic plot elements follow)

The dog, Buck - like so many other protagonists of classic novels, could be said to...moreI cannot fathom why this book, filled with senseless brutality, is required reading for so many of this nation's fourteen year-olds. I would almost as soon have them read Hunger Games as this. Requiring this (and so many other "bent" or "broken" books) could explain why so many adults never open another book upon graduating.

Spoiler alert... (basic plot elements follow)

The dog, Buck - like so many other protagonists of classic novels, could be said to be an orphan.

He is kidnapped and sold into slavery, as it were. He is beaten and starved, initially, to break him. Fortunately for him his first drivers are capable and fair. However, Buck witnesses (and learns from) the brutal killing of traveling mates. He learns much from the drivers and members of this first team. Buck eventually asserts himself as lead dog through a to-the-death fight. He is not so fortunate in his second experience. This time all his mates perish and even the drivers and their traveling companion succumb to natural law, which they thought they were above. Finally Buck finds a master to whom he can give his full devotion, and even his fellow dogs are trust-worthy and charitable. However, on one of Buck's flirtations with the wild his new "family" are ambushed and brutally murdered. Buck returns in time to taste sweet revenge but in so doing discovers what easy prey man can be. Buck becomes a creature of the wild, which had been calling to whom throughout his apprenticeship in survival, and master and indeed creator of his new domain.

Questions...

What is it, exactly, which young people are intended to extract from this savagery that would help build men and women of virtue, wisdom, diplomacy, courage, or charity? There may be many in their early teens who are grappling with raw survival, but who will they be upon victory. Another plunderer, or will they be a builder?

What other book could be used that would teach the elements of story -- man against man, man against society, man against machine, man against nature -- and still be morally sound and worth the time spent reading, discussing, examining, and writing?

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Aug 24, 2011

Brett rated it

This was the first time I have read any Jack London, but I was heading to SF for a week and decided it was time to get in the mood with some local authors. I was surprised at how short the novel is - only about 100 pages. I was actually concerned that I might have ended up with an abridged version at first - because it's very short and because at times it feels like the story is developing incredibly fast without much character development or general descriptiveness.

As for the st...moreThis was the first time I have read any Jack London, but I was heading to SF for a week and decided it was time to get in the mood with some local authors. I was surprised at how short the novel is - only about 100 pages. I was actually concerned that I might have ended up with an abridged version at first - because it's very short and because at times it feels like the story is developing incredibly fast without much character development or general descriptiveness.

As for the story - overall I think I liked it, but there were sections that were very difficult to read. The story follows a dog who is kidnapped in the Bay Area and taken to the Yukon country during the gold rush back in the late 1800's. During his trip he encounters some savage beating by various owners and this is described in some detail. This was very hard to read for me. Additionally, there are dog fights, at times to the death, and these too were difficult to get through. And it was interesting that on the one hand the author describes much of the actions of the dogs as controlled by their primal past and instinct, which is undoubtedly true, but at the same time ascribes a layer of complex, almost human-like thought patterns to the dogs as well, which is probably not true even though at times it feels like it is. In some ways it felt a bit like a mixture of a story about the nature of dogs as they are in real life, while at other times it was an animal story where the animals take on human characteristics.

The latter take may have been what was intended by Jack London, as the story felt allegorical - a dog slowly waking to his true nature and returning to a more nature-determined existence.

The violence was difficult and not pleasant, and even the overall message did not strike a chord with me, but nevertheless I left the book felling as though I enjoyed it. Perhaps I just was happy that Mr. London didn't kill the dog and was grateful in thinking that somewhere in Canada the dog was able to live out the rest of his dog days as was originally intended. A fictional dog, but a dog nonetheless.(less)

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Aug 02, 2011

Betty rated it

I love dogs. So when I was at my cottage looking through the collection of classics in the shelf and found out The Call Of The Wild was about a dog, I had to pick it up!
Now I'm not sure, if the very first version, and I mean the very first version (the one I have and read) is different from any other copy, but I will continue to write my review anyways.
So Buck, as we know and love him, had it made. Then he got taken away, lived horribly for a while, met some huge and me...more

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Jul 28, 2011

Sally added it · review of another edition

I recently read The Call of the Wild for the first time and utterly loved it.

