Reviews (6)

Simply a stunning book!!
I found Tom Mangelsen's gallery in Jackson a few months ago, and while I was there, I had a chance to see many of his just downright stunning images.

As an aspiring wildlife photographer, I truly appreciate the superb work of Tom Mangelsen. Also, while in his gallery, I had the chance to talk to as well as meet Mr. Mangelsen himself.

This book is just simply stunning. I cannot think of any other description. The many different images of the polar bear in its natural environment has to be seen to be appreciated.

What I like the most about this book over so many other "nature" books is that we get to see the many facets of the polar bears life, from the tender side with a mother and her babies, to the savage nature of these beautiful animals...not just some glossy expose that says nothing.

I would encourage anyone who loves nature photography, whether you are a "couch" photographer/explorer or are planning on a career in wildlife photography.

Heartily recommended!!!!

The best book of the best nature photographer
I discovered the work of Thomas Mangelson about ten years ago in Jackson, Wyoming, when I stumbled across a gallery devoted to his work. The most famous image there, the one of two grown polar bears "dancing," is on the cover of this book.

The book encapsulates all the artistry of this outstanding photographer. As difficult as it is to capture wildlife images, it's doubly so when you are photographing white animals against snow! Mangelson spends some four months a year in the Arctic, enlarging his huge repertoire of images. I can't begin to imagine the patience and meticulous attention to detail that is required to gather these pictures, but I'm glad Mangelson can!

I love the fact that this book shows the chronological sequence in the life of a bear family, and also that it doesn't have captions on each page. That allows you to follow the sequence of images undisturbed by human intrusion - you become a part of the life cycle, so to speak. Mangelson's work enables the viewer to see the bears as a complex family unit in addition to their usual portrayal as hardy predators. It cannot fail to move the viewer; this is a book to savor again and again.

I'm a huge fan of just about every image this photographer has ever published, and this book is, to me, the culmination of his work. I recommend it to everyone, bear fan or not!

Essential, wonderful personal story, captivating photos
This is an essential book for polar bear and nature photography lovers alike. There are over 250 photos of polar bears, and arctic wildlife captured in the beautiful frozen world they live in.

I found the photography truly captivating. The adorable bears are shown splashing in the water, dancing, taking afternoon naps & wandering through the snow. There is even one of the mother making friends with a sled dog.

I was deeply touched by the many images of the cubs snuggling close to their mother. I found the other wildlife photos featuring many foxes and birds equally impressive. The captions for all the images are in the back of the book.

Along with the pictures, there is a wonderful story of a year in the life of a mother polar bear & her 2 cubs. The author switches pleasingly between factual accounts of the arctic world, folklore, & the personal story of the bear family.

breathtaking, impressive photography of the arctic
Mangelsen has created an outstanding work of art that can be appreciated by polar bear lovers and nature lovers alike. The intentional ommission of captions until the end of the book allows the reader to view each photo as a work of art, absorbing the beauty and magic of each piece. It is an essential coffee table book for those intrigued and mystified by the polar bear, and strongly recommended for anyone who enjoys nature photography. A definite bargin in the world of nature photography books.

An absolutely stunning wildlife book
Polar Dance is in my opinion the most mind-blowing book on bears I have ever seen. I am an artist who works with faux fur, specializing in the creation of all species of bears. Polar Dance is the most treasured of all my wildlife books. The photographs of the ice bear taken so sensitively evokes my deepest emotions each time I turn the pages. I can almost feel the cold and snow out there on the Arctic. I reach for this book often for inspiration and even comfort. I never cease to be amazed at how beautifully Thomas Mangelsen has portrayed the "Tiger of the North". Certainly he has done justice to perhaps the most magnificent of God's creatures. Polar Dance is more than a book. It is a work of art. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

informative scientific review
This is a great book. I love to hike in bear country and feel much more prepared now that I have read it. Herrero presents his data in both a scientific and honest way careful not to overstate what we do or don't know about bears. He is clearly the world's authority on bear behavior as he has been on site after nearly every bear attack in north america in the past 30 years. He describes in detail (often gorry but necessarily so) what happened in each account and provides a critique of what the injured did or did not do correctly in the given situation. Clearly anyone who reads this book will be better prepared to enter bear country with both respect for bears and how to avoid confrontation. I highly recommend this book.

As expert as anyone can be on this subject.
Stephen Herrero's "Bear Attacks : Their Causes and Avoidance" is a good, serious, informative, bear attack read. The presentation is more scientific than literary and the book could have been written in a more captivating style, however. It's hard to imagine a book dedicated to true to life bear attacks that wouldn't keep outdoorsmen up at night, flipping page after page, but this is that book. If you'd like to combine true bear attack stories with a more masterful literary style, try Scott McMillion's "Mark of the Grizzly".

Those who go on to read more by Herrero about bear attacks (legal documents, etc.) will find that he ultimately admits that this is far from an exact science too. In his testimony as expert witness in the Mt. Lemon (Arizona) attack, Herrero contradicts some of the most fundamental premises found in this book.

Read this book, by all means, but before entering bear country, keep in mind that sometimes bears will do the unexpected. After all, what's the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop? Griz poop has bells in it and smells like pepper.

All the information you'll need
After reading this book I understood the inside story of a bears behavior and its threat to humans. Stephen has laid out the information in easy to understand format with the reader and outdoor enthusiast in mind.

Very Informative
This is a great book with lots of info not only about bear attacks, but about their behavior in general. There are different circumstances in a bear attack depending of the type of bear, whether the bear is startled or looking for a meal. This book explains eveything for you, even how to recognize the tracks of the different bears. The author is careful not to make assumptions and speculations, but just to present known facts and conclusions. He won't say that a certain response to a bear attack will or will not always work, but just how it has worked in the past. I would be interested to know about Polar Bear attacks, which is not covered in the book.

Bear Prepared manual
Fascinating read made vital when I lived in grizzly country in British Columbia. Excellent description of bear behavior and how to respond quickly given clues that cooperating bears hopefully will provide.

Does an excellent writing craft of showing how truly majestic this creation of God's is and its needs for habitat and their erosion by the onslaught of man.

Even if one is not living in bear danger, this book makes for very fine reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Here is the ultimate adventure story, told by an expert and documented with more than 140-full color photographs, of one explorer's quest to come face to face with the great bears of North America-Polar, Brown, and Black.

