Product Description

Jack London's tale of a dog's fight for survival in the harsh and frozen Yukon is one of the greatest animal stories ever written. It tells of a dog born to luxury but sold as a sledge dog, and how he rises magnificently above all his enemies to become one of the most feared and admired dogs in the North.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86230 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Jack London (1876–1916) was born John Chaney in Pennsylvania, USA. In 1896 he was caught up in the gold rush to the Klondike river in north-west Canada, which became the inspiration for The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906). Jack London became one of the most widely read writers in the world.

Customer Reviews

Brilliant Book
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

The Call of the Wild is an awesome book!
Everyone who gave The Call of the Wild only 1 star doesn't seem to understand the book. The book is not horrible. Even though Jack London got a little carried away with his descriptions doesn't mean it wasn't a good book. Some things seem unrealistic in the book, but that's not the point. The book is an allegory, which is a story where the characters are symbols of everyday life. Buck is supposed to be "everyone" in the world, and he makes it through life without dying, and he even has a legacy afterwards. All the other dogs, like Spitz, have their own character traits, and they all died. You have to be like Buck; you have to be centered and grounded and you have to know who you are. The theme of the story is "Survival of the Fittest". This is what Jack London is trying to say. Don't think I'm an English teacher writing this. I'm in 7th grade and I had to read The Call of the Wild for school. You should think of this book as a great one. Why do you think some expressions and terms used in everyday life today come from The Call of the Wild? Why would people 100 years later read this book? The reason is because it is a great piece of literature.