The Call of the Wild (Unabridged Classics)

Book Description

Buck lives a content life. Half St. Bernard, half Shepard, he is top dog on a California ranch. But the Gold Rush in the Klondike has produced an enormous demand for sled dogs so, when a Gardner at the ranch needs to pay a gambling debt, stealing and selling Buck is a quick way to do it.
Having never been mistreated, Buck soon learns that man can be the cruelest animal. He is whipped, beaten and caged, but never broken. Confronted by the law of survival, Buck learns to fight, steal and pull a sled. He takes pride in his new strength and ferocity. Buck manages to escape this life of abuse and learns to love a new master more than his own life. He gradually discovers the skills of his forbears and finds his home in the primordial forest - eventually Buck cannot resist the call of the wild.
This classic book brings out the true spirit of the Gold Rush days at the turn of the last century. It portrays the brutality, kindness, love, and folly that Jack London experienced first hand during his time in the far north. It was his first successful book, and catapulted him to literary fame.

Customer Reviews:

The not-so secret life of dogs.......2005-12-17

This is a powerful tale that presents the psychology of a dog's mind, as transparent to the reader. The influence of London's writing style is seen in countless modern novels, and has the ability to transport you emotionally to the cold desolate artic. It's a dog lovers story, without the sappiness of such tales told in the more contemporary voice. His conclusions, are rational, and any one who loves animals should hear them...dogs are dogs...and that's OK.

Buck realizes his potential.......2005-01-31

Gold was found in Alaska, the rush to obtain it required a strong constitution and many dogs to do the work that horses usually did in the states. The environment bread harsh attitudes. Also in the testing of ones mettle one finds their true potential.

Buck (a dog that is half St Bernard and half Shepherd) goes through many lives, trials, and tribulations finally realizing his potential. On the way he learns many concepts from surprise, to deceit, and cunning; he also learns loyalty, devotion, and love. As he is growing he feels the call of the wild.

This book is well written. There is not a wasted word or thought and the story while building on its self has purpose and direction. The descriptions may be a tad graphic for the squeamish and a tad sentimental for the romantic. You see the world through Buck's eyes and understand it through his perspective until you also feel the call of the wild.

Wild Orchids of the Pacific Northwest And Canadian Rockies

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Wild Orchids of the Pacific Northwest And Canadian Rockies
Paul Martin Brown
Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0813029007

Book Description

Native orchid expert and author Paul Martin Brown continues his successful series on the wild orchids of North America with Wild Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies. Whether beginner or professional, curious orchid hunters will be able to locate the nearly 50 species to be found in a wide variety of this region's local habitat—from seashore to temperate rain forest to alpine meadow. Brown reveals the best spots to find the orchids he describes and offers expert advice on how to plan and execute an enjoyable (and environmentally responsible) outing. As with Brown's other guides, all information is presented in a simple, straightforward style and with ample illustration so that proper identification is a snap.

Geographical coverage includes:
· Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, western Montana, and western Alberta
· 10 detailed area treatments: The Siskyous, Columbia River, The Cascades, Olympic Peninsula, Vancouver Island, Glacier National Park, Cypress Hills, Kodiak Island, Downtown Anchorage, Denali National Park
· 47 species, 1 subspecies, 10 varieties, 5 hybrids, and 62 forms

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When is the next installment?

So when's the next one?

A Gift of Sci-Fi Wonder

Fabulous storytelling

Reap the Wild Wind: Stratification #1 (Stratification)
Julie E. Czerneda
Manufacturer: DAW Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Canadian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Short Stories | Canadian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Short Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Legacy (The Sharing Knife #2)

The Guild of Xenolinguists

Endless Blue

Regeneration (Species Imperative #3)

The Heart of Valor (Confederation)

ASIN: 0756404568
Release Date: 2007-09-04

Book Description

In the first book of the Stratification series, set in an earlier time in Czerneda's Trade Pact Universe, the Clan has not yet learned how to manipulate the M'hir to travel between worlds. Instead, they are a people divided into small tribes, scattered over a fraction of their world, and prevented from advancing by two other powerful races who control both technology and terrain.

Aliens begin exploring the Clan's home planet, upsetting the delicate balance between the three intelligent races. It is a time, too, when one young woman is on the verge of mastering the forbidden power of the M'hir-a power that could prove to be the salvation or ruin of her entire species...