While numerous books in the subject of bears exist, none has approached their subjects with such drama, adventure, and extraordinary showmanship as John Pezzenti, one of the foremost wildlife photographers working today.Confronting his subjects as close as is humanly possible and still surviving, Pezzenti needs no special effects: He creates uniquely intimate portraits if these giant beasts and pulls the viewer himself into the middle of his photographic event-immersing the reader in all the action and the thrill of proximity.The result of this amazing twenty-five year passion is a collection of the most compelling and powerful photographers ever taken of bears in the wild.

Not just a photographic portfolio, however, Shooting Bears is accompanied by a riveting text that could stand alone, and that immediately engages in the ultimate wildlife adventure, by introducing the reader into the intimate life of bears in their natural settings.Descriptions of the challenges Pezzenti faced in his quest for the supreme photograph-including being mauled, stalked for five miles by a rogue bear, and coming nose-to-nose with a grimacing black bear in the dead of night-are all included.Many other equally enthralling stories detail his "up close and personal" adventures-all in the service of getting the supreme photograph. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Stunning photos and text of our great North American Bears
In the 90's when I lived in Alaska I pursued that lands great mammals with my camera.Along the way I met John Pezzenti.Not only is he an author who captures the mystery and thrill of wildlife adventure photography through a unique voice, he is one of the best nature and wildlife photographers in the world.This stunning book adds another notch onto his Nikon.It helped me be there again, but this time sitting with a cup of tea instead of the rain, bugs, miserable weather, and other hardships that John lives with daily.Buy this book!You'll love it too!

Best bear book that I have read.
If you are interested in bears,then this is the book for you.Amazing photographs,and accounts by the author,who has spent over 30yrs working and living with these wonderful creatures.A fantastic book,thank you Mr Pezzenti for sharing your experiences with us less fortunate people.

Buy it for the pictures, enjoy it for the text!
This book is another fine example of John Pezzenti's work.The pasion he has for bears and all wildlife comes through in every picture.While I and many others will buy this book for the pictures, which alone is worth the price, reading the text brought a new level of understanding and appreciation for both the bears and John.
While not all of the book is about Alaska, I highly recomend this book to all Alaskans, as well as people who not as fortunate to live here.

Capturingtext and brillient display......................,
John Pezzenti once again is shareing his world with us in his latest book, Shooting Bears: This beautifully bound album of magnificient photographs truly show cases John`s mastery of the lens and his knowledge of his subjects. The stories John shares with us in Shooting Bears:, both with his pen, and with his camera, are a pricless treasure that will leave you in awe of these wonderful wild animals and in wonder at this artists extreme talent. John takes you along in his travels and shows you

in his photographs just why he goes there. This wonderful display is a must-have for all who enjoy wildlife and bears in particular, and for those who appreciate being right out there with them. Thanks for the wonderful trip John, God Bless.

Awesome Bears!
You can immerse yourself for hours with John Pezzenti's new bear book.John takes you on an adventure of a lifetime - a lifetime spent with bears as only John can capture on film and with words! He keeps you on the edge of your seat with his riveting stories of his encounters with bears and the photographs of these bears are amazing!I enjoyed giving and sharing this awesome book with family from the lower 48, for them to explore and view a bears life along with John. They were mesmerized!

Thanks John for a truely "Alaskan" gift!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

ENTER THE GREAT BEAR RAINFORESTThe southern half of Canada's west coast is justly famous for its fabulous scenery and pitched battles to save remnants of its magnificent coniferous forest-but what about the northern half? Between Vancouver island and Alaska, the mainland BC coast winds through a 250-mile wonderland of forested islands and inlets every bit as enchanting as the southern half, but still very much as nature created it, a wonderfully complex and delicate rainforest masterpiece ten thousand years in the making. The area is one of the northern hemisphere's richest unprotected wildlife habitats, the home of Canada's largest grizzly bears as well as the rare all-white spirit or Kermode bear.Ian and Karen McAllister, both environmental campaigners, have spent over ten years exploring, photographing and researching this once-forgotten coast. The book contains over 150 stunning colour photographs, including some of the most extraordinary images of wild bears ever seen in print, lush river valleys where grizzly bears feast on salmon, dramatic Coast Range mountaintops, exotic plants of the ancient rainforest, and some of the most magnificent coastline in Canada. With these photographs, a personable, informative commentary by Ian and Karen and environmental writer Cameron Young, and full-colour maps and drawings, this book is the first to unveil the beauty and magnificence of this unique place.Since 1990, fourteen large rainforest valleys on the mainland coast of British Columbia have been lost to industrial logging. The publication of The Great Bear Rainforest aided Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, Ian and Karen McAllister's Raincoast Preservation Society and other environmental groups successfully lobby BC's provincial government for a moratorium on grizzly-bear hunting and the protection of a large portion of the area as parkland in 2001. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Unique Journey AND A Desperate Plea
This book is written as a journal of a sailing voyage. Although the authors had previously visited the remarkable areas they photograph and describe six times before, the seventh visit is chronicled in these pages. Thus there is a great depth of knowledge and experience inherent to this work which transforms a simple if elegant journal into a powerful, somewhat doleful, environmental monograph.

This is a beautifully done book with many fascinating photographs of rainforest topography and the diverse life forms which abide therein. The accompanying text is well-written and consistently informative and interesting. But the overarching theme here is that pristine environments which are critical to the survival of untold species of flora and fauna are in jeopardy. Grave jeopardy. Moreover, the McAllisters take great pains to point out that the small islands of preserved and protected ecosystem created in compromise between commercial interests and environmentalists are insufficent to protect wildlife (bears, for example) that depend upon an interlinked vastness of unspoiled terrain in which to flourish.

So this book is as much an alarm and a plea for action as it is a wondrous presentation of its picturesque subject matter. As such, it is urgent reading for those of us concerned about the ravages unleashed when a society values short-term economic advantage (as when untouched river valleys are clear-cut by logging companies) over the work nature takes eons to complete.

A must of bear lovers, intersting facts, great photos
This is a wonderful book for both nature and bear lovers alike. It is packed with beautiful color photos. Many interesting facts about the wildlife & plants of the area are detailed in the captions.

The landscape photos feature vibrant wildflowers, ancient forests, & mountains. There are also many remarkable pictures of several bear types. I loved the close-up shot of a bear eating a fish & another of a sprit bear on a log.

Stunning photos of some other animals include a puffin close-up, a bald eagle mother with baby, & an elephant seal gathering. If you can tear yourself away from the pictures, the text is equally impressive.

The authors tell of their experiences while exploring the rainforest. They also discusses the environmental concerns of the area. Journal entries from the trip are scatted throughout the book.

