The Call of the Wild - Jack London

(The pictures on the right were taken at Jack London's home, not far from where I live. The top one shows his summer sleeping area with writing notes hung on a line. I highly recommend a visit to Jack London State Park if you are ever in this area.)

Buck's first day on the Dyea Beach was like a nightmare. Every hour was filled with shock and surprise. He had been suddenly jerked from the heart of civilization and flung into the heart of things primordial. No lazy, sun-kissed life was this, with nothing to do but loaf and be bored. Here was neither peace, nor rest, nor a moment's safety. All was confusion and action, and every moment life and limb were in peril. There was imperative need to be constantly alert; for these dogs and men were not town dogs and men. They were savages, all of them, who knew no law but the law of club and fang.

I just re-read Call of the Wild after last reading it in high school. It stands up well and is just as wonderful for an adult reader as a teenager. London is a classic American writer covering outdoor adventure. The Call of the Wild is considered by many to be his best novel. More than a hundred years after it was written, it remains a timeless classic.

The main character in the book is a dog named Buck. The book details the difficult life of a working dog in snow country. Humans play a very secondary role in the book. Even if you don't love dogs, the book will stir emotions and have you rooting for Buck. London knows how to write adventure that keeps you glued to the story and immersed in the setting.