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315th out of 396 books
—
947 voters
Part Wild: One Woman's Journey with a Creature Caught Between the Worlds of Wolves and Dogs
by
Ceiridwen Terrill (Goodreads Author)
Part Wild is the unforgettable story of Ceiridwen Terrill's journey with a creature whose heart is divided between her bond to one woman and her need to roam free. When Terrill adopts a wolfdog—part husky, part gray wolf—named Inyo to be her protector and fellow traveler, she is drawn to Inyo’s spark of wildness; compelled by the great responsibility, even danger, that acc...more
Hardcover, 235 pages
Published
October 11th 2011
by Scribner
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The title describes Ms. Terrill as well as Inyo (at least during the time their lives were together). Her extreme adventures show her searching for wilderness experience outside the bounds of the ordinary. Telling her story as honestly as she did was exceedingly brave. To reveal your personal shortcomings is never easy and her choices with Inyo would have been different after her research.
Like dog ownership, what happens between human and animal is often a result of the owner and the owner’s ch...more
Like dog ownership, what happens between human and animal is often a result of the owner and the owner’s ch...more
I think that obtaining any dog without reading about the dogbreed is wrong and moreso with a wolf mix. I think 3 years 4 months does not make an expert. Her story is typical of many dog breeds that require lots of work and much training.. As a companion to wolfdogs of varing content I am always interested in other peoples stories and could not pass it up. From the beginning I felt a sence of doom. This woman is very candid about events in her life - an abusive relationship, herself diagnosed as...more
Recommended reading for anyone who loves dogs and/or wolves, especially those who seek to understand the relationship between the two.
This book takes both an anecdotal and scientific approach to exploring the origins, characteristics, and fate of an interspecies hybrid, the wolfdog. It is the memoir of an intelligent, yet troubled woman who, while running from one damaging relationship, unwittingly throws herself into another: with a wolfdog named Inyo.
Drawn to wolfdogs by notions of their nobi...more
This book takes both an anecdotal and scientific approach to exploring the origins, characteristics, and fate of an interspecies hybrid, the wolfdog. It is the memoir of an intelligent, yet troubled woman who, while running from one damaging relationship, unwittingly throws herself into another: with a wolfdog named Inyo.
Drawn to wolfdogs by notions of their nobi...more
I am not one to read books about dogs, horses or other animals (with the wonderful exception of the Life of Pi), but this is a selection of my book club that is so different from my usual reading and a book that I am glad to have read. The mother of the author was actually a member of the club when I joined it, but shortly thereafter, she moved back to Oregon. It was odd to read a book where one of the characters (mentioned only briefly and not taking much of a role in the main action) was actua...more
Please note: Received this book from Goodreads giveaway.
Rough book - not the writing, just the struggles of every single living creature mentioned in the book. I don't think anyone made it out without a scratch.
I admire the author's candidness and honesty in admitting some pretty heavy mistakes. While her decisions were not the ones that I would have made (currently springing to mind is the idea that a destructive wolfdog needs two puppy friends, especially when the owners are drowning in debt)...more
Rough book - not the writing, just the struggles of every single living creature mentioned in the book. I don't think anyone made it out without a scratch.
I admire the author's candidness and honesty in admitting some pretty heavy mistakes. While her decisions were not the ones that I would have made (currently springing to mind is the idea that a destructive wolfdog needs two puppy friends, especially when the owners are drowning in debt)...more
A powerful and tragic story that is as much about Terrill as the high-content wolf-dog Inyo that she raised form a cub. Inyo is 85% wolf which was guaranteed to make her more difficult as a companion than a lesser mix. Terrill, however, had a compelling need to have a wolf, in part due to her confessed craziness (OCD), and other personality flaws which led to her living with an abuser for years, unable to find the grit to leave—when she finally does so, she flees to another state, leaving a floc...more
Sometimes it's better to go into a book without expectations. Upon starting Part Wild, I expected to be further educated above and beyond anything else. Problem was I've been reading all manner of dog/animal books lately - perspectives by biologists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, and more - and so there was not a lot of factual info here that was new to me. However...this book as a story was just terrific. The story of a woman with a troubled life that is identified with an animal that is...more
What a story this is! Part Wild by Ceiridwen Terrill is the true story of Ceiridwen trying to raise a wolf dog from the moment it was born. I loved this book so much! The writing is so good that I wanted to reach out and help her or give her a hug at least. Her husband gives her just as much trouble, if not more, than the dog does! There are funny and sad moments—this book has it all! It's a page turner for sure. Make it a point to read this book because you will love it and remember it when you...more
This is a tough one to review. It's well-written, but as a tale of someone who makes one bad decision after another -- decisions which affect everyone around her in mostly negative ways -- it gets old to have her continually play the victim. I finished the book really disliking the author and feeling bad for the animals in her care --- and for any animal unlucky enough to live in the immediate vicinity while her "wolfdog" was roaming the streets.
