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    The Call of the Wild
    The Call of the Wild
    The Call of the Wild
    Audiobook3 hours

    The Call of the Wild

    Written by Jack London

    Narrated by William Roberts

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    About this audiobook

    Buck is living the good life in the soft South, when he is snatched and transported to the savagery of the Northland. There, the Klondike gold rush has brought out rough basic instincts of survival in men – and dogs. He adjusts to the gruelling regime of a sled dog, which almost kills him, but he survives to find a new and fulfilling way of life. The Call of the Wild is not only a classic tale, but also an enduring masterpiece of the inescapable laws of nature. Now in unabridged form in a new reading by William Roberts.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateFeb 1, 2009
    ISBN9789629548247
    Author

    Jack London

    Jack London (1876-1916) was an American writer who produced two hundred short stories, more than four hundred nonfiction pieces, twenty novels, and three full-length plays in less than two decades. His best-known works include The Call of the Wild, The Sea Wolf, and White Fang.

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    Reviews for The Call of the Wild

    4/5

    3,923 ratings135 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The most beautiful story I have ever heard truly exceptional
    • 5/5
      It is interesting. Its the kind of book were you just want to sit and think about it for a while. I wouldn't say I loved it but I don't regret reading it and would read it again
    • 4/5
      Jack London centers his story on a dog by the name of Buck. Buck is a big, strong dog, his father being a St. Bernard and his mother being a Scottish shepherd dog. At one hundred and forty pounds, Buck was no mere house pet. Kept physically strong with a love of rigorous swimming and constant outdoor exercise, Buck was a lean, formidable dog. Undoubtedly, his great condition was part of the reason that the gardener's helper dog-napped and sold him to dog traders, who in turn sold him to Canadian government mail couriers. The gold rush in Alaska had created a huge demand for good dogs, which eventually led to the "disappearances" of many dogs on the West Coast. Buck was no exception. He was sold into a hostile environment, which was unforgiving and harsh. Although civilization domesticated him from birth, Buck soon begins almost involuntarily to rediscover himself, revealing a "primordial urge", a natural instinct, which London refers to as the Call of the Wild.
    • 5/5
      I listened to this audio and enjoyed the story very much. I can't believe I never read this before. I loved Jack London's intuitive feeling for animals. This story traces Buck's sudden entry into the wild and his education in survival among the wolves. Jack London's writing is exceptional and makes him one of the greatest American storytellers. If you haven't read this yet, you should as it is a quick, easy and thrilling read.
    • 3/5
      It was fun to read this again, as I had only the vaguest recollection from reading it as a kid. Refreshingly unsentimental in its depiction of the natural world, it raises important questions about yearning for a life "beyond good and evil." A walk on the wild side...
    • 4/5
      Buck's journey from domestic dog, to sled dog, to wolf. Aspects of nobility in returning to nature and civilisation as superior to 'wildness' mixed in a way that I found a little hard to reconcile, maybe colonialism?
    • 5/5
      A gentle, well cared for family dog named Buck is stolen, sold, and shipped to Alaska and turned into a sled dog. It is quickly determined by most who come in contact with him that he is unique. Treated cruelly by most, and kind by few, he eventually finds freedom. A beautifully written story.
    • 4/5
      This book was a nice change of pace for me as I hadn't read a classic story in quite some time. I must say, I really enjoyed this short novel centered around the dog Buck. I think it is a very interesting idea to center a book around a dog, and London pulls it off beautifully. It takes us through the entire life of the dog, from his life on a farm to his days as a sled dog in Alaska. The transformation Buck makes from domesticated pet to primitive, instinctual animal is fascinating to read and think about. The descriptive language used by the author is outstanding. Overall, I can see why this is considered a classic and I look forward to reading more of him.
    • 5/5
      When Buck is kidnapped from his comfortable home in Santa Clara Valley, men with whips and clubs teach him to quickly forget the values of loyalty. Instead, Buck must learn to fight and steal to survive, and to respect the authority of men with sticks. As Buck’s nature is corrupted, he becomes a beast, no longer to be trusted as a devoted family pet. When Buck’s last tie to man is severed, he turns to a wolf-pack, answering the call, fulfilling his true potential as a creature of the wild.Whenever I read a story from Jack London, my only thoughts are, “I want to read more.” The story was short, but it packed a punch–I love this story each time I read it. The atmosphere is incredibly realistic, and the story very believable. I love that, even though it is told from a dog’s point of view, people can still relate to the changes that Buck (the dog) goes through. What calls Buck is the same thing that calls men to sometimes dangerous adventure far away from the comforts of home.
    • 3/5
      The story is written from the perspective of Buck, the dog. He is large, he is faithful and pragmatic, and he is kidnapped by a worker on the ranch he lives on, and sold to a trader who sends him north to run with a team dragging sleds. Poor Buck is mistreated, and faces a hard run. It is not just humans who are cruel to him, other dogs resent his size and presence, and battles for position as alpha male take place. The dog team are run to the ground, and Bucks saving grace is his size, strength and stamina. He is passed to and from inept and cruel owners until he finally meets an owner he can trust and bond with.It's a nice, if somewhat violent, story. Nothing too deep, but a read that carries you along.
    • 4/5
      The amount of violence and animal cruelty in this book made it a surprisingly difficult read. I was expecting something a bit more easy going.

