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The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and Other Stories
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780140186512.
We need London's mythical wolf almost as much as we need the wildernesses of the world, for without such ghost-animals from the depths of the human subconscious we are alone with the depths of the human subconscious we are alone with ourselves." -From the Introduction
This volume of the best of Jack London’s famed stories of the North includes The Call of the Wild, London’s masterpiece about a dog learning to survive in the wilderness, along with “Bâtard,” “Love of Life,” and White Fang, the story of a wild dog’s acclimation to the world of men, generally considered the companion piece to The Call of the Wild. In his Introduction, James Dickey probes London’s strong personal and literary identification with the wolf-dog as symbol and totem. Andrew Sinclair, London’s official biographer and the volume’s editor, provides a brief account of London’s life a sailor, desperado, socialist, adventurer, and acclaimed author.
We need London's mythical wolf almost as much as we need the wildernesses of the world, for without such ghost-animals from the depths of the human subconscious we are alone with the depths of the human subconscious we are alone with ourselves." -From the Introduction
This volume of the best of Jack London’s famed stories of the North includes The Call of the Wild, London’s masterpiece about a dog learning to survive in the wilderness, along with “Bâtard,” “Love of Life,” and White Fang, the story of a wild dog’s acclimation to the world of men, generally considered the companion piece to The Call of the Wild. In his Introduction, James Dickey probes London’s strong personal and literary identification with the wolf-dog as symbol and totem. Andrew Sinclair, London’s official biographer and the volume’s editor, provides a brief account of London’s life a sailor, desperado, socialist, adventurer, and acclaimed author.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1903
64 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Jack London
7,756 books7,759 followersJohn 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".
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
February 13, 2013
When reading Jack London's work, I reach a cathartic experience that is usually only achievable by a powerful film (Schindler's List, Gladiator, Munich). However, Jack London is able to achieve that (at least for me) without the emotional orchestral soundtrack, or the film techniques used in modern cinema today. He is able to have me pause and contemplate the way I have lived my life and how I will continue. His sentences take me to a place where there is no iphone, ipads, ipods, no "generation me." It brings my focus back to the human emotion, the human experiences. Slowly but surely, the world of Fahrenheit 451 will soon be our world, and before long, we will be living in the world of 1984. Call of The Wild and White Fang helps me not to be apart of that.
April 15, 2019
This collection has a fine introduction written by James Dickey that informs the reader prior to reading the stories "of the wild" including White Fang and Call of the Wild.
Following those are very interesting notes on Jack London's life and works. For such a short life, Jack London experienced countless crazily wild adventures. We are told that some of his early difficult experiences can be found in his novel Martin Eden. A summary of high and low points of his life is remarkable considering all he did manage to do and to write before his death at age 40.
Following those are very interesting notes on Jack London's life and works. For such a short life, Jack London experienced countless crazily wild adventures. We are told that some of his early difficult experiences can be found in his novel Martin Eden. A summary of high and low points of his life is remarkable considering all he did manage to do and to write before his death at age 40.
June 8, 2025
I have found Jack London’s views very confusing and contradictory and i’m intrigued to read more. He’s a supposed socialist and marxist, but all i could see in this collection of stories is his obvious infatuation with Darwinism. It is a very interesting study made of how “civility” tames the wild and its contradictions, what’s nurture and what’s nature and how much nature can be controlled.
However what leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and the reason this isn’t a five, is the portrayal of the natives in his stories, blatantly inaccurate portrayal of their relationship to animals and the wolf in particular. He gives them an air of sadism that i can’t seem to wrap my head around. Also this fascination with the “superior gods” or the white man and his machines, tho told through the eyes of the dog, it does seem like a personal opinion of white superiority and an air of “survival of the fittest” comes through.
Now to review the different stories separately:
“Batârd” is a kind of fable, i don’t know what was happening in the 1800s and why french-canadians were portrayed to be such brutes, but this head to head between human and dog was enthralling.
“Call of the wild” felt like 12 years a slave, but for a dog. Loved the story, the ending was disappointing (the natives being the villains for no reason was too out of pocket)
“Love of life” is another fable like story, i think these shorts are my favourite of his.
