The Call of the WildThe Call of the Wild
Score Classic
What it's about
Buck, a big, pampered dog living on a judge's estate in California, is stolen and sold to work as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. Beaten, starved and forced to fight, he learns the law of the club and the fang, rises to lead his team, and finds a master he loves. But all along, the wild is calling him.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. It's short, thrilling and one of the great animal stories ever written.
You'll love it if you liked
Martin Eden
Watchers
Lonesome DoveGood to know
There's cruelty to animals and violent dog fights. It's under 150 pages.
By the numbers
- Readers29 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller49 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #66 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #317 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1029 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Jack London
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Quick answers
Is The Call of the Wild worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and was voted onto PBS's Great American Read. It ranks #1,029 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Call of the Wild about?
Buck, a big, pampered dog living on a judge's estate in California, is stolen and sold to work as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. Beaten, starved and forced to fight, he learns the law of the club and the fang, rises to lead his team, and finds a master he loves. But all along, the wild is calling him.
How long does it take to read The Call of the Wild?
About 5 hours (196 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Call of the Wild?
If you liked it, try Martin Eden by Jack London, Watchers by Dean Koontz or Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.