      Despite being a book from the point of view from a dog in the Yukon, it was extremely relatable and applicable. The power struggles were interesting, and the struggle between individualism and teamwork. and I loved the commentary of the return of the instincts vs the degradation of Buck's civilized/human side. Even though most of the humans in this book are anything but civilized.
    • 2/5
      The author seems to know an awful lot about dog fights, assuming this was not plagiarized.
    • 5/5
      Book title and author: The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Reviewed 6/5/234Why I picked this book up: it was the next book in The Banned Books Compendium: 32 Classic Forbidden Books by Gringory Lukin (Editor) I won in April 23. Actually, it was the next book after The Awakening and Selected Short Stories (by Kate Chopin) that I have not fully reviewed yet, probably because of my harsh feeling of a wife and mother from traditional familial and prioritizing mothering over her own children that fully rubbed me the wrong way (I am working up to reviewing it though) Thoughts: from the beginning of this book in Banned Books compendium “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 more 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 “cinematic adaptations.London's story is a tale of survival and a return to primitivism. Pizer writes that: "the strong, the shrewd, and the cunning shall prevail when ...life is bestial”“Jack London's writing was censored in several European dictatorships in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929, Italy banned all cheap editions of his Call of the Wild, and that same year Yugoslavia banned all his works as being "too radical." They were probably concerned about the ethos of individualism and attacks on totalitarianism in this and other books by London.In 1932, Call of the Wild was thrown into the Nazi bonfires along with other books.”Why I finished this read: This amazing book dramatically pulled me in, made me care for Buck, it motivated me, laid out the path to greatness from force of nature, instinct, hard, lengthy struggle in bitter cold, wolves, ravages, consistency, not giving up hope, teamwork, being the lead dogs in the sled team, to the experiencing and feeling what rupture was like being in all they went through to the ecstasy of the summit of life.Stars rating: 5 of 5. This is more than a dog sled team book. I highly recommend buy and obviously reading it multiple times.
    • 5/5
      What a great, timeless and wonderful story. The story of Buck an unbreakable dog removed from a life of luxury and thrown into the cold and heartless adventure of the Alaskan wilds. A true story of heart and courage. At times the story is extremely violent but it all works. A story of such depth could never be told without the true grit in which London puts in its pages.
    • 5/5
      Another re-read of an old favourite was exactly what I needed yesterday. Jack London's masterpiece stands the test of time, and it's a snapshot of what it was like in the Klondike during the madness of the gold rush. Being Canadian, I can relate to the winter scenes and even to the gorgeous scenery. We are very fortunate to still have lots of beautiful wilderness in the province of Alberta. I love dogs, and Buck, as I remember, was the ultimate dog for me when I read this book the first time as a child. If you need a picker-upper or you're looking for a little nostalgia, pick up this little gem (or any one of the classics that you enjoyed as a child) and turn off the world for just a little while.
    • 5/5
      Moving, powerful, and beautifully written. I leaked from my eyes more than once.
    • 3/5
      Good Yukon adventure from dog's point of view. I remember he eventually left men and joined the wolves. It's been a long time.
    • 4/5
      The Call of the Wild by Jack London. I read this when I was about 10 years old. A long time ago. This book is included in the book "1000 Books to Read Before You Die" by James Mustich published in 2019. I've got a long way to go to finish this list. Posted on Vintage Paperback FB page. 10/20/22
    • 5/5
      Excellent writing but I can see why I didn't like this in junior high - the cruelty to animals is pretty difficult to take. I saw recently that this is on a "banned book" list - have no idea why.
    • 4/5
      This is a classic I missed reading while growing up. While watching the recent movie adaptation w/ Harrison Ford, I made a note to fix this wrong and read this book soon.

