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How to Survive a Bear Attack: A Memoir
In this debut memoir from the bestselling author of The Bear and The Last Neanderthal, Claire Cameron confronts the rare genetic mutation that gave her cancer by investigating an equally rare and terrifying event—a predatory bear attack.
When Claire Cameron was nine years old, her father, a professor of Old English, told her he was dying. In the years after he was gone, she found a way to overcome her grief among the rivers and lakes of Algonquin Park, a vast Canadian wilderness area. Around that same time, in 1991, a couple was killed by a black bear in a rare predatory attack in the park. Claire was shocked and, never fully sure of what happened, the attack haunted her.
Now older, with children of her own, Cameron was diagnosed with the same kind of deadly skin cancer as her father. Caught in a second wave of grief, she was told by her doctor, “the ideal exposure to UV light is none.” No longer able to venture into the wilderness as she once had, with long scars on her back, she became obsessed with the bear attack in Algonquin Park again. How could terror rip through such a beautiful place? Could she separate truth from fiction? She headed north to investigate.
Claire seamlessly weaves together nature writing with true crime investigation in this unflinching account of recovery. How to Survive a Bear Attack is at once an intimate portrait of an extraordinary animal, a bracing chronicle of pain, obsession, and love, and a profoundly moving exploration of how we can understand and survive the wildness that lives inside us.
When Claire Cameron was nine years old, her father, a professor of Old English, told her he was dying. In the years after he was gone, she found a way to overcome her grief among the rivers and lakes of Algonquin Park, a vast Canadian wilderness area. Around that same time, in 1991, a couple was killed by a black bear in a rare predatory attack in the park. Claire was shocked and, never fully sure of what happened, the attack haunted her.
Now older, with children of her own, Cameron was diagnosed with the same kind of deadly skin cancer as her father. Caught in a second wave of grief, she was told by her doctor, “the ideal exposure to UV light is none.” No longer able to venture into the wilderness as she once had, with long scars on her back, she became obsessed with the bear attack in Algonquin Park again. How could terror rip through such a beautiful place? Could she separate truth from fiction? She headed north to investigate.
Claire seamlessly weaves together nature writing with true crime investigation in this unflinching account of recovery. How to Survive a Bear Attack is at once an intimate portrait of an extraordinary animal, a bracing chronicle of pain, obsession, and love, and a profoundly moving exploration of how we can understand and survive the wildness that lives inside us.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2025
60 people are currently reading
1682 people want to read
About the author
Claire Cameron
4 books293 followersA new book, March 25, 2025 — HOW TO SURVIVE A BEAR ATTACK: A Memoir
Also, author of The Last Neanderthal, The Bear and The Line Painter.
Also, author of The Last Neanderthal, The Bear and The Line Painter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
April 9, 2025
How to Survive a Bear Attack by Claire Cameron surprised me in the best way. I went in for the title and cover and stayed for everything else.
How to Survive a Bear Attack pulls you into a place where grief, fear, and wild beauty overlap in ways that are both painful and strangely comforting. Claire Cameron’s memoir is not just about her personal battle with cancer, but a deep, layered exploration of survival. She blends her own story with the investigation of a shocking bear attack in Algonquin Park, moving between memory, true crime, and nature writing with incredible ease.
Cameron’s writing feels raw but controlled, balancing personal reflection with a clear-eyed investigation into fear and the wildness inside and around us. She doesn’t offer clean victories or neatly wrapped grief. Instead, survival is shown as something ongoing, messy, and deeply human.
I listened to the audiobook, read by Cameron herself, which added a whole other level to the experience. Her voice felt steady but vulnerable, almost like she was trusting me with something fragile. It pulled me even closer to the emotions running through the story.
Honestly, it was the cover and title that first pulled me in. There was something about them that felt stark and wild, and I’m so glad they caught my attention. I loved the way Cameron gave voice to the bear throughout the book. There are so many moving parts here, and it’s not just a straightforward memoir. It blends truth, investigation, and imagination in a way that moves back and forth so seamlessly that at some point I stopped trying to tell them apart. I was completely caught up in the experience.
🇨🇦 Canadian Author
🎧 Huge thanks to Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook!
How to Survive a Bear Attack pulls you into a place where grief, fear, and wild beauty overlap in ways that are both painful and strangely comforting. Claire Cameron’s memoir is not just about her personal battle with cancer, but a deep, layered exploration of survival. She blends her own story with the investigation of a shocking bear attack in Algonquin Park, moving between memory, true crime, and nature writing with incredible ease.
Cameron’s writing feels raw but controlled, balancing personal reflection with a clear-eyed investigation into fear and the wildness inside and around us. She doesn’t offer clean victories or neatly wrapped grief. Instead, survival is shown as something ongoing, messy, and deeply human.
I listened to the audiobook, read by Cameron herself, which added a whole other level to the experience. Her voice felt steady but vulnerable, almost like she was trusting me with something fragile. It pulled me even closer to the emotions running through the story.
Honestly, it was the cover and title that first pulled me in. There was something about them that felt stark and wild, and I’m so glad they caught my attention. I loved the way Cameron gave voice to the bear throughout the book. There are so many moving parts here, and it’s not just a straightforward memoir. It blends truth, investigation, and imagination in a way that moves back and forth so seamlessly that at some point I stopped trying to tell them apart. I was completely caught up in the experience.
🇨🇦 Canadian Author
🎧 Huge thanks to Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook!
April 30, 2025
Would I Survive a Bear Attack?
Claire Cameron’s How to Survive a Bear Attack had me asking that exact question: Would I survive? Honestly, it’s something I probably should ask myself every time I wander into the woods around my property without bear spray.
Bear sightings aren’t rare in my neck of the woods. They like to roam around our land. One time, while I was down by the river, I looked up at the ridge and there it was—a black bear. I’m not sure if it saw us, but it just went about its business and wandered away. No big drama. But sometimes, it's not that simple.
Three years ago, a member of our community was killed by a bear on the trails just outside my property. It was rare. It was shocking. And it still lingers in the back of my mind.
Why Do Bears Attack?
That question drives Cameron’s memoir. Obsessed with a real-life attack in Ontario’s Algonquin Park—where two campers were killed—she retraces the steps of both the victims and the bear, piecing together what led to the tragedy. She brings in experts, looks at other attacks, and gives us a deep dive into bear behavior.
But this isn’t just a book about wildlife—it’s also about survival of a different kind. While researching the attack, Cameron was battling a rare genetic cancer. She draws a powerful parallel between the predator in the woods and the one in her own body. Her illness becomes her personal bear—unpredictable, untamed, and terrifying in its own way.