“White Fang” felt like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but for a dog. “To oppress the weak and obey the strong” seems to be White Fang’s main learned lesson, and it was indeed his best way to survival, also it is proven that dogs do tend to learn their master’s bigotry. I really liked the evolution of that story, from a group of men being hunted by wolves during famine season, to following the growth of one of their cubs and how nature, dogs and all kinds of humans treated him.
All in all, i liked his literary style, interesting observations, intrigued to see where his marxism shows through.
However what leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and the reason this isn’t a five, is the portrayal of the natives in his stories, blatantly inaccurate portrayal of their relationship to animals and the wolf in particular. He gives them an air of sadism that i can’t seem to wrap my head around. Also this fascination with the “superior gods” or the white man and his machines, tho told through the eyes of the dog, it does seem like a personal opinion of white superiority and an air of “survival of the fittest” comes through.
Now to review the different stories separately:
“Batârd” is a kind of fable, i don’t know what was happening in the 1800s and why french-canadians were portrayed to be such brutes, but this head to head between human and dog was enthralling.
“Call of the wild” felt like 12 years a slave, but for a dog. Loved the story, the ending was disappointing (the natives being the villains for no reason was too out of pocket)
“Love of life” is another fable like story, i think these shorts are my favourite of his.
“White Fang” felt like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but for a dog. “To oppress the weak and obey the strong” seems to be White Fang’s main learned lesson, and it was indeed his best way to survival, also it is proven that dogs do tend to learn their master’s bigotry. I really liked the evolution of that story, from a group of men being hunted by wolves during famine season, to following the growth of one of their cubs and how nature, dogs and all kinds of humans treated him.
All in all, i liked his literary style, interesting observations, intrigued to see where his marxism shows through.
June 16, 2014
Though I cringed with horror and disgust at the brutal and realistic ways of London's depiction of events, I found within the stories a beauty to which I resonate, a solidarity towards animals and a call to freedom of such Buck felt. There are reflections not only upon the character of beasts but upon that of man, the man-animal as White Fang first thought of it, and they gave me much to think about, to mold them with my own reflections of what I have learned about my own behavior and that of other people.
May 25, 2017
One of the best books I ever read. I found myself inside this book. Thank you Jack London.
April 16, 2009
Jack London's The Call of the Wild left me wondering in happy thoughts but at the same time, sad thoughts.
We might not think very often of a dog's life and what it's like, but in silly ways a dog's life can be like a humans' life. Dogs do not always have a pleasurable life. Buck thought his life was pretty great until he was sent out into the wild. Buck and a lot of other dogs get taken away from their homes to go work in Canada because of the gold rush that hit the Klondike region. Men needed the dogs to pull their sleds on long journeys. This can relate to humans because sometimes we have to do jobs that we don't necessarily like to do. In The Call of the Wild dogs fight just like humans would. In the book when the dogs fight they all get around to see the action, and humans do that also. Being similar to humans, dogs have a ruff life and their life is not always happy. Dogs also learn a lot of things along the way.
Buck learns a lot from the humans and dogs in this book; he learns what to do and what not to do on this treacherous journey.
In ways I recommend The Call of the Wild. If it were me, I probably would not pick up this book, but if your the kind of person that likes books about dogs, any kind of animal, or just wants an inspirational read, then I would read this book. Not only does The Call of the Wild talk about dogs and a dog's life, but you might possibly learn the importance on what taking a stand is.
We might not think very often of a dog's life and what it's like, but in silly ways a dog's life can be like a humans' life. Dogs do not always have a pleasurable life. Buck thought his life was pretty great until he was sent out into the wild. Buck and a lot of other dogs get taken away from their homes to go work in Canada because of the gold rush that hit the Klondike region. Men needed the dogs to pull their sleds on long journeys. This can relate to humans because sometimes we have to do jobs that we don't necessarily like to do. In The Call of the Wild dogs fight just like humans would. In the book when the dogs fight they all get around to see the action, and humans do that also. Being similar to humans, dogs have a ruff life and their life is not always happy. Dogs also learn a lot of things along the way.