    • 2/5
      fiction. Family pet stolen/sold for work in Alaska/yukon gold rush (historical fiction/dog's point of view--some parts more accurate than other parts).
    • 4/5
      Jack London was vocal in his socialist views, and it was interesting to think of that while reading about this brutal, dog-eat-dog world of the Klondike Gold Rush, which he himself had been a part of at the tender age of 21. He created some indelible images, such as the dangerous impracticality of the inexperienced prospectors that leads to their demise out on a frozen lake, and the novella is a good read. I think he was less successful in anthropomorphizing the dogs, as to me it took away from the grim realism of the setting, and unfortunately we also get a couple of glimpses of London’s racism as well. Overall, I wish it had been fleshed out and had a perspective shift, but as a fable and a window into the past, it has some charm.
    • 5/5
      This was one of my favorite books as a kid. The first version I read was an abridged edition designed for children with lots of illustrations. I did read the original a few years later, when my reading ability caught up with my taste. This book gave childhood me puppy fever, even though before that I was afraid of dogs because one chased and tried to bite me. I was raised by cat people, you see, so I didn't know that the dog was trying to play. Now I know better. My favorite stuffed animal from the time was a husky that I named after Buck, a toy that I still own at thirty, even though one of my dogs chewed its ear a bit. Anyway, childhood love aside, Jack London is one of my favorites for this book and White Fang. This may be one of the sources of my anthropomorphized animal story love affair, and I am not ashamed of it in the least.
    • 4/5
      A tale of dog, his various owner and a trip from Salinas, California to Dawson, Alaska and then some. Buck is a quick learner and proves himself time and a again in the Alaska wilderness.
    • 4/5
      Rated: BAdventure story of Buck, a big dog "dog-napped" from easy living in Northern California to harsh realities in the Canadian Yukon.
    • 4/5
      3.5/5

      The Call of the Wild is told from the dog Buck's point of view.

      I read this as a teenager but I don't remember much of it. I do remember that I received it as a Christmas present and that it was part of a package of classic books, but that's about it.

      I'm glad I re-read this, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did back in the day,(if I remember correctly). I am not a person that enjoys anything with animal abuse and as I get older I find myself less and less tolerant of those sorts of scenes.

      Overall though, this book was interesting and kind of neat,being that it was told from the dog's POV.
    • 5/5
      The Call of the Wild by Jack LondonI re-read Call of the Wild by listening to it on audio from Audible. Although I have read it a few times over the years, I wanted to refresh it in my mind before seeing the up-coming movie. I am so glad that I did. I never fail to be taken back to my positive reading experiences of youth and the simple and powerful story lines where classics such as: White Fang, Old Yeller, Where the Red fern Grows, and Call of the Wild bring to the reader. It is perfect for young readers and those that love animal or dog stories. It does describe the cruelties and hardships endured by these wonderful dogs so consider this when choosing for a child. I give this story a 5 stars and consider it a classic.
    • 5/5
      Great book. Everyone should read it.
    • 3/5
      When I initially read this American classic, I was in either elementary or high school. It had all the elements to entice a young boy. It is an adventure which occurs during the Yukon gold rush. The story's protagonist is Buck, an 140 lb St. Bernard and Scotch Collie mix, who is abducted from an easy life as the pet in St. Clara, California, and sold to dog traders who eventually sells him to mail couriers as a sled dog in the Yukon Territory. Buck will need to tap in to his more primeval instincts if he is to survive the harsh northern conditions. The third reason I chose this book is that it was short at less than 100 pages. I had recently read Moby Dick and I needed a break!It has been good revisiting some of the classics I read as a youth. They become more enjoyable when you understand better literary themes and metaphors.
    • 5/5
      It's pretty hard to find fault with this story or the way it's told. It was particularly engaging to read while my family is in the process of rehabilitating a very fearful rescue dog. Jack London is among the go-to authors for perspective on how we think when you pare away frivolous comforts - and that's exemplified in CotW.