Buck, the magnificent offspring of a St Bernard and Scotch shepherd dog, lives contentedly on a California estate until he is stolen and shipped northwards to be trained as a sledge dog. Uprooted from the civilized world, he is thrown into the cruel and savage struggle of the Klondike gold rush. The story of his heroic adventures and his response to the "call of the wild" has not only excited readers but also struck a deeper, mythic chord.