Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Brilliant Book, 25 Mar 2008
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

best book ever, 28 Nov 2007
This is a beautiful powerful story. I have read it at least 5 times over the last 30 years and I am about to buy it for my 9-year old nephew. If you love animals, if you love the wilderness, if you love the call of the wild, then you will love this book. It is a timeless classic - written in 1902!

ondon's Best Work: A Modern Masterpiece of American Lit., 02 Nov 2007
London achieved his masterpiece with this book. He never wrote anything better than THE CALL Of THE WILD (first called THE SLEEPING WOLF). It's also to redeem the dog race, which he condemned in a short story entitled "Diablo". Ironically, London originally started out writing a short story, and instead it kept growing and growing until it reached a novel length.

In the late 19th century early 20th century naturalism (a literary movement that places value on science and observation with the mindset that there is no fixed morality - its only chemical by-products) is just beginning to catch hold. Naturalism is a direct response to Realism, which Huck Finn is a prime example. Realism came about as a literary movement in the late 1860s after the Civil War, because the writers wanted to point toward a moral code. The movement started to fail in the late 1880s or 1890s because things weren't getting better. Naturalism, especially in this book (although CALL OF THE WILD has many things foreign to naturalism as well), contends there is no moral code, and that the way to get to the true explanation of life is to really get back to nature and observation and science. Although fundamentally opposed to naturalism (read C. S. Lewis's ABOLITION OF MAN for a detailed argument, as well as THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, the first two books in MERE CHRISTIANITY), I like this book quite a bit. Why? Glad you asked. Lets take this story and make Buck a human. Would the story have been well received? No. It would have gotten the same treatment SISTER CARRIE did. The sheer genius in this book rests in the fact that Buck is a dog, and, being a dog, London can do quite a bit more. The moral code doesn't really apply to animals in this fallen world. There are also strong evolutionary themes in this work (Darwin just recently becoming popular in that era).

Another paradox to this work, since it is supposed to be naturalist, is how much Buck transforms. In most naturalist novels the characters hardly learn anything through the course of the novel (look at Carrie at the beginning and at the end of Drieser's novel - she doesn't learn anything really, as opposed to Realist work where the moral is always clearly stated) - not so with this book. Buck not only learns but he becomes progressively more and more powerful. The interesting thing about this novel lies in the fact that, although supposedly naturalistic, in the end Buck becomes a mythic character. There are twelve elements of myth, and this reaches all of them. There is a book (A Hero With A Thousand Faces I think) that goes through them all. Anyway, and it shows up in SISTER CARRIE as well with the rocking chair serving as the symbolism, the major preoccupation with naturalist writers is why do humans have this constant yearning for something more? London doesn't have the answers (because he didn't have Jesus), and, for a naturalist novel, the ending is very strange and out of place because it ends in a romanticized and impossible mythic realm, in a valley where the gold crowds the river beds and Buck becomes a legendary terror among the Yeehats.

One theme that struck me as very interesting is the theme of man (or in the case dog) against society - or more appropriately Civilization. Civilization imposes rigid and unnatural things Buck, and he becomes aloof from all. London describes him as a lord, and he has no real love. Yet, as he abandons these conventions of Civilization (and in many cases morality), he falls in love with (in a man-dog relation can go of course - lets not get indecent here) John Thornton. Yet even his love for Thornton he must abandon for the Call of the Wild. It seems (although, as it is a dog, the lines are a lot more blurred since a lot of what London says is true for animals, but not for the human race) the closer you get to the real primal creature and abandon society's convention, the closer to the real world you are. If you take that to apply to humans, its true and it's a lie. Man has two natures within him, one for righteousness the other for sin. If you are a Christian, then you will end in the place where Buck did - that land of myth that is impossible in this world. But if you indulge your sin nature and do not come to Jesus in the end you will go to.

Something must be said for WHITE FANG. WHITE FANG is this novel in reverse. It's a story of a dog who becomes civilized, and although CALL is better WF is very good. I tend to look upon them as companion works, with one tracing the harkening back to the wild and the other the domestication of dogs.

There is also a complex economic underpinning to this novel. Jack London proclaimed himself a socialist, and yet bragged that he wrote novels for money. Much of the motivation in this novel is economics - why would people go up to the Klondike in the first place but to get gold? And in the end they end in the valley of gold, that land of myth.

Jack London was a contradictory man. Much like Buck, he had come out of the states and went to live in London in the slums, a horrible place, one of the worst on earth at that time. This corresponds to Buck going from sunkissed California to the Klondike, and London sought out the extremes in both situations. In the end he committed suicide, dying at the age of 40.

(Just a side note: Buck is involved in the transmission of the mail at first, and at the end of the book he involves himself in the transmission of the male genetics....



Buck realizes his potential, 30 Jun 2005
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.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival, 30 Nov 2002
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Brilliant Book, 25 Mar 2008
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

best book ever, 28 Nov 2007
This is a beautiful powerful story. I have read it at least 5 times over the last 30 years and I am about to buy it for my 9-year old nephew. If you love animals, if you love the wilderness, if you love the call of the wild, then you will love this book. It is a timeless classic - written in 1902!

ondon's Best Work: A Modern Masterpiece of American Lit., 02 Nov 2007
London achieved his masterpiece with this book. He never wrote anything better than THE CALL Of THE WILD (first called THE SLEEPING WOLF). It's also to redeem the dog race, which he condemned in a short story entitled "Diablo". Ironically, London originally started out writing a short story, and instead it kept growing and growing until it reached a novel length.