The Bear and the Path to the Answers
I struggled a bit with the pacing. Cameron’s forensic deep dive into the bear attack is fascinating, but she jumps around while retracing those steps and the back-and-forth felt uneven and she repeats things when she returns to those steps.
The bear facts are fascinating and Cameron makes a compelling case for what may have happened in Algonquin. As for the bear attack near my place? That mystery remains unsolved. But this book definitely made me think more deeply about bears predatory behaviour and not to underestimate them.
Audiobook Verse Ebook
I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher and paired it with the ebook. I liked both formats. Cameron narrates the audiobook herself in a steady, factual tone. It works for the investigative angle, but it didn’t always carry the emotional weight I craved. I found myself more connected to the story when I was reading—it hit harder that way.
Canadian Author: Another knockout from the land of bears, books, and brilliance
Will I still continue to leave the cottage without bear spray after reading this? Well....
Claire Cameron’s How to Survive a Bear Attack had me asking that exact question: Would I survive? Honestly, it’s something I probably should ask myself every time I wander into the woods around my property without bear spray.
Bear sightings aren’t rare in my neck of the woods. They like to roam around our land. One time, while I was down by the river, I looked up at the ridge and there it was—a black bear. I’m not sure if it saw us, but it just went about its business and wandered away. No big drama. But sometimes, it's not that simple.
Three years ago, a member of our community was killed by a bear on the trails just outside my property. It was rare. It was shocking. And it still lingers in the back of my mind.
Why Do Bears Attack?
That question drives Cameron’s memoir. Obsessed with a real-life attack in Ontario’s Algonquin Park—where two campers were killed—she retraces the steps of both the victims and the bear, piecing together what led to the tragedy. She brings in experts, looks at other attacks, and gives us a deep dive into bear behavior.
But this isn’t just a book about wildlife—it’s also about survival of a different kind. While researching the attack, Cameron was battling a rare genetic cancer. She draws a powerful parallel between the predator in the woods and the one in her own body. Her illness becomes her personal bear—unpredictable, untamed, and terrifying in its own way.
The Bear and the Path to the Answers
I struggled a bit with the pacing. Cameron’s forensic deep dive into the bear attack is fascinating, but she jumps around while retracing those steps and the back-and-forth felt uneven and she repeats things when she returns to those steps.
The bear facts are fascinating and Cameron makes a compelling case for what may have happened in Algonquin. As for the bear attack near my place? That mystery remains unsolved. But this book definitely made me think more deeply about bears predatory behaviour and not to underestimate them.
Audiobook Verse Ebook
I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher and paired it with the ebook. I liked both formats. Cameron narrates the audiobook herself in a steady, factual tone. It works for the investigative angle, but it didn’t always carry the emotional weight I craved. I found myself more connected to the story when I was reading—it hit harder that way.
Canadian Author: Another knockout from the land of bears, books, and brilliance
Will I still continue to leave the cottage without bear spray after reading this? Well....
March 24, 2025
In 1991 a couple was killed by a black bear in a rare predatory attack in Algonquin Park, Canada. Claire Cameron, the author, herself familiar with the park, became obsessed with the attack and researched the event while recovering from the same deadly skin cancer that killed her father.
This book wasn't what I was expecting at all but I liked it all the same. I visited Algonquin Park in the distant past and the closest I came to a bear was when park officials placed a large bear cage trap on a triangle of land in the campground. Luckily it remained empty but I was definitely not camping in the back country. This book contains a lot of information about bears and I especially enjoyed the parts of the story told from the bear's point of view. The author really got into his head. Her research into the couple's killing in 1991 was entwined with her own battle with cancer. I was sorry to hear what she's been through and wish her all the best for the future.
The audiobook was narrated by the author herself and she did a great job. I suspect that I would've found the print version less captivating. Such a lovely cover too.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks|Knopf Canada, via Netgalley, for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
This book wasn't what I was expecting at all but I liked it all the same. I visited Algonquin Park in the distant past and the closest I came to a bear was when park officials placed a large bear cage trap on a triangle of land in the campground. Luckily it remained empty but I was definitely not camping in the back country. This book contains a lot of information about bears and I especially enjoyed the parts of the story told from the bear's point of view. The author really got into his head. Her research into the couple's killing in 1991 was entwined with her own battle with cancer. I was sorry to hear what she's been through and wish her all the best for the future.
The audiobook was narrated by the author herself and she did a great job. I suspect that I would've found the print version less captivating. Such a lovely cover too.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks|Knopf Canada, via Netgalley, for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
April 9, 2025
I don’t normally read memoirs but I found the title, How to Survive a Bear Attack by Claire Cameron, intriguing. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect except, of course, a recount of an encounter with a bear certainly and, yes, it recounts the story of a couple who encountered a bear in 1991 but did not survive. Cameron visits the spot where it happened and theorizes, using considerable research into the habits of black bears and accounts of other bear attacks which, fortunately, is a rare occurrence in Canada, to try to understand what may have happened leading up to and during the attack.
But it is so much more than that. It recounts the author’s own experience of cancer and how it, too, is an attack on the body. She gives a very honest account of the fear and pain she experienced as she went through the varying treatments involved.
And it is also a love letter to the wilderness beauty of Algonquin Park and the peace and pleasure it has provided her and her family over the years. A fascinating memoir and one that will definitely stay with me for a very long time. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author which added even more to my appreciation of the book.
I received an advance audiobook from Netgalley and Penguin Random House Audiobooks in return for an honest review
But it is so much more than that. It recounts the author’s own experience of cancer and how it, too, is an attack on the body. She gives a very honest account of the fear and pain she experienced as she went through the varying treatments involved.
And it is also a love letter to the wilderness beauty of Algonquin Park and the peace and pleasure it has provided her and her family over the years. A fascinating memoir and one that will definitely stay with me for a very long time. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author which added even more to my appreciation of the book.
I received an advance audiobook from Netgalley and Penguin Random House Audiobooks in return for an honest review
July 3, 2025
“A story can’t change what happened in the past, but it can offer comfort, guidance, or solace to those who are still alive.”
This is a 5-star non-fiction memoir that reads like fiction. It’s definitely a compelling read and one that’s going to be in my top five reads of the year.
How to Survive a Bear Attack is the perfect blend of Claire Cameron’s own journey with cancer, the vivid descriptions of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, and a rare 1991 black bear attack that killed a couple camping in the vast wilderness north of Toronto.
