Reviews (67)

Comedian As Scientist Entertains As He Informs
I picked this book up recently for the first time since high-school, some 15-plus (!) years ago.Maybe it was Steve Irwin's death, or a viewing of the documentary Grizzly Man, that got me to thinking about it- either way, I'm glad I did.I'd forgotten what a wacky character Farley Mowat was, and how much more there is to this quick read than dry scientific reporting.
"Wolves, please don't cry."
NEVER CRY WOLF is Farley Mowat's first-person reminiscence of his time spent studying wolves in the Canadian arctic. NEVER CRY WOLF, first published in 1963, was one of the earliest, most widely-read, and most effective conservation narratives ever penned. It's Russian edition (the title of which, literally translated back into English, is WOLVES, PLEASE DON'T CRY) was responsible for a Soviet ban on wolf hunting that spared the animals in their natural habitat and gained Mr. Mowat a notorious reputation at the U.S. State Department, which banned his subsequent entry into the United States.
Three Stars for Entertainment, Zero for veracity
I can't believe all the reviewers gushing about this book. It is propaganda, propaganda for a good cause. But, like all propaganda, it is not bound by truth or even by facts.
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Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Essays    3. General    4. Habits and behavior    5. Juvenile literature    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Wildlife    9. Wolves    10. Marriage, family & other relationships    11. Nature / Wildlife    12. Popular psychology   

Reviews (34)

Laugh out loud funny!
Great heartwarming stories about a boy, 2 owls and a dog.I recommend this for all ages.The cover markets this as a childrens's book, but adults who like animals will love this story too.A bird lovers' delight!

Excellant Book
Granddaughter loved the book. Will read it myself. Perfect reading material for children.

Owls in the Family
I read Owls in the Family to my second and third grade class last year and they loved it.There were a lot of funny situations as a young boy tries to win a prize in the pet parade with his owls.It is realistic as well humorous and kids can learn a lot about owls and their interaction with other animals like dogs,gophers, rats, snakes. Ii is set in a small town in Canada in a time when parents could let their children explore the town and surrounding wilderness without worrying about kidnappers and gangs.
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Subjects:  1. Animals - Birds    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Humorous Stories    5. Owls    6. Saskatchewan    7. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Birds    8. Modern fiction   

Reviews (28)

Don't let me give it away, You must read it for yourself
This is one of my favorite dog books of all time, right up there with White Fang by Jack London. Get ready for a fun ride as you follow the author through the actual experience of a dog that is 'one of a kind' but that we all know in the many ways that dogs reach out and touch our lives by just being themselves. An astonishing, tender, revealing and sensitive book that will have you involved, right there with the owner and his family as each day leads to another amazing event.
A charming book
I have not read this book in many years but I remember it as being one of the funniest books I have ever read.My old copy is falling apart, I'll have to get a new copy soon.

This is a great read-aloud
My husband has been reading this book aloud to our three children, ages 12, 10 and 7.They howl with laughter when he reads it (a sound that is music to the ears) and demand more.The book provides an excellent opportunity to learn about and discuss different ways of life and different times. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Animals - Dogs    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. Dogs    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Fiction    11. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Dogs   

Reviews (24)

A Fun Maritime Romp
This story of Farley Mowat should be read just for the fun of it. It tells the story of his experience in buying a fixer-upper schooner with a friend with the idea of bringing it back from Newfoundland to Ontario. It becomes an effort that takes years and he never does quite make it to his goal.
performance review of an Amazon on-line purchase
I am very pleased with the overall professionalism of the Amazon website and the client that provided the book. The book was in excellant condition when it arrived, ahead of the scheduled date. The Amazon web site was very user friendly and did not take long to see how it operates. I felt that the payment system (credit card) was secure. I have suggested to several of my friends to use Amazon as I will in the future.Try it, you will like it!!

Sail Away
Find a friend with a sailboat. Get him to take you sailing. Come back and buy Mowat's book about his seemingly incredible experience and once you read it (and it reads very quickly) you will remember many similar experiences of the art of sailing. You'll laugh at certain points and say "That's what happened to us!" as if Mowat was silently behind you on the first time you took the helm and ran aground on a sandbar. If you come away with the feeling that you too must buy a boat and sail the seas, then you have been bitten twice.
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Newfoundland    7. Sailing    8. Travel - General    9. Yachts and yachting    10. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

Reviews (20)