Keep sacred places secret while we can
A powerful book on this special place. But, now she's discovered

Beautiful
The authors clearly love and are dedicated to their subject. The photographs are stunning, in both technique and subject.

Canada's forgotten coast no longer.
The pictures are awesome, powerful, profound and they make you feel you are there. The writing is very insightful. The journals put you there in a very personal way. The cause is just and vital. This is a powerful book that takes you to one of the last great places, not only in a geographical way but in a spiritual sense as well. Yes, bears need whole untouched ecosystems as well as old growth forests, as explained so beautifully in the book. One day the people of British Columbia and the Wolrd will realize that if the Great Spirit Bear Rainforest can survive, then so can humanity. THIS BOOK IS A KEEPER! ... Read more

Amazon.com

"People step into the [Alaskan] landscape and vanish without a trace," writes wildlife guide Lynn Schooler in this ode to the wild beauty of the Alaskan coast, an unusual friendship, and a mysterious bear with fur the color of "burnished metal." Schooler spent a decade searching for the elusive blue (or glacier) bear with Michio Hoshino, Japan's preeminent wildlife photographer. Hoshino was a gentle genius who would sit still for hours, his face swelling from mosquito bites, for the perfect photograph, and who had the same patience and consideration for a bruised heart like Schooler's. Schooler had lost all ability to trust, scarred first by the scorn of classmates for his twisted body and finally by the brutal murder of the woman he loved. But as a guide--both for wildlife photographers and for readers of this evocative and gracefully composed memoir--Schooler richly reveals the place that sustains him. He makes remarkable connections between whales and the complex workings of old-growth forests, between glaciers dropping 100-foot columns of ice into waiting fjords, and the breathing of the planet. Ultimately, though, it is Hoshino's death by a bear that finally enables Schooler to make peace with humanity and death. A quiet, profound gem. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Blue Bear--or The Meaning of Life in a Nutshell!
The Blue Bear is one of the best and most concise expressions of the meaning of life that I have ever read since Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. Especially Schooler's experience with the Kingfisher and the crows. It's a beautiful story about love and friendships between man and nature, man and himself, and man and God, however one envisions Him. I could not put the book down once I started to read it. Schooler's quotes from Michio's book seemed to hold a very personal message for me.

It made me cry
This book had more impact on me than anything I've read in the past few years. I've never especially wanted to see Alaska (too cold) and never appreciated it as a special place, but Lynn Schooler's writing pulled me in to the land and its enchanting forms of life and interesting residents. I kept thinking how brave he was to write as he did about his demons and pains and the healing he painfully found, as elusive for most of us as the Blue Bear itself. I taught classic English literature for years, and I know powerful, gripping language when I see it. This is the real thing. If I could write to Schooler, I'd tell him how moving his book was. Read it right away, and slowly.

Beautiful book worth reading.
My only regret is that the book wasn't longer. Every page is full of descriptive prose and fascinating narrative. You will feel like you're there with the author, either on the boat, hiking in the wilderness, or examining the joys and sorrows of friendships gained and lost.
What a well-written book!

Elegant writing reveals love of wilderness
Elegiac is the perfect word to describe both the cadence and direction of this book: somber, straightforward, yet filled with joy. We come to know both men -- the author and the late Michio Hoshino -- through dialogue and description that is utterly natural, yet weighted with meaning. Pivotal scenes are described so elegantly that you want to read them again and again to extract every nuance of mood. Small vignettes speak volumes, such as the visit of the two men to a village where hundreds of native women and children died by starvation due to a US government relocation program. Or the choice of the author to pilot the boat away from Hobart because he could not bear the sight of the ravaged hillsides.
The author's lightness of touch is captivating especially because it is paired with such a deep knowledge and love of the flora, fauna and weather of the region. Reading Blue Bear, you become effortlessly acquainted with the Alaskan coast, as though it is indeed home, and come to mourn its slow, relentless destruction. I look forward to Lynn Schooler's next book.

I couldn't put it down!
This is a book more than worth the reading. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Backcountry Bear Basics
I reckon I won't be encountering any bears in my neck of the city anytime soon, but I thought I give this book a read anyway. Well-written, concise and informatives, this book seems to give you all that you need to know. It debunks certain myths such as bears being attracted to menustrating females and the usefulness of climbing a tree (if you can make it there) to avoid an irrate bear. So if you are heading out into bear country and are not an experienced hiker, reading this book would be a good idea.

Backcountry Bear Basics
I have lived in Yellowstone NP for 25 years. Dave Smith's book , in my opinion, is the backcontry bear bible. Dave's knowlege and research on the subject is outstanding. I insist that my employees are familiar with this book before heading out for a back country experience. Well researched and informative. A must read for any serious backcountry camper.

Women, Menstruation, Bears
Under the heading "Feminine Hygiene and Bears," Glacier National Park's current website claims, "although evidence is inconclusive, sexual actitivity or a woman's menstrual period may attract bears." Women who are concerned about warnings like this should read Backcountry Bear Basics. Instead of repeating or embellishing Glacier Park's menstrual warning (as far too many writers have done over the years), Smith reviewed the evidence and found it wanting. He devotes eleven meticulously documented pages of Backcountry Bear Basics to the menstrual myth. After a graduate student did a study on polar bears and menstrual odors in 1980, the superintendent of Glacier wrote a memo that said the results of the study "were inconclusive and the applicability of the thesis to Glacier's grizzly and black bears is questionable." So why does Glacier continue to post menstrual warnings? Smith says park officials are "in a quandry. Because of 'liability implications,' NPS officials felt they had to warn park visitors that it might be dangerous for menstruating women to travel in bear country. At the same time, the NPS had to tell employees that it was safe for menstruating women to work in bear country. It was clear there would be lawsuits for sexual discrimination if the NPS refused to hire women for jobs in bear country." Whether the topic is menstruation, food storage, or pepper spray, Dave Smith really did his homework. You get practical advice in this book that you won't find anywhere else.

Enlightening, pragmatic, fun to read
This daring book challenges conventional wisdom about bears, it's well-documented, it provides safety tips you won't find anywhere else, and it's written with style. Reading Bear Basics is like sitting around the campfire and chatting about bears with a witty outdoorsman who has years of first hand experience with bears, and an encyclopedic knowledge of bear literature.

