The Call of the Wild (Reader's Library Classics)
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.
The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival and adaptation as he learns the ways of the wilderness.
Set in the Klondike region of Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, The Call of the Wild showcases the transformation of a canine as he learns to adapt to what life has given him, fair or not.
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Community Reviews
The Call of the Wild, the classic tale that asks: "What if your dog had a midlife crisis and decided to answer a primal group text from wolves?" Spoiler: It doesn’t go well for anyone who isn’t Buck.
The book starts with Buck living the high life in sunny California, lounging like the canine version of a rich retiree. But then, plot twist: he’s sold into sled slavery by a backstabbing gardener. From there, it’s all snow, suffering, and questionable human decision-making.
The real MVP of this book is the scenery, which London describes so vividly you’ll feel frostbite setting in by chapter two. Unfortunately, his other characters (a.k.a. the humans) are less three-dimensional and more...cautionary tales. Between the gold rush idiots and the sadistic dog owners, it’s no wonder Buck is like, "You know what? Maybe I do belong in the woods, eating rabbits with the wolf pack."
Buck’s transformation from pampered pet to feral legend is the best part of this saga. But let’s be honest—watching him maul his way to the top of the sled-dog hierarchy feels more like a nature documentary gone rogue than an emotional journey. Meanwhile, the human side plots? Somewhere between irrelevant and infuriating.
The writing is solid, the dog is heroic, and the Yukon feels appropriately miserable. But unless you enjoy watching everyone but the main character freeze, starve, or get eaten, this Call might go straight to voicemail.
The book starts with Buck living the high life in sunny California, lounging like the canine version of a rich retiree. But then, plot twist: he’s sold into sled slavery by a backstabbing gardener. From there, it’s all snow, suffering, and questionable human decision-making.
The real MVP of this book is the scenery, which London describes so vividly you’ll feel frostbite setting in by chapter two. Unfortunately, his other characters (a.k.a. the humans) are less three-dimensional and more...cautionary tales. Between the gold rush idiots and the sadistic dog owners, it’s no wonder Buck is like, "You know what? Maybe I do belong in the woods, eating rabbits with the wolf pack."
Buck’s transformation from pampered pet to feral legend is the best part of this saga. But let’s be honest—watching him maul his way to the top of the sled-dog hierarchy feels more like a nature documentary gone rogue than an emotional journey. Meanwhile, the human side plots? Somewhere between irrelevant and infuriating.
The writing is solid, the dog is heroic, and the Yukon feels appropriately miserable. But unless you enjoy watching everyone but the main character freeze, starve, or get eaten, this Call might go straight to voicemail.
I read this the first time in junior high and really enjoyed the gritty depiction of life in a brutal, winter climate. It really took me there and planted the seed for a lifelong fascination with Alaska and Canada. I read it again in high school and was amazed at how a few years of life had allowed me to appreciate elements of the story that had previously eluded me. When younger, I had enjoyed books about dogs (Where the Red Fern Grows, White Fang, Snow Dog, etc.) and this certainly felt like a progression from those types of stories to a more grownup world. If you liked those types of books, this will have a sense of familiarity. Highly recommended!
cute little audiobook moment. was going to watch a youtube video essay on chris mccandless and then decided to relisten to this instead (3hrs easy peasy). makes me feel like i should revisit some older books because the prose is so much more descriptive than what i've been reading recently.
this is just a classic, i forgot how brutal it can be at times.
anyway time to abandon everyone i know and hitchhike to alaska and then eat some potato seeds and starve in an abandoned bus (jk)
this is just a classic, i forgot how brutal it can be at times.
anyway time to abandon everyone i know and hitchhike to alaska and then eat some potato seeds and starve in an abandoned bus (jk)
Call of the Wild just confirms what we’ve known all along in a dog's voice about people: people (okay, not all) are mostly cruel, selfish, and exhausting. As a kid, I thought people, in general, as a species, were kind, but it turns out they’re not. As a kid, I also believed dogs in general were wonderful and still do. Honestly, this book makes a strong case for fewer humans and way more dogs running the world. At least then, loyalty, love, and snacks would be guaranteed ;D
Yes, the book is still good!
The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival and adaptation as he learns the ways of the wilderness.
Set in the Klondike region of Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, The Call of the Wild showcases the transformation of a canine as he learns to adapt to what life has given him, fair or not.
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