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The Call of the Wild

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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.

172 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1,1903
Places
alaska, yukon territory, canada, the united states of america, klondike yukon territory, 

This edition

Format
172 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published
January 1, 2001 by Scholastic
ISBN
ASIN
0439227143
Language
English
Characters More characters
  • Buck

    Buck

    A powerful dog, half St. Bernard and half sheepdog, who is stolen from a California estate and sold as a sled dog in the Arctic. Buck gradually evolves from a pampered pet into a fierce, masterful animal, able to hold his own in the cruel, kill-or-be-kill...

  • Spitz

    Spitz

    Bucks archrival and the original leader of Francoiss dog team. Spitz is a fierce animal—a “devil-dog,” one man calls him—who is used to fighting with other dogs and winning. He meets his match in Buck, however, who is as strong as Spitz and possesses more...

  • John Thornton

    John Thornton

    Bucks final master, a gold hunter experienced in the ways of the Klondike. Thornton saves Buck from death at the hands of Hal, and Buck rewards Thornton with fierce loyalty. Thorntons relationship to Buck is the ideal man-dog relationship: each guards the...

  • Francois (The Call of the Wild)

    Francois (the Call Of The Wild)

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  • Perrault (The Call of the Wild)

    Perrault (the Call Of The Wild)

    ...

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About the author

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jack london

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John Griffith Chaney, better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction.
London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of animal rights, workers' rights and socialism. London wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé The People of the Abyss, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen".

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 99 votes)
5 stars
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99 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Undertaker21
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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This is my first time reading this book, although I have seen the movie. What surprised me was how the dogs were so brutally treated. I had trouble continuing after the “beat down” scene. But I did remember the movie enough to know that things would get better for Buck.

I loved how London portrayed the underlying “wildness” in animals. Man can also be included in that category. The story is told from Buck’s point of view- which to me was totally believable. I wish I could get into my dog’s thoughts at times-the things I would learn. Yet I know we have an understanding of each other!

“Buck was wildly glad. He knew he was at last answering the call, running by the side of his wood brother toward the place from where the call surely came. Old memories were coming upon him fast, and he was stirring to them as of old he stirred to the realities of which they were the shadows.”

Published: 1903
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Cyan_28
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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I don't quite know how I'm supposed to review this one. I know I enjoyed reading it though it depressed me and made me angry at times at the violence and cruelty people show to animals.
That I just can't stand.

As for the writing. it was addictive. I didn't think I'd enjoy a book with Buck being the narrative but it was really fascinating. Reading about how Buck changed from being a civilized and naive dog to a wild and cunning wolf was a great experience.

n  “Old longings nomadic leap,
Chafing at custom’s chain;
Apart from its brumal sleep
Wakes the ferine strain”n

I can see why it's a classic and adored by everyone. I would totally recommend this.
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RoryBreaker
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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نداء البراري

عرفت الرواية من الفيلم المقتبس منها والذي يحمل نفس الاسم فقد شاهدته بالصدفه وفكرت في قراءة الرواية لتكن هذه تجربتي الثانية مع الكاتب جاك لندن بعد روايته الطاعون القرمزي التي أعجبتني كثيرا
والقصة هنا قصة كلب ولا أخفيكم سرا أني لا أحب الكلاب في الواقع أبدا ولكن أحببت بطل القصة هنا الكلب باك .. كلب مدلل عاش حياة الرفاهية في بيت القاضي .. حياة مدنية متحضرة مذ ولاتة لتنقلب الظروف ويجد نفسه انتقل الي حياة ذات طابع بدائي لا سلام فيها ولا راحة .. حياة مربكة مليئة بالشقاء والحوادث ليصادف العجوز جون وتبدأ صداقتهم وعلاقتهم اللطيفة
رواية جميلة عن الفقد والشجاعة والوفاء ومعاني كثيرة نتعلمها من الكلب باك
أسلوب الرواية سلسل وخفيفة تنهيها في جلسة واحدة لكن الترجمة السيئة أفسدت جمالها للأسف
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snowxafterxdark
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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A bit Intimidating to consider reviewing Jack London

Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Call of the Wild (Kindle Edition)

One of the great figures of American literature. You either like him or you don't. If lit. classes soured you on London, or if you have never read any of his work, there are worse places to start than "The Call of the Wild". "The Sea Wolf" for instance, is much grittier but is not for everyone. Try this or "White Fang" for great adventure, human (and dog) insight, and magnificent descriptions of the Great North. Note that Amazon seems to have combined reviews of various editions including at least one abridged edition. My review is of the free kindle edition, not some chopped version of this classic.
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anjel
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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Эта повесть не столько о жестоком обращении с животными и грубой, эксплуататорской сущности человека, хотя и об этом тоже. Это гимн природе, ее великой силе и непреодолимом зове, подчиняющем себе. Это хвала собачьей преданности и любви. Это драма борьбы за выживание в лучших дарвинистских определениях, когда природа отбирает лучших и сильнейших, и из этого отбора рождаются странные волки с пятнами на шерсти.
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Ashen_Estus
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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Okay wow this one really hooked me. I had always heard of Call of the Wild but always ignored it. Finally, I broke down and listened to it on audiobook. I couldn’t stop listening to it.

If you’re like me, you didn’t know it was told through the perspective of a dog who has his world turned upside down. Slowing and surely he settles into his new life and thrives.

The human companionship. The action. The adventure. The drama. This has it all! I was very happy and didn’t want it to end. Thankfully Jack London has a lot of short stories that I can sink my teeth into if I ever get the itch. My personal favorite being The Leopard Man’s Story.

Want to shut your brains off and escape to a new world? Read this, you won’t be disappointed!

I recommend if you like:
Adventure stories
Stories told through the perspective of an animal
Human animal friendships
Action packed stories
Stories with heart

I would caution you if:
You want just a feel good story with no hardship
A longer story
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Enderzt
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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I’m crossing some gems this Christmastime. I do not read many classics, and I don’t seek them out.. but oh my!

Narrated by Buck, the dog taken to become a sled dog. Through his internal musings, and the communication with other dogs, and his observations of humans, we learn so much about human’s treatment of the dogs, and of each other. The better humans, and the not so.. this is a gentle though very serious reflection of then human psyche and the difference between those who are greedy and nefarious and those who are so very good.

Many heartbreaking moments, the purity of the beast and those who know how to love, and perhaps not. Being the audience to Buck’s innermost thoughts was the best part, and without sounding emotional and flowery, it was an honour.

I listened to this via the Libby app and my public library, the narration was fuss free.. which was perfect for the story delivered by Michael Kramer.
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shubbing
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 1,2025
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Re-read with a buddy!

Back in the day... like when I was a kid, I read this and enjoyed the whole concept of a novel written from the PoV of a dog, but oddly, I read Cujo before this.

The results?

A skewed perspective. :) I love dogs and love the whole idea that London UNDERSTOOD them... but since then? I have the sneaking suspicion we're not even talking about dogs so much as the desire to run away from Victorian civilization.

Why was this so popular back in the day? Because everyone was sick of being so progressive. It's better to be an animal rather than a subject of Her Majesty.

How Rebellious! How delicious!

No, no, we don't understand that concept today. *applies just a little more colored gel to his mowhawk*

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