You casually mention that bears eat anything and everything; John Muir wrote that to bears, everything is food except granite. "John Muir was wrong," says author Dave Smith. "When it comes to natural foods, bears are rather finicky. Out of 1,000 types of plants in a given area, they might only consume 100-250, and each of those will be eaten during a particular season." To reduce the risk of encounting a bear, Smith suggests contacting land management agencies before you take a hike: "Resource management experts can often predict when and where to expect bear because the bruins are so keyed in on seasonal food sources."

X-C skiers generally don't give much thought to bears during the winter, but Smith says, "When I worked as a winterkeeper in Yellowstone, I often saw my first grizzly tracks in March. During the unusually mild winter of 1995-96, winterkeeper Steve Fuller saw grizzly tracks in February. No matter where you're going, you should be aware of bear hibernation patterns.

You ask if bears have good vison or poor vision, and Smith replies, "A 1937 report from Europe noted that brown bears in a zoo could see people at 120 yards, and recognize their handler at 60 yards." He then relates an anecdote by a bear researcher in Colorado who was spotted by a black bear from a distance of 800 yards. He closes by noting that Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation research director Steve French has an "excellent rule of thumb regarding the vison of bears: if you can see a bear, you should assume the bear can see you."

Backcountry Bear Basics is filled with useful information like this. Now if I see a grizzly 150 yards away, I'll assume the bear can see me and I won't move around unless the bear is preoccupied. Although many books discuss bear vision and other topics that are covered in Bear Basics, Smith consistently gives the most thoughtful, pratical information on each subject. In addition, he debunks a lot of myths about bears. This is the ultimate book on bears and bear safety.

Would make a good pamphlet
This books has good information, but not a lot of it. It would have made a good pamphlet--maybe even a booklet.

To fill the rest of the book we get opinions. Opinions on just about every other bear book ever written, opinions on magazines and magazine articles, newspaper articles, the Parks Service, various research experiments, hikers, cyclists, snowmobilers, how to resolve land use issues, etc. etc.

The author seems to value his own opinions greatly.

The result was like listening to a series of endless arrogant rants from that co-worker you wish would just go back to his desk. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Great Read..and even better information
The immense benefit of this book for the hiker or woodsman is obvious. Here you'll find examples of mistakes and misunderstandings which ineveitably led, as shown by McMillions' careful retrospective analysis, to serious maulings and fatalities. His discussion of the psychology of both bear and victim can enable much safer sojourns into the wilderness.

But the book isn't only for those most likely to encounter these magnificent animals. Even for those of us who live in the city, reading the book illustrates the great, atavistic fear which all of us might somehow carry in genetic memory. You need only experience the hair rising on the back of your neck as you read these accounts to understand how deep this feeling runs in all of us.

For myself, it took only a chance encounter with a paltry black bear rummaging around the trashcans outside my tent to bring this home. I spent the rest of the night trembling with unused adrenaline in my husbands arms.

Where did this fear come from? Someoplace I never knew existed, I assure you. But remember, one childhood psychology study I read said most children spontaneously begin to exhibit, at about the age of three, a deep, abiding fear of the dark woods.

Riveting and full of respect for grizzlies
This may not be the best book to take with you to read in bear country. Better: Read it at home before you leave and give it time to sink in. The real value of this book comes not in the gripping narrative of bear attacks all over the West and Alaska, although the graphic stories hold your attention like a vise, but in the respect it generates for perhaps the most respectable wild animal of our time. McMillion presents a point of view without clobbering the reader with it, so the considered reader can come away from the book not with a fear of grizzlies but with a healthy respect for them.

Imagine Having a Bear Tear Both Your Arms Off!!
As someone who's actually been on the receiving end of a bear charge I can say with some authority that this book is GARBAGE. In fact, it is emblematic of everything that is wrong with writing of this type: It pushes an agenda to the exclusion of almost everything else.

I've spent years in bear country, have witnessed two bear attacks, have been charged by a bear and have talked to dozens of hikers, hunters, rangers, fishermen, loggers, miners and others who spend time in bear country. And I can tell you that if you value your life and you want OBJECTIVE and realistic information to avoid a bear attack DON'T READ THIS BOOK!

This author pushes the same old, dreary, worn-out, tired anti-people, anti-self defense, anti-gun hype that nauseates those of us who know better.

Indeed, this book reminds me of the story of Cynthia Dusel Bacon, a geologist who was attacked by a black bear in Alaska. Bacon was air-dropped in interior Alaska to take geological specimans and make observations. The pilot was to return later and pick her up at a pre-determined location.

But Dusel was stalked and attacked by a bear. During the attack Dusel was able to find her radio in her rucksack and call for help. However, before help could arrive she was severely injured. The pilot took her to Fairbanks from where she was airlifted to Stanford Medical Center in California. The doctors saved her life, but SHE LOST BOTH ARMS AT THE SHOULDER!!!

The attacking bear was estimated at less than 200 lbs. So if Dusel had possessed any kind of medium-powered gun, even something so benign against bears as a .357 mag or even a .38 Special, chances are she could have repelled the bear if not killed it. But noooo!! She was evidently operating under the same stupid ideas as McMillion and others who say you shouldn't carry a gun in bear country. For her ignorance, or her willingness to heed the stupid advice of others, she condemned herself to a life without arms or hands!

To those of you who oppose the possession of firearms in bear country try a simple experiment: Try living for JUST ONE DAY with your hands bound behind you with rope or duct tape. Just try it!! And then ask yourself the following simple question: Isn't it better to HAVE a gun and NOT need it than to NEED IT and NOT HAVE it?

Moreover, there was no evidence that Bacon provoked the bear in anyway. In fact, by every version of her widely documented story, the attacking bear exhibited classic "stalking" or "predatory" behavior.

Nonetheless, in the arrogant, morally superior fashion typical of people who believe they have the right to tell the rest of us how to think and live, the author tacitly condemns the commonsense human use of bear habitat. How else can we interpret his relentless efforts to blame and shame people whenever a bear goes berserk? Or to suggest we have no right to defend ourselves?

As indicated above, I've had first-hand experience with bear attacks. And in my opinion if you want to travel in bear country with any degree of safety, I recommend "Bear Encounter Survival Guide" by James Gary Shelton. Shelton has far more first hand experience than McMillion. His writing is objective, realistic and wholly without ulterior motives. He also describes the predatory or stalking behavior of the bear that rendered Ms. Bacon a cripple.

