The Call of the Wild Illustrated

By: London, Jack

The Call of the Wild is a short adventure novel by Jack London, published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The central character of the novel is a dog named Buck. The story opens at a ranch in Santa Clara Valley, California, when Buck is stolen from his home and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. He becomes progressively primitive and wild in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. By the end, he sheds the veneer of civilization, and relies on primordial instinct and learned experience to emerge as a leader in the wild.London spent almost a year in the Yukon, and his observations form much of the material for the book. The story was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903 and was published later that year in book form. The book's great popularity and success made a reputation for London. As early as 1923, the story was adapted to film, and it has since seen several more cinematic adaptations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08R4KBN2J
• ISBN13: 9798584873646
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Buck realizes his potential.

"The Indians in this frozen land tell of a ghost dog that runs at the head of a wolf pack. - They are afraid, for it has more strength than any wolf, more cunning than any dog. No one knows from whence he came or why he stays." Gold was found in Alaska, and the rush to obtain it required a strong constitution and many dogs to do the work that horses usually did in the United States. The environment breeds harsh attitudes. Also, in the testing of one's mettle, one finds one’s true potential. Buck (a dog that is half St. Bernard and half Shepherd) goes through many lives, trials, and tribulations, finally realizing his potential. On the way, he learns many concepts, from surprise to deceit and cunning; he also learns loyalty, devotion, and love. As he grows, he feels the call of the wild. And so do we. This book is well written. There is not a wasted word or thought, and the story, while building on itself, has purpose and direction. The descriptions may be a tad graphic for the squeamish and a tad sentimental for the romantic. You see the world through Buck's eyes and understand it through his perspective until you also feel the call of the wild.