A primer for what not to do, I guess.
Also, for the...more
A primer for what not to do, I guess.
Also, for the...more
Feb 26, 2012
Jillyn
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
animal lovers, dog lovers, environmentalists, dog breeders
Shelves:
first-reads
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
This book is an emotional journey in which one dog owner must decide for herself the rights and wrongs in a situation where no one is the winner. I found this book to be a nice blend of research and facts and memoir. I learned much about wolves, wolfdogs, and canines in general, and at the same time, gained insight into the difficult life of the author and the personal battles she had to face both with and without her wolfdog, Inyo. I caught mys...more
This book is an emotional journey in which one dog owner must decide for herself the rights and wrongs in a situation where no one is the winner. I found this book to be a nice blend of research and facts and memoir. I learned much about wolves, wolfdogs, and canines in general, and at the same time, gained insight into the difficult life of the author and the personal battles she had to face both with and without her wolfdog, Inyo. I caught mys...more
I knew going in that this book was not going to be a happy tale, but it caught me up anyway. I couldn't help but fall in love with Inyo, anyway. This book is about one woman's mistakes and trials and heartbreaks, and what she does to try to fix them when everything seems to go wrong.
Part memoir, part canine research, Part Wild grabbed me from the very beginning and I just couldn't stop reading. Her reminiscences are loving and touching, but blunt with truth, even the unpleasant ones. Her factual...more
Part memoir, part canine research, Part Wild grabbed me from the very beginning and I just couldn't stop reading. Her reminiscences are loving and touching, but blunt with truth, even the unpleasant ones. Her factual...more
So many reviewers have panned this book because the author wrote about the stupid decisions she made concerning having a wolf-hybrid animal. I liked the story because she DID write the book, to warn others about the pitfalls and disasters waiting for all involved.
The fact that the author’s personal life is also a disaster, it didn't surprise me that she chose to enter into what was so obviously a disaster in waiting.
I think to write about one's own screw-ups is admirable, especially when you can...more
The fact that the author’s personal life is also a disaster, it didn't surprise me that she chose to enter into what was so obviously a disaster in waiting.
I think to write about one's own screw-ups is admirable, especially when you can...more
Read for book club. Our group had strongly divergent responses with some stronger than usual personal connections either positively or negatively. I tended to dislike the writing when it came to both her personal narrative and the detailed research. She mentions working on a PhD but never specifies what she was studying. Presumably something about wolves, dogs, or wolf-dogs. The book seemed to me like an awkward mashup between an intimate memoir and a well-documented scientific research report.
M...more
M...more
This is a book that shows the reader why not to own a wild animal. The author decides after a run in with a boyfriend to get a wolf/dog for a number of reasons including security. Try as she might this pet is too wild to domesticate. The book is a tribute to that pet which she really loved. Terrill is extremely honest and brings out all her dirty linen including 2 failed relationships with men. She is so honest that you really have to admire her as she seams very approachable and would be great...more
This is a difficult book for me to comment on. I have trained dogs for over 30 years and talked with the local "wolf-dog" people so I knew from the beginning that her experience wouldn't be a happy one. The writing style is very easy to read and she holds your interest. BUT, how she could buy into the PR of the wolf-dog people without doing any other research is amazing to me. The research that she cites adds a lot to the story. It is just unfortunate that she did it after she got the wolf-dog.
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Review book won on Goodreads.com on 1-31-12.
This was a truly inspiring and yet sad story. It is an unfortunate fate that awaits many of the wolf dogs that are bred each year. As beautiful as these animals are, I would much prefer to see wolves in their natural surroundings instead of their mixed offspring living in cramped pens for life. It seems when man gets involved with nature, the outcomes are not always what are planned or hoped for in the end.
While reading, I wondered if Inyo was not only...more
This was a truly inspiring and yet sad story. It is an unfortunate fate that awaits many of the wolf dogs that are bred each year. As beautiful as these animals are, I would much prefer to see wolves in their natural surroundings instead of their mixed offspring living in cramped pens for life. It seems when man gets involved with nature, the outcomes are not always what are planned or hoped for in the end.
While reading, I wondered if Inyo was not only...more
I'm not a dog person. I am more of a cat person and anyone who knew me growing up would know that since at one point (for a brief 3 month period) we had 10 cats! (YIKES!) I am also not big on reading dog/cat books...but I happened to win this one from goodreads so I was "obligated" to read it. :)
The basic premise of this memoir/non-fiction work is that the author was a grad student living in the southwest. She had part ways with a controlling boyfriend who threatened to track her down no matter...more
The basic premise of this memoir/non-fiction work is that the author was a grad student living in the southwest. She had part ways with a controlling boyfriend who threatened to track her down no matter...more
Ms. Terrill writes about a subject I know something about - living with a wolfdog - in her memoir. Inyo, her wolfdog, was supposed to be her link from the human world to the wild. Inyo was supposed to be her protector, to keep her ex-boyfriend from taking control of her life again. Inyo was supposed to be the best dog ever - but things didn't work out that way.