Who would have combined those three items and found connection? The author agrees that a bear attack and cancer are not alike, but when brought together, they can lend meaning. You’ll have to see for yourself!
There are too many pages highlighted with fascinating insight to mention. These are the top quotes that I’ll refer to again and again:
✔“I understood that wilderness-park isn’t a kenning. It’s a contradiction.”
✔P. 158
✔P. 256
✔P. 260
✔“Will I survive a bear attack? I’d been asking the wrong question. Being alive is one big risk and it will end in death, but the bridge between those two things is love.” “Spend time falling in love with the people and the world around you. Don’t let a fear of death eclipse your life. Run toward love, fight for it, and die for it.”
Claire Cameron, thank you for the pep talk. I cherished the hours spent reading your story and appreciated the advice about understanding and surviving the wilderness within.
My fellow Canadian avid readers, Tina and Read Walk Repeat, thank you for your great reviews, which encouraged me to pick up this book.
This is a 5-star non-fiction memoir that reads like fiction. It’s definitely a compelling read and one that’s going to be in my top five reads of the year.
How to Survive a Bear Attack is the perfect blend of Claire Cameron’s own journey with cancer, the vivid descriptions of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, and a rare 1991 black bear attack that killed a couple camping in the vast wilderness north of Toronto.
Who would have combined those three items and found connection? The author agrees that a bear attack and cancer are not alike, but when brought together, they can lend meaning. You’ll have to see for yourself!
There are too many pages highlighted with fascinating insight to mention. These are the top quotes that I’ll refer to again and again:
✔“I understood that wilderness-park isn’t a kenning. It’s a contradiction.”
✔P. 158
✔P. 256
✔P. 260
✔“Will I survive a bear attack? I’d been asking the wrong question. Being alive is one big risk and it will end in death, but the bridge between those two things is love.” “Spend time falling in love with the people and the world around you. Don’t let a fear of death eclipse your life. Run toward love, fight for it, and die for it.”
Claire Cameron, thank you for the pep talk. I cherished the hours spent reading your story and appreciated the advice about understanding and surviving the wilderness within.
My fellow Canadian avid readers, Tina and Read Walk Repeat, thank you for your great reviews, which encouraged me to pick up this book.
November 28, 2024
Finally… a “monster” story that works… and a quintessentially “Canadian” one at that. It doesn’t get much more “classically Canadian” than a story about a bear in Algonquin Park.
This title defies easy categorisation/classification. It’s part Memoir, part Non-Fiction, part True Crime and part Speculative Fiction. It moves back and forth between each of the above pretty seamlessly, and it works. A number of times I knew that I was losing track of what was fact and what was speculative fiction It didn’t matter because I was so caught up in the telling.
I have sat with this a little bit before writing this post. Partly because I’ve just been too busy to get around to it. But also because I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t my own sense of nostalgia - around camping and back country tripping in Algonquin Park in general, and on Annie Bay in the East Arm of Lake Opeongo in particular - that was connecting me to this. I have decided that while she gets the whole “Algonquin Park experience” absolutely correct, it is in fact the craft on display here that makes this work for me.
Sidebar - I laughed out loud when she recollected about back country camping in the 90’s when you used to leave a note under your windshield wiper to let people know where you had planned to go and when you expected to be back out of the bush. How many times had I done that? Too many to try to remember and count.
I had her fictionalised version - Bear - in my collection in my Library, but I never got around to reading it. One day I will have to circle back to that title. Clearly though, she has been building to this title… and I think it evidences a writer who has really and truly found her mark. And someone who has come to terms with her own monster and mortality.
Aside from bear ecology - and her own personal “bear” in the form of her cancer, she engages in an important conversation about “wilderness” and “wilderness protection”... a conversation that is desperately needed here in Canada and elsewhere around the world. She looks at the concept of wilderness through the lens of colonialism and personal connection.
And then there is the ending - with her hiking the iconic Lookout Trail. This is such a perfect ending - so fitting in every way imaginable… be it literal or metaphoric.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital copy.
Highly recommended.
This title defies easy categorisation/classification. It’s part Memoir, part Non-Fiction, part True Crime and part Speculative Fiction. It moves back and forth between each of the above pretty seamlessly, and it works. A number of times I knew that I was losing track of what was fact and what was speculative fiction It didn’t matter because I was so caught up in the telling.
I have sat with this a little bit before writing this post. Partly because I’ve just been too busy to get around to it. But also because I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t my own sense of nostalgia - around camping and back country tripping in Algonquin Park in general, and on Annie Bay in the East Arm of Lake Opeongo in particular - that was connecting me to this. I have decided that while she gets the whole “Algonquin Park experience” absolutely correct, it is in fact the craft on display here that makes this work for me.
Sidebar - I laughed out loud when she recollected about back country camping in the 90’s when you used to leave a note under your windshield wiper to let people know where you had planned to go and when you expected to be back out of the bush. How many times had I done that? Too many to try to remember and count.
I had her fictionalised version - Bear - in my collection in my Library, but I never got around to reading it. One day I will have to circle back to that title. Clearly though, she has been building to this title… and I think it evidences a writer who has really and truly found her mark. And someone who has come to terms with her own monster and mortality.
Aside from bear ecology - and her own personal “bear” in the form of her cancer, she engages in an important conversation about “wilderness” and “wilderness protection”... a conversation that is desperately needed here in Canada and elsewhere around the world. She looks at the concept of wilderness through the lens of colonialism and personal connection.
And then there is the ending - with her hiking the iconic Lookout Trail. This is such a perfect ending - so fitting in every way imaginable… be it literal or metaphoric.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital copy.
Highly recommended.
March 3, 2025
Did I grow up in bear country? Yes. I’ve had countless experiences with bears as a kid and learned to be bear safe.
Have I ever experienced a bear as an adult? Nope. Nada. Never. My bear sprays continually expire and need to be replaced unused.
Am I confident with my skills if I came across one? The fear is palpable.
“Being alive is one big risk, and it will end in death. But the bridge between those two things is love. After this investigation, my recommendation is to spend your time falling in love with the people and the world around you. Don’t let a fear of death eclipse your life. Run toward love. Fight for it, and die for it.”
I binged this so fast. This book is told from 3 parallel timelines and keeps you so engaged. There’s the memoir of the author- her battle with cancer and her life experiences with bears. There’s the timeline of a couple who were both attacked and killed by a black bear. And there’s the timeline of what the black bears life experiences leading up the attack may have looked like.
I highly recommend this book and was enthralled from cover to cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Have I ever experienced a bear as an adult? Nope. Nada. Never. My bear sprays continually expire and need to be replaced unused.
