5 Best Jack London Books (2023) - Are They Worth Reading?

The Greatest Books: Written by Jack London

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10 Best Jack London Books and Short Stories | Book Analysis

Once living a relaxed life in California's Santa Clara Valley, a strong canine named Buck, who is a hybrid of St. Bernard and sheepdog, is suddenly thrust into hardship. His life is interrupted by the gold rush in Canada's Klondike region, which brings about a high demand for robust dogs to pull sleds. Buck is stolen from his home by a gardener and sold to dog traders who brutally train him to obey commands and then transport him to the icy Klondike region.

On arriving in the cold North, Buck is shocked by the harshness he encounters. He witnesses the brutal death of a fellow dog, Curly, at the hands of a pack of huskies, a sight that strengthens his resolve to survive. Buck becomes a sled dog for Francois and Perrault, mail carriers for the Canadian government. He reawakens his wild instincts, learning to fight, forage, and survive the harsh winter nights. He also finds himself in a power struggle with Spitz, the pack's lead dog, which culminates in a fatal fight that allows Buck to take over as leader. Despite achieving record time on their runs, the team is sold to a mail carrier who overworks them, leading to the death of one dog.

Buck's new owners, American gold hunters named Hal, Charles, and Mercedes, are woefully unprepared for the wilderness lifestyle, leading to a disastrous journey where food shortage and extreme exhaustion kill off most of the team. Buck, among the surviving dogs, is rescued by John Thornton before the owners plunge into a melting ice patch, resulting in their deaths. Buck grows a strong bond with Thornton, saving him from various dangers and even winning a hefty wager for him by pulling an impossible load. However, Buck increasingly feels a pull towards the wild. He explores further into the wilderness, befriending wolves and hunting large game, always returning to Thornton until one day he finds his master killed by the Yeehat Indians. Devastated, Buck takes revenge on the Indians and then retreats into the wild, where he becomes a legendary "Ghost Dog", leading a wolf pack and fathering numerous offspring. Despite his wild life, he returns annually to mourn his beloved master at the site of his death.

The Call of the Wild

La llamada de lo salvaje

In the freezing wilderness, two men find themselves in danger as their dogs are seduced and devoured by a pack of wolves, led by a she-wolf. Out of ammunition, Bill attempts to rescue one of their dogs but is tragically devoured along with the pet. The remaining man, Henry, manages to survive by keeping the wolves at bay with a fire, and eventually saved by a group of passing travelers.

The wolf pack, suffering from a period of famine, is led in their desperate search for food by a few wolves and the she-wolf. When they find sustenance, the pack starts to disperse. The she-wolf mates and has a litter, but due to further famines, only one strong and spirited pup survives. This she-wolf, who is a half-dog hybrid, returns with her pup to an Indian village and is recaptured by her former owner, Gray Beaver. The she-wolf is later sold to another Indian, but her pup, White Fang, remains with Gray Beaver, who tolerates, even encourages, his vicious behavior, especially towards a local dog named Lip-lip.

White Fang's increasing ferocity leads him to kill other dogs. Following a trading trip that leads Gray Beaver to develop an addiction to whiskey, White Fang is given to a cruel man named Beauty Smith, who forces him into brutal dog fights. White Fang's life takes a turn when he is rescued from a deadly battle with a bulldog by a man named Scott. Scott domesticates White Fang and brings him to California. There, White Fang grows to love his new family, proving his loyalty by saving Scott's father from a convict. Eventually, White Fang fathers a litter of puppies with Collie, another one of Scott's dogs, and settles into a contented life.

7 Best Jack London Books of All Time

The Call of the Wild

White Fang

The Sea-Wolf

Martin Eden

The Iron Heel

The Scarlet Plague

The Complete Short Stories

Sources

What To Read Next

7 Best Jack London Books of All Time

The Call of the Wild

White Fang

The Sea-Wolf

Martin Eden

The Iron Heel

The Scarlet Plague

The Complete Short Stories

Sources

What To Read Next

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