This book was easy and entertaining to read. It is a great description of wolf behavior under the very specific and controlled conditions created by the Dutchers. The pictures are touching. But I would say that this book definitely does not describe wolves in the wild. The reader should be very aware that the wolf pack featured in the book was created "artificially"--that is to say, the wolves were hand-reared from pups and then grouped into a pack. They were, to a certain degree, domesticated. There was a great amount of human interaction, so I think it would be accurate to say that the Dutchers became part of the pack. For example, the Dutchers intervened in the wolves' lives when one wolf endangered another or could not fit into the pack. This would not happen in the wild. When the Dutchers transferred the pack to management by the Nez Pierce Indians, apparently the pack had some problems and eventually disintegrated. Maybe this was because two pivotal pack members--the Dutchers, the stabilizing humans--were removed. While I think that books like these are helpful in creating an understanding and respect for animals, one should not assume that the animals in the wild are exactly like the Dutchers observed. Whenever humans interact (or interfere) with the wild, the wild will no longer be the same. I was also a little uncomfortable with the fact that after 6 years, the Dutchers left the pack to others. They were the "mom and pop" of the pack, even though they may not believe it. The pack was created for a