Am I confident with my skills if I came across one? The fear is palpable.
“Being alive is one big risk, and it will end in death. But the bridge between those two things is love. After this investigation, my recommendation is to spend your time falling in love with the people and the world around you. Don’t let a fear of death eclipse your life. Run toward love. Fight for it, and die for it.”
I binged this so fast. This book is told from 3 parallel timelines and keeps you so engaged. There’s the memoir of the author- her battle with cancer and her life experiences with bears. There’s the timeline of a couple who were both attacked and killed by a black bear. And there’s the timeline of what the black bears life experiences leading up the attack may have looked like.
I highly recommend this book and was enthralled from cover to cover.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 3, 2025
This was not so much a memoir as it was true crime reporting on a black bear attack and death of two campers in Algonquin Park in 1991 and some black bear facts, with only a sprinkling in of Claire’s life and her rare genetic mutation leading to the same skin cancer her father died of.
Some chapters in the book are from the point of view from the possible bear involved in the deadly bear attack, tracing its path through seasons and through Algonquin Park till it came upon the campers. Weirdly these chapters were my favourite parts. Claire’s nature writing is top notch, it’s just too bad the book as a whole fell short of my expectations. This book might have be better served by leaving the memoir part out being it is such a minor part anyway.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio/ Knopf Canada for and early audio copy of this book.
Some chapters in the book are from the point of view from the possible bear involved in the deadly bear attack, tracing its path through seasons and through Algonquin Park till it came upon the campers. Weirdly these chapters were my favourite parts. Claire’s nature writing is top notch, it’s just too bad the book as a whole fell short of my expectations. This book might have be better served by leaving the memoir part out being it is such a minor part anyway.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio/ Knopf Canada for and early audio copy of this book.
April 24, 2025
What do a bear attack and cancer have in common? Read this memoir to find out!
I love a good memoir and this one was really interesting. Centred largely around a bear attack in the 90s in Algonquin Park, the perspective shifts between that of the author navigating her own life and cancer diagnosis, the firsthand perspective of the attacking bear, and the couple who fell victim to it. I was especially fond of the chapters from the bear’s perspective: I found it showed great respect for nature in a way that we so often lack from our own human-centric perspectives (without becoming hoaky or over-the-top). As well, in no way does she tokenize the deaths of the two campers who lost their lives in the bear attack. She treats their personhood with gentleness and respect.
A quote for good measure:
“Terror and beauty can’t be pulled apart. They can’t be separated, no matter how tempting it may be to try.”
I love a good memoir and this one was really interesting. Centred largely around a bear attack in the 90s in Algonquin Park, the perspective shifts between that of the author navigating her own life and cancer diagnosis, the firsthand perspective of the attacking bear, and the couple who fell victim to it. I was especially fond of the chapters from the bear’s perspective: I found it showed great respect for nature in a way that we so often lack from our own human-centric perspectives (without becoming hoaky or over-the-top). As well, in no way does she tokenize the deaths of the two campers who lost their lives in the bear attack. She treats their personhood with gentleness and respect.
A quote for good measure:
“Terror and beauty can’t be pulled apart. They can’t be separated, no matter how tempting it may be to try.”
March 18, 2025
This memoir was so so good. As a lover of the great outdoors while also nein g equally cautious while in the outdoors, I loved all of the insight and history around bears and their behaviors, especially around their interactions with humans. But what really and truly left the biggest impact on me was Claire’s deeply personal journey around cancer after losing her dad to cancer. I have this exact same experience, but swap her melanoma for my breast cancer and truly I felt a kindred spirit. Her outlook on life and the limitations that continue post cancer (mental and how that can effect you physically) and relating that to her research in a bear attack really put into perspective how the things that we fear really might not be the things we should fear or prep for only. A stunning work of non-fiction and one that is entirely bingeable; I listened to the audiobook in one sitting! The author’s narration elevates her story and makes this memoir one that will be continually thought of as years pass by.
*thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Libro.fm for the free ALC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review*
*thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Libro.fm for the free ALC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review*
June 10, 2025
Admittedly, yes. It was the title that drew me in and made me want to read Claire Cameron's How To Survive A Bear Attack.
Part memoir, part survival guide and part true crime (if nature is the criminal), this was a book I tore through. Breaking it down further, this is part Canadiana, part history, part heroism, and part acceptance. It is always, without a doubt, full fight.
I appreciated the comparison Cameron made between her own cancer struggles and those from individuals encountering bear attacks. The level of research put in comes across, as does the love Cameron has for Algonquin Park and nature itself.
This audiobook is narrated by Cameron with notes read by Rachel Cairns; Cameron's narration had heart, depth, and emotion as she recounted both her own battles, and those of others, and I appreciated the sources sited within the notes.
I have purposefully not read many memoirs this part year, but this was one I couldn't pass up!
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks and Knopf Canada for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.
Part memoir, part survival guide and part true crime (if nature is the criminal), this was a book I tore through. Breaking it down further, this is part Canadiana, part history, part heroism, and part acceptance. It is always, without a doubt, full fight.
I appreciated the comparison Cameron made between her own cancer struggles and those from individuals encountering bear attacks. The level of research put in comes across, as does the love Cameron has for Algonquin Park and nature itself.
This audiobook is narrated by Cameron with notes read by Rachel Cairns; Cameron's narration had heart, depth, and emotion as she recounted both her own battles, and those of others, and I appreciated the sources sited within the notes.
I have purposefully not read many memoirs this part year, but this was one I couldn't pass up!
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks and Knopf Canada for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.
Read
March 23, 2025This was a really great memoir.
Claire shares her research, insight, and "obsession" with the 1991 Bates Island black bear attack that killed two campers. Part of her need to try and figure out what happened is because at the same time, she is battling a serious cancer diagnosis. Her diagnosis is the same one that took her father's life when he was in his early 40's.
As a fellow Canadian, I always love learning more about historical moments (good or bad). I was 10 and living in Alberta when the Ontario attacks took place yet listening to this memoir made me feel like I had heard of this bear attack before.
Claire is raw and vulnerable with her cancer journey and incredibly insightful and thorough when trying to share what may have happened to both the bear and the campers on that fateful day in October of 1991.
Also, I have not heard any mention of the Old English poem, Beowulf, since I studied (and did not understand) it in high school. I really appreciate how Claire tied it into her memoir. Now that I am older I have a new respect for the poem and some of its meaning.
If you hike, camp, are curious about the habits of bears, and like honest and open memoirs, then you will enjoy this book.