Great Adventure Tale
This is an exciting tale of two boys, Jamie and Awasin, who become lost in the wilderness after their canoe is overturned. Survival would be difficult for grown men, but the boys work together and form a bond that will never be broken. Mowat always laces his fiction with fact, which further enhances the power of his story telling. A great adventure tale for young readers and adults.
A thrilling book of outdoor adventure
If you love the north country and the outdoors, and haven't read this book yet, you have a great adventure coming!It doesn't really matter if you are very young or very old, you can enjoy this book because it is so well written.I first read this book as a ten-year-old girl, and loved it.I still re-read it as a middle-aged woman, and I still love it!Every time I read this, I want to escape to Canada to go hiking and canoeing (and often I do).The details of outdoor survival are all authentic.The adventure aspects are as thrilling as anything I have ever read.There are lessons to this story, and they aren't shallow.These boys make some mistakes, take their knocks, and learn lessons that make them into real, responsible men.A great aspect of this book is that the moral is not to avoid mistakes, but to do what has to be done once the mistakes are made, and grow by making them.The two Indian tribes, the Eskimos, and the white people all have their own fears of "foreign" people and their territories.The boys encounter their fear of the unknown, physical danger, and of unknown people and surmount them by being steadfast.The sequel to this book, The Curse of the Viking Grave is also really good.If you enjoyed reading this book you might also enjoy "The Old Man and the Boy" by Robert Ruark.

Rediscovering a childhood favorite...
Just lately, I've been introducing my two kids to my favorite childhood books (we're nearing the end of "My Side of the Mountain" now); they're so enamored, I've promised to read them "Lost in the Barrens" next.That's what brought me to Amazon tonight -- and I was pleasantly surprised to find that so many others have the same great childhood memories of this book.
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Canada    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Juvenile fiction    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Wilderness survival    10. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

Reviews (4)

A Love Song to Nature and Life
If you've read Farley Mowat, you know him as a passionate defender of the beautiful "Others" with whom we share our planet. This book is a joy-filled description of his early life and formation as a nature-lover. We hear of the wild beauty of Canada, the Quixotic plans his father devised and his mother endured, and the daring adventures which will become the foundation for his later writings. Although a light-hearted story overall, Farley does not avoid the difficult times, including a powerful depiction of the effect of the Depression on the Canadian provinces. It is a love song to the strength of character and perseverence of our northern cousins, as well.
Mowat is a true Canadian gem
I enjoy all of Mowat's books, but this one is particularly good.His style is conversational, his humor is biting. Clearly a man who does not suffer a fool lightly. Farley Mowat is a national gem. Buy the book...

Born Naked is one of the most amazing books around.
Canadian author Farley Mowat's Born Naked is a must-read glimpse into the author's much self-written about life. It's hilarious, it's poignant and amust for any Mowat fan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, Canadian    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Canada    8. Childhood and youth    9. Essays    10. General    11. Mowat, Farley    12. Rhetoric    13. Social life and customs    14. Biography & Autobiography / General    15. Biography: general   

Reviews (6)

The Snow Walker
This is a great collection of stories in classic Farley Mowat style; compelling. A fantastic movie was made of one of the short stories in the collection and also titled 'Snow Walker', but read the book first. He's written many wonderful books, but my favorite tales will always be of the Inuit where his love of the people and their culture shines through.
quick yet profound stories, eh? [no spoilers]
"The Snow Walker" is a collection of beautifully written short stories centered in the extreme cold artic regions.As an individual who has ventured into the northern lands, Farley Mowat conveys ten compelling tales from natives and their cultural heritage.The narratives range from superstitious to legendary adventure and either inspires the spirit or brings a dark mood to the betrayal faced by the indigenous people by the white man.
Not Mowat's best book
I'm a big fan of Farley Mowat, but this is not a book that I would rank among his best.I just couldn't get into it, although some of the stories were entertaining.Nagging questions about the manner in which he may have embellished the stories dogged me throughout. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (2)

Excellent historical account of Norse exploration of America
Westviking is what I beleive to be the Best historical account of Pre Columbian exploration of North America. Farley Mowat takes accounts from ancient Norse, Native American & Inuvut (Eskimo) & brings themtogether for the first time in a creative and suspensful reading.Westviking is a must for fans of history, socialogy, or geneology. I givefive out five stars.

Mowat rethinks the Norse discovery of America
Canadian author Farley Mowat is perhaps the best-equipped person alive today (1998) to take a look at the remote history of the Norse voyages toNorth America. Combining the skills of seamanship, navigation and amateuranthropology with those of the historian and trained scientist (he is abiologist), this unique writer has brought a very fine light to bear inthis 1965 work which is just as relevant today as it was over 30 yearsago.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

Very Informative!
This book was a great read. The story mainly centers around a youg biologist who is sent into the Arctic to study the behavior of the wolves, and prove that they are the reason why the caribou population has drastically diminished. Of all the lessons this book teaches, I think the most important one is tha that we humans don't know as much about the wilderness as we think we do. While this book at times may be boring to some people, I found it completely entertaining and could not put the book down! Farley Mowat has a great sense of humor and often uses this to poke fun at the government or even his own mistakes. There are many funny parts, such as the native's reaction to when Farley eats mice and when he goes on a 6 mile chase after wolves completely naked. If you are interested in animal behavior, this is definitely the book for you. You learn so much about how they stereotype about wolves could not be further from the truth, that they are gentle, caring creatures not too different from humans. I recommend this for all animal lovers out there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6   

