Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Call of the Wild


Chapters...

1.Into the Primitive
2.The Law of club and fang
3.The Dominant Primordial Beast
4.Who has won to mastership
5.The Toil of Trace and Trail
6.For the Love of a Man
7.The Sounding of the Call

    What do those chapters tell you?

    A book first published in 1903, the fact that it has stayed relevant today raises it above the 'story of a dog surviving in harsh conditions' view that appears on the surface. In an amazingly multi-layered, yet small book(you'll find yourself doffing your hats to the author for telling so much in so few words), Jack London takes you through a dog's, Buck's, journey through a harsh life. By making no attempts to explicitly juxtapose the events in Buck's life to man's own, he gives you the freedom to paint it in your head. It's a book that offers so much space for the reader to fill in his colors, his own thoughts. It's not Jack London writing a story, but you reading it. It's personal.

    From a princely comfortable life in 'the big house in the sun-kissed Santa Clara valley' to being the legendary 'Ghost Dog that runs at the head of the pack' is a journey that is ruthless, bloody and yet what every man aspires to do in life. The 'call' is what every man wants to hear, clear and loud. It is what every man wants to embrace.

'Harsh. Brutal. Strong.' {says the back-cover}

Read the book. {says I}

PS: After you read the book, have a look at the chapter list to find one of the best summaries ever written for a book. :)

3 comments:

Neha said...

Good and a Crisp review. The fact that it is a short book inspires me to read.

But I am not too sure if every man wants to have ruthless journey in their life.

Keep writing!

Unknown said...

very good book,
keep writing=)

Unknown said...

very good book,
keep writing=)