Claire shares her research, insight, and "obsession" with the 1991 Bates Island black bear attack that killed two campers. Part of her need to try and figure out what happened is because at the same time, she is battling a serious cancer diagnosis. Her diagnosis is the same one that took her father's life when he was in his early 40's.
As a fellow Canadian, I always love learning more about historical moments (good or bad). I was 10 and living in Alberta when the Ontario attacks took place yet listening to this memoir made me feel like I had heard of this bear attack before.
Claire is raw and vulnerable with her cancer journey and incredibly insightful and thorough when trying to share what may have happened to both the bear and the campers on that fateful day in October of 1991.
Also, I have not heard any mention of the Old English poem, Beowulf, since I studied (and did not understand) it in high school. I really appreciate how Claire tied it into her memoir. Now that I am older I have a new respect for the poem and some of its meaning.
If you hike, camp, are curious about the habits of bears, and like honest and open memoirs, then you will enjoy this book.
August 2, 2025
‘Everything had changed and stayed exactly the same. Algonquin Park was older and had existed far longer than me. The land would keep on holding these patterns, the ripples on the lake, the sway of the trees, the angled morning light. Long after I was gone, all of this would remain.’
I found this book to be complex, inquisitive and tremendously beautiful. The author’s personal journey weaving intricately into the tale of a bear attack many years prior. 1991, a couple attacked in Algonquin Park, Canada.
I have read a few bear stories by now, my most memorable being Night of the Grizzlies, Grizzly Maze, The Bear’s Embrace as well as many articles and news reports I have devoured. I’ve watched Backcountry, the film based on true events, also in Algonquin, just a few hours north of me. I found the depth of the book satisfied my yearning to explore and understand far beyond a simple news report of events. The thorough, journalistic approach was paired with a quiet emotion pulsing throughout. I could feel the heart of the story, the searching for answers. I sensed the trees rustling, twigs cracking. I could feel the depth of it all.
5 stars.
I found this book to be complex, inquisitive and tremendously beautiful. The author’s personal journey weaving intricately into the tale of a bear attack many years prior. 1991, a couple attacked in Algonquin Park, Canada.
I have read a few bear stories by now, my most memorable being Night of the Grizzlies, Grizzly Maze, The Bear’s Embrace as well as many articles and news reports I have devoured. I’ve watched Backcountry, the film based on true events, also in Algonquin, just a few hours north of me. I found the depth of the book satisfied my yearning to explore and understand far beyond a simple news report of events. The thorough, journalistic approach was paired with a quiet emotion pulsing throughout. I could feel the heart of the story, the searching for answers. I sensed the trees rustling, twigs cracking. I could feel the depth of it all.
5 stars.
March 26, 2025
Thank you so much to @penguinrandomca and @knopfca for an NetGalley copy of this book for review. It releases March 25th 2025 so you can pick up your copy now!!
We all know I love a memoir and this was no exception. This is a really beautifully written memoir that intertwines the author’s experience learning of a rare genetic mutation that led to her getting diagnosed with the same skin cancer that took her dads life when he was 43 and her investigation of a rare predatory bear attack.
In 1991 a black bear attack took the lives of a couple camping in Algonquin provincial park and ever since she can remember, she has been obsessed with the case, as bear attacks are extremely rare. I felt like her attempt to understand this unlikely attack was a metaphor for her trying to understand her own rare health condition.
This memoir included extremely interesting research about bear attacks, it was also full of life and heart, and it will stick with me for a long time to come.
My only critique is it did feel like we went off track here and there from the focus of the main bear attack discussed, but otherwise it had my attention the whole way through.
I bought a copy right away to share with my mom and grandma as I’m sure they’ll enjoy it too!
4.25/5⭐️ for any memoir lover, this was so well done and so different than other memoirs I’ve read before.
We all know I love a memoir and this was no exception. This is a really beautifully written memoir that intertwines the author’s experience learning of a rare genetic mutation that led to her getting diagnosed with the same skin cancer that took her dads life when he was 43 and her investigation of a rare predatory bear attack.
In 1991 a black bear attack took the lives of a couple camping in Algonquin provincial park and ever since she can remember, she has been obsessed with the case, as bear attacks are extremely rare. I felt like her attempt to understand this unlikely attack was a metaphor for her trying to understand her own rare health condition.
This memoir included extremely interesting research about bear attacks, it was also full of life and heart, and it will stick with me for a long time to come.
My only critique is it did feel like we went off track here and there from the focus of the main bear attack discussed, but otherwise it had my attention the whole way through.
I bought a copy right away to share with my mom and grandma as I’m sure they’ll enjoy it too!
4.25/5⭐️ for any memoir lover, this was so well done and so different than other memoirs I’ve read before.
March 28, 2025
Yes this book deals with some heavy topics, but it is so well done! The author takes a bear attack and turns it into page turning crime procedural mystery; she takes a life altering medical diagnosis and turns it into a meditative self-reflection on finding clarity in your life; and she doubles down on her love of nature and science.
This is an honest and eloquent memoir about the author’s experience with cancer skillfully intertwined with the mystery of a tragic true story that left two campers dead after an encounter with a bear. A thoroughly researched book that has equal appeal for readers who enjoy books about nature, mystery / thrillers, and overcoming life’s adversities.
The author writes about her experience with such a reflective and open-minded approach that it left me feeling peacefully optimistic.
I listened to this in its audio-book format and would highly recommend that version.
Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks and Netgalley for providing me with a free audio of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an honest and eloquent memoir about the author’s experience with cancer skillfully intertwined with the mystery of a tragic true story that left two campers dead after an encounter with a bear. A thoroughly researched book that has equal appeal for readers who enjoy books about nature, mystery / thrillers, and overcoming life’s adversities.
The author writes about her experience with such a reflective and open-minded approach that it left me feeling peacefully optimistic.
I listened to this in its audio-book format and would highly recommend that version.
Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks and Netgalley for providing me with a free audio of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2025
To be honest, I only picked up this book for its beautiful cover and for my love of nature, but I’m so glad that I got to live in its pages for a brief while. In this breathtaking story of survival, Claire Cameron chronicles losing her own father at a young age to a rare form of skin cancer and coping with her grief by exploring the wilderness of Algonquin Park. Amidst her budding youthful fascination with nature, a couple is killed in an unusually predatory attack by a black bear in the park. This attack haunts her through adulthood when she has kids of her own and is diagnosed with the same cancer as her father. In trying to understand her diagnosis, she is brought back to her days wandering through Algonquin Park, and she is compelled to finally uncover the true story of that mysterious bear attack. For fans of Jon Krakauer and Paul Kalanithi alike, this unique blend of investigative journalism, true crime, nature writing, and memoir will have you riveted from cover to cover.