Customer Reviews:

When is the next installment?.......2007-10-10

Julie Czerneda proves again she has a fine talent for storytelling and a creative imagination. She has finally decided to gift us with the back story of how the Clan came to be found among the human worlds of the trade pact universe. In this first volume she Hints how it comes about that the most gifted might need or want to leave the planet of their origin. Or perhaps not! She leaves room for uncertainty in both origin and fate. This is how it should be in the first book of a series. As always the human (or almost human) chararacterizations in the story add strong interest to the plot.

So when's the next one?.......2007-09-21

A Thousand Words for Stranger, the first of the Trade Pact trilogy, is one of my favorite Czerneda books--so it seems only fitting that Reap the Wild Wind (first of the Trade Pact prequel trilogy, Stratification) now crowds Stranger for that very spot.

Like Stranger, RTWW focuses on individuals while unveiling a much larger story, making us care deeply about Aryl Sarc and her family--and newly acquired friends--even while catching us up in a tale that spans worlds Aryl can't yet imagine. Czerneda's deep respect for life of all forms here on Earth and her knowledge of same come through clearly, giving us all a little peek at what that vision might be like.

A Gift of Sci-Fi Wonder.......2007-09-06

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
on 09/05/2007

Cersi is a world divided by three sentient species. The Om'ray, a people almost indistinguishable from humans, are the most restricted. They must keep to their clans or face death, the only exception being Om'ray males who are called on Passage to distant females.

Among the Om'ray, the Yena is a forest clan whose people live far above the ground. Aryl Sarc is a young woman, not yet mature, but not quite a child. She is young, enthusiastic, and tends to act before thinking, especially where her considerable Talents are concerned. When tragedy strikes in the form of an incomprehensible device that flies with no discernable wings or motor, Aryl starts down a path that will change her life in unimaginable ways.

Cersi's other two species, the Tikitik and Oud, suddenly play larger roles in Aryl's life than she has ever known, and when she meets strangers who claim to be from another world, all her beliefs and knowledge will come into question. As an Om'ray, questioning the way things are can be deadly.

REAP THE WILD WIND is a prequel to Czerneda's "Trade Pact Universe." While I have not had the pleasure of reading the trilogy, I had no trouble following the action in this compelling science fiction adventure. In fact, RTWW was thoroughly enjoyable. Drama, action, all ranges of emotion, and the story itself will touch sci-fi fans, as well as many fantasy lovers.

Whether it's Ms. Czerneda's considerable background in biology, her sheer knack for storytelling, or something more ethereal, she has the ability to deliver to readers a gift of reading wonder worthy of a good night with a bowl of your favorite snack and drink. Enjoy!

Fabulous storytelling.......2007-09-04

On planet Cersi, the races of The Om'ray, Oud and Tikitik each possesses clearly marked territory; rarely except during the coming of age Passage does a member of one species trespass into the lands owned by the other two as that are key segments of the three principles that make up the planetary governance. The other criticality is that change is bad so nothing must transform on Cersi. Within the territory of the most privative of the three species, the Om'ray, are small tribal villages in which villagers except during the Passage never visit their neighboring villages as it has always been this way and will always be this way.

However aliens from the Trade Pact worlds of outer space arrive on Cersi. By their coming, they devastate the interrelationships between the species because regardless change has arrived from space. At the same time of the alien landing, an Om'ray female Arylis Sarc begins her rite of Passage trek by examining the outlawed M'hir power as she believes she can harness its usage, which will save her species from extinction as she fears the other two species and now this first contact outer space race will ultimately destroy them unless they embrace radical change.

Fans of the Trade Pact Universe trilogy will cherish the fabulous first act of the Stratification series, which is a prequel of the Clans when they still were planet bound. Although the story line provides a deep look into the three cultures especially the Om'ray, the action is non-stop as Julie E. Czerneda uses events for the audience to learn how the species lived before the first encounter and the beginning of the changes caused by the alien landing, which means Star Trek's Prime Directive is an impossible sham. Their coming encourages Arylis Sarc to further explore the taboo M'hir. Thus REAP THE WILD WIND is a coming of age science fiction tale at a time when people must choose between maintaining the status quo of centuries of customs and tradition vs. reaping the benefits of progress.

