A Dog’s Life/London’s Bio

Dear 7th Graders.  Whenever reading Call of the Wild, I lose track of time and the cares of daily life just slip away. Why?  Read on.

I love dogs, which makes reading Call of the Wild very difficult at times.  The brutal treatment of Buck and his “dog-panions” is graphic.  Though by today’s standard of entertainment, it may seem quite tame.

Before I raised my own dog Cairo,  I read a book called The Art of Raising a Puppy.  Like Call of the Wild this was a book that really brought me into the mind of the dog.  For the first time, I made a strong connection about my dog’s wolfish instincts.  I trained him accordingly which meant that I allowed his instincts to help me understand his behavior.  I was learning far more from him than he was learning from me.  By drawing boundaries and showing him lots of love and affection – he has become a happy and gentle (although slobbery and huge) canine.

Cairo truly is a member of our family’s pack.  He knows his role and he respects the alpha (that’s me).  In turn, I have a responsibility to care for him by providing for him and doing all I can to give him a long and joyful life.  He’s getting on in years.  I know the day will come soon when he will be gone.  I dread the thought, so for now, I relish the sight of him galloping on the beach, digging up logs, and chasing anything that moves with intense curiosity.  This is when I imagine Cairo, like Buck, is following his own Call.  The Call of the Wild.

I think you will love this book.  The vocabulary is thick, but don’t be afraid – we’ll work through it.  The novel is full of local images (the Santa Clara Valley), intense action, suspense, kindness, cruelty, insight, and understanding about animals and their own connection with nature.  Plan and prepare to lose track of time.  Even if you are not a dog lover, being in the mind of an animal is a pretty unique opportunity.

Here’s a link to a brief biography about Jack London.  A bay area legend and one of my literary heroes.