I came to these books having read John Krakauer's Into the Wild, the story of Chris McCandless. Chris had read these book that inspired him to go on his epic adventure to Alaska that led to his death.

Being Highly interested in that story I was compelled to read these two stories.

I have read The Call of the Wild and am 2 chapters into White Fang. I really did love the former and I can see why it was the inspiration of McCandless. Following the story from the view point of Buck, the cross-breed house dog who was kidknapped to the hard wilds of the Northlands was written fantastically and in a believeble manner. Great story and portrayal of the relationship between man and dog.

Highly recommend this book, and I look forward to completing White Fang ( )

Two stories with a very similar idea to them. In one case a wolf-dog becomes the fiercest fighter and leader of a pack of wolves, then is forced to fight to the death with other dogs, and finally discovers love with a gentle man; in the second, a domesticated though rather large dog goes the opposite route, from a settled home in California to the Alaskan wilderness, becomes fierce to survive, and only at the end rediscovers the joys of human warmth and comfort.

Both stories are excellently written - and were far more enjoyable than I had hoped they would be. ( )

Two magnificent stories of dogs and men in the Northern wilderness

Buck, a large dog of mixed shepherd and St. Bernard parentage, lives a happy life as an outdoor pet until he is stolen and sold as a sled dog during the Yukon gold rush. Soon, he learns “the law of club and fang,” to obey men with the former and dogs with the latter. At the same time, he seems to learn the limitations of these instruments at achieving anything more than temporary obedience; no amount of whipping will make him respect an incompetent master. Eventually, Buck finds his ideal master and loves him with all a dog’s devotion… but as they go together deeper into the Yukon wilderness, Buck hears the call of his wild, primeval ancestry.

My edition comes with an introduction that’s very interested in the social Darwinian and socialist implications of the novel. I can’t help but think, though, that’s important to remember that Buck is a dog, and not an anthropomorphic cartoon character. His needs are not a human’s needs and what is appropriate for him is not the same as for a human. If one must draw parallels to a human idea, I see more echoes here of “going native,” in the style of Heart of Darkness or even Huckleberry Finn—Buck tries out civilization, but it is a thin veneer at odds with his nature. ( )

a classic -- must read!!! ( )