Buck learns a lot from the humans and dogs in this book; he learns what to do and what not to do on this treacherous journey.
In ways I recommend The Call of the Wild. If it were me, I probably would not pick up this book, but if your the kind of person that likes books about dogs, any kind of animal, or just wants an inspirational read, then I would read this book. Not only does The Call of the Wild talk about dogs and a dog's life, but you might possibly learn the importance on what taking a stand is.
July 29, 2017
I'm no animal lover (although I wouldn't want to hurt one either), so I began to read this with very low expectations. The reason why I picked up the book was because I do love the most northern regions of our planet and because Jack London is referred to several times as a source of inspiration to Christopher McCandless in 'Into the Wild'.
But much to my surprise I really liked the stories. I think some situations are described and analyzed remarkably well, and London definitely knew how to build up suspense ('Love of Life', the story of the famished man being haunted by a famished wolf).
I did my have my doubts from time to time whether everything was correct from a scientific point of view, but that certainly did not spoil the stories as a whole.
Obviously, we don't know for certain what goes on in the minds of dogs and wolves and other wild animals, but London does a mighty good job at divining that.
I am definitely going to check out more of London's work.
But much to my surprise I really liked the stories. I think some situations are described and analyzed remarkably well, and London definitely knew how to build up suspense ('Love of Life', the story of the famished man being haunted by a famished wolf).
I did my have my doubts from time to time whether everything was correct from a scientific point of view, but that certainly did not spoil the stories as a whole.
Obviously, we don't know for certain what goes on in the minds of dogs and wolves and other wild animals, but London does a mighty good job at divining that.
I am definitely going to check out more of London's work.
October 15, 2011
"Jack London could see the world very clearly through a dog's eyes. We learn a lot about dogs from reading these."
"That dog fight sure was gruesome, but for some reason I am unfazed by the consumption of one or more humans."
"I like dogs. These stories were about dogs. I like these stories."
"Jack London also only wrote stories about doggies. These were his most important stories."
"Life is not always happy."
"I did not learn anything about life that was more important than the statements listed above."
If these are your thoughts concerning this book after reading, you are either 13 or an extremely uncritical reader. I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with either, but a 13 year old should not try to get into a bar and an uncritical reader should not try to criticize.
"That dog fight sure was gruesome, but for some reason I am unfazed by the consumption of one or more humans."
"I like dogs. These stories were about dogs. I like these stories."
"Jack London also only wrote stories about doggies. These were his most important stories."
"Life is not always happy."
"I did not learn anything about life that was more important than the statements listed above."
If these are your thoughts concerning this book after reading, you are either 13 or an extremely uncritical reader. I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with either, but a 13 year old should not try to get into a bar and an uncritical reader should not try to criticize.
February 7, 2019
It took me a long time to finish this book, first because I would take breaks between the four tales the book entails (which I recommend). They are all powerful stories of the beasts of the wild: man and wolf-dogs (sometimes just wolves, sometimes just dogs). Jack London has this gift of storytelling, of really transporting you into the shores of the Yukon river, to make you live the Klondike Gold rush from totally different points of view: one of returning to the wild, or being broken by it as well as giving it up. The Klondike gold rush arises as a background to the stories but its fever is clear.
Something I really did love was the relationship wolf/dog-man, the truth of its pure love and friendship was really touching and how London writes it was so simple and deep.
I really recommend it.
Something I really did love was the relationship wolf/dog-man, the truth of its pure love and friendship was really touching and how London writes it was so simple and deep.
I really recommend it.
March 1, 2020
In having to review this particular collection of stories, I have to give some thought to all of the contents, which include 4 stories, and the introduction by James Dickey and afterword by Andrew Sinclair.
Context thus established, yes, this is all very good stuff.
The introduction nicely sets the tone for the four stories (Batard, Call of the Wild, Love of Life, White Fang) and the stories themselves all have their own particular appeals (in order of descending personal preference: Call, Love, White, Batard). I can say that not all aspects of Londons stories appealed to me, but theres far more that I enjoyed than didnt.
This was my first exposure to Londons work, and all credit where it is due: I liked this set of London's stories, and both they and the complementary material have made me want to read more of them.