Great Book - Truthful
Just wanted to say what a great bear attack book. I hike in bear country, and it's always helpful to be reminded what does happen. Also, just wanted to comment that I personally know Joe Heimer, in the story "Warm Spell", and that the author's account of this attack was relayed in the book exactly as Joe told of the account to me, so I have to believe that each of the stories were researched and written with the same attention to detail. Great for anyone going into bear country!!

Terrifying.
I first saw this book in the hands of my Dad a few weeks ago. Then in my older brothers. They both were very intrested in this book so i asked my mother to read it to me. I think i may never leave our family ranch and hed off into the forest again. Bears killing humans and eating them may not scare my dad and brother but it sure scared the pants off of me. I always thought that all bears were always cute and playful, who whould have thought. Scott McMillion did a great job on this book. It takes a very good or very funny writer to get me into a book and this man has done it. I applued him(i hope i spelt that right). Even though it may be quite some time before i will want to see a bear again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When naturalist Kilham was asked to take in two orphaned black bear cubs, the conventional wisdom was that he would end up with 200-pound brutes too dependent to leave home. So Kilham decided to try his own unconventional method--he raised them in their natural habitat, surrounded by the wild bear-filled woods of New Hampshire. As their bear mother, he was given an unprecedented look into the lives of bears and what he observed turns bear stereotypes on their head. Black bears exhibit behaviors thought to be found only in humans and great apes, such as an intricate system of communication and cooperation, insight, planning, deception, and even ethics, like fair play, empathy, and altruism (qualities not found in apes). Kilham, who has now raised 26 cubs, is an intrepid bear mom, and a humble and delightful storyteller. This is an irresistible story of some of the most endearing rogues ever encountered. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Meet the Bears
This book is basically a primary source about black bears, a subject that, as the author points out, has received spotty attention. "Among the Bears" partially remedies this neglect: it is rich in anecdote, modest yet persuasive in analyses.
This book has many small, satisfying pleasures to it, not the least of which is the idea of a large, stereotypically manly guy like Kilham being a mother to these bears. And he is an amazing mother, patient, wise and tireless. He always lends his bears an ear, literally (for suckling). Another is the reader learns along with Kilham, who continues to turn over the behaviors of his bears in his head, often coming to explanations only after thinking and experimenting. Finally, his physical encounters with bears are entertaining and, I think, instructive about how bears (and humans) become at ease with each other.
The book is very plain in language. As his story progressed, the content of the ideas was plenty engaging, and more than made up for any lack of style.
Telling the history of his interactions with bears, including an unusually large male interested in Squirty, one of the female bears he has raised, Killham ventures prescriptive advice about how to handle a bear encounter only at the end of the book. "Hold your ground, stay calm, maintain eye contact, and let the situation resolve itself. It will." (245)
Throughout the book, Kilham has relevant and undogmatic insights about hunting and hunters.
A small complaint: A bibliography, or more simply--in the character of this straightforward, unpretentious book--a short list of suggested readings would have been welcome. However, the basic but thorough index is excellent.

Among the Bears
This is a wonderful book! Kilham does for bears what Jane
Goodhall did for primates. He lives among them and and in
so doing gains valuable insights into their abilities and
behaviors. He discovers bears to be highly intelligent
individuals, but with strong social connections, communicating
over distance and time by scent, sound, body language, and
deliberate trail signs. If you have any interest at all in
bears or in social lives of animals, buy this book!

Excellent!
If you love animals, if you are interested in their behavior, or if you just enjoy a great read.......BUY THIS BOOK! Ben Kilham raised orphaned black bear cubs as a momma bear would. He successfully returned them to the wild and maintained a relationship with them, even after one had cubs of her own! This is no pet bear story, but a look at how one man changed the way we look at a species, while retaining a respect for their wild stature. Black bears are sensitive, intelligent and often altruistic, as Ben Kilham shows. He makes us realize that there are things to be learned about animals, especially black bears and their behavior, that cannot be taken lightly. We humans are not the only intelligent and emotional beings on this planet!

Getting out Among the Bears
As soon as I finished this book, I was sorry it ended so I had to get out and take a long hike myself. I found so much in the forest that has eluded me in the past. I went looking for footprints, marks on trees, acorns, beechnuts, etc. and especially 'scat'. Never knew what that was! This is not some tree hugger proselytizing on getting back to nature, simplifying, etc. This is a man writing about courage, humility, and living the life he preaches without whining and making it sound like the good thing it is. And he makes some amazing discoveries along the way and doesn't even pat himself on the back for all his work.

Beautiful, sensitive story
Ben Kilham's observations about bears are wonderfully told - funny, sensitive and insightful. Not a naturalist by trade - he's a gunsmith of all things! - he brings a fascinating perspective to the development of these animals. Highly recommended ... Read more

Book Description

"There have always been bear stories, as long as there have been campfires and shadows in the night, and as long as humans have shared the earth with their fellow predators....

"Part of humankind’s enduring fascination and connection with bears lies in the similarity between us and them. Bears stand upright and their footprints resemble ours. A skinned bear looks much like a naked person. They are intelligent and independent, possessed of distinct personalities. They exemplify maternal care, discipline, and teaching, and they nurse in a sitting position. They can use a claw like a finger or two claws like chopsticks. They can travel fast and lose their tempers. They are omnivorous, and can kill and eat us, as we can kill and eat them. Resilient, brave, and defiant, the California grizzly did not go quietly."—Susan Snyder, from the Introduction

_Bear in Mind_ is the story of the California grizzly bear. Once arguably the most powerful and terrifying animal in the California landscape, he now lives in the imagination, a disembodied symbol of the romantic West. _Bear in Mind_ is also a portal into one of California’s great resources, the Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. More than 150 images from the library’s archives and collections—newspaper illustrations from the gold rush, paintings from early scientific expeditions, photo albums, sheet music, settlers’ diaries, fruit-crate labels, and more—accompany the bear stories of Indians, explorers, vaqueros, forty-niners, and naturalists, among others. The result is a uniquely compelling natural history, a grand book worthy of its subject. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A National Monument
While this book is as hefty as a grizzly, and costs as much as a concert ticket (granted, only an upper mezzanine seat), Bear In Mind is *the* book for my coffee table: I want to read it luxuriously, I want to pore over every written word, every detail of art and artifact in its pages. I want my Californian friends to see it. I want to get copies for their homes.This book reclaims the legacy of the grizzly, and ought to replace the bear flag as the symbol of state and national pride and humility. ... Read more

Book Description

ALASKA BEAR TALES is a best-selling collection of edge-of-your-seat accounts of true-life encounters with bears in Alaska. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

An Eye Opening book about bears misbehavior.
The stories are true life and death events of people who have been mauled by both black and brown bears in the Alaskan wilderness. This book gave me a new respect for bear and their habitat. Anyone who likes the outdoors where bears are present should read this book. A note of caution. This stories contian the bloody details that are the result of bear attacks. You may have a few sleepless nights on your next camping.

a well thought and entertaingin book
I read this book and the sequal to it and found this and the other book to be a fairly accurate depiction af a bears traits and also it showed the bear as not a sensless savege killer but shed a little light on his behavior and his reactions to human interaction. Mr Kanut took the time to research his topic and in my mind this is a book that I can read over and over again. Also the fact that he pulled no punches in each of his stories no matter who was to blame for the encounter or the outcome of the encounter.

