A story of strength and survival Buck is a dog born to luxury, but when he is sold to be a sledge dog in the harsh and frozen north he must quickly learn how to survive. He soon earns a reputation for his strength and courage and endures physical exhaustion, fierce battles with other dogs, and cruel treatment from a series of masters before he is saved by John Thornton and learns to love. But the call of the wild is strong, awakening primitive feelings of life in a wolf pack. When his beloved master is killed, Buck is finally free to follow that call. The Call of the Wild was first published in 1903 and quickly became a huge bestseller. A masterpiece of adventure and survival, it continues to enthrall readers almost a century on.