.....And yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie too.
Context thus established, yes, this is all very good stuff.
The introduction nicely sets the tone for the four stories (Batard, Call of the Wild, Love of Life, White Fang) and the stories themselves all have their own particular appeals (in order of descending personal preference: Call, Love, White, Batard). I can say that not all aspects of Londons stories appealed to me, but theres far more that I enjoyed than didnt.
This was my first exposure to Londons work, and all credit where it is due: I liked this set of London's stories, and both they and the complementary material have made me want to read more of them.
.....And yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie too.
June 10, 2013
As a study of a particular kind of early constructed masculinity via metaphor, this book is invaluable. I say book because Call and Fang form a sort of single narrative--the movement from civilization to "the wild" and the movement back (though not by the same dog). The last 10 pages of Call are genius that surpasses the rest of the book, and the first third of Fang is really quite good (the first two chapters alone would make a pretty incredible supernatural horror movie). I don't have to recommend these books because everyone reads them at some point, but I would say if you haven't gotten around to it yet, get to them sooner rather than later.
December 17, 2015
These two novellas of sled dogs in the frozen North of Canada do really need to be read as a pair. They are both decent animal adventure stories, but as a pair they examine the differences and similarities between dogs and wolves, the effects of brutality and kindness in training, and the whole nature v nurture debate.
July 22, 2015
I just re-read Call of the Wild for the first time since grade school. Loved it. I will probably read White Fang again and maybe some of the others, but there are so many books, and there is so little time ...
February 13, 2020
I only gave it a low rating because any violence against animals makes me cringe.
January 15, 2022
"The Call of the Wild," was great for the first five chapters and boring/annoying the last two. I loved how the first line of the story draws the reader in and makes you want to read more. Buck's journey to go from being a California house pet to an amazing sled dog and survivalist is the book's greatest strength. Buck being drawn to the wild is also amazing. I hate how in the last two chapters, Buck becomes a ultimate "chad" in the sense that nothing is too great for him in comparison to his previous struggles and weaknesses. Buck being bigger, stronger, and better hunters than the wolves was ridiculous considering no where in the book was he forced to hunt for himself and had no previous knowledge of how to do so. Some of the things I would also argue would be the clubbing and throat ripping of humans. In the clubbing scene, there is no way a guy would be able to hit a dog with the equivalent of a billy club that many times without being bit. Humans are snails compared to dogs. In the throat ripping scenes, there is no way a dog is ripping the throat of a standing man who's at least twice the height of a dog. Sitting, yes. Standing, no. Despite this being a great story about survival and rebirth, this story is forgettable. I was in elementary school when I first read this book, despite being less than 100 pages, I definitely forgot most of it.
July 14, 2023
Read this as a kid and loved it. Reading it now, I realized I had no understanding of the book. London uses complex rhetoric and vocabulary contemporary to the turn of the century. There is no way as a kid I looked up all of these words or could figure out their meaning. As even now I was constantly referencing a dictionary. I really enjoyed the way London writes from the perspective of wolves/dogs in these stories, instead of that corny ass voice people talk to dogs in, he talks about laws and displays dogs as rational animals with intelligence that follow the laws of their environment. Though I think the dogs are a reflection of what London thinks of himself, I think this is more accurate on how dogs think when compared to the spacey nature most humans associate with their pet. Beyond that, the way London writes paints a beautiful yet harsh picture of the north and makes me want to get up there and visualize one of the only places that hasn’t changed in the last 100 years.
March 4, 2025
I don't know what I expected. Something like Balto? There's a lot of canine death and violence and survival-of-the-fittest. The two dog stories extol the growth spurred by suffering, and I just don't know if I'm into that. I'm waffling between 2/5 and 3/5.
The way he writes about primal thrills and senses is captivating, and it dragged me through countless scenes of dogs being brutalized or dying. And the toil has its effect! In White Fang, after repeated chapters of brutality establish how hardened the titular dog has become, we get a prolonged scene of tension and vulnerability as this dog lets himself be pet for the first time; I felt things. On the other hand, I had to read the phrase "superior white-skinned gods" with my own two eyes. Ok, Jack London.