A good collection of bear stories but....
The "rapid fire" writing style renders this book difficult to read. The book is 300 pages long and it contains over 200 bear stories. Some are only a few words long and lack detail to such an extent that I wonder why they were included. Some are loaded with useful information. Others are simply pointless. Most were taken from a magazine verbatim.

Cynthia Dusel-Bacon's story alone was worth the price of the book. She wrote it herself after her terrible mauling and Larry Kaniut quoted it. Read her story and tell me you don't think black bears are dangerous and predatory.

I'd buy this book and keep it on my book shelf but I must tell you that I couldn't finish it because the last few chapters were simply too boring to be tolerable.

What an author and what a book
I will admit a little that am am a little partial to Larry Kaniut's books. I was lucky enough to have Mr. Kaniut as n English Teacher when I was in Junior High in Anchorage around 1980. During that time Mr. Kaniut would read to us the sotries that are contained in Alaska Bear Tales. As a struggling student he made me want to read and write.

I am lucky yo have a first edition copy of the book. In Alsak Bear Tales I knwo some of the people in the book so the stories are more real to me. Mr. Kanuit does a great job in pulling the reader into the story. His ability to get people to share the most horrific details of their encounters with bears keeps you wanting more.

Anyone looking to read real life drama this is the book to start with. You will not wan tto put the book down. Luckt for us Mr. Kaniut has written more then one book. Enjoy!

Deplorable collection of sensationalistic bear attack tales
Alaska Bear Tales doesn't let facts get in the way of a good story ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Real Substance
Looking for a reliable and helpful reference in caring for my pets, I have looked at and rejected many, many books published for the general public on dog and cat care. Most of them are so general in approach as to be next to useless.

Dr. McGinnis' "Well Dog Book" and "Well Cat Book" are just fabulous. Every line contains meaty, solid, specific information that lets us do our best for our loving, trusting animals. Dr. McGinnis demonstrates respect not only for animals but for their guardians, too.

I have bought many copies of both books and given them to friends, family, and animal shelters. These books went out of print but now apparently they are in a new printing! I'm not surprised -- they are really worthwhile. If you can find a copy anywhere at almost any price, it's worth it!!

This book has been helpful so many times... I'd like to share the most dramatic. Our diabetic cat stopped eating (he usually has a great appetite), began vomiting, and stopped using the litter box. Of course, especially with a diabetic, these symptoms can mean serious problems.

I looked in the "Well Cat Book," and found several very helpful listings in the index (when was the last time you actually found something in an index, and easily?), one of which was that it might be a hair ball.

I took the cat immediately to the veterinarian, who mentioned several diabetes-related possible causes, such as kidney or liver problem, etc. When, thanks to what I'd read in the "Well Cat Book," I wondered aloud whether it might be a hairball, he immediately asked his assistant to x-ray the cat, and sure enough! -- that's what it was. It had entered the intestines and caused a blockage. They expelled the hair ball and the cat was fine.

If it hadn't been for Dr. McGinnis' "Well Cat Book," the poor cat would have gone through many unnecessary procedures, and would have been given unnecessary medications, with unnecessary effects on his body and doubtless getting his diabetes out of control (and the stress on his body of that).

Thank you so much, Dr. McGinnis!

a *must have* book if you care about your cats
still use my original 1975 edition that was bought that year, but have seen this re-issue and am glad it is back in print... it is a *must have*. over 21 years, 'the well cat book' has been the saving grace for more cats than i can remember; housepets who needed general care on up to rescuing farm cats that were involved in serious accidents (if you're not the squeamish sort)... most people don't end up in such situations, but the needed information is there.

for the average housecat owner, you will be pleasantly suprised about how much time and $$$ will be saved at the vet on tests/ diagnostics because of the clear, common-sense and descriptive information dr. mcginnis provides.

the really *big* bonus is a *healthy and long life* for your purry companion thanks to all the information about diet and general daily home care!

Still have the original from 1975 (book not cat)
I have ordered a new copy to make sure that cat design has not changed. People stuff has. We went from putting butter on burns to putting ice on burns. I want to know if I can still put my cat in ice water for heat stroke. So far the occasion has not come up. However I am starting to suspect that cats can read. Every time I pick up the book, the cats run under the bead. My copy does not say much about thyroid disorders. However I find that this is right up there with urinary disorders except more deadly. When I get rich I will irradiate my cat. However for now she is getting daily doses of metimazole. The book did tell me how to chose the vet that detected the problem just in time.

The best cat care book I've ever used.
I have used this book for 21 years, having had the same number of cats over those years. I was able to determine if I could do at-home treatment or they needed a vet. Excellent reference, information is easily found and very clear. Highly recommended by "Phisty", et al.

The Well Cat Book is like a bible to me!
The original book, published in 1975, has saved me many, many trips to the vet and lots of money! It is written so that everyone can understand it and easily diagnose (to a point) your cats' symptoms. It's extremely helpful in educating the cat owner on all aspects of kitten and cat care for overall well being as well as treating illnesses and injuries. This book also has several helpful illustrations throughout the book, including a very comprehensive anatomy section. I have recommended this book to several people over the years and they all have found it as useful as I have. The author has done a wonderful job! I look forward to receiving the new updated version providing me with the latest in cat care. ... Read more

Book Description

In a sequel to ALASKA'S BEAR TALES, Larry Kaniut offers more true stories of encounters between bears and humans that are action-packed and compelling. Both titles are musts for all who love a good adventure story. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Read this book or you will be eaten!
Is this book exciting ? Does a bear sh*t in the woods ? This book, a couple of bears (and a couple of beers) is all one needs for some great reedin'. It kept me occupied while I await the release of Fox's "When Animals Attack IV". It kept me up all night, and I ain't takin' Viagra neither.