In the late 19th century early 20th century naturalism (a literary movement that places value on science and observation with the mindset that there is no fixed morality - its only chemical by-products) is just beginning to catch hold. Naturalism is a direct response to Realism, which Huck Finn is a prime example. Realism came about as a literary movement in the late 1860s after the Civil War, because the writers wanted to point toward a moral code. The movement started to fail in the late 1880s or 1890s because things weren't getting better. Naturalism, especially in this book (although CALL OF THE WILD has many things foreign to naturalism as well), contends there is no moral code, and that the way to get to the true explanation of life is to really get back to nature and observation and science. Although fundamentally opposed to naturalism (read C. S. Lewis's ABOLITION OF MAN for a detailed argument, as well as THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, the first two books in MERE CHRISTIANITY), I like this book quite a bit. Why? Glad you asked. Lets take this story and make Buck a human. Would the story have been well received? No. It would have gotten the same treatment SISTER CARRIE did. The sheer genius in this book rests in the fact that Buck is a dog, and, being a dog, London can do quite a bit more. The moral code doesn't really apply to animals in this fallen world. There are also strong evolutionary themes in this work (Darwin just recently becoming popular in that era).

Another paradox to this work, since it is supposed to be naturalist, is how much Buck transforms. In most naturalist novels the characters hardly learn anything through the course of the novel (look at Carrie at the beginning and at the end of Drieser's novel - she doesn't learn anything really, as opposed to Realist work where the moral is always clearly stated) - not so with this book. Buck not only learns but he becomes progressively more and more powerful. The interesting thing about this novel lies in the fact that, although supposedly naturalistic, in the end Buck becomes a mythic character. There are twelve elements of myth, and this reaches all of them. There is a book (A Hero With A Thousand Faces I think) that goes through them all. Anyway, and it shows up in SISTER CARRIE as well with the rocking chair serving as the symbolism, the major preoccupation with naturalist writers is why do humans have this constant yearning for something more? London doesn't have the answers (because he didn't have Jesus), and, for a naturalist novel, the ending is very strange and out of place because it ends in a romanticized and impossible mythic realm, in a valley where the gold crowds the river beds and Buck becomes a legendary terror among the Yeehats.

One theme that struck me as very interesting is the theme of man (or in the case dog) against society - or more appropriately Civilization. Civilization imposes rigid and unnatural things Buck, and he becomes aloof from all. London describes him as a lord, and he has no real love. Yet, as he abandons these conventions of Civilization (and in many cases morality), he falls in love with (in a man-dog relation can go of course - lets not get indecent here) John Thornton. Yet even his love for Thornton he must abandon for the Call of the Wild. It seems (although, as it is a dog, the lines are a lot more blurred since a lot of what London says is true for animals, but not for the human race) the closer you get to the real primal creature and abandon society's convention, the closer to the real world you are. If you take that to apply to humans, its true and it's a lie. Man has two natures within him, one for righteousness the other for sin. If you are a Christian, then you will end in the place where Buck did - that land of myth that is impossible in this world. But if you indulge your sin nature and do not come to Jesus in the end you will go to.

Something must be said for WHITE FANG. WHITE FANG is this novel in reverse. It's a story of a dog who becomes civilized, and although CALL is better WF is very good. I tend to look upon them as companion works, with one tracing the harkening back to the wild and the other the domestication of dogs.

There is also a complex economic underpinning to this novel. Jack London proclaimed himself a socialist, and yet bragged that he wrote novels for money. Much of the motivation in this novel is economics - why would people go up to the Klondike in the first place but to get gold? And in the end they end in the valley of gold, that land of myth.

Jack London was a contradictory man. Much like Buck, he had come out of the states and went to live in London in the slums, a horrible place, one of the worst on earth at that time. This corresponds to Buck going from sunkissed California to the Klondike, and London sought out the extremes in both situations. In the end he committed suicide, dying at the age of 40.

(Just a side note: Buck is involved in the transmission of the mail at first, and at the end of the book he involves himself in the transmission of the male genetics....



Buck realizes his potential, 30 Jun 2005
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.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival, 30 Nov 2002
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Wonderful book - gripping to the end., 11 Apr 2006
The stories contained within this book are all excellent. You may well find yourself losing track of time as they draw you in and don't let go.

It's surprising how modern the stories contained within the book (Call of the Wild, White Fang, etc.) feel. If you liked any of the film versions of the stories then read this book: the films can't compete.

Read this book - it's worth every penny and all the stories within are gripping!!!

The Wild is within us, 12 Jan 2004
Beautifully written tale of survival of the fittest in the Wild. London perfectly manages to transpose quite human attributes to both wolf and dog in order for the reader to immerse in the realities of the sublime yet brutal life in the Wild...In doing so, London gives us the chance to communicate with our instincts and react to the events in the book rather than rationalising them.

Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Brilliant Book, 25 Mar 2008
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

best book ever, 28 Nov 2007
This is a beautiful powerful story. I have read it at least 5 times over the last 30 years and I am about to buy it for my 9-year old nephew. If you love animals, if you love the wilderness, if you love the call of the wild, then you will love this book. It is a timeless classic - written in 1902!

ondon's Best Work: A Modern Masterpiece of American Lit., 02 Nov 2007
London achieved his masterpiece with this book. He never wrote anything better than THE CALL Of THE WILD (first called THE SLEEPING WOLF). It's also to redeem the dog race, which he condemned in a short story entitled "Diablo". Ironically, London originally started out writing a short story, and instead it kept growing and growing until it reached a novel length.

In the late 19th century early 20th century naturalism (a literary movement that places value on science and observation with the mindset that there is no fixed morality - its only chemical by-products) is just beginning to catch hold. Naturalism is a direct response to Realism, which Huck Finn is a prime example. Realism came about as a literary movement in the late 1860s after the Civil War, because the writers wanted to point toward a moral code. The movement started to fail in the late 1880s or 1890s because things weren't getting better. Naturalism, especially in this book (although CALL OF THE WILD has many things foreign to naturalism as well), contends there is no moral code, and that the way to get to the true explanation of life is to really get back to nature and observation and science. Although fundamentally opposed to naturalism (read C. S. Lewis's ABOLITION OF MAN for a detailed argument, as well as THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, the first two books in MERE CHRISTIANITY), I like this book quite a bit. Why? Glad you asked. Lets take this story and make Buck a human. Would the story have been well received? No. It would have gotten the same treatment SISTER CARRIE did. The sheer genius in this book rests in the fact that Buck is a dog, and, being a dog, London can do quite a bit more. The moral code doesn't really apply to animals in this fallen world. There are also strong evolutionary themes in this work (Darwin just recently becoming popular in that era).