The way he writes about primal thrills and senses is captivating, and it dragged me through countless scenes of dogs being brutalized or dying. And the toil has its effect! In White Fang, after repeated chapters of brutality establish how hardened the titular dog has become, we get a prolonged scene of tension and vulnerability as this dog lets himself be pet for the first time; I felt things. On the other hand, I had to read the phrase "superior white-skinned gods" with my own two eyes. Ok, Jack London.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2023
This is a compendium of Call of the Wild, White Fang, and two short stories, Bâtard and Love of Life. I read Call of the Wild first which I generally enjoyed but didn’t love the racism. Couldn’t stand White Fang or Bâtard and was planning on rating this 1.5 stars rounded up but now it’s 2.5 rounded down because Love of Life is so spectacular.
In only 25 pages we get a fantastic examination of the human will to live, and the repercussions when we succeed at all costs. I recommend finding Love of Life somewhere in the public domain but not so much the rest of this collection.
In only 25 pages we get a fantastic examination of the human will to live, and the repercussions when we succeed at all costs. I recommend finding Love of Life somewhere in the public domain but not so much the rest of this collection.
December 18, 2022
Het was wel degelijk dit boekje maar ik heb mij beperkt tot The call of the wild - de andere verhalen zullen voor een volgende keer zijn.
Van Jack Londen dus, eerst gepubliceerd in 1903.
Een tip van mijn beste maat.
En ik had mij aan een half psychologische roman verwacht (het is zowaar een hond, Buck, die centraal staat, dus geen mens), maar dat is het niet.
Het is een back to nature verhaal.
Het is... the call of the wild!
Typisch mijn maat.
Lezen.
Van Jack Londen dus, eerst gepubliceerd in 1903.
Een tip van mijn beste maat.
En ik had mij aan een half psychologische roman verwacht (het is zowaar een hond, Buck, die centraal staat, dus geen mens), maar dat is het niet.
Het is een back to nature verhaal.
Het is... the call of the wild!
Typisch mijn maat.
Lezen.
February 7, 2023
Masterworks of the Northern genre exploring the dynamics of savagery and civilisation as they play out when the elements strip us bare. The Call of the Wild and White Fang ought to be read as one cohesive thematic work exploring this dynamic from contrasting angles. Bâtard and Love of Life form worthwhile additions to the collection. Few writers match Jack London in his ability to conjure pure visceral imagery.
May 16, 2024
I haven’t read this since I was twelve — reading it now, I see how rich the language is and the broader commentary on our own survival, not just in terms of wilderness, but in terms of how we choose to live. It’s a harrowing adventure story, but it’s also a quiet story about discovering who we innately are.
November 19, 2024
Undeniably entertaining and adventurous, there is a lot to fascinate here. I loved the description of the wild Yukon territory during gold rush times, the human foibles that have an outsized effect on the canine companions. Buck and White Fang sit on the boundary between the human world and the Wild- London implies that the ability to move back and forth is where true freedom lies.
February 5, 2022
The settings of the stories in this collection was the main reason why I came to this book. I love tales that take place in the arctic, so this was a fun time. Though, the stories are VERY dated, which means I won't be returning to them.
September 28, 2023
这周做校对，从头到尾阅读一遍外，还和稿子一字一句地校对了一遍。读到有些部分的时候忍不住热泪盈眶，人类与动物之间的情感竟能深至如此。唉，想我们家Momo了呢。
November 13, 2024
Very boring. I like books with some mystery. London's books are all very real, and you feel like you are there, and that is interesting to me.
March 7, 2025
Finished in one day. Hated the animal abuse loved the ending. Overall the author is super interesting, I think I enjoyed the introduction of him more than the actual story
January 1, 2023
Pretty sure these stories are intended for growing young minds, adventure seekers, outdoorsy types. But it’s Jack London, and notable/successful/popular stuff of his. Got to give it a go.
Did not expect dog POV. Oh boy. This is hardcore. Jack London has issues if he’s written multiple stories about dogs in this way. Such a sensitive man... what would he have done upon seeing ‘Cats vs Dogs’ etc. Are the ‘Lassie’ books dog POV?