Harriet Klausner

Wild Orchids of the Canadian Maritimes And Northern Great Lakes Region

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Enthusiastically recommended for orchid lovers of all walks of life

Wild Orchids of the Canadian Maritimes And Northern Great Lakes Region
Paul Martin Brown
Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Trees | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0813029112

Book Description

More than 60 native orchid species can be found in the fields and forests of the Canadian Maritimes and shorelines of the Northern Great Lakes, and this indispensable guide is your key to finding them all. Wild orchid expert and author Paul Martin Brown provides essential information, making it easy for both novices and experienced orchid hunters alike to find what they need quickly and efficiently. No other field guide has ever covered these regions so completely.

Each species and variety is colorfully illustrated with photographs, a diagnostic line drawing and a distribution map, as well as a complete description of the habitat, range, and flowering time. Specific attention has been made to the numerous growth and color forms and a full, detailed list of synonyms for each species is included in a separate section. Simple, straightforward keys assist in identification so that removal of plants from the wild is unnecessary. New concepts in taxonomy and the place of hybrids are discussed and further aided by a comprehensive list of recent literature references and a bibliography.

Geographical coverage includes:
· Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and southeastern Quebec
· Ontario's northern shores of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario
· 10 detailed area treatments: Northern Shore of Lake Superior; Isle Royale; Timmins and the Polar Bear Express; Anticosti and the Mingan Islands; The Gaspe: Bic, Mt. Albert, Bonaventure Island; New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; southwestern Nova Scotia; Cape Breton; western Newfoundland; Cape Norman, Burnt Cape, and Cook's Harbour; The Mystery of Tilt Cove
· 55 species, 8 varieties, 72 forms, 7 hybrids

Customer Reviews:

Enthusiastically recommended for orchid lovers of all walks of life.......2006-08-05

The collaborative effort of author Paul Martin Brown and artist Stan Folsom, Wild Orchids Of The Canadian Maritimes And Northern Great Lakes Region is an excellent identification guide for lay readers and botanists alike. Featuring entries for more than 60 native species, Wild Orchids offers multiple full-color photographs for each, which is particularly useful for species that come in different colors, as multiple common colors for a given species are represented. The text each flower's name, range, distinguishing features, habitat, flowering period, and more. In addition to the photograph-filled identification section, there is a section that explains in depth how and where to find all of the different species. Durable, water-resistant binding and an index for quick and easy reference make Wild Orchids a premier guide for taking on the trail. Enthusiastically recommended for orchid lovers of all walks of life.

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The Call of the Wild
Jack London
Manufacturer: Tantor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400130948

Book Description

Buck, half St. Bernard, half Shepard, lives a content life and is top dog on a California ranch. But the Gold Rush has produced an enormous demand for sled dogs. Before long, Buck is off to the Klondike.

The Wild Animal Story (Animals, Culture, & Society)

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The Wild Animal Story (Animals, Culture, & Society)

Manufacturer: Temple University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Animal Rights | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the wild animal story emerged in Canadian literature as a distinct genre, in which animals pursue their own interests—survival for themselves, their offspring, and perhaps a mate, or the pure pleasure of their wildness.

Bringing together some of the most celebrated wild animal stories, Ralph H. Lutts places them firmly in the context of heated controversies about animal intelligence and purposeful behavior. Widely regarded as entertaining and educational, the early stories—by Charles G. D. Roberts, Ernest Thompson Seton, John Muir, Jack London and others—had an avid readership among adults and children. But some naturalists and at least one hunter—Theodore Roosevelt—discredited these writers as "nature fakers," accusing them of falsely portraying animal behavior.

The stories and commentaries collected here span the twentieth century. As present day animal behaviorists, psychologists, and the public attempt to sort out the meaning of what animals do and our obligations to them, Ralph Lutts maps some of the prominent features of our cultural landscape.

Book Description

Wild Geese caused a sensation when it was first published in 1925. To a generation bred on sentimental escapist literature, the idea of a heroine as wild as a bronco and as fiery as a tigress was nothing short of revolutionary. In the character of Judith Gare, Martha Ostenso had painted so naked and uncompromising a portrait of human passion and need that it crossed all bounds of propriety and convention.

Today, Wild Geese is widely recognized as a milestone in the development of modern realist fiction. Set on the windswept prairies, it is a story of love and tyranny, of destruction and survival, told with vigour and lyric beauty. It is also a poignant evocation of loneliness, which, like the call of the wild geese, is beyond human warmth, beyond tragedy, “an endless quest.”

Customer Reviews:

Canada's Willa Cather........2000-12-23

In 1925, Martha Ostenso was a young student enrolled in a writing course at New York's Columbia University. Upon hearing that the publishers Dodd, Mead, and Company were holding a contest for the best North American novel she decided to return to Winnipeg Manitoba and devote herself to winning the prize. From her rented room, she completed the draft of Wild Geese in a mere six weeks. Her submission beat out 1,389 competitors to win, and became her first of many published novels.