Great Book and Fast Read
The saga continues from the first book. Spine tingling reading full of chills, thrills, and even some laughs. Do not pass this book up but be prepared to not be able to put this book down!

An eye opener
Mr Kaniut has done it again. As in the first book Alaskan Bear Tales this one picks up where it left off. More chilling tales of the Ursus arctos horribilis in action. You can bet that anyone who reads this work will think twice about doing a dumb thing around a very unpredictable bear. The book is much more than a blood and guts thriller. It affords the reader an open minded look at the attacks and as you read you find yourself second guessing the victims. Larry has put forth alot of effort in his research I enjoyed the book and hope that there is a book three in the works... ... Read more

Book Description

Living with Wild Bears in Alaska

"A heart-stopping eco-adventure, a testimony to both the grizzlies and their courageous protector."

--People

"The grizzly bear is one of a very few animals remaining on earth that can kill a human in physical combat. It can decapitate with a single swipe or grotesquely disfigure a person in rapid order. Within the last wilderness areas where they dwell, they are the undisputed king of all beasts. I know this very well. My name is Timothy Treadwell, and I live with the wild grizzly. . . ."

After Timothy Treadwell nearly died from a heroin overdose, he sought healing far from the trappings of civilization--among wild grizzlies on the remote Alaskan coast. Without gun, two-way radio, or experience living in the wild, armed only with the love and respect he felt for these majestic animals, Treadwell set up camp surrounded by one of nature's most terrifying and fascinating forces of nature.

Here is the story of his astonishing adventures with grizzlies: soothing aggressive adolescents, facing down thousand-pound males, swimming with mothers and cubs, surviving countless brushes with death, earning their trust and acceptance. In these incredible pages, Treadwell lives a life no human has ever attempted, and ultimately saves his own. To share his experience is awesome, harrowing, and unforgettable.

"LIKE AFRICA NATURALIST JANE GOODALL, TREADWELL GIVES PERSONAL NAMES TO HIS SUBJECTS. . . . Bears have distinct personalities, Treadwell shows, and as a group, individual roles become clearly defined by gender, size, and age."

--The Seattle Times

With twenty-nine photographs ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Where is the Decency???
At least Timothy Treadwell died doing something that he loved. How many of you "reviewers" can say that you even have a reason to wake up eary morning???? I think it's pretty pitiful that so many people lack compassion and respect. Whether his approach was right or wrong, there is still something called human decency. Basing the validity of his work on how he died may be just as unfair as anyone who gets killed in the process of helping others (police,teachers) or those who just die doing what they love (race car drivers, athletes). Have respect for family members and friends who may read these reviews...

Delicious!
Up until the moment they shot me, I thoroughly enjoyed Timothy Treadwell and his companion. I will say that he was a bit gamey, but hey, that's backpacking, right? In particular, I enjoyed his pleas for help and his small intestine. I believe I tasted just the faintest hint of vanilla.

Oh, wait, this is for BOOK reviews?

What are the underpinnings behind this madness?
Having recently read this book, I want to ascertain the unstated assumptions driving these people to their worldview (and in the case of Treadwell, his death). As best I can determine, the Grizzly People cult believe this:

1. If you believe that people, bears, ducks, etc., ought to love each other, love is guaranteed;
2. If you talk enough about peace, you'll get it;
3. There are no such things as enemies (or predators), just friends we haven't apologized to.

Notwithstanding the tragedy of his death, I am heartened that darwinian effects invariably removed Treadwell's genes from the pool.

Entertaining but how much of it is real??
Actually, against my better taste, I enjoyed reading this book. However, I thought Threadwell was smoking something funny as his behavior seem to be so dangerous. The author was mauled and eaten by a bear in Alaska last October 2003 and the book seem to show why. He seem to treat bears like people but he forgot that like people, bears can go good, indifferent or bad. Ironically, just like its very dangerous for bears to lose their fear of humans, its equally dangerous for a man to lose his fear of the bear. The book clearly shows that Threadwell slowly overcoming his fear of bears (although he remains wary) and actually feeling comfortable around them as the pages turned. That can be considered as a bad move, arrogant and presumptuous. Threadwell also seem to mistaken bears' tolerance for him as some sort of a mystic connection. He began to treat these bears as if they were his personal wild pets, giving them names and intruding into their space. Such behavior only works while the bears were amazingly tolerant of Threadwell's presence. Although he had many close calls, it wasn't enough to bring caution into his mind. Despite of his obvious love of bears and fear that one of them might get kill because of him, Threadwell didn't seem to mind that he put himself in harm's way. Although Threadwell stated that he don't mind being bear fodder, he obviously fought back hard if the newspaper accounts were correct when he was about to become the next afternoon snack. The book also seem to revealed Threadwell's obession with proachers and all that although Threadwell don't go into any kind of details. I was left with an impression that maybe the author took some liberties while writing this book.

A dangerous and misguided book
Treadwell represents pretty much what all Alaskans hate about the "environmental movement." He was from outside, Malibu no less! He was arrogant. He openly derided Alaskans with far, far more experience dealing with the great bears than he had. He came here only for the warm season, and promptly fled at first snow fall. He accused Alaskans of being poachers, though he never provided any evidence to back up his claims. He even claimed Alaskans were trying to kill him, again with no supporting evidence. These allegations were either the product of a deranged mind or the cold efforts of a con artists to raise money from naive audiences in the lower 48.

His actions led directly to the deaths of two bears, killed in self-defense by rangers coming to collect his remains. Both bears charged the rangers. Put this in perspective. Even big brown bears (they were NOT repeat NOT "grizzly bears") will typically run off a kill when humans come. They are terrified of us. Something had conditioned these bears to lose their fear of humans. That something was Treadwell himself, and his constant efforts to make the brownies feel he was no threat. As a result those bears died.

So far from saving "his" bears, Treadwell ensured that two would be killed. Now the entire area must be sealed off since the current generation of bears there no longer fear humans. ... Read more

Book Description

With a body twisted by adolescent scoliosis and memories of the brutal death of a woman he loved, Lynn Schooler kept the world at arm's length, drifting through the wilds of Alaska as a commercial fisherman, outdoorsman, and wilderness guide. In 1990, Schooler met Japanese photographer Michio Hoshino, and began a profound friendship cemented by a shared love of adventure and a passionate quest to find the elusive glacier bear, an exceedingly rare creature, seldom seen and shrouded in legend. But only after Hoshino's tragic death from a bear attack does Schooler succeed in photographing the animal -- completing a remarkable journey that ultimately brings new meaning to his life.

