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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 Frank Muller

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    About this audiobook

    The Call of the Wild is a novel by American author Jack London published in 1903. The story is set in the Yukon during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush-a period when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The novel's central character is a dog named Buck, a domesticated dog living at a ranch in California as the story opens. Stolen from his home and sold into the brutal existence of an Alaskan sled dog, he reverts to atavistic traits. Buck is forced to adjust to, and survive, cruel treatments and fight to dominate other dogs in a harsh climate. Eventually he sheds the veneer of civilization, relying on primordial instincts and lessons he learns, to emerge as a leader in the wild. London lived for most of a year in the Yukon collecting material for the book. The story was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903; a month later it was released in book form. The novel's great popularity and success made a reputation for London. Much of its appeal derives from the simplicity with which London presents the themes in an almost mythical form. As early as 1908 the story was adapted to film and it has since seen several more cinematic adaptations.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateDec 16, 1999
    ISBN9781436100373
    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

    3,754 ratings125 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I love audiobooks.this is very well presented. I would suggest this book to my adult kids. Thank you.
    • 2/5
      Overall, The Call of the Wild was predictive, boring, and uneventful. The writing was less than superb, and the characters were bland. The plot was standard and almost every plot point could be foreseen. If you enjoy light stories about a dog's journey (which are most often always the same) give this a try. Honestly, the setting was the most interesting part of this story. Finally, The Call of the Wild is basically any other dog story out there and isn't really worth a read, unless this kind of story is a favorite of yours.

      Pros:
      -Authentic dialogue
      -Interesting setting

      Cons:
      -Bland, predictable plot
      -Bland characters
      -Uneventful
    • 4/5
      Jack London's beautiful story with a dog as his main character. Beautiful and fascinating. Its descriptions might not match very well the modern perception of nature and dog behaviours, but nevertheless, Jack London is a master of telling adventure stories. The narration is very good, very much recommended
    • 4/5
      Liked the recent movie better maybe I am a creature of the times.
    • 4/5
      This book was amazing. From the voice of the reader to the style of writing. A true masterpiece
    • 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.
    • 1/5
      Maybe it's because I'm not a dog, but I just don't find it interesting being in the mind of Buck. I was very excited to read this because so many people raved about it, but it just didn't hold my interest even as a child.
    • 4/5
      Trust, betrayal, loyalty and animal cruelty. A heart wrenching story about the life of dogs during the gold rush from an animal POV. I am not always a fan of such an approach but it worked well here. Highly engaging (worked well for an audiobook) but not black and white, as I could relate even to the most "evil" characters. I guess that's why it's a "classic" (mental note: "Read more classics"=).
    • 4/5
      I read this book a few pages at a time (distracted by Facebook, Instagram & Twitter - the usual suspects). When I finally finished it I felt I had read a wonderful, though quite violent, story. Yes, despite flaws, a great tale.
    • 5/5
      Another childhood favorite.
    • 3/5
      Honestly, the best part about this book was that it was narrated by Jeff Bridges. I love animal books but I feel as if I really would have enjoyed this much more in my youth. The Call of the Wild tells the story of Buck, a mixed breed dog who is stolen from cozy home and his lush life as a house dog to be taken up north to be a sled dog during the Yukon Gold Rush. Buck quickly acclimates to the tough life and sets himself apart from the other dogs with his strength, smarts, and cunning. Told entirely through Buck's perspectives, this was one of the first popular books that had an animal as a narrator. To me the most interesting parts were about the wilderness, the scenery, and the people; it was a fascinating time during the late 1800s! Even though it is a little violent, this is a great kids book, especially for animal lovers!
    • 4/5

      I was quite impressed by this book. I expected a simple, canine adventure story. I did get an adventure story, but the most interesting part was the inner journey. As you read it, keep in mind that Mr. London sets up Buck as a person. It's easy to identify with him, and more difficult to identify with most of the humans in the story. It's definitely food for thought.
    • 3/5
      These tales are so brutal."All the easy moral maxims of social life are tested - and most found wanting - in this ferocious landscape. This sometimes seems to be one of London's driving motives, as though his calling is to remind everyone of the chill below the warmth of our cozy social conventions." (Tobey Hiller)
    • 3/5
      It's hard to believe, that with 82 years of reading all sorts of books, this the first American Classic from an American Classic author that I''ve read. I'll try more of the classics but this work is no where near the top of my list of books. Yes, it is quite an adventure for this dog and he certainly had very many experiences but I can't get to the level of classical literature.
    • 4/5
      It's great juvenile literature, however, adults could also enjoy it for its so many fine qualities. Dog lovers and nature lovers in general will share more than one state of mind with Buck and the general description of the wilderness. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Another one of those books that seems to have gotten past me in my school days, I just recently read The Call of the Wild for the first time. Like many of these books that I'm discovering pretty much everyone else has read except me, I think I'm glad that I came at them as an adult, as I don't think I would have revisited them had I read them earlier, and I don't think I would have taken away as much when I was younger. Jack London's story about Buck, a St. Bernard-Scotch Shepherd who is kidnapped from his idyllic southern California home to be a sled dog in the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush is a powerful tale. We follow Buck's journey as he discovers that not all men are kind like his previous owners, learns to navigate the ins and outs of the sled dog's pack pecking order, and finally as he discovers the primal nature of his being as he eventually starts to venture out into the wilderness on his own. The imagery that London uses in describing Buck's discovery of that primal nature is remarkable; I think of anything else in the book, I enjoyed these sequences best.