April 1, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. This was interesting but ultimately not for me. I expected more of a memoir and less speculation about what the bear was thinking. At times the two stories blended together well and others it felt very disjointed. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author and that too was hit and miss. Though it wasn’t for me, I think there’s an audience that will really love this.
May 2, 2025
I really enjoyed the reading. The book written from very interesting angle, how the author put the her investigation why the bear attacks and her own fight with her cancer. How to survive both.
A lot of interesting facts and information about bears. And about Algonquin park.
Some part of the book sounds completely like a fiction novel and not memoir. Beautifully written.
Great reading!
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing free audiobook.
A lot of interesting facts and information about bears. And about Algonquin park.
Some part of the book sounds completely like a fiction novel and not memoir. Beautifully written.
Great reading!
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing free audiobook.
March 10, 2025
How to Survive a Bear Attack by Claire Cameron is both about her cancer diagnosis and a fatal bear attack in Algonquin Park in 1991.
Cameron’s previous book The Bear won the 2014 Northern Lit Award. The Bear was based on the same story as her current memoir. Perhaps because she had written a fictional story inspired by these events, it would make sense that the author would have given much thought to the motivations of the bear in this particular (and rare) attack. However, given that this selection is a nonfiction account of the events, I felt that the author extrapolated and took considerable liberty when writing the bear’s perspective. She could not know the level of detail she has attributed to the bear.
I think I would have really enjoyed her fiction book more as I have high standards when a writer takes on an investigative approach. I also struggled with the many sidebars/tangents that the author went on that, while interesting, were not necessarily directly related to the account (e.g. Canada’s feelings about broken treaties and Thanksgiving).
I digested this memoir on audio, a format I am hoping to include more of in my reading year. The book is narrated by the author which can work well in some cases. I found this audio to be a bit choppy.
While this book wasn’t my favourite, it might he a great piece for people who love nature, camping, and animal behaviour.
Thank you to @netgalley and @knopfca for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. How to Survive a Bear Attack publishes March 25, 2025.
Note: I know many believe we shouldn’t rate memoirs but I hope you have noticed I am not rating the author’s experience only the form of sharing it.
Cameron’s previous book The Bear won the 2014 Northern Lit Award. The Bear was based on the same story as her current memoir. Perhaps because she had written a fictional story inspired by these events, it would make sense that the author would have given much thought to the motivations of the bear in this particular (and rare) attack. However, given that this selection is a nonfiction account of the events, I felt that the author extrapolated and took considerable liberty when writing the bear’s perspective. She could not know the level of detail she has attributed to the bear.
I think I would have really enjoyed her fiction book more as I have high standards when a writer takes on an investigative approach. I also struggled with the many sidebars/tangents that the author went on that, while interesting, were not necessarily directly related to the account (e.g. Canada’s feelings about broken treaties and Thanksgiving).
I digested this memoir on audio, a format I am hoping to include more of in my reading year. The book is narrated by the author which can work well in some cases. I found this audio to be a bit choppy.
While this book wasn’t my favourite, it might he a great piece for people who love nature, camping, and animal behaviour.
Thank you to @netgalley and @knopfca for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. How to Survive a Bear Attack publishes March 25, 2025.
Note: I know many believe we shouldn’t rate memoirs but I hope you have noticed I am not rating the author’s experience only the form of sharing it.
July 15, 2025
I started this is month ago, as my bedtime reading, and had to put it away, as it was freaking me out. I brought it out to finish at our cottage - which was likely not a great place to read it either, as we are in the middle of bear country. Cameron's story of a bear attack in Algonquin Park 30 years ago is wrapped around her cancer survival story, and meshed in between stories of bear behaviour. She gets “inside” the bear's mind, as she believes things unfolded, but includes background on general bear behaviour as part of that story. It’s an intriguing way to tell a story. And the book has me looking over my shoulder at every movement in the bushes.
August 31, 2025
3.5 rounded up
March 3, 2025
I received this ARC audio book from netgalley.
Here I go again, taking on a book while barely skimming the synopsis. I went into this with almost no expectation other than the title and cover seemed interesting and I love discovering more Canadian authors.
This was so cleverly written. It's listed as a memoir but it's somewhat fiction as she goes through great lengths to research and explore a rare bear attack while offering the readers the victim's pov as well as the bear's. The author also takes us through her rare hereditary cancer diagnosis that no longer allows her to safely experience the things that have always brought her the most joy...being outside in nature.
I really enjoyed this story and hearing it narrated by the author was a huge plus for me. Though in hindsight, I may have preferred a physical copy so I could take note of all the extensive information that may actually save me from a possible bear attack! I may never look at hiking or camping the same way again. 😬
Here I go again, taking on a book while barely skimming the synopsis. I went into this with almost no expectation other than the title and cover seemed interesting and I love discovering more Canadian authors.
This was so cleverly written. It's listed as a memoir but it's somewhat fiction as she goes through great lengths to research and explore a rare bear attack while offering the readers the victim's pov as well as the bear's. The author also takes us through her rare hereditary cancer diagnosis that no longer allows her to safely experience the things that have always brought her the most joy...being outside in nature.
I really enjoyed this story and hearing it narrated by the author was a huge plus for me. Though in hindsight, I may have preferred a physical copy so I could take note of all the extensive information that may actually save me from a possible bear attack! I may never look at hiking or camping the same way again. 😬
August 20, 2025
I’ve never connected with a description of the Park or tripping so well, which is what kept me hooked. At times the storyline felt a bit repetitive, or staccato with the stop and go facts but I learned to just lean into it and really enjoyed it! There are some great reflections woven into this, how could there not be when looking back on your life, but so interesting to connect them to the 1991 (and others) bear attack.
March 26, 2025
🎧I did not expect to like this as much as I did.
I love reading books that are so close to home. This one takes place at Algonquin Park.
I found this to be so incredibly informative. There was so much I didn’t know about bears in general.
Not only does this cover the deadly bear attack in 1991, but Claire talks about so much more. At times it was a bit heavy but it was so well done.
I honestly can’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks for an advanced audiobook. How to Survive a Bear Attack is available March 25.
I love reading books that are so close to home. This one takes place at Algonquin Park.
I found this to be so incredibly informative. There was so much I didn’t know about bears in general.
Not only does this cover the deadly bear attack in 1991, but Claire talks about so much more. At times it was a bit heavy but it was so well done.