Reviews (1)

A Great Story
This is a great little book! I read it the first time more than 30 years ago and still think of it often. Every youngster should read this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alaska    2. Juvenile fiction   

Reviews (1)

Mowat's passion for the North knows no bounds
One of his lesser known books, Sibir chronicles the author's experiences during two trips to the Soviet Union during the late 1960s.A lover of the North, Mowat had written passionately and extensively about it from the Canadian perspective, and had now been given the opportunity to see how the peoples of the North faired under Communist rule.Naturally, he found things to be somewhat different, most notably in the manner in which these peoples were (evidently) treated.In general, he observed that the native peoples of Siberia--under the rule of a totalitarian regime--were better treated than those in Canada.But the fact still remains, however, that to a greater degree than in Canada, the Russians had settled Siberia and hence conquered it in the typical western fashion.While critical of such encroachments in a North American context, Mowat is quite clearly impressed by the manner in which it was accomplished in Siberia, and was equally impressed by the resiliant spirit of the newer Siberians.Still, the author is not so easily enamoured by the workings of any authoritarian governmental system, and his contempt for the Soviet politicians does not go unmentioned.Despite this, the bookmay have played a part in putting him in the bad books of another authoritarian regime, the results of which he chronicles in the slim volume entitled My Discovery of America. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

Formidable history of Arctic exploration
This is the second volume of the "Top of the World" trilogy by Canadian writer Farley Mowat. In this formidable historical series, Mowat retraces the steps of the early explorers into Canada's northern realms. Volume one,"Ordeal by Ice" told us of some of the earliest expeditions into Hudson'sBay and of the difficulties faced by inexperienced men in ill-equippedships. Indeed, those who set out were frequently never heard from again andtheir stories have been pieced together, often many years later, by thediscovery of diaries under rocky cairns and from information gleaned fromEskimos who came across the men at some stage during their struggles. Thestories are quite fantastic and there is an atmosphere of outlandishadventure throughout these books, making them difficult to put down. Volumetwo, "The Polar Passion," recounts the fascination exerted by the idea ofreaching the North Pole, and the results of some of the early expeditions.Drawing from primary sources, Mowat lets the expedition members tell thestory themselves, as much as possible. He contents himself with drawingthem all together and setting them against an historical background thatallows us to have a wider perspective of the events. It has obviously beena long labour of love for Mowat and I feel as though a considerable debt isowing to him, for having made this material available to us in such areadable and coherent form. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (9)

Concept is correct
The concept is correct anyway.These people were led to their demise by three factors:the church, commercialization (HBC), and the Canadian government.Mowat claims he spent two years living among these people.This is doubted by some.I've traveled in some of the areas that this book takes place.Not everyone has great things to say about this author.One person I talked to called him a historical novelist.He has other nicknames.
Theworst book EVER...
What ever you do, do not waste your precious life reading this book...

Yes! A life-afirming wonderous book!
This book is magic. You will never think about a small band of Indians as statistics again. This book does volumes to make people of our society really feel what goes on in traditional societies. To feel jealous of their solidarity. To feel unloved by our own. It's great! READ IT. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribou Eskimos    2. Juvenile literature   

Reviews (2)

Gripping boys' yarn, but grating
The style of this novel has not aged well.Written in the bad old days of sex role stereotypes and thoughtless use of insensitive racial epithets (in this case "Frenchies"), I almost put this book down after a fewchapters.(The book does treat the French with affection, however.)But Icontinued reading and it turned into a gripping boys' adventure tale, andprovided a glimpse of that bizarre phenomenon, a tiny piece of France onthe eastern North American coast (the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon,off the coast of Newfoundland), and an interesting piece of history, theseislands' participation in prohibition-era rum-running to the U.S.But thecharacters are all stock, which, I guess, is only to be expected in a boys'novel of this era, especially the two peripheral female characters.FarleyMowat is for me one of the best writers of our time, as he is not afraid tocall a spade a spade when it comes to telling the truth about what ishappening and has happened to northern North America in the 20th century,the unbelievable cruelty and and rape of nature and indigenous peoples. This boys' adventure story though is both interesting and irritating.

An inventive novel of Newfoundland and St-Pierre
I think what I like best about "The Black Joke," is that it introduces the reader to a little known corner of North America: Newfoundland and St-Pierre and Miquelon. The other thing I like about it is that it provesthat Farley Mowat can write just about anything he sets his mind to.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 2-3    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

I really enjoyed the book!
I thought that this book was fabulous. Everything from characterization to the style of writing that Farley Mowat used. I recommend this book to anyone who is adventourous and likes SURPRISES because I can honestly saythat there are surprised in this book to be unvealed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals in literature    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Juvenile Literature    5. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. General    3. Juvenile Fiction / General