We were fascinated with animals and the natural world from an early age. As documentary filmmakers, our intent was to capture the social lives of wolves on film. We hoped to dispel long-perpetuated myths by showing a side of these animals that was too often overlooked. What began as a two-year film project turned into six years of close observation and interaction with a pack of wolves. The things we learned and experienced exceeded our wildest expectations and changed our lives forever. We were captivated by these incredible and inspiring animals and have continued to advocate for wolves for over 30 years.
We wrote
The Wisdom of Wolves: Lessons from the Sawtooth Pack
Anyone familiar with the work of Barry Lopez would likely agree his elegant and insightful prose is reason enough to warrant a recommendation. But this book also takes the reader on a journey of unexpected breadth and depth through the world of wolves and their relationship with humanity. He illuminates the wolf from scientific, indigenous, historical, and modern-day perspectives. Don’t miss the brief and touching dedication that offers a glimpse into Barry’s love and respect for animals.
Never Cry Wolf is a quick read, peppered with dry wit and an entertaining, self-deprecating point of view. In describing his own experience, Farley Mowat demonstrates how humans tend to misjudge wolves based on deeply ingrained myths and misinformation. As the story unfolds, he systematically chips away at those myths. His observations of wolf behavior were not unlike ours, and his descriptions of the way in which wolves test prey while hunting were particularly informative.We can relate very well to the dramatically different outlook that evolves after spending a significant amount of time observing and getting to know specific wolves.
Maxim Gorky, born Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov in 1868 to the low stratum of Russian society, rose to prominence early in life as a writer and publicist. Gorky, who did not have a formal education, became famous in his country and abroad. Writing could not satisfy the rebellious Gorky who soon became involved in revolutionary movements. After a short period with the populist/narodnik movement, Gorky became disillusioned with the peasant class, and, instead, he chose the nascent class of workers as the vehicle for change. It is as if Gorky and capitalism arrived in Russia together. In his view the intelligentsia…
The Model Spy is based on the true story of Toto Koopman, who spied for the Allies and Italian Resistance during World War II.
Largely unknown today, Toto was arguably the first woman to spy for the British Intelligence Service. Operating in the hotbed of Mussolini's Italy, she courted danger…
We still have much to learn about the complex interconnectedness of ecosystems. However, it has become abundantly clear that the absence of apex predators has far-reaching consequences. William Stolzenburg has pulled together a compelling set of examples of vanishing predators and the problems that arise in their absence. In contrast, and of particular interest to us, is the role that reintroduced wolves have played in revitalizing Yellowstone National Park. There is a cautionary tale here that extends far beyond wolves, because the fate of many is inextricably bound with the fate of a few if we are to sustain biodiversity.
A provocative look at how the disappearance of the world's great predators has upset the delicate balance of the environment, and what their disappearance portends for the future, by an acclaimed science journalist.
It wasn't so long ago that wolves and great cats, monstrous fish and flying raptors ruled the peak of nature's food pyramid. Not so anymore. All but exterminated, these predators of the not-too-distant past have been reduced to minor players of the modern era. And what of it? Wildlife journalist William Stolzenburg follows in the wake of nature's topmost carnivores, and finds chaos in their absence. From…
In the prologue, Carl Safina notes that “Science usually steers firmly from the questions about the inner lives of animals.” His book does not. Each animal portrayed in Beyond Words is unapologetically considered a “who” instead of an “it.” We are filmmakers, not scientists, and as we came to know a pack of wolves as individuals, that granted us a freedom to explore questions that science hadn’t asked. Consequently, reading the amazing and often heart-rending stories about wolves, elephants, orcas, and other animals in this touching book resonated with us deeply.
I wanted to know what they were experiencing, and why to us they feel so compelling, and so close. This time I allowed myself to ask them the question that for a scientist was forbidden fruit: Who are you?
Weaving decades of field observations with exciting new discoveries about the brain, Carl Safina's landmark book offers an intimate view of animal behavior to challenge the fixed boundary between humans and animals. Travelling to the threatened landscape of Kenya to witness struggling elephant families work out how to survive poaching and drought, then on to Yellowstone…
The constellation we know as Taurus goes all the way back to cave paintings of aurochs at Lascaux. This book traces the story of the bull in the sky, a journey through the history of what has become known as the sacred bull.
Reflecting on the first decade with wolves back in Yellowstone National Park, this book highlights milestones in the reintroduction effort, takes you out in the field with a wildlife biologist, and shares compelling stories of individual Yellowstone wolves and their packs. With more than 25 years spent overseeing wolves and elk in the park, Doug Smith is a unique authority on wolves and wolf behavior. Around the time our wolf project was coming to an end in the mid-’90s, those first wolves were released into central Idaho and Yellowstone. When we read this book some ten years later, we heard the echoes of our own experience in the behavior and characteristics of the wolves in Yellowstone.
Written by an award-winning writer and the leader of the Yellowstone Wolf Project, this definitive book recounts the years since the wolves' return to Yellowstone.
On the edge of the Idaho wilderness, we lived with a pack of gray wolves for six years in a tented camp. That setting granted us unparalleled access to the hidden social life of these family-oriented animals. In this book we have gathered favorite memories from our years with the Sawtooth Pack, stories of benevolent leaders, fierce mothers, nurturing fathers, hunters, adventurers, comedians, and caregivers. Our intention is not to imbue wolves with human morals; it is to celebrate their very wolflike qualities through the lens of our own humanity. As it happens, many of the qualities that make a wolf successful at being a wolf also represent the best in human nature.
After escaping from a government holding facility where she, along with other scientists, was being forced to build a deadly weapon. She headed for the most remote place she could think of, the wild Xantifal Mountains.
Benghazi: A New History is a look back at the enigmatic 2012 attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, its long-tail causes, and devastating (and largely unexamined) consequences for US domestic politics and foreign policy. It contains information not found elsewhere, and is backed up by 40 pages of…