The way the raw lessons of life for dogs in the wild are driven home really rings true. The development of Buck from a soft, pampered pet who was unwillingly kidnapped, sold into slavery, broken then self-developed into the natural, yet cunning leader of his sled team and eventually his pack, pulled me along fast and willingly. And seeing the world through his eyes worked remarkably well for me.

Men are shown in all ...more

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Jul 12, 2011

Anthony rated it

Odd that I lived in Oakland for 5 years, a city that celebrates the fabled Jack London Square, yet it took five more additional years of living in San Francisco before I ever picked up any of London’s work. A copy of The Call of the Wild had been sitting on my shelf for at least 4 or 5 years, a gift of a friend, but it took another Jack’s wilderness wanderings chronicled in the The Dharma Bums to spark my interest in the adventuring London.

London definitely knows nature and can use ...more

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Jun 20, 2011

Charlotte rated it

While this is one of Jack London's famous books and a classic, I enjoyed Sea Wolf more. Buck, a St. Bernard lives a comfortable life w ith Judge Miller and his family until he is kidnapped by the gardener and sold to dog traders marketing for the gold seekers headed to the Klondike region of Canada. There he encounters abuse and violence. He passes to several owners, and learns to respect and obey men with a club, but grows stronger and learns to fight for survival. Eventually he is rescued ...more

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Mar 18, 2011

Adam Graham rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read Jack London’s Call of the Wild for the first time this year as part of the Treasure Valley Big Read. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but what I got was a great adventure story with disturbing, nihilistic undertones in the journey of one dog from pampered lovable family pet to man-killing beast.

Buck is a shepherd dog who is kidnapped from his home and sold up North as the Klondike Gold rush led to greater demand for dogs and a vast black market. Buck suffers cruelty and mus...more

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Mar 15, 2011

Jennifer rated it

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Shelves: classic, action-adventure, tfpl-book-club

First, a disclaimer: While I don't hate animals, I don't like to read stories with them as main characters (no, I was never into horse books, and I've never read The Wind in the Willows - if that makes me different, so be it).

I read this in 8th grade, but re-read it for Book Club this last month. All I have to say is that it was a good thing it was so short. I admire London's writing skills, and most of his message and detail are quite fitting. Yes, it's horrible the things that are ...more

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Feb 25, 2011

Jennifer Kim rated it

I've read this a long time ago, and I picked it up after my son decided that he didn't want to read it (in hind sight, I think he's tool young for it). I enjoyed the progression of a genteel dog who thinks he's above a lot of ugly things in life slide into the grime of horrific existence. Although the main character in this book is a dog, I think any creature, man or beast, under these circumstances, would find him or herself in the same situation. It's a great study on the environmental impacts...more

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Feb 20, 2011

Brian rated it

Set during the Klondike Gold Rush, The Call Of The Wild is the story of Buck, a much loved dog who is kidnapped in order to be sold as a sled dog. After a series of adventures in which he is passed from one owner to another, Buck finally finds himself free in the frozen Yukon territory where his wild instincts come to the fore and he joins a pack of wolves.

It’s a very masculine book. Only one female character makes an appearance and she is a manipulative, emotionally unstable and thoro...more

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About Jack London

Jack London was an American novelist and short-story writer whose works deal romantically with elemental struggles for survival. At his peak, he was the highest paid and the most popular of all living writers. Because of early financial difficulties, he was largely self educated past grammar school.

London draws heavily on his life experiences in his writing. He spent time in the Klondi...more

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The Call of the Wild, White Fang and Other Stories (World's Classics)

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Quotes from The Call of the Wild

“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive.
This ecstasy, this forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad in a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf-cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight.” — 56 people liked it

“But especially he loved to run in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the subdued and sleepy murmurs of the forest, reading signs and sounds as a man may read a book, and seeking for the mysterious something that called -- called, waking or sleeping, at all times, for him to come.” — 39 people liked it

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