Another paradox to this work, since it is supposed to be naturalist, is how much Buck transforms. In most naturalist novels the characters hardly learn anything through the course of the novel (look at Carrie at the beginning and at the end of Drieser's novel - she doesn't learn anything really, as opposed to Realist work where the moral is always clearly stated) - not so with this book. Buck not only learns but he becomes progressively more and more powerful. The interesting thing about this novel lies in the fact that, although supposedly naturalistic, in the end Buck becomes a mythic character. There are twelve elements of myth, and this reaches all of them. There is a book (A Hero With A Thousand Faces I think) that goes through them all. Anyway, and it shows up in SISTER CARRIE as well with the rocking chair serving as the symbolism, the major preoccupation with naturalist writers is why do humans have this constant yearning for something more? London doesn't have the answers (because he didn't have Jesus), and, for a naturalist novel, the ending is very strange and out of place because it ends in a romanticized and impossible mythic realm, in a valley where the gold crowds the river beds and Buck becomes a legendary terror among the Yeehats.

One theme that struck me as very interesting is the theme of man (or in the case dog) against society - or more appropriately Civilization. Civilization imposes rigid and unnatural things Buck, and he becomes aloof from all. London describes him as a lord, and he has no real love. Yet, as he abandons these conventions of Civilization (and in many cases morality), he falls in love with (in a man-dog relation can go of course - lets not get indecent here) John Thornton. Yet even his love for Thornton he must abandon for the Call of the Wild. It seems (although, as it is a dog, the lines are a lot more blurred since a lot of what London says is true for animals, but not for the human race) the closer you get to the real primal creature and abandon society's convention, the closer to the real world you are. If you take that to apply to humans, its true and it's a lie. Man has two natures within him, one for righteousness the other for sin. If you are a Christian, then you will end in the place where Buck did - that land of myth that is impossible in this world. But if you indulge your sin nature and do not come to Jesus in the end you will go to.

Something must be said for WHITE FANG. WHITE FANG is this novel in reverse. It's a story of a dog who becomes civilized, and although CALL is better WF is very good. I tend to look upon them as companion works, with one tracing the harkening back to the wild and the other the domestication of dogs.

There is also a complex economic underpinning to this novel. Jack London proclaimed himself a socialist, and yet bragged that he wrote novels for money. Much of the motivation in this novel is economics - why would people go up to the Klondike in the first place but to get gold? And in the end they end in the valley of gold, that land of myth.

Jack London was a contradictory man. Much like Buck, he had come out of the states and went to live in London in the slums, a horrible place, one of the worst on earth at that time. This corresponds to Buck going from sunkissed California to the Klondike, and London sought out the extremes in both situations. In the end he committed suicide, dying at the age of 40.

(Just a side note: Buck is involved in the transmission of the mail at first, and at the end of the book he involves himself in the transmission of the male genetics....



Buck realizes his potential, 30 Jun 2005
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.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival, 30 Nov 2002
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Wonderful book - gripping to the end., 11 Apr 2006
The stories contained within this book are all excellent. You may well find yourself losing track of time as they draw you in and don't let go.

It's surprising how modern the stories contained within the book (Call of the Wild, White Fang, etc.) feel. If you liked any of the film versions of the stories then read this book: the films can't compete.

Read this book - it's worth every penny and all the stories within are gripping!!!

The Wild is within us, 12 Jan 2004
Beautifully written tale of survival of the fittest in the Wild. London perfectly manages to transpose quite human attributes to both wolf and dog in order for the reader to immerse in the realities of the sublime yet brutal life in the Wild...In doing so, London gives us the chance to communicate with our instincts and react to the events in the book rather than rationalising them.

Fast paced narrative never strays, 20 Nov 2008
I'm wary of animal stories getting dull and excessively anthropomorphic (human) but this keeps clear of fatigue with a steely intent. One can sense throughout, London's urge to portray and illuminate the harsh truth of 'evolving nature'. Short sentences and a vivid imagination bring the task to pumping life as we follow the hard struggle for life; the trials and tribulations of the animal hero who, after a wild background and heritage, becomes the centre of our sympathy.

It's through this sympathy that we are awakened - at times violently - to the truth about life and growth, via darwin, and to an awareness of the environment that forges people and animals. An essential, accessible read at times greatly moving and sickening, this is both a rich feast and source of wisdom about the world and our relation to animals ...and dogs!


a sensational masterpiece, 20 Mar 2003
I first read White Fang when I was 8 years old by nicking it from my uncle and since then, i.e. 20 years later, I have read it at least 50 times.
This is a truly sensational masterpiece. The way London describes the ever-lasting struggle for survival, the dangers present in true life along with the deep feelings and emotions of a half-wolf, is overwhelming.
By the end of the book, you realise that have falen in love with white fang and want him to be yours.
I most certainly recommend this book to all children and also grown ups. read this book once and then you will realise that London was a genius, who truly understood the human nature. In this book, London illustrates the different natures of human being: love, hatred, greed, vengence, justice, etc.
This is a book for all ages and I assure you that if you look beyond the dog and human masks, you'll never regret having read this book and you most certainly won't consider it a waste of time.

This is without a doubt the best book I have ever read., 28 Dec 1998
This book is about a Wolf cub who grows up to be one of the most feared animals in North America. He has many fights and many owners, some kind and some horrible. There is a lot of deaths in this book and is very exciting.

Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Brilliant Book, 25 Mar 2008
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

best book ever, 28 Nov 2007
This is a beautiful powerful story. I have read it at least 5 times over the last 30 years and I am about to buy it for my 9-year old nephew. If you love animals, if you love the wilderness, if you love the call of the wild, then you will love this book. It is a timeless classic - written in 1902!

ondon's Best Work: A Modern Masterpiece of American Lit., 02 Nov 2007
London achieved his masterpiece with this book. He never wrote anything better than THE CALL Of THE WILD (first called THE SLEEPING WOLF). It's also to redeem the dog race, which he condemned in a short story entitled "Diablo". Ironically, London originally started out writing a short story, and instead it kept growing and growing until it reached a novel length.