I honestly can’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada Audiobooks for an advanced audiobook. How to Survive a Bear Attack is available March 25.
April 18, 2025
A book I would never have picked up but thanks to Net Gallery I got a free audio copy, and I'm so glad!
My happy place is Muskoka and Algonquin park area, so that likely influenced my love of the book. I never knew how much I wanted to know about bears and this book had me wanting more!
At first I struggled with the author's jumping of time periods and perspectives, but about halfway through grew to love this aspect of the book.
Very interesting.
Update: Weeks later and I'm still thinking about this book.
My happy place is Muskoka and Algonquin park area, so that likely influenced my love of the book. I never knew how much I wanted to know about bears and this book had me wanting more!
At first I struggled with the author's jumping of time periods and perspectives, but about halfway through grew to love this aspect of the book.
Very interesting.
Update: Weeks later and I'm still thinking about this book.
July 22, 2025
Maybe cause I know a lot about bears already (not to brag lmfao) but I didn’t find this as insightful as I was hoping!!
March 15, 2025
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, which I felt really lent itself to the subject matter.
“The most unknowable things are the ones that hold the attention over a lifetime. A mountain, ghosts, stars or bears. Mystery drives an endless curiosity.”
As soon as I saw what this book was about I knew I had to read it. Living near Algonquin (or at least in SW Ontario), I had heard about and also had a minor obsession with this bear attack (although not to the extent of the author; I kept my obsession to reading articles and watching videos and movies about it).
Claire’s description of a video of a black bear stalking a man is nightmare fodder. I’ve had nightmares of a bear hunting me before (inside my house) and now my brain has new content to fret over.
Claire’s story about the unlikely event of a predatory black bear attack seems like an allegory for her cancer diagnosis. It’s ironic and in a way tragic that she spent so much of her life focused on bears when the real danger eventually came from within her.
Her story about her diagnosis and the clarity with which she describes the human condition and inevitably of death brought me to tears.
“There can be a false sense of security in being human. My blue chair sat in a house made of brick.
When the winds blew, I didn’t feel them. Soon it would snow, and we’d stay warm inside the walls. The sun lowered and I summoned the light by flicking a switch. I could turn on a tap and watch clean water run. Our built environments feel so convincing, don’t they? But every now and then, something happens. A reminder. The mask of control slips to the side and there is a glimpse of what lies behind. We are subject to natural forces. We are delicate, vulnerable creatures no matter how much time we spend telling ourselves otherwise. Our teeth are blunt, our skin is thin, and our hearts flutter close to the surface. We are subject to the pull of the moon. We can be shifted by the tides and pushed by the wind. We burn under the sun. Time, people, love; they are fleeting. We are born, grow, and move across the land until we pass by.”
Her concern over a misused word in her novel The Bear (paddle vs. oar) and the proclivity to be concerned that it impacts the rest of the story, the snowball affect her thoughts take on, and the worry that there may be other things you were uninformed about felt so relatable to me. “I wondered if I knew anything at all.”
I also found extremely relatable (and probably to anyone who has lost a parent at a young age) the constant countdown to the moment where you are the age that they died. I haven’t made it there yet, but it’s always on my mind. I can only imagine the anxiety that comes with surpassing that age. “Every hour became urgent. By that time, I had lived three years longer than my dad. This felt like borrowed time.”
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
“The most unknowable things are the ones that hold the attention over a lifetime. A mountain, ghosts, stars or bears. Mystery drives an endless curiosity.”
As soon as I saw what this book was about I knew I had to read it. Living near Algonquin (or at least in SW Ontario), I had heard about and also had a minor obsession with this bear attack (although not to the extent of the author; I kept my obsession to reading articles and watching videos and movies about it).
Claire’s description of a video of a black bear stalking a man is nightmare fodder. I’ve had nightmares of a bear hunting me before (inside my house) and now my brain has new content to fret over.
Claire’s story about the unlikely event of a predatory black bear attack seems like an allegory for her cancer diagnosis. It’s ironic and in a way tragic that she spent so much of her life focused on bears when the real danger eventually came from within her.
Her story about her diagnosis and the clarity with which she describes the human condition and inevitably of death brought me to tears.
“There can be a false sense of security in being human. My blue chair sat in a house made of brick.
When the winds blew, I didn’t feel them. Soon it would snow, and we’d stay warm inside the walls. The sun lowered and I summoned the light by flicking a switch. I could turn on a tap and watch clean water run. Our built environments feel so convincing, don’t they? But every now and then, something happens. A reminder. The mask of control slips to the side and there is a glimpse of what lies behind. We are subject to natural forces. We are delicate, vulnerable creatures no matter how much time we spend telling ourselves otherwise. Our teeth are blunt, our skin is thin, and our hearts flutter close to the surface. We are subject to the pull of the moon. We can be shifted by the tides and pushed by the wind. We burn under the sun. Time, people, love; they are fleeting. We are born, grow, and move across the land until we pass by.”
Her concern over a misused word in her novel The Bear (paddle vs. oar) and the proclivity to be concerned that it impacts the rest of the story, the snowball affect her thoughts take on, and the worry that there may be other things you were uninformed about felt so relatable to me. “I wondered if I knew anything at all.”
I also found extremely relatable (and probably to anyone who has lost a parent at a young age) the constant countdown to the moment where you are the age that they died. I haven’t made it there yet, but it’s always on my mind. I can only imagine the anxiety that comes with surpassing that age. “Every hour became urgent. By that time, I had lived three years longer than my dad. This felt like borrowed time.”
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
March 2, 2025
The synopsis of How to Survive A Bear Attack by Claire Cameron grabbed and gripped me very hard as I have experience with bears in the wild and always yearn to learn more about these oft-misunderstood and mysterious creatures. After reading the book I turned to my husband and said, "Now THAT was a wow book!" The book is poignant, sad, uplifting, and hopeful along with a thread of mystery running through it, the mystery of why a healthy black bear predated an unsuspecting couple (Carola and Ray) and cached their bodies in Algonquin Park in Canada. No one knows the precise true story of what happened on that dreadful day but Cameron pieces it together along with official reports including the necroscopy, investigators and her personal knowledge and experience. In doing so, the bear becomes a character using the knowns such as his age, his health, bear behavior, torpor, and habits, how and what they eat and hunt. How fascinating to see things from his eyes, hear things from his ears, learn his stomach and gain knowledge on the power of his paws on a typical day in his life, leading up to the attack, and after. Real clues from the scene showed an unopened pack of raw hamburger, tracks, a broken oar, glasses, and drag marks. What the couple went through is incomprehensible.
