Kidnapped form his safe California home. Thrown into a life-and-death struggle on the frozen Artic wilderness. Half St. Bernard, half shepard, Buck learns many hard lessons as a sled dog: the lesson of the leash, of the cold, of near-starvation and cruelty. And the greatest lesson he learns from his last owner, John Thornton: the power of love and loyalty.Yet always, even at the side of the human … the human he loves, Buck feels the pull in his bones, an urge to answer his wolf ancestors as they howl to him.
Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate “reader friendly” type sizes have been chosen for each title-offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.
This edition of The Call of the Wild includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Dwight Swain.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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I don’t remember all that much about this book having read it a half century ago, but I remember not enjoying it.
Great book! Also the movie, y’all should watch it and read it!
Read it first and you can watch it in HBO max!
I have loved this since I was a kid. I also teach it now to my sixth grade students. I always feel for Buck and pull for him, even though I know how it turns out.
I also admire Jack London’s gritty, natural style.
A true classic author….love reading his books !!
I liked it
This is one of the books that became an obsession for me. Jack London inspired my dream to be a writer – at the tender age of twelve.
When I taught 7th grade English it was on our teaching lists. It was wonderful and the kids loved it. So did I. The movie is even better.
One of my favorites as a kid. Buck is a fascinating character and Jack London does a great job of taking us inside the dog’s mind. His journey from kidnapped pet to feral dog is equal turns riveting and heartbreaking. I would read it again and again.
I read it as a boy; it was always one of my favorites.
An absolute classic, there are no words.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London Review
Jack London’s Way With Words Makes The Call of the Wild A Must-Read For Fans of Adventure.
Platforms: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, iOS
Author: Jack London
Publisher: Macmillian
Release Date: 1903
Pages: 232 (First Edition)
Genre: Adventure Fiction
Intro
Hello everybody, and welcome to my new blog dedicated to reviewing books. In our very first review on our site I’ve decided to feature one of my favorite classic adventure stories, The Call of The Wild by Jack London.
I originally read this book a long time ago, back in my teenage years, which was quite a long time ago now. I’m now 32 years old (As of writing this review) and I decided to return to the book for another read through. It’s actually been so long since I last read the book that I couldn’t remember much about what happened other than a few mingling details.
I was very surprised at how good the writing actually is in this story. A detail that, in my youth, wasn’t apparent to me. Jack London’s way with words is very impressive and wound up making me feel many emotions over the course of the book. I often felt excitement, anger, sadness, and happiness at what was going on and that’s very impressive and a sure sign of an excellent writer.
The Call of the Wild is a powerful, moving and often tragic story and it’ll stay with me forever, now that I’m old enough to truly understand the book.
Story and Setting
The Call of the Wild follows a St. Bernard-Collie mix dog by the name of Buck on his harrowing journey from the pampered dog of a mayor to the leader of a wolf pack.
Buck’s story begins in Santa Clara County, California where he spends his days being pampered by the Mayor and his family. One fateful night, however, he is kidnapped (Dognapped?) and sold by the mayor’s assistant gardener to pay off gambling debts. Buck is subsequently shipped to Seattle in a small crate where “The Man in the Red Shirt” mistreats him using a method known as the “Law of Club and Fang” at which point Buck concedes and is shown a small kindness by the man once he’s obedient.
Buck’s story becomes a bit more harsh after this ordeal where he is then sold to two French-Canadian men named Francois and Perrault who takes Buck to the Alaskan Klondike to be trained as a sled dog. During his training he develops an intense rivalry with the lead dog named Spitz which eventually leads the two to a battle to the death and Buck ultimately becoming the new lead dog.
To avoid spoiling the entire story we’ll stop telling the story here. Buck’s tale is a fascinating and very tragic tale of surviving against all odds and the toll it can take on you.
Out of all of Buck’s owners Thornton was easily the best owner that he’d had and it makes the story so much more tragic in the end considering what happens. I’m Not gonna lie, I felt awful when I read those final chapters because I was pretty happy for Buck leading up to that point and then it just crashes into a mountain and causes an avalanche of emotion.
I will also say that this book isn’t exactly for the faint of heart, especially if you’re reading the original version from 1903. The book is quite brutal in its descriptions of the abuse the dogs in this book face and it’s not shy about killing the dogs off either. So, definitely something to consider before reading it.
It’s also strange that this book is often mislabeled as a children’s book because it’s pretty brutal. I’m surprised that I didn’t notice this when I was younger myself but I don’t think I fully understood what was happening due to how young I was at the time. Or it could be that I read an edited version originally. Still, it’s definitely a book that could scar children, especially those that love dogs.
Pros
Excellent Writing
Evokes A Wide Range of Different Emotions
Very Interesting Story That Follows the Archetypal Hero Myth Theme
Thornton Was Awesome
The Original First Edition Is Available In The Public Domain So Anyone Can Read It
Cons
Features A Lot Of Animal Abuse (It’s A Big Plot Point For Buck’s Growth As A Hero But Its Worth Mentioning)
Many of Buck’s Owners Were Straight Up Evil (I Especially Hated Mercedes, Charles and Hal. They Represented Vanity In The Story And It Showed.)
Has Some Pretty Brutal Descriptions Of The Abuse The Animals Face, Which Might Not Be For Everyone.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed The Call of the Wild. I’m a pretty big fan of stories that revolve around the hero myth, and this book is definitely one of the best ones that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I find it to be a really tragic tale though, especially in the ending chapters when Buck fully embraces his inner wolf and answers The Call of the Wild.
It’s a story that has enthralled readers since it was first released back in 1903 and it’s a story that will likely continue being immensely popular long after any of us are gone as well. It’s a timeless tale of a dog who becomes a wolf through hardship and loss, and I’m glad that it exists.
In the end, I’ve decided to give the book a 4/5. It’s an excellent book and will definitely please any fan of harrowing adventures but keep in mind that it can be pretty brutal at times so read with caution, just in case.
Thanks A Lot For Taking The Time To Read This Review!
For more reviews like this one, visit my blog here: https://worldsendbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Good classic read
I read this book when I was a young man. I enjoyed it then. Later I read it to my daughters. Since I have bought the omnibus volumes published by Library of America and read it and many other works by Jack London. I believe I have all his works.
I loved this book as a child. Just reread it as an adult and still love it. Big animal lover.
I loved this book
A classic
It is a classic. I ABSOLUTLY loved it the first time I read it years ago and am reading it again. It’s that good.
A classic story to be read to your kids.
Quick read, informative about the harshness of the
Alaskan wilderness. The movie did not follow the characters as the author describes.
Great