In the late 19th century early 20th century naturalism (a literary movement that places value on science and observation with the mindset that there is no fixed morality - its only chemical by-products) is just beginning to catch hold. Naturalism is a direct response to Realism, which Huck Finn is a prime example. Realism came about as a literary movement in the late 1860s after the Civil War, because the writers wanted to point toward a moral code. The movement started to fail in the late 1880s or 1890s because things weren't getting better. Naturalism, especially in this book (although CALL OF THE WILD has many things foreign to naturalism as well), contends there is no moral code, and that the way to get to the true explanation of life is to really get back to nature and observation and science. Although fundamentally opposed to naturalism (read C. S. Lewis's ABOLITION OF MAN for a detailed argument, as well as THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, the first two books in MERE CHRISTIANITY), I like this book quite a bit. Why? Glad you asked. Lets take this story and make Buck a human. Would the story have been well received? No. It would have gotten the same treatment SISTER CARRIE did. The sheer genius in this book rests in the fact that Buck is a dog, and, being a dog, London can do quite a bit more. The moral code doesn't really apply to animals in this fallen world. There are also strong evolutionary themes in this work (Darwin just recently becoming popular in that era).

Another paradox to this work, since it is supposed to be naturalist, is how much Buck transforms. In most naturalist novels the characters hardly learn anything through the course of the novel (look at Carrie at the beginning and at the end of Drieser's novel - she doesn't learn anything really, as opposed to Realist work where the moral is always clearly stated) - not so with this book. Buck not only learns but he becomes progressively more and more powerful. The interesting thing about this novel lies in the fact that, although supposedly naturalistic, in the end Buck becomes a mythic character. There are twelve elements of myth, and this reaches all of them. There is a book (A Hero With A Thousand Faces I think) that goes through them all. Anyway, and it shows up in SISTER CARRIE as well with the rocking chair serving as the symbolism, the major preoccupation with naturalist writers is why do humans have this constant yearning for something more? London doesn't have the answers (because he didn't have Jesus), and, for a naturalist novel, the ending is very strange and out of place because it ends in a romanticized and impossible mythic realm, in a valley where the gold crowds the river beds and Buck becomes a legendary terror among the Yeehats.

One theme that struck me as very interesting is the theme of man (or in the case dog) against society - or more appropriately Civilization. Civilization imposes rigid and unnatural things Buck, and he becomes aloof from all. London describes him as a lord, and he has no real love. Yet, as he abandons these conventions of Civilization (and in many cases morality), he falls in love with (in a man-dog relation can go of course - lets not get indecent here) John Thornton. Yet even his love for Thornton he must abandon for the Call of the Wild. It seems (although, as it is a dog, the lines are a lot more blurred since a lot of what London says is true for animals, but not for the human race) the closer you get to the real primal creature and abandon society's convention, the closer to the real world you are. If you take that to apply to humans, its true and it's a lie. Man has two natures within him, one for righteousness the other for sin. If you are a Christian, then you will end in the place where Buck did - that land of myth that is impossible in this world. But if you indulge your sin nature and do not come to Jesus in the end you will go to.

Something must be said for WHITE FANG. WHITE FANG is this novel in reverse. It's a story of a dog who becomes civilized, and although CALL is better WF is very good. I tend to look upon them as companion works, with one tracing the harkening back to the wild and the other the domestication of dogs.

There is also a complex economic underpinning to this novel. Jack London proclaimed himself a socialist, and yet bragged that he wrote novels for money. Much of the motivation in this novel is economics - why would people go up to the Klondike in the first place but to get gold? And in the end they end in the valley of gold, that land of myth.

Jack London was a contradictory man. Much like Buck, he had come out of the states and went to live in London in the slums, a horrible place, one of the worst on earth at that time. This corresponds to Buck going from sunkissed California to the Klondike, and London sought out the extremes in both situations. In the end he committed suicide, dying at the age of 40.

(Just a side note: Buck is involved in the transmission of the mail at first, and at the end of the book he involves himself in the transmission of the male genetics....



Buck realizes his potential, 30 Jun 2005
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.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival, 30 Nov 2002
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Wonderful book - gripping to the end., 11 Apr 2006
The stories contained within this book are all excellent. You may well find yourself losing track of time as they draw you in and don't let go.

It's surprising how modern the stories contained within the book (Call of the Wild, White Fang, etc.) feel. If you liked any of the film versions of the stories then read this book: the films can't compete.

Read this book - it's worth every penny and all the stories within are gripping!!!

The Wild is within us, 12 Jan 2004
Beautifully written tale of survival of the fittest in the Wild. London perfectly manages to transpose quite human attributes to both wolf and dog in order for the reader to immerse in the realities of the sublime yet brutal life in the Wild...In doing so, London gives us the chance to communicate with our instincts and react to the events in the book rather than rationalising them.

Fast paced narrative never strays, 20 Nov 2008
I'm wary of animal stories getting dull and excessively anthropomorphic (human) but this keeps clear of fatigue with a steely intent. One can sense throughout, London's urge to portray and illuminate the harsh truth of 'evolving nature'. Short sentences and a vivid imagination bring the task to pumping life as we follow the hard struggle for life; the trials and tribulations of the animal hero who, after a wild background and heritage, becomes the centre of our sympathy.

It's through this sympathy that we are awakened - at times violently - to the truth about life and growth, via darwin, and to an awareness of the environment that forges people and animals. An essential, accessible read at times greatly moving and sickening, this is both a rich feast and source of wisdom about the world and our relation to animals ...and dogs!


a sensational masterpiece, 20 Mar 2003
I first read White Fang when I was 8 years old by nicking it from my uncle and since then, i.e. 20 years later, I have read it at least 50 times.
This is a truly sensational masterpiece. The way London describes the ever-lasting struggle for survival, the dangers present in true life along with the deep feelings and emotions of a half-wolf, is overwhelming.
By the end of the book, you realise that have falen in love with white fang and want him to be yours.
I most certainly recommend this book to all children and also grown ups. read this book once and then you will realise that London was a genius, who truly understood the human nature. In this book, London illustrates the different natures of human being: love, hatred, greed, vengence, justice, etc.
This is a book for all ages and I assure you that if you look beyond the dog and human masks, you'll never regret having read this book and you most certainly won't consider it a waste of time.