Interwoven throughout the narrative are pieces of Cameron's life and parallels between her and the bear story. When she was a young girl her dad died of a rare genetic mutation which became cancer. She is now living with that same rare cancer and as such must avoid UV light which is ironic and extremely challenging as an outdoorswoman. A few years after her dad's death she found healing in Algonquin Park, which gives so much yet takes away. Goosebumps appeared on my arms several times as my own dad died of a cancer when I was a young girl and I found nature (or it found me) and that is where I spend much of my time.
The more I ruminate on this book, the more strongly I feel about it and the topic of predatory bear attacks and how bears behave. It truly is amazing that we co-exist with them when they are capable of breaking a moose's back in one swipe and we have no natural protection such as teeth or antlers. But we do have bear spray which is proven to have a high success rate under the right conditions which isn't always the case. Bears are highly instinctual and intelligent, more than we will ever know. Sadly, sometimes humans and bears are at the wrong place at the wrong time.
A thoroughly compelling, informative and heart crushing book. It was clever, beautiful, moving and hopeful, considering the tragic and irreplaceable loss of human life.
Interwoven throughout the narrative are pieces of Cameron's life and parallels between her and the bear story. When she was a young girl her dad died of a rare genetic mutation which became cancer. She is now living with that same rare cancer and as such must avoid UV light which is ironic and extremely challenging as an outdoorswoman. A few years after her dad's death she found healing in Algonquin Park, which gives so much yet takes away. Goosebumps appeared on my arms several times as my own dad died of a cancer when I was a young girl and I found nature (or it found me) and that is where I spend much of my time.
The more I ruminate on this book, the more strongly I feel about it and the topic of predatory bear attacks and how bears behave. It truly is amazing that we co-exist with them when they are capable of breaking a moose's back in one swipe and we have no natural protection such as teeth or antlers. But we do have bear spray which is proven to have a high success rate under the right conditions which isn't always the case. Bears are highly instinctual and intelligent, more than we will ever know. Sadly, sometimes humans and bears are at the wrong place at the wrong time.
A thoroughly compelling, informative and heart crushing book. It was clever, beautiful, moving and hopeful, considering the tragic and irreplaceable loss of human life.
March 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Knopf Canada for providing an ALC/ Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review
Claire Cameron was only 9 years old when her father was diagnosed and later passed away from an aggressive form of skin cancer. She worked through her grief by immersing herself in nature and the wilderness to help her heal over the years. Later in life when she is also diagnosed with the same cancer that took her father and faced with the reality that she has to limit her UV exposure she becomes highly invested in a fatal black bear attack that happened in 1991 in Algonquin Provincial Park. Through her very thorough investigation we see how she relates different aspects of life, nature, and environment to the attack and why it happened.
I truly learned so much while listening to this book. I have grown up going to Algonquin Park and have always thought that black bears were mostly harmless. I obviously learned basic bear safety, and was under the impression black bear attacks mostly happen when the bear feels threatened(ie. a mother and her cubs. Hearing such a deep dive on this seemingly unprovoked attack that proved fatal was eye opening. Hearing different experts' opinions and also informed speculation as to what could have pushed the bear to do it was absolutely fascinating. Especially with the book being written in a way a true crime investigation would be. I think the author did a decent job relating it back to her melanoma diagnosis, and overall did a great job with the subject matter.
Claire Cameron was only 9 years old when her father was diagnosed and later passed away from an aggressive form of skin cancer. She worked through her grief by immersing herself in nature and the wilderness to help her heal over the years. Later in life when she is also diagnosed with the same cancer that took her father and faced with the reality that she has to limit her UV exposure she becomes highly invested in a fatal black bear attack that happened in 1991 in Algonquin Provincial Park. Through her very thorough investigation we see how she relates different aspects of life, nature, and environment to the attack and why it happened.
I truly learned so much while listening to this book. I have grown up going to Algonquin Park and have always thought that black bears were mostly harmless. I obviously learned basic bear safety, and was under the impression black bear attacks mostly happen when the bear feels threatened(ie. a mother and her cubs. Hearing such a deep dive on this seemingly unprovoked attack that proved fatal was eye opening. Hearing different experts' opinions and also informed speculation as to what could have pushed the bear to do it was absolutely fascinating. Especially with the book being written in a way a true crime investigation would be. I think the author did a decent job relating it back to her melanoma diagnosis, and overall did a great job with the subject matter.
April 5, 2025
There is so much to say. I found everything about this book utterly compelling. The way Claire wove her, the bear's, the couple's, and Beowulf's stories together was masterful, sharing perspectives in a deeply empathetic, observant way.
This book is about love, survival, instinct, the way we and nature interact with each and how we affect each other, the monsters we face and fight, and the ways in which we also come to terms with and accept our fates.
Reading, I felt compelled to look up photos and maps of Bates Island, too, where my husband and I have stopped to pull up our canoe and picnic and swim and explore. Algonquin has been our park for over 20 years. We've encountered moose and bears. My dad camps in the interior every year, and thankfully the worst he's experienced is violent storms. And I remember the deaths in 1991, and thinking back then about how growing up camping, we'd never come across anything worse than raccoons in the night.
I read Claire's The Bear way back when it was published, attracted to it because I remembered and had been interested in the story. I recall having a similar reaction to it as I did this one in that I felt deeply affected by Claire's ability to put herself in one's place to understand how an experience might have been. I was in awe of her book that followed, The Last Neanderthal, where she does this as well to superb effect. Her ability to cross boundaries into unfamiliar territories and make them real for readers is just amazing.
I can't wait for what's next.
This book is about love, survival, instinct, the way we and nature interact with each and how we affect each other, the monsters we face and fight, and the ways in which we also come to terms with and accept our fates.
Reading, I felt compelled to look up photos and maps of Bates Island, too, where my husband and I have stopped to pull up our canoe and picnic and swim and explore. Algonquin has been our park for over 20 years. We've encountered moose and bears. My dad camps in the interior every year, and thankfully the worst he's experienced is violent storms. And I remember the deaths in 1991, and thinking back then about how growing up camping, we'd never come across anything worse than raccoons in the night.
I read Claire's The Bear way back when it was published, attracted to it because I remembered and had been interested in the story. I recall having a similar reaction to it as I did this one in that I felt deeply affected by Claire's ability to put herself in one's place to understand how an experience might have been. I was in awe of her book that followed, The Last Neanderthal, where she does this as well to superb effect. Her ability to cross boundaries into unfamiliar territories and make them real for readers is just amazing.
I can't wait for what's next.
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