The Call of the Wild (Apple Classics)

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Summary: My Review
Review: Thew the book Buck shows his capability in leadership, respnonsibility, and strength. I like how the book shows specifically what Buck had to do to go threw, in order to accomplish his goals. It relates to me and how I want to be successful. Yes, i know it is going to take a lot of work, but I am willing to put in extra effort to make something out of my self and acheive my goals, which is also how Buck feels. Buck and I have both gone threw many hardships and risks, but that is life and i am sure there is mant more to come.

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Summary: The Adventures of Buck
Review: A domestic dog (Buck) finds himself in the north where a gold rush is taking place. In time he rises to be one of the most feared and admired dogs in the north.

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Summary: Old, but not outta touch
Review: This book is good enough for a wide range of readers. A younger crowd may find it boring, but with enough action to keep them entertained. Also, the book only had 7 chapters, but with enough detail to keep you informed. (Perhaps too much.) Despite the good, at a few parts you may find yourself happy about things that you wouldn't normally be glad about. (Like death.) All in all, this book was good, but I wouldn't probably read it again under my own free will.

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Summary: Traveling Through the Yukon
Review: Jack London's book "The Call of the Wild" was well written and I think that everyone should read it. The book starts out talking about how Buck, the main character, lives in a large house in the Santa Clara Valley. The place he lives at is called Judge Miller's place. Buck's father, Elmo, was a large St Bernard who had been the Judge's very close companion. His mother, Shep, had been a Scotch shepherd dog. Buck loved hunting and outdoor delights, which made him stronger. Buck loved living at the Judge's house but one night when he went on what he thought was just a walk with Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, his life changed. Money was exchanged between Manuel and another man and Buck was sent off in a baggage car. After a couple of days they stopped and he was turned over to a black-faced giant called Francois. Buck traveled with Francois starting at Dyea beach where Buck's life was changed to a not so lazy life through the Yukon. Traveling he learned that it was a wolf manner to fight which he encountered a lot with a dog named Spitz who is the sled leader. One day Buck and Spitz get into it and Buck ends up killing Spitz and takes over the head position, which was my favorite part in the book. A while later in the book, Buck meets a man named John Thornton who Buck loves and will do anything for him and even earns Thornton sixteen hundred dollars. With the money they set off into the East with six other dogs and found lots of gold. I would recommend "The Call of the Wild" to younger readers who like adventurous stories.

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Summary: wild calling
Review: Jack London out does himself in an amazing story about a Californian dog that learned to be an Alaskan sled dog. A pair of thieves stole a large dog (Buck) from his California home. The Alaskan gold rush of 1898 has started and there was a huge demand for strong sled dogs. His newly acquainted owners treated him poorly. The thieves ran the dogs and sled at least thirty miles a day. The sled drivers did not tolerate mistakes. They would whip the dogs for the mistakes. Since Buck is new at, this he recieved many bruises but learned quickly. Buck, soon enough, had an enemy. He learns by a previous fight that during a fight if a dog falls all the other dogs consume and attack them to the death. Buck had to be smart to survive. After hard work and triumph they made Buck lead dog. Even then they sold him again to even harsher owners, which he did not stay with for long. A man saved him and taught him to love again. After he found his new and loving owner they both saved each others lives at different parts of their lives. With the incredible relationship the reader is left with the question: Will everything go well or will Buck answer the call of the wild? An intriguing plot and interesting story, I rate the story highly. The great story receives a four out of four stars. The author does an astounding job. The two main reasons I liked it is first it had the best idea for story and the story keeps one are interested the whole time. With great character development, one receives a certain feeling for the characters. The wonderful use of adjectives makes one feel as though when one is reading it that the wolves are your friends and you are a part of the pack. The story is an amazing American tale and an easily enjoyed book. I suggest this book for intermediate readers, at least fifth grade and older.

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Summary: Call of the Wild
Review: The Call of the Wild takes place in 1896-1897 during the period of the Klondike Gold Rush. The story starts out in Santa Clara Valley in California, a small town around San Francisco. The setting soon changes, however, after Buck is sold to the man in the park. For the rest of the book, the setting is in the Yukon, a territory in Alaska. Men were the dominant ones and the women's role was to take care of the kids and keep the house tidy while their husbands went to find gold. I really enjoyed Call of the Wild. It gave a good view about what life during the time period. It showed that dogs (as well as people) change when exposed to new experieces. It also showed how people take for granted everyday things ... I don't think Francois and Perrault would ever have the chance to watch TV up in the Yukon. I would consider Buck a hero. He created togetherness and cooperation among the team rather than chaos under Spitz's leadership. Buck's love for John Thorton is an example of his being a hero, just because he made someone feel loved and cared for.

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Summary: An excellent read with mixed messages
Review: All over the world children are familiar with the name of this book, most of them have read it actually. I bought it for my son but back home found that he had already read it borrowing from his school library. Interestingly he was still very glad to possess it. That speaks for the appeal of the story and the narrative. Buck is a dog who learns hard lessons of life in the most honorable way and even the adult reader has no difficulty to identify with his struggles with proper dose of emotion the author intended. Buck acquires all the commendable qualities so necessary in an earthly life and retains all the instincts that bind living beings to each other. But then he does something that may have an unwarranted effect on the child's mind. He responds to the call of the wild and reverts back to what a 'dog' meant before human being became involved with this species. Is that a fair comment on civilization? May not this story,in the subconscious, encourage another POL POT, I could not stop wondering! Jack London did not live long enough to know its answer and thus we have to inculcate such values in young minds so that no wrong message is cooked in it. But, still, reading this story is highly recommended for all children.

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Summary: Buck; Or the Forgetfulnes of Living
Review: "There is an ecstacy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstacy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad on a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf-cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight. He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint and sinew and that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars and over the face of dead matter that did not move."

That paragraph is my "review." The Call of the Wild is that paragraph. London's sweeping primordial prose on the experience of Buck, the alpha-alpha dog amidst harshest Alaska, gave me pause, to ponder the animal I am too. In such a short read I gather anyone can touch that "complete forgetfulness of living" and run with the wolves "into the womb of Time."

A no nonsense classic.

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Summary: Buck realizes his potential
Review: Gold was found in Alaska, the rush to obtain it required a strong constitution and many dogs to do the work that horses usually did in the states. The environment bread harsh attitudes. Also in the testing of ones mettle one finds their 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 is growing he feels the call of the wild.
This book is well written. There is not a wasted word or thought and the story while building on its self 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.


Rating:
Summary: Simply Great Writing
Review: Many of the reviewers focus on the wonderful story of Buck and his life as a sled dog with the imaginative plot and story. Those aspects are all great.

But I think that misses one the point of the book. What is (also) great is the writing of Jack London. In fact it is fabulous. I have never read a book where the sentences and paragraphs and descriptions just flowed together with such spellbinding effectiveness. The pages seem turn turn automatically as you are drawn into the story.

No wonder Jack London became so famous in his day and was an inspiration to Hemingway and many other writers who followed. I was simply amazed to read the book. The story is so well done and the writing so crisp and smooth. It is just an inspiration to read - and it is a fascinating story - but the writing is both smooth as silk and very compelling.