Who would like this book: All ages
Buck is a powerful dog, half St. Bernard and half sheepdog. The story begins with Buck leading a comfortable life, but he is soon kidnapped by dog traders, who teach him obedience through cruelty and ship him north to be a sled dog.
As Buck becomes a sled dog, he continues to be shocked by the cruelty he sees around him. He recovers the instincts of his wild ancestors: he learns to fight, scavenge for food, and sleep beneath the snow. At the same time, he develops a fierce rivalry with Spitz, the lead dog in the team. Buck begins to undercut Spitz’s authority, and eventually the two dogs become involved in a major fight. Buck kills Spitz and takes his place as the lead dog.
With Buck at the head of the team, they find much success. The team is turned over to a variety of owners who show little to no regard for them. A man named Thornton becomes Buck’s master, and Buck becomes very devoted to him. Buck’s love for Thornton is mixed with a growing attraction to the wild, and he feels as if he is being called away from civilization and into the wilderness.
Thorton is eventually killed by indians and Buck becomes the leader of a pack of wolves. He becomes a legendary figure, a Ghost Dog, fathering countless cubs and the indians fear him. Every year he returns to the place where Thornton died, to mourn his master before returning to his life in the wild. I'm glad I read this book but I must say it was a little too descriptive for me.
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