This is without a doubt the best book I have ever read., 28 Dec 1998
This book is about a Wolf cub who grows up to be one of the most feared animals in North America. He has many fights and many owners, some kind and some horrible. There is a lot of deaths in this book and is very exciting.

Spoilt by Love , 30 May 2008
Jack London's Sea-wolf is a story studying the tension between civilisation and the Darwinian view of Survival of the Fittest. The protagonist, writing in the first person is the civilised literary sort, a book-critic no less. The Sea-Wolf, captain of the ship is the magnificent but brutish alpha-male.

This novel began excellently, unfolding the relationship between these two characters. The captain's psychopathy becoming quickly patent, however more interestingly the protagonist begins to adopt this hierarchical struggle within the ship's crew. This is where the true beauty of the book lies.

Unfortunately, the author seemingly grasping for somewhere to go, introduces a love-interest and everything then disappears down the plug-hole of cliche. Sad to say it, there's also a cliched moral to this story, and that was very disappointing.

Testing Human Values, 03 Jul 2004
Caution: The Sea Wolf is full of examples of man's inhumanity to man. If you are easily upset by callous disregard of the health and safety of others, you will not enjoy this book. Further, the book describes many of the worst abuses of the ways that seals were hunted for their fur.

On the surface, The Sea Wolf is a story about seal hunting expeditions to the Bering Sea. Beneath the surface, this book is an allegory about the nature of a human's life.

The Sea Wolf is one of those novels that explores philosophy as its primary purpose. The idea is to take abstract philosophical ideas, and make the philosophies come to life by putting them into interesting circumstances. So while there's an adventure tale on the surface of The Sea Wolf, that story is there merely to provide examples of the philosophical points. So don't be surprised if the adventure falters from time to time in favor of developing the philosophical examples. In the Sea Wolf, action is included primarily for character development rather than the reader's visceral entertainment.

In this book, Jack London was obviously fascinated by the new theories of Social Darwinism that grew out of Darwin's Origin of Species, indicating that the most capable people survived and prospered while the least capable fell by the wayside. Another influence was Nietzsche's concept of the amoral superman. A third influence was Milton's poem, Paradise Lost, and the role that Lucifer played in that story. To explore these points, Mr. London developed Captain Wolf Larsen, owner of the seal hunting schooner, Ghost. Captain Larsen is as amoral and strong in body and mind as you can imagine. Think of him as 100 percent traditional masculinity.

For a counterpoint, Mr. London looked to the traditional concepts of the Christian gentleman. Such a man is concerned with matters of the soul, helping others, ideas, and pursuing perfection. Taken to its extreme, such a man becomes almost like a woman. To develop this contrast, Mr. London uses the character of Humphrey van Weydon (known as "sissy" van Weydon to his friends while growing up) who is a literary critic.

The story evolves through putting Humphrey van Weydon into Larsen's world. The book's key theme is that a true man combines the virtues of a Christian gentleman with the masculine strength and independence of his sex's superior qualities over many women (like a successful jousting knight), but this true man can only be completed by the company and spiritual connection to a good woman (much like the medieval knight had to have his lady as a source of platonic love). As you can imagine, this theme will not inspire those looking for a nonstop, heart-pounding adventure tale.

The power of the story comes in the book's first half, when you will not know what to expect next from Wolf Larsen. If you are like me, you will feel a little involuntary discomfort every time Larsen comes near van Weydon . . . or anyone else, for that matter. The book's second half will be less appealing to most male readers, but will be the more appealing part for many female readers.

The book's strength is the way that the van Weydon character develops. You will come to appreciate his trials and the ways he handles them. If you find that you don't like that character after 75 pages, I suggest that you read no further unless you are otherwise enjoying the book.

May all your endeavors be worthy of your highest ideals and potential!

The Sea Wolf, 03 Nov 2003
I was disappointed with this disc. I wanted something that capured Korngolds music that you only ever hear in brief these days. I also wanted something that was a modern recording and the release date on this disc led me astray. Its the original sound track and sounds like it. Neither is it typical Korngold as the sleeve notes explain. This film is moody and eerie and the music relects it. My lack of knowledge of Korngolds music is great. I'm going to try and find something recorded more recently and more typical.

Great Book!, 08 Jul 1999
This is probably one of the best examples of character devolopment that I have ever read. London paints a pictures of Humphrey, Wolf Larson, and the rest so that the act as real people. It is also topped off with a great story of adventure and romance. However, the most important point of the book is the good versus evil, or the one who believes in God versus the one who does not. The reader struggles with the same questions placed on Humphrey until the good finally triumphs in the end.

Uneasy mix of great uebermensch story and bad love story., 02 Jun 1999
It's a real shame that Jack London coupled one of his most fascinating and full-blooded characters with a stinker of a love story which carries no conviction.

Maud Brewster, like many of London's female characters (from Skeet, Curly and Mercedes in The Call of the Wild to Beth, Alice and Collie in White Fang), is underdeveloped, a mite hysterical, and completely dependent on the male characters. Without much in terms of psychological complexity, Maud provides a poor, poor reason for Humphrey Van Weyden to rebel against Wolf Larsen.

The first half of this book and its final few chapters are superb because London's male characters and their struggles are vividly portrayed. The knife-whetting contest between Mugridge and Hump; the homoerotic segment where Hump tends to a naked and wounded Larsen; Johnson and Leach's struggle against Larsen's iron fist -- London obviously loves these characters and gives them the light of day. Maud is another story.

In any event, the first half of this book is the top-notch tale of a Miltonic hero's slow slide from power, and the ending a moving fulfillment of this character's destiny (life, in the end, *is* yeast...but a savagely active and beautiful yeast, at that). Another one of London's terrible worlds unfolding its brutal majesty before us -- and, of course, another book inexplicably relegated to the children's section of many a book store.