Penguin says “this collection features London’s most profound and moving works.” Are you joking? I have no doubt I could be made to cry over a dog’s dramas at any point in my life but so far a dog’s life is not much different to one’s own, only hardly any exceptions might be found as to all dogs want to survive no matter what. If anything is anti-individualism it is this. I found it harder to take ‘Martin Eden’ as overtly opposed to individualism because I think individualism as depressant and inefficient will is not a terrible thing.
The moment where London kills three humans and six or so dogs in one fell, two sentence swoop was shocking and wonderful.
“‘As you love me. As you love me, Buck.’ The affair was growing mysterious. It seemed like a conjuration.”
Buck bounding across land with the wolf for a paragraph was chills. That call of the wild, man.
Read through ‘White Fang’ with most of my attention. It’s more of the same thing. A grander endeavour. With the same quality of writing, the same level of profundity at a length three times over ‘Call of the Wild.’ I concur with my earlier conceptions of this being ‘Adventure Stories for Boys’ content. But I think ‘Call of the Wild’ could break into my essential reading list. As long as ‘Martin Eden’ is not sunk at expense. ‘White Fang’ did make me wonder more at how much bullshit was going into this. Though it is sincere and reasonable to expect the workings of the dog experience to be like this. The wolf thing must have been a prerequisite to do another of these things, since leaving Buck behind.
But don’t miss ‘South of the Slot.’ What a ripper. Sociologist Jekyll and union man Hyde take San Francisco. It’s like watching ‘Fight Club.’ Too good. I didn’t expect the ending, but when Drummond decided upon Catherine it was the only way to go. Before this I had wanted it to be that Condon was the only girl for him whether he liked it or not. The simple image of an educated man taken on by the working class is righteous.
‘The Night-Born.’ Now that is romance... Its too much a creation of fantasy to be believed. It’s pandering to the white western crowd. All too well. And the ending tells how this narrator has failed in life. To be here, telling us the story, instead of living the life of night-born...
Reading these short stories felt like novelties in that Martin Eden must’ve written them in those spouts of energy.
I’d give ‘Call of the Wild’ four out of five. And the two short stories are from a collection worth the same. ‘White Fang’ brings things down to a three, in its bulk and lesser quality.
Did not expect dog POV. Oh boy. This is hardcore. Jack London has issues if he’s written multiple stories about dogs in this way. Such a sensitive man... what would he have done upon seeing ‘Cats vs Dogs’ etc. Are the ‘Lassie’ books dog POV?
Penguin says “this collection features London’s most profound and moving works.” Are you joking? I have no doubt I could be made to cry over a dog’s dramas at any point in my life but so far a dog’s life is not much different to one’s own, only hardly any exceptions might be found as to all dogs want to survive no matter what. If anything is anti-individualism it is this. I found it harder to take ‘Martin Eden’ as overtly opposed to individualism because I think individualism as depressant and inefficient will is not a terrible thing.
The moment where London kills three humans and six or so dogs in one fell, two sentence swoop was shocking and wonderful.
“‘As you love me. As you love me, Buck.’ The affair was growing mysterious. It seemed like a conjuration.”
Buck bounding across land with the wolf for a paragraph was chills. That call of the wild, man.
Read through ‘White Fang’ with most of my attention. It’s more of the same thing. A grander endeavour. With the same quality of writing, the same level of profundity at a length three times over ‘Call of the Wild.’ I concur with my earlier conceptions of this being ‘Adventure Stories for Boys’ content. But I think ‘Call of the Wild’ could break into my essential reading list. As long as ‘Martin Eden’ is not sunk at expense. ‘White Fang’ did make me wonder more at how much bullshit was going into this. Though it is sincere and reasonable to expect the workings of the dog experience to be like this. The wolf thing must have been a prerequisite to do another of these things, since leaving Buck behind.
But don’t miss ‘South of the Slot.’ What a ripper. Sociologist Jekyll and union man Hyde take San Francisco. It’s like watching ‘Fight Club.’ Too good. I didn’t expect the ending, but when Drummond decided upon Catherine it was the only way to go. Before this I had wanted it to be that Condon was the only girl for him whether he liked it or not. The simple image of an educated man taken on by the working class is righteous.