Wild Geese is the story of the Gares, a very secluded rural family that is presided over by the tyrrannical father/husband Caleb Gare. He subjects them to what can only be described as daily slavery... fiercely suppressing anything that does not contribute to his maniacal tilling of the land. Because of Caleb's selfish need for constant control and domination of others, freedom of expression is not allowed in the Gare household. But this does not set well at all for his fiery tigress of a daughter (Judith) and their live-in schoolteacher Lind Archer. Together, these two women represent the hope of passion, the power of beauty, and the occasional whiff of perfume amidst the manure of Caleb's machinations. Will he be able to ultimately thwart his daughter's freedom? Will Caleb be able to destroy Lind's lover with the terrible secret that only he and his wife know about? Not until the VERY last pages do we really know the answers to those questions, and Ostenso does a great job of keeping the reader interested up to that point and beyond.

She is very much in the style of Willa Cather who also wrote of the windswept plains of the early 1900's. If you enjoy Cather's well-known "O Pioneers" or "My Antonia" I think you will really enjoy Wild Geese.

A true story.......2000-04-03

While visiting in the area that this book is from,the interlake of Manitoba,Canada,I met a few of the people who can identify the true life characters who were the models for this epic.

It is a true saga.

I found the story that more captivating for this knowledge. It delves into the human spirit especially in the harsh early years of the building of the nations.

A very good read........1999-12-05

I thought this was a really good book. I read it in one sitting. The characters are believable and well-written. You can totally become engrossed in their lives. It's a powerful story about how people can not only endure, but overcome, oppression and tyranny.

A study of human cruelty and human love........1999-11-18

It takes a while to get into this book. I had to read it for grade 11 history. It's not that great, but you find yourself empathizing with the characters Lind and Judith. It's a little slow at the beginning, (okay, the first 150 pages, or so), but it picks up near the end. It reminds me of a soap opera, the way the characters have their secrets, and their lives are intertwined

Even a classic on prairie life as a book is monotonous........1999-05-07

This book may be a classic work, with realistic, down to earth believable characters, but the fact that it is based on monotonous life leads the book the be the same, boring and mostly pointless.

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Wild Animals of Western Canada

Manufacturer: Altitude Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1551530422

Product Description

An elk without asters is not truly an elk. And western Canada without wildlife is not truly western Canada, says author Kevin Van Tighem about his approach to writing this guidebook, your guide to the wild animals that live in western Canada (From the back cover)

Wild Daisies in the Sand: Life in a Canadian Internment Camp

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Wild Daisies in the Sand: Life in a Canadian Internment Camp
Tom Sando , and J. P. Desgagne
Manufacturer: NeWest Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Prisoners of War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Wild Daisies in the Sand reopens a chapter of North American World War II history. This book is a series of diary entries beginning in 1941, when author Tom Sando was imprisoned in concentration camps, first in Petawawa and then Angler, Ontario—a young Japanese Canadian imprisoned only because he was willing to stand and fight for his rights as a Canadian. The Japanese Canadians relocated to Petawawa and Angler were imprisoned in maximum security penitentiaries: compounds encircled by three layers of barbed wire fences, and under constant surveillance by rifle-armed guards stationed in watchtowers. These people were not prisoners-of-war or even criminals, but Canadian civilians deemed dangerous by the Canadian government because of their race.

Wild Daisies in the Sand is a unique first-hand look at a part of the Japanese internment that many people are still unfamiliar with. Tom Sando relates his story of loneliness, fear, and eventually friendship and hope, candidly and with careful thought.

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Wild Flowers of the Yukon, Alaska & Northwestern Canada
John G Trelawny
Manufacturer: Harbour Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Flowers | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1550172573

Book Description

In recent years, more and more nature lovers have been flocking to discover the untouched serenity of the North. Those who make the journey are rewarded with views of a remarkable landscape abounding in colourful, fragrant wild flowers unmatched elsewhere in the world.

Author John Trelawny's passion for northern landscapes is reflected in Wild Flowers of the Yukon, Alaska and Northwestern Canada. Over 200 pages of gorgeous colour photographs illustrate informative descriptions and useful facts for each species. This new, updated edition will satisfy even the most discriminating botanist while remaining accessible to the amateur naturalist.

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