Timeless and suitable for almost any age..., 05 Feb 2008
Two lovely stories that I always meant to read as a boy. Nevertheless, having recently read The Call of the Wild and White Fang, I can honestly say they are among the few stories where I willingly suspended reality for the duration.

I'm now reading (with a bit of paraphrasing) White Fang to my Grandchildren and they are loving it.

Everyone, of any age, will enjoy these timeless works, especially dog lovers.


Buck realizes his potential, 26 Nov 2006
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.



Wonderful read - flawed philosophy, 22 Apr 2004
"Call of the wild" is the story of a journey (metaphysical as well as physical) of the dog, Buck, from his pampered life in the home of a wealthy man, to his discovery of his true self, wild and unfettered by man. Along the way he encounters cruelty and kindness (both human and animal) as he travels in the wild country of northern Canada. As each challenge is presented to him, his true, inner self (the "call of the wild") brings him through until, at the end of the journey, he achieves his true destiny as leader of a wolf pack.
The story is not for the faint-hearted, and many animal lovers will be horrified at the portayals of human and animal cruelty. Nonetheless, it is true to life, and, despite the brutal realism, also contains a kind, warm-hearted streak.
The writing is both beautiful and powerful; however the Nietzschean, atavistic philosphy of London is less convincing at the start of the 21st century than it probably was at the start of the 20th. Nevertheless, although London's philosophy is questionable, this does not detract from the convincing tale of how Buck's journey develops. A wonderful read and highly recommended.

Great classic reading, 06 Jan 2000
White Fang is the story of the wolf by that name. He goes from the wild, to the American Red Indians with Gray Beaver as his master. After 'Beauty' Smith has got Gray Beaver addicted to alcohol, he bribes the owner of the Fighting Wolf to give over the quarter-dog. From here he becomes a professional Fighting Wolf, and after a nasty encounter with a bulldog, he is picked up by his new 'love-master' Scott. From here he goes to California to live a long and healthy life with the love master.

Call of the Wild is the story of Buck, a St Bernard/Shepherd dog cross, who goes from master to master, pulling sleds acrosss Alaska until he eventually returns to the wild with his wild brothers. I found White Fang better than Call of the Wild because it is a lot more realistic. Both myself and my Mum have read the book, and while it is very good, it is too descriptve, and the opening paragraph could have been reduced to two lines. A great book for those dark winter evenings.

Brilliant Book, 25 Mar 2008
This book is a puffin classic and it really is a true classic. This tale is very moving and adventurous. That is why I really like it! It is about a dog, called Buck, who was born in a big house in Santa Clara Valley, where the sun shone brightly and Judge Miller owned him - he lived in a lap of luxury. The dog was sold to be a sledge dog in the severe coldness in horrible Yukon, who rises way above his enemies, which leads him to becoming a highly admired dog in the North Pole. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is now on my all time favourite books list. I would rate this book 10/ 10 and would strongly recommend it to children, mainly aged 9 - 13, who like adventure stories.

best book ever, 28 Nov 2007
This is a beautiful powerful story. I have read it at least 5 times over the last 30 years and I am about to buy it for my 9-year old nephew. If you love animals, if you love the wilderness, if you love the call of the wild, then you will love this book. It is a timeless classic - written in 1902!

ondon's Best Work: A Modern Masterpiece of American Lit., 02 Nov 2007
London achieved his masterpiece with this book. He never wrote anything better than THE CALL Of THE WILD (first called THE SLEEPING WOLF). It's also to redeem the dog race, which he condemned in a short story entitled "Diablo". Ironically, London originally started out writing a short story, and instead it kept growing and growing until it reached a novel length.

In the late 19th century early 20th century naturalism (a literary movement that places value on science and observation with the mindset that there is no fixed morality - its only chemical by-products) is just beginning to catch hold. Naturalism is a direct response to Realism, which Huck Finn is a prime example. Realism came about as a literary movement in the late 1860s after the Civil War, because the writers wanted to point toward a moral code. The movement started to fail in the late 1880s or 1890s because things weren't getting better. Naturalism, especially in this book (although CALL OF THE WILD has many things foreign to naturalism as well), contends there is no moral code, and that the way to get to the true explanation of life is to really get back to nature and observation and science. Although fundamentally opposed to naturalism (read C. S. Lewis's ABOLITION OF MAN for a detailed argument, as well as THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY, the first two books in MERE CHRISTIANITY), I like this book quite a bit. Why? Glad you asked. Lets take this story and make Buck a human. Would the story have been well received? No. It would have gotten the same treatment SISTER CARRIE did. The sheer genius in this book rests in the fact that Buck is a dog, and, being a dog, London can do quite a bit more. The moral code doesn't really apply to animals in this fallen world. There are also strong evolutionary themes in this work (Darwin just recently becoming popular in that era).

Another paradox to this work, since it is supposed to be naturalist, is how much Buck transforms. In most naturalist novels the characters hardly learn anything through the course of the novel (look at Carrie at the beginning and at the end of Drieser's novel - she doesn't learn anything really, as opposed to Realist work where the moral is always clearly stated) - not so with this book. Buck not only learns but he becomes progressively more and more powerful. The interesting thing about this novel lies in the fact that, although supposedly naturalistic, in the end Buck becomes a mythic character. There are twelve elements of myth, and this reaches all of them. There is a book (A Hero With A Thousand Faces I think) that goes through them all. Anyway, and it shows up in SISTER CARRIE as well with the rocking chair serving as the symbolism, the major preoccupation with naturalist writers is why do humans have this constant yearning for something more? London doesn't have the answers (because he didn't have Jesus), and, for a naturalist novel, the ending is very strange and out of place because it ends in a romanticized and impossible mythic realm, in a valley where the gold crowds the river beds and Buck becomes a legendary terror among the Yeehats.