‘The Night-Born.’ Now that is romance... Its too much a creation of fantasy to be believed. It’s pandering to the white western crowd. All too well. And the ending tells how this narrator has failed in life. To be here, telling us the story, instead of living the life of night-born...
Reading these short stories felt like novelties in that Martin Eden must’ve written them in those spouts of energy.
I’d give ‘Call of the Wild’ four out of five. And the two short stories are from a collection worth the same. ‘White Fang’ brings things down to a three, in its bulk and lesser quality.
December 11, 2016
It seems that Jack London believed in nature, red in tooth and claw. He seems to know his stuff and he certainly doesn't hold back in describing the brutality and violence in nature, specifically, the unforgiving wintery weather of the North [of America/Canada] and the hardy animals that struggle for life within it. Alongside the classics, The Call of the Wild and White Fang, this volume also contains two short stories, Bâtard and Love of Life which are brutal and unforgiving, seemingly serving as themes to be built upon for his larger works. You can almost feel the cold wind through his words and can tell this is a man who has experienced what he is writing about. Not satisfied in describing what this harsh environment is like for a man, Londo proves himself to be quite the naturalist in writing from the dogs' perspectives and you can really see the World through their eyes, certainly with the Call of the Wild, but more so with White Fang (although the first section is like something from a horror story, with two men and their team of dogs slowly being picked off one-by-one by a wolf pack) which is a belter of a story, following the titular canine through his various trials ad tribulations from puppyhood and a brutal upbringing through to full adulthood and finally finding his place in the World.
March 1, 2020
"Batard", the short man-and-dog story that opens this collection, is poetic justice personified, spiced with a bit of irony. It's what we want to happen when those out in rugged environments exceed the harshness that is 'necessary' to survive and thrive there.
The Call of the Wild, staple of teenage reading lists, which follows our hero, Buck, from his kidnap out of Californian middle-class comfort, through struggle, competition, teamwork, brutalising, bonding, and bereavement to his ultimate enthronement in the vast sub-Arctic forests of Canada, is hearty, corny, sentimental, unsentimental, realistic, unrealistic, hopelessly anthropomorphic and undeniably gripping.
This Penguin edition is a nice one. The essays by Dickey and Sinclair manage largely to steer clear of London hagiography while dropping various insightful comments on his remarkable life and work.
Haven't got to yet, but I don't expect it will change my rating.
The Call of the Wild, staple of teenage reading lists, which follows our hero, Buck, from his kidnap out of Californian middle-class comfort, through struggle, competition, teamwork, brutalising, bonding, and bereavement to his ultimate enthronement in the vast sub-Arctic forests of Canada, is hearty, corny, sentimental, unsentimental, realistic, unrealistic, hopelessly anthropomorphic and undeniably gripping.
This Penguin edition is a nice one. The essays by Dickey and Sinclair manage largely to steer clear of London hagiography while dropping various insightful comments on his remarkable life and work.
Haven't got to yet, but I don't expect it will change my rating.
August 14, 2010
Hey- a book about man and dog where the dog doesn't die! That's my kind of dog book. Sure, enough animal cruelty to make me sick, and every other dog meets a gloomy end, but... not Buck!
I recall reading this some 10-14 years ago and finding it drab. But maybe it's reading about the frozen north in the blazing heat of the summer that made it really appealing to me. Still unpleasant to listen to the dog-breaking scenes, but an interesting story nonetheless.
My favorite short story was Love of Life- a man fighting against starvation and trying to survive... and the requisite wolf that followed along. This might be the only one where the animal doesn't have a happy ending- but the man's ending is so intriguing, it's worth a read.
I recall reading this some 10-14 years ago and finding it drab. But maybe it's reading about the frozen north in the blazing heat of the summer that made it really appealing to me. Still unpleasant to listen to the dog-breaking scenes, but an interesting story nonetheless.
My favorite short story was Love of Life- a man fighting against starvation and trying to survive... and the requisite wolf that followed along. This might be the only one where the animal doesn't have a happy ending- but the man's ending is so intriguing, it's worth a read.
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