Scan barcode
manadabomb's review against another edition
4.0
Look at me, actually finishing an IRL book club book prior to book club night. I actually prefer the classics as book club fodder, rather than bios and more modern books. Discussing the latter with folks just doesn't hold my interest.
This was a pretty short (and free on Kindle) book. I was really diving into my pile o'mysteries but needed to get this read. Surprisingly, once I downloaded it and started reading, I was in it for the short haul. Before long I was at 30% read then 55% then 80% and hell, I might as well finish!
Buck is our main character. He's a large dog, weighing in at 140lbs, who lives a good life in Santa Clara Valley. The gardener, needing to pay some gambling debts, steals and sells Buck to folks who mistreat and starve him and ship him to Seattle. There, Buck encounters the man in the red sweater and starts shedding his domestic existence and embracing his wild side. Having to train as a sled dog in the Yukon ("train" - ie. being beaten and whipped until he does the right thing), Buck becomes more and more feral.
People can suck and Buck encounters those people in Hal, Charles and Mercedes from the US who buy Buck and his team to mush them across thousands of miles for gold. These people are so inept and cruel they deserved their fate, but taking the dogs down with them.... broke my heart. I find I usually feel more for animals than for people lately.
Buck ends up in the hands of Thornton and finally finds love of his master, which surprisingly, he realizes he didn't have in Santa Clara Valley. When a terrible and gruesome end comes, Buck is left on his own and gives over completely to his wild instincts and runs with a wolf pack for the reminder of his days.
Despite being a domesticated dog for a good portion of his years, Buck had the instincts of his foredogs and he learned to follow them and survive.
This was a pretty short (and free on Kindle) book. I was really diving into my pile o'mysteries but needed to get this read. Surprisingly, once I downloaded it and started reading, I was in it for the short haul. Before long I was at 30% read then 55% then 80% and hell, I might as well finish!
Buck is our main character. He's a large dog, weighing in at 140lbs, who lives a good life in Santa Clara Valley. The gardener, needing to pay some gambling debts, steals and sells Buck to folks who mistreat and starve him and ship him to Seattle. There, Buck encounters the man in the red sweater and starts shedding his domestic existence and embracing his wild side. Having to train as a sled dog in the Yukon ("train" - ie. being beaten and whipped until he does the right thing), Buck becomes more and more feral.
People can suck and Buck encounters those people in Hal, Charles and Mercedes from the US who buy Buck and his team to mush them across thousands of miles for gold. These people are so inept and cruel they deserved their fate, but taking the dogs down with them.... broke my heart. I find I usually feel more for animals than for people lately.
Buck ends up in the hands of Thornton and finally finds love of his master, which surprisingly, he realizes he didn't have in Santa Clara Valley. When a terrible and gruesome end comes, Buck is left on his own and gives over completely to his wild instincts and runs with a wolf pack for the reminder of his days.
Despite being a domesticated dog for a good portion of his years, Buck had the instincts of his foredogs and he learned to follow them and survive.
arytaco's review against another edition
3.0
Jack London's canine-centric tale amongst the Alaskan gold rush has the reputation of a young-reader novella, but it surprisingly contains many moments of bloody descriptions and gnarly imagery. Tragedy, death and confusion plague the journey, while Buck, the St. Bernard-Shepherd protagonist, struggles with his commitment to humanity or the incoming call of the wild. The story is dragged-down by lengthy descriptions, but it can also be read as a social allegory. The whip motif used against the dogs is the oppression set forth by the upper class (man), while Buck's journey into wildlife is reminiscent of leaving oppression and finding peace and solitude. The kindness of his final owner, John Thornton, briefly warms him up to humanity, but a diamond-in-the-rough isn't the usual offering provided by the dogs' superiors.
jaxoni's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
dythmo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Excellent read on dogs and wolves in the wilderness.
allenl's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
dreamofbookspines's review against another edition
adventurous
3.0
I was obsessed with this book as a kid (around 5 or 6). Now I feel like my tastes have changed, but it's still an interesting read. Depressing of course because animal abuse, but intriguing with the way London describes the feral qualities present in [all?] animals.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
mdevlin923's review against another edition
3.0
Buck is a large St. Bernard living on a ranch in California when he is stolen and shipped north to become a sled dog during the Klondike gold rush. Buck quickly adapts to the cold, to the work, and to the environment; but as he is sold from one human to another, he slowly becomes more fierce and more wild. When his beloved human dies, Buck rejects human companionship and runs wild with wolves.
The premise (adventure story of a dog pulling sleds in the Yukon territory) seems like it would be a great option for late-elementary school aged children...but this book is probably too violent for that age group. Since it was written in the early 1900s, it also has terms that are not acceptable today. Recommend to older children / teens, or have children read with a caring adult.
The premise (adventure story of a dog pulling sleds in the Yukon territory) seems like it would be a great option for late-elementary school aged children...but this book is probably too violent for that age group. Since it was written in the early 1900s, it also has terms that are not acceptable today. Recommend to older children / teens, or have children read with a caring adult.