One theme that struck me as very interesting is the theme of man (or in the case dog) against society - or more appropriately Civilization. Civilization imposes rigid and unnatural things Buck, and he becomes aloof from all. London describes him as a lord, and he has no real love. Yet, as he abandons these conventions of Civilization (and in many cases morality), he falls in love with (in a man-dog relation can go of course - lets not get indecent here) John Thornton. Yet even his love for Thornton he must abandon for the Call of the Wild. It seems (although, as it is a dog, the lines are a lot more blurred since a lot of what London says is true for animals, but not for the human race) the closer you get to the real primal creature and abandon society's convention, the closer to the real world you are. If you take that to apply to humans, its true and it's a lie. Man has two natures within him, one for righteousness the other for sin. If you are a Christian, then you will end in the place where Buck did - that land of myth that is impossible in this world. But if you indulge your sin nature and do not come to Jesus in the end you will go to.

Something must be said for WHITE FANG. WHITE FANG is this novel in reverse. It's a story of a dog who becomes civilized, and although CALL is better WF is very good. I tend to look upon them as companion works, with one tracing the harkening back to the wild and the other the domestication of dogs.

There is also a complex economic underpinning to this novel. Jack London proclaimed himself a socialist, and yet bragged that he wrote novels for money. Much of the motivation in this novel is economics - why would people go up to the Klondike in the first place but to get gold? And in the end they end in the valley of gold, that land of myth.

Jack London was a contradictory man. Much like Buck, he had come out of the states and went to live in London in the slums, a horrible place, one of the worst on earth at that time. This corresponds to Buck going from sunkissed California to the Klondike, and London sought out the extremes in both situations. In the end he committed suicide, dying at the age of 40.

(Just a side note: Buck is involved in the transmission of the mail at first, and at the end of the book he involves himself in the transmission of the male genetics....



Buck realizes his potential, 30 Jun 2005
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.

A poignant, moving story of nature and survival, 30 Nov 2002
I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many another respected author. The story London tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even sadder are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

Wonderful book - gripping to the end., 11 Apr 2006
The stories contained within this book are all excellent. You may well find yourself losing track of time as they draw you in and don't let go.

It's surprising how modern the stories contained within the book (Call of the Wild, White Fang, etc.) feel. If you liked any of the film versions of the stories then read this book: the films can't compete.

Read this book - it's worth every penny and all the stories within are gripping!!!

The Wild is within us, 12 Jan 2004
Beautifully written tale of survival of the fittest in the Wild. London perfectly manages to transpose quite human attributes to both wolf and dog in order for the reader to immerse in the realities of the sublime yet brutal life in the Wild...In doing so, London gives us the chance to communicate with our instincts and react to the events in the book rather than rationalising them.

Fast paced narrative never strays, 20 Nov 2008
I'm wary of animal stories getting dull and excessively anthropomorphic (human) but this keeps clear of fatigue with a steely intent. One can sense throughout, London's urge to portray and illuminate the harsh truth of 'evolving nature'. Short sentences and a vivid imagination bring the task to pumping life as we follow the hard struggle for life; the trials and tribulations of the animal hero who, after a wild background and heritage, becomes the centre of our sympathy.

It's through this sympathy that we are awakened - at times violently - to the truth about life and growth, via darwin, and to an awareness of the environment that forges people and animals. An essential, accessible read at times greatly moving and sickening, this is both a rich feast and source of wisdom about the world and our relation to animals ...and dogs!


a sensational masterpiece, 20 Mar 2003
I first read White Fang when I was 8 years old by nicking it from my uncle and since then, i.e. 20 years later, I have read it at least 50 times.
This is a truly sensational masterpiece. The way London describes the ever-lasting struggle for survival, the dangers present in true life along with the deep feelings and emotions of a half-wolf, is overwhelming.
By the end of the book, you realise that have falen in love with white fang and want him to be yours.
I most certainly recommend this book to all children and also grown ups. read this book once and then you will realise that London was a genius, who truly understood the human nature. In this book, London illustrates the different natures of human being: love, hatred, greed, vengence, justice, etc.
This is a book for all ages and I assure you that if you look beyond the dog and human masks, you'll never regret having read this book and you most certainly won't consider it a waste of time.

This is without a doubt the best book I have ever read., 28 Dec 1998
This book is about a Wolf cub who grows up to be one of the most feared animals in North America. He has many fights and many owners, some kind and some horrible. There is a lot of deaths in this book and is very exciting.

Spoilt by Love , 30 May 2008
Jack London's Sea-wolf is a story studying the tension between civilisation and the Darwinian view of Survival of the Fittest. The protagonist, writing in the first person is the civilised literary sort, a book-critic no less. The Sea-Wolf, captain of the ship is the magnificent but brutish alpha-male.

This novel began excellently, unfolding the relationship between these two characters. The captain's psychopathy becoming quickly patent, however more interestingly the protagonist begins to adopt this hierarchical struggle within the ship's crew. This is where the true beauty of the book lies.

Unfortunately, the author seemingly grasping for somewhere to go, introduces a love-interest and everything then disappears down the plug-hole of cliche. Sad to say it, there's also a cliched moral to this story, and that was very disappointing.

Testing Human Values, 03 Jul 2004
Caution: The Sea Wolf is full of examples of man's inhumanity to man. If you are easily upset by callous disregard of the health and safety of others, you will not enjoy this book. Further, the book describes many of the worst abuses of the ways that seals were hunted for their fur.

On the surface, The Sea Wolf is a story about seal hunting expeditions to the Bering Sea. Beneath the surface, this book is an allegory about the nature of a human's life.

The Sea Wolf is one of those novels that explores philosophy as its primary purpose. The idea is to take abstract philosophical ideas, and make the philosophies come to life by putting them into interesting circumstances. So while there's an adventure tale on the surface of The Sea Wolf, that story is there merely to provide examples of the philosophical points. So don't be surprised if the adventure falters from time to time in favor of developing the philosophical examples. In the Sea Wolf, action is included primarily for character development rather than the reader's visceral entertainment.

