The Call of the Wild

Written by: Jack London in 1903

A written from a dog's perspective. I thought this story was going to be lame. It turned out to be a really nice story. I thought that the dog was going to talk and communicate with other animals and that it was going to be like a Disney movie. The author was very smart when he wrote this piece of work.

The story for me was more about survival, and a call that is in each of us. The call to be more, to be better, greater... that we are a part of something larger. It was a real story. when I say this I am talking about how characters die unexpectedly and there are bad things that happen without reason.

It was a touching story at times. The dog "Buck" is a survivor. He respects the way things are, and deep inside knows that there is more. He succeeds in his endeavors and at points is holding on to a thread of life. Things are bad for him at points and at others he is in ecstasy.

I found this story very real and true to life. It was not graphic... though there were some fight sequences that go into detail. It was not disgusting. All the characters were very true to life as well. This story is great.

Into Thin Air

Written by : Jon Krakauer

This book was really interesting. I used to rock climb a bit (mostly indoors). It never interested me to climb a mountain. But after reading this book I have a spark that has begun in me, and I feel a need to get to the top of a mountain. I don't want to climb Everest... but something high.

This is a story about the author, and a trip that he took to the top of Mount Everest. It was a catastrophe. A large number of people died; it was sad. I was very compelled to understand why and how and what happened as a reader. The author did a great job explaining all of the above. He gave his account of what had happened, and it was very interesting to read. I think that he felt compelled to write this story to help himself cope with the horrible & wonderful event he experienced.

The detail in the book is magnificent, it lead me to google many beautiful images. He explained the climb in a way that any juvenile read would understand. It was an exciting and wonderful read. I felt like I was breezing through the 300 pages.

What I found most amazing in the story was how much the human spirit can withstand. And how determination and drive can compel a person to risk so much for a goal. And that success and defeat are not important in the end when lives are on the line.
I was also amazed at the descriptions of what the people involved in story could endure. Truely amazing.

The Swiss Family Robinson

Written by : Johann David Wyss in 1812

Before reading this story you have to understand that it was written for the sole purpose of educating his children. I read this book and kept wondering where the struggles and survival for life would enter the story. It was very frustrating, I couldn't believe that there was this place that a whole family would be able to live and thrive alone.

Everything they needed was available to them. And their father was a walking freakin' encyclopedia. I don't remember him ever being wrong; even when he was under the assumption of something. The family was able to build a number of homes, and they sounded alot better than the homes I've lived in during my life; even though they were in trees and in caves?? They not only saved themselves from a ship wreck, but cattle and enough animals to run a farm. Not to mention enough gun powder to last generations, guns, supplies, books, clothes... its really nutty when you think about it. It would have made more sense to just have moved to an island.

They were ship wrecked and life turned out to be better for them than anyone could ever imagine. I kept saying that the only thing they were missing was that they didn't have other people to share it with, and then BAM! people show up (and they are friendly).

You can't watch Cast Away, or read Robinson Crusoe and then expect this book to make any sense. Its just really far fetched and unbelievable. Is there a place on this planet that houses elephants, penguins, whales, seals, lions and tigers... ridiculous.

If you can accept that this is a fictional story written for the purpose of educating children almost over 200 years ago. Then I can understand the appeal to the book.

The book I had was over 500 pages and took me a number of weeks to get through.