The Call of the Wild

This is one of those books you’re supposed to have read growing up, but I never did. Instead, I read it during the pandemic—and I loved it. While it’s definitely a product of its time, it still holds up a hundred years later. It moves at such a fast clip, and the unsentimental, often brutal tribulations of the sled dog Buck kept me glued to the page. The quality of the writing and richness of the Yukon world adds to the intense ‘how’s he going to get through this’ tension. Plus, as a dog person, it’s always great reading a… show more.

If it’s not obvious by now, I love animals, especially dogs. There are usually three dogs living under the roof of the Russell household, and sometimes a cat or two. The Call of the Wild is another book I read as a young person. Over the years, the story has stayed with me, which usually speaks to a compelling tale. At the same time, I must admit that while reading the book I was greatly bothered by Buck’s suffering. I hated the scenes where he was beaten and brutalized (maybe not as much as I detested the end to Ol’… show more.

This book is a children’s classic that I came to recently while researching my next book, which is told from the point of view (POV) of animals. Both the humans and animals endure incredibly harsh conditions—and in some cases horrible brutality—but I love it for its message. No matter what our background might be, whether we appear to have an easy start in life or not, we all encounter tough times. And the main character in The Call of the Wild, a dog called Buck, is lord of all in the beginning, but without warning, his life is plunged… show more.

The Call of the Wild is Jack London’s best-known book and considered a classic for a good reason. Buck a domestic pet with wolf heritage, is kidnapped and sold into the dog trade to pull sleds in the Klondike. It is the beginning of his severe trauma and mistreatment. A distinguishing and popular aspect of the story is the narrative is from the dog’s perspective and his response to his handlers. He ends up with an unlikely rescuer who restores the bond between pet and owner, but his innate instincts lead him to want to run with the pack. The… show more.

Firstly, of course, what a title! In one sense London’s classic is not a fantasy at all, in the levels of realism and also political engagement that frames the astonishing and brutal story of Gold prospecting in the Klondike. But told through the eyes and ears of the wonderful sled-dog Buck, it is an absolute must for that vital literary and imaginative correspondence with real-life animal nature, as hard often as Human Societies, although in other ways much kinder and nobler. London’s own sympathies for both real animals and the American Indian are enshrined in the wonderfully described relationship with… show more.

I hesitated before recommending this book because London’s depictions of dog behavior don’t line up entirely with a modern scientific understanding of dogs. But that really isn’t the point here – what makes this book an easy pick is London’s wonderfully passionate depiction of the range of relationships that man and dog can share, from the most venal to the most beautiful. I recently re-read it and was struck by the compelling pace of the story and the way the author captures the possibilities for love between (some) people and (some) dogs.

Humans are not the only animals on the planet who can be resilient. I read this as my first real chapter book when I was 8, and I remember bawling my eyes out in my secret tree fort at least once while doing so. The funny thing is that I’m not even really a dog person, but Buck’s story of survival and heroism touched me like no other.

Those of us who own small, fluffy mops of cuteness sometimes forget that our sweet little pooches descend from wolves. This classic tale introduces a domesticated dog, the heroic Buck, into his natural environment, where the reward is survival, not chewy treats. Bravery, perseverance, cooperativeness – these are qualities all canines possess, even in the face of freezing cold and human cruelty.