The Blue Bear is an unforgettable book. Set amid the wild archipelagoes, deep glittering fjords, and dense primordial forests of Alaska's Glacier Coast, it is rich with the lyric sensibility and stunning prose of such nature classics as Barry Lopez's Arctic Dreams and Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard.

Reviews (2)

I couldn't put it down
Lynn Schooler is destined for greatness. Anyone who enjoys reading will love this book. It's a dark horse sleeper out of the naturalist/adventure genre and Schooler is yet to be a well known author, but The Blue Bear has 'best seller' written all over and inside of it.
The people he guided are a lucky lot because this book is going to change all that.

A Haunting, Eloquent and Soulful Work
I picked up a copy of Lynn Schooler's book after skimming over the back cover, where the words "Alaska", "outdoors" and "Michio Hoshino" grabbed my attention. As a working photographer who grew up in Alaska (my present location is in Maine) I didn't hesitate to buy this book on the spot, even though I had never heard of it. I'm glad I bought it, for this is one of the best books I've read in awhile on ANY subject, and I do read a lot.

Yes, the book is about living Alaska, communing with nature, and wildlife photography, all of which interest me a great deal. But "The Blue Bear" is about a great deal more than that, touching on themes of friendship and heartbreaking loss, grieving and healing, insecurity and inspiration, hard work and personal reward...in short, an exceptional story of a man trying to find his way in the world and to understand his place in it. It is so well written and vividly presented that it goes beyond merely making you feel as though you were there; I think Lynn Schooler's gift (one of many, apparently) is making people feel almost as if they have met the people he writes about, visited the places he describes, and experienced along with him some of the joy and awe of nature, as well as the periods of pain, loneliness and isolation he so openly discusses in a quietly melancholic way.

The book is an interesting mixture of all of those aforementioned elements, sprinkled with interesting forays in Alaskan biology, history, culture, oceanography, the ups and downs of running a guide service, and the challenges, rewards, and hardships inherent with living in a place like Alaska. "The Blue Bear" is a book that defies categorization in many ways because it seems to be about so many different things, but Lynn Schooler writes with a clarity and depth of perspective which prevents the book from seeming trivial or glossed over. Some people are not patient with books which plunge into a section or chapter that may or may not relate directly to the underlying narrative thread. I for one do not mind these "offshoot branches" in books, so long as they hold my interest, as is the case with this book. A casual reader might think for a moment that Schooler is merely grandstanding and showing off his vast knowledge of his subjects, flexing his outdoor experience and intellect....but look just a bit deeper.... it becomes readily apparent that this is a writer who is unafraid of questioning himself or freely admitting that he is not always correct, who openly acknowledges and discusses his own faults (and we all have them) in a candid and refreshing way.

Reading this book also made me wish that I had the opportunity to meet Michio Hoshino, the late wildlife photographer whose work is respected worldwide. This is another testament to Lynn Schooler's writing. In all probability, my trails may have intersected with Michio's at different times during my years in Fairbanks while attending UAF and working on photography symposiums as a volunteer, but sadly, I never had the chance to meet the man whose work I admire very much, and worse yet, I never will. Here again, Lynn Schooler succeeds in relating his personal accounts and anecdotes of his time spent with Michio, a man who seemingly befriended just about everyone he ever met while bringing out the best in people and setting an inspiring example of living life to the fullest.

If you are even remotely interested in any of the topics or issues I have touched upon in this review, don't hesitate to buy a copy of this book. I'm betting that something in "The Blue Bear" will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. ... Read more

Book Description

Some people prefer to walk in the woods alone. Terry DeBruyn walks with bears. Set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this is the account of an extraordinary human-ursine story. Biologist DeBruyn believes that the only way to protect wild species is to determine precisely what they do all day.

To find out, DeBruyn pioneered a G.P.S. monitoring stystem for radio-collared bears, but he soon realized the only way to truly understand the animal is to enter her world. Not so easy when the subject is a 250-pound North American black bear with cubs. Black bears are enormously powerful animals, though very shy of humans. So, first, DeBruyn must convince an individual bear to stick around long enough to learn she has nothing to fear. When he finally accomplishes this, the rewards are immense. Carmen and her daughter Netti, and later, Netti's daughter June are ambassadors who grant us a glimpse into bear life. DeBruyn is their interpreter. He is a priviledged guest, watching intimate family scenes: nursing, grooming, and wrestling amond den mates. He learns as much about he moods and emotional life of bears as about their dietary requirements. Walking wtih Bears is an endearing tale of interspecies friendship. It will forever change the way we view one of the most fascinating and feared of all wild animals. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A GREAT BOOK FOR BLACK BEAR LOVERS
WALKING WITH BEARS IS A GREAT STORY OF ONE MANS LOVE FOR THE BLACK BEAR. TERRY DEBRUYN MAKES YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU ARE WITH HIM IN THE WOODS AS HE WALKS WITH THE BEARS. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. I HOPE ONE DAY I CAN BEGIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BEARS AROUND MY HOME AS THE AUTHOR DID. I RECOMMEND ANYONE WHO LOVES BEARS SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!

Fascinating!
If you're at all interested in the natural world around us, and concerned about how much we take for granted in this day and age, this is a sobering and fascinating look at black bears. The author tracks the lives of a family of bears (mainly 3 generations worth) over the course of a year to discuss their behaviors and their seasonal variation. Almost as a by product of this you learn a lot about bears, and the actions and motivations of potentially dangerous wild animals as a whole. I feel a lot safer being outdoors having read some of the explanations for the motivations of aggressive behavior, especially towards humans. I would say more about the book itself but I think it is best left as a surprise. Suffice it to say if you've wondered about bears or the upbringing of offspring in animals, this is a superb book. It's my first book on bears so there may be some others out there which others would suggest first, but I don't see how one could go wrong with this one.

Anyone Working With Black Bears Should Read This Book!
I have purchased 3 copies of this book for bear biologist firends. Debruyn gives a wonderful look into the private lives of black bears. I found myself comparing what he discovered with what I see working with black bears in west Texas. The book is written by someone who is dedicated to their research. There is a wealth of information on biology and ecology of black bears that is presented in a wonderful read. I read it cover to cover, then read it again.

Bonnie R. McKinney West Texas Black Bear Study

Just Amazing
I can only say that this is one amazing book. Buy it and read it. It's a rare treat.

Right Spot On
I have scoured high and low to enjoy the information that only biologists