Jack London

Call of the Wild Jack London

The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London published in 1903. The story is set in the Yukon during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush-a period when powerful sled dogs were in high demand. The novel's central character is a dog named Buck, a domesticated dog living at a ranch in the Santa Clara valley of California as the story opens. Taken from his home and sold into the brutal existence of an Alaskan sled dog, he reverts to primal traits. Eventually he sheds the semblance of civilization, relying on primordial instincts and lessons he learns, to emerge as a leader in the wild. The story became an instant classic, as humanity continues to wrestle with the consequences of a naturalistic outlook on human affairs, "The Call of the Wild" remains relevant with its blunt portrayal of nature, red in tooth and claw.