Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness

by Brian Payton

Around the world in pursuit of the beast we fear, revere, abuse, and adore.

We've been meeting bears in the wilderness, and in our dreams, since the dawn of human history. Celebrated in art and myth since we began drawing on the walls of caves, they cast a long shadow over our collective subconscious. Wherever bears endure, they are an indicator of the health of their ecosystem. Their decline―some to the edge of extinction―foretells a bigger that of our planet's peril.

In a series of remarkable journeys, Brian Payton travels the world in search of the eight remaining bear species. Along the way, he confronts poachers in the jungles of Cambodia, witnesses the cruelty of the bear bile trade in China, and delves into the politics of panda sex. From the reclusive spectacled bears of Peru to the man-eating sloth bears of India, Payton captures the power and beauty of these fascinating creatures while exploring their unique place within very different cultures. Vivid characters, exotic landscapes, and deft storytelling make for an unforgettable trek down the braided path of bear and human history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Travel, Animals, History, Biology, Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Suzanne]

Really great balance of travel journal and bear facts. I loved how he not only traveled around to understand bears, but to understand how different cultures understand bears.

[Sabrina]

This book takes a fascinating look at how different human cultures affect bear populations--they mean completely different things to different people. Each chapter takes the reader to a different place and a different type of bear. The writing is clean and I liked the author's place in the story: present, but not veering into a memoir (a style I like but don't think was the intention of the book).

[Kim Zinkowski]

B+.

[Charles]

Great journey through the more known and lesser known bears of the world and their challenges for survival.

[Tony Taylor]

We’ve been meeting bears in the wilderness, and in our dreams, since the dawn of human history. Celebrated in art and myth since we began drawing on the walls of caves, they cast a long shadow over our collective subconscious. Wherever bears endure, they are an indicator of the health of their ecosystem. Their decline—some to the edge of extinction—foretells a bigger story: that of our planet’s peril.

In a series of remarkable journeys, Brian Payton travels the world in search of the eight remaining bear species. Along the way, he confronts poachers in the jungles of Cambodia, witnesses the cruelty of the bear bile trade in China, and delves into the politics of panda sex. From the reclusive spectacled bears of Peru to the man-eating sloth bears of India, Payton captures the power and beauty of these fascinating creatures while exploring their unique place within very different cultures. Vivid characters, exotic landscapes, and deft storytelling make for an unforgettable trek down the braided path of bear and human history.

[Paige]

I have read several books on my favourite animal(s) of all time, the bear. I was able to pick this one up, brand new & hardback, for $5. What a steal! By far the best book I've read on the subject. Not only does the author write about the poor, sweet, neglected mooooooon beaaaarrrrs, as well as sun bears, sloth bears, and spectacled bears; he also gives glimpses into human life in remote corners of the globe (rural north India, Cambodia, Peru). The writing is much more interesting than I hoped for, with humor thrown in quite often. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the cave bear--so, so fascinating--as well as the bit about Navajo culture & bears. This book is more than just a nonfiction book on bears; it is a thoroughly readable account of the people who live alongside them. Looking at other books I have given 5 stars to, this one "outshines" them. Loved it!

[Nicole]

This was not one of my favorite nonfiction books, maybe because I had expectations that there would be more facts. Sadly there weren't. It was mostly just an account of a journalists travels through bear country and his encounters with other avid bear enthusiasts and scientists. I should have gotten that idea from the title...my bad...though I would think that a journalist would do some research. Also did not appreciate that there were hardly any pictures...many of the bears that the author discussed were ones I had never heard of. Which is great because I did learn a lot! But I would rather look at an actual picture instead of a drawing of a bear. Overall a great account of a mans journey but more facts should have been added.

[Linda]

Overall feeling is one of great sadness at what humans are doing to the different bear species around the world. As our population and needs increase, we manage to eliminate whatever is in our way--habitat and species both.

[Lindsay]

I made it into chapter two but lost interest and decide to return the book to the library. The writing was fine, just wasn't the book for me.

[Randy]

This one was difficult to read due to the subject matter, but definitely a good book. It really raised my awareness on how poorly bears are treated around the world.

[Sarah]

Cool if you love bears!

[Dhanamusil]

loved it.