This was interesting but I felt it could have used more depth. ( )

This book was written in a way that made me wish I could have been there to know these magnificent animals for myself. I absolutely loved learning and gaining a better understanding about wolves, not only in a more controlled setting with the Dutchers, but also in seeing glimpses of wolf behaviors in the wild through other's observations and work.

There were so many things I loved experiencing remotely, but I think my favorite had to be when the female wolf, Chemukh, let author Jamie into her den to see her pups. I remember thinking how lucky Jamie was to be so trusted! It felt like this breathtaking moment, and I wasn't even there.

I felt The Wisdom of Wolves was an amazing story that reminded me just how important it is to have an open mind when digging deeper into anything. For me, this book will stay in my heart forever. ( )

The writers of this book were making a documentary because they wanted to promote a new image of wolves. They wanted viewers to stop seeing the "Big Bad Wolf" of Fairy tales and instead see a very social animal with deeply human reactions and emotions. This book does an excellent job of portraying this new vision of wolves. I loved the different wolves portrayed in this book. I loved their unique and individual stories.
It was an educational and fun read which I highly recommend to all nature and wolf lovers.

My only complaint about this book, and it is very much an issue of personal preference, is that the Sawtooth pack weren't actually wild wolves.

These wolves were fed by humans and hand raised as pups so that those documenting them could move safetly among them.

This is very much an artificial wolf pack made by the makers of the documentary. The makers did research to be sure that the behaviors they were viewing in their wolves were typical of wild wolves and that being around humans wasn't altering their wolf behaviors. But, it still bothered me that these wolves weren't being observed in the wild. The artificial nature of the pack was the main thing that I didn't like in this book. Otherwise, it was amazing and I really enjoyed it. ( )

This book really told the wonderful story of the Sawtooth Pack of wolves from 2 insiders, who lived with the wolves for about 6 years. I am looking forward to see their film and reading more about these wolves. We were lucky enough to see (from about a mile away) the Lamar Canyon wolf pack in Yellowstone in March 2018 and it was a wonderful experience. These animals have so much to teach us humans!! ( )

Your reaction of this book will depend on what you are looking for. First, obviously you have to have an interest in wolves, which I do, and second if you are looking for a book about wolves in the wild, this one will not appeal. For me, it was exactly what I was looking for, a controlled environment that allowed the Dutchers a first hand look at wolf behavior. Each chapter is preceded by a photo, by books end all the wolves in their orbit were shown. Beautiful animals.

Not only did I get to see each wolf's picture but I also learned about their different personalities, their role in the pack. How they played, where they gave birth, how they mourned when a pack member died or was killed. These animals have many of the same emotions and traits thatwe have, empathy, sensitivity, playfulness, loyalty, grief, curiousity. The cooperation between wolves and Ravens, how they use each other to search out food. I felt like I really got to know these wolves personally and missed them already at books end.

The background of the Dutchers, the reintroduction of wolves at Yellowstone, wolves at Denali are also a part of this book. The fear people have, wanting to kill them when they step out of protected territory, and many are killed that way. There are so horrible statistics given terrible ways these wolves and their pups are killed. Heartbreaking, but as usual many are afraid of something they don't understand.

Anyway this was exactly the book I personally was looking for.

ARC from Edelweiss. ( )