Inyo didn't act like a dog. She acted like a wolf. She lived with Terrill for four years, and during that time, it was a strain on Terri...more
Inyo didn't act like a dog. She acted like a wolf. She lived with Terrill for four years, and during that time, it was a strain on Terri...more
Amazing read. Although her actions were somewhat unwise throughout the book, she has wise hind-sight and add some amazing science about wolves that was enthralling. Previous reviews may be critical of her research and experience, but I found her years of research travelling to experts around the world to be through and detailed. This book offers a lot to learn and the lesson is important--wolves are amazing, and they don't belong as owned creatures.
Well, this story certainly opened my eyes to the reality of wolfdogs. I have met a few, also met wolves and know that they are incredibly time consuming to have in your life. This book confirms how humans should not go messing around with animal gene pools and should not play out their fantasies of harboring "near wild" creatures. I shudder to think of how many wolfdogs are alive in the US right now. Want a dog? Get a dog.
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Interesting read with a sensible, but sad, outcome. Although the book focuses on the life of Inyo, the author's wolfdog, many issues are brought to light-the wolf as a pet, environmental issues related to the wolf, the bond between "man and dog", the monumental challenges of confining an animal with "wild" instincts. It is a great read for dog owners as well as a good introduction into wolf conservation and management.
Thoughtful exploration of the wolf-dog phenomena, from someone who had a wolf dog and realized her mistake. Chronicles her own life with a wolf dog, interspersed with extensive research on both wolves & dogs separately, as well as the wolf-dog industry. Heartbreaking but very lucid, not self-pitying or self-promotional in any way. Very clear eyed analysis of the issue despite her own (major) personal involvement.
I really admire Terrill's bravery in telling the story of her wolfdog Inyo and illuminating the heartbreak and danger of trying to contain wild animals in human bonds. She went farther than personal memoir with a great deal of research into the challenges facing wild wolves, the still-debated origin of domestic dogs, and the "genetic tameness" experiments with foxes in Russia. She is also an accomplished writer and describes nature and its creatures in eloquent detail. Compelling and sobering.
this is sort of a heartbreaking read. I really knew nothing about the wolf-dog world so it is interesting in that respect. I liked the way her research was woven through her story. but it wasn't an easy read for me because of all of the difficulties she goes through trying to live with her wolfdog inyo and in her personal life as well - this part of the story was just hard to hear. I appreciate the memoir and her struggles but I can't help feeling incredibly sad for inyo and what other similar...more
After escaping an abusive relationship, Terrill adopts a wolfdog pup, hoping that the hybrid's wild independence will rub off on her. At the same time, she finds a new sense of security in her new boyfriend. Neither relationship turns out to be as stable as she hoped. The wolfdog incorrigibleness results in chronic escapes, a destroyed apartment, terrorized neighbors, and several incarcerations in the pound. Meanwhile, financial irresponsibility on the part of her spouse and the strain of caring...more
This book is a non-fiction book about a woman (the author) that purchases a wolfdog puppy and raises the dog. It talks about the joys and struggles of living with a wolfdog and trying to balance life in a city with the needs and desires of a wild animal. Skillfully written, Terrill weaves her life with science and history without ever losing the reader's interest.
Very good book about life, which is hard enough, plus trying to raise a dog who needed more attention and training that what she could provide at the time. The author is very candid and open about her life and problems, I found it hard to put down it was so engrossing. The background on shady breeders was eye opening as well. Highly Recommended.
I read this in a day & a half, despite having other stuff to do. if you think your dog is a pain, try a wolfdog! The science was fascinating, (shout out to my former Hampshire Animal Behavior prof, Ray Coppinger!) and the take-away message is don't adopt a wolf-dog, and wolf-dog & wolf rescues need lots of help. Poor beasties.
Very entertaining. Was hoping for a little more science, but a good story for readers like myself who feel inextricably linked to dogs. A story told with humility and honesty, the author presents the many, varied, and conflicting views society takes toward mixed wolf-dogs, blended with lots of personal narrative. I had a hard time putting this down.
I was more interested in Ryan than the wolfdog, so that's always a bad sign for a pet book. I was hoping for a memoir; wasn't interested in the research or whatever insights were being made. There wasn't much left; fairly repetitive escape/havoc cycles and too little about what made Inyo worth owning in the first place.
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I’m a writer and adventurer who loves to tell stories about humans and animals sharing home ground. I also write about people I admire who do important work on behalf of wildlife, trying to make a way for animals despite shrinking and fragmented habitats. I hope these stories inspire people to be better humans on the planet, because animals need all the help they can get.
I explore my own human foi...more
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Mar 15, 2012 12:11pm