Customer Reviews

The Biography of a Grizzly

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My grade two teacher read this book for the class many ,many years ago and it truly touched me. A bear cub who is orphaned at the hands of the human learns to cope and survive to one day exact his revenge on the hated human. The book is written through the eyes of the bear it seems and you can't help but feel his pain and rage as he struggles through life alone. Whab, the name of the bear, is taken advantage of as a cub and through life. As he grows and becomes more bitter and angry,he will at times meet up with his old enemies from the woodland and through his eyes they all seem so much smaller now. This book is not all anger and bitterness but has some very tender moments as well. As well as this book is written, I never imagined I could ever feel pity or sympathy for such a creature as a grizzly. Ernest Thompson seton is a gifted writer and I have passed this gift on to many friends and aquaintances over the years. If you are looking for a book that your children will pass on to thier children for generations ; get this book. D.Seguin Edmonton Canada

I acquired this book at age 9-10. Now, at age 75, I really miss it (it was "borrowed" 20-30 yrs ago). My nostalgic memory is of a haunting,memorable, and very literate tale of an excellent bear-person, who resolutely faces what life offers; infancy & vulnerability; growth & education, maturity & strength, suffering fools and agressors, and finally, decline and mortality. Seton's magic is to dissolve completely the artificial barrier between nature's creatures and ourselves.

I first read this book as a kid in the 1950's. A neighbor loaned it to me. I was fascinated by it, the first time I had read a book devoted to one animal in a personified way. It still evokes exactly the same feelings now as it did then. While a pure scientist might object to how personified and dramatized it is, based on reading other books on bears and grizzlies in particular, it seems pretty fact-based to me. A reader might wonder where the book, essentially a chronology, is going, but it does build to the conclusion, which is not earth-shattering but as touching and emotional as it is simple. It really conveys many things that we humans can relate to and feel. I've given it to my oldest child to read, and will eventually give it to the others.

The book is an easy read, has a simple style, and really helps the reader picture how things look from the animals' perspective. Animals do have intelligence and emotions, recent learnings show that even sharks do, so this book is probably more relevant and true to life than when it was written.

I recommend it to readers from about age 10 to the oldest adult will all enjoy it and come away thinking and feeling in ways they didn't expect.

When Mother read this to me when I was a child, it delighted me and made a huge impression. She enjoyed it as much as I and I could tell she loved sharing this wonderful book with me. It is written for adults as well as children, and is fine literature. The story was so exciting, so touching, realistic, and funny. The end was sad and yet the author made me, a child, see that that is the way things must be; in the end of his life, the old bear must die.

I was first introduced to Whab the grizzly bear & his adventures by my mother. Since then I have often read this book to myself, as a small child, as an adolescent & as a grown man. Over the years Whab has become a true friend & there is something comforting about how the grizzly overcomes the challenges he faces throughout his life. Perhaps his challenges are our challenges. I have read this book to my boys & in their classrooms many times & we have discussed lifes lessons as seen through the eyes of Whab. I often give this book to children & to adults as a present.

I haven't read it in decades. I'm buying a copy for my library - maybe I'll be able to read it to the grandkids - or vice versa :) A fairly short story about the life and death of a grizzly. What stands out in my mind after all these years is the way the aging process is made part of life. Probably best for the budding naturalist rather than those who think predation is a dirty word and all carnivores should be muzzled. A great philosophical work for those who want to teach some of Nature's ways to the young. Its a pretty transparent allegory of our lives. Deals (gently but clearly) with topics like death, fear, competition - winning and loosing. I'd say ages 8 to 13, best read together with your child. (At least the first time!) I also loved his Two Little Savages - about camping & the outdoors.

A dog-eared copy of this book was read over and over at our house when I was growing up. My mom, an elementary school teacher, used to read it to her class every year. I have since purchased two used paperback versions of the book for my grandchildren, and I'm so happy to see it is being reprinted. I highly recommend this book for adults and children. It's a one-evening read for an adult, but I promise you will enjoy it.

My Dad read this book to me as a child many times. It's a special story. He bought me my own copy as a teenager and now I'm purchasing a copy for my two children. There are very few stories that tell the story of the old west from a bear's perspective. My 8 year old son went to Yellowstone last year and it offers even more meaning to him now. It's a wonderful book for young and old.