In this book, Jack London was obviously fascinated by the new theories of Social Darwinism that grew out of Darwin's Origin of Species, indicating that the most capable people survived and prospered while the least capable fell by the wayside. Another influence was Nietzsche's concept of the amoral superman. A third influence was Milton's poem, Paradise Lost, and the role that Lucifer played in that story. To explore these points, Mr. London developed Captain Wolf Larsen, owner of the seal hunting schooner, Ghost. Captain Larsen is as amoral and strong in body and mind as you can imagine. Think of him as 100 percent traditional masculinity.

For a counterpoint, Mr. London looked to the traditional concepts of the Christian gentleman. Such a man is concerned with matters of the soul, helping others, ideas, and pursuing perfection. Taken to its extreme, such a man becomes almost like a woman. To develop this contrast, Mr. London uses the character of Humphrey van Weydon (known as "sissy" van Weydon to his friends while growing up) who is a literary critic.

The story evolves through putting Humphrey van Weydon into Larsen's world. The book's key theme is that a true man combines the virtues of a Christian gentleman with the masculine strength and independence of his sex's superior qualities over many women (like a successful jousting knight), but this true man can only be completed by the company and spiritual connection to a good woman (much like the medieval knight had to have his lady as a source of platonic love). As you can imagine, this theme will not inspire those looking for a nonstop, heart-pounding adventure tale.

The power of the story comes in the book's first half, when you will not know what to expect next from Wolf Larsen. If you are like me, you will feel a little involuntary discomfort every time Larsen comes near van Weydon . . . or anyone else, for that matter. The book's second half will be less appealing to most male readers, but will be the more appealing part for many female readers.

The book's strength is the way that the van Weydon character develops. You will come to appreciate his trials and the ways he handles them. If you find that you don't like that character after 75 pages, I suggest that you read no further unless you are otherwise enjoying the book.

May all your endeavors be worthy of your highest ideals and potential!

The Sea Wolf, 03 Nov 2003
I was disappointed with this disc. I wanted something that capured Korngolds music that you only ever hear in brief these days. I also wanted something that was a modern recording and the release date on this disc led me astray. Its the original sound track and sounds like it. Neither is it typical Korngold as the sleeve notes explain. This film is moody and eerie and the music relects it. My lack of knowledge of Korngolds music is great. I'm going to try and find something recorded more recently and more typical.

Great Book!, 08 Jul 1999
This is probably one of the best examples of character devolopment that I have ever read. London paints a pictures of Humphrey, Wolf Larson, and the rest so that the act as real people. It is also topped off with a great story of adventure and romance. However, the most important point of the book is the good versus evil, or the one who believes in God versus the one who does not. The reader struggles with the same questions placed on Humphrey until the good finally triumphs in the end.

Uneasy mix of great uebermensch story and bad love story., 02 Jun 1999
It's a real shame that Jack London coupled one of his most fascinating and full-blooded characters with a stinker of a love story which carries no conviction.

Maud Brewster, like many of London's female characters (from Skeet, Curly and Mercedes in The Call of the Wild to Beth, Alice and Collie in White Fang), is underdeveloped, a mite hysterical, and completely dependent on the male characters. Without much in terms of psychological complexity, Maud provides a poor, poor reason for Humphrey Van Weyden to rebel against Wolf Larsen.

The first half of this book and its final few chapters are superb because London's male characters and their struggles are vividly portrayed. The knife-whetting contest between Mugridge and Hump; the homoerotic segment where Hump tends to a naked and wounded Larsen; Johnson and Leach's struggle against Larsen's iron fist -- London obviously loves these characters and gives them the light of day. Maud is another story.

In any event, the first half of this book is the top-notch tale of a Miltonic hero's slow slide from power, and the ending a moving fulfillment of this character's destiny (life, in the end, *is* yeast...but a savagely active and beautiful yeast, at that). Another one of London's terrible worlds unfolding its brutal majesty before us -- and, of course, another book inexplicably relegated to the children's section of many a book store.

An oft-misread American modern classic, 16 Jun 2007
Having read the book myself, I disagree with those who regard it an inspiring tale of personal triumph. To be sure, the book dramatizes the gut-wrenching, heart-wringing struggle of the protagonist, Martin Eden, to reinvent himself, through self-study, into a versatile writer of repute with a view to making himself worthy not only of his fiancée, Ruth Morse, but also of the bourgeois society to which she belongs and in which he seeks to gain membership despite his humble origins. But the book, as anyone who has read it conscientiously knows, ends on a tragic note: Martin Eden's suicide at the height of his success can't simply be discounted. Shouldn't this ending then provoke one into asking whether or not the book is truly the inspirational narrative that it is popularly regarded to be?

I believe it should.

In my view, the book is a cautionary tale of transcendence gone awry. How so? Martin Eden's tenacity of purpose is predicated on his a priori conviction that his fiancée and the bourgeoisie can value his intrinsic worth as an individual of potential. But alas! Much to his profound disillusionment, he discovers later on that his fiancée and the bourgeoisie have no appreciation at all (and can never have any) for what he is and what he's willing himself to be. Only when Fame and Fortune have already smiled on him are they prepared to regard him well - and only superficially so at that. In other words, Martin Eden realizes he is wrong in believing they can value him on his own terms, not on theirs; only his extrinsic worth as an individual of attainment matters to them, and like it or not, that's all he can ever expect of them.

That the force of realization is strong enough to dissipate his passion for living is hardly surprising. He has inadvertently foredoomed himself by obsessively seeking genuine affirmation from the people of the `wrong' sort. It can't be otherwise especially in view of his rigid sense of self-consistency, which prevents him from accepting the way things are and amending himself accordingly. Whether or not his suicide then is an act of lunacy, cowardice, or plain weakness, one thing is certain: it is arguably an act of repudiation like Kate Chopin's tragic heroine Edna Pontellier's in the Awakening. Their suicides, which coincidentally involved entombing themselves in watery graves, could be said to constitute the ultimate statement of defiance against their societies that have given them much sorrow.


London's life in fiction, 09 Feb 2000
Most astute readers recognise the name Jack London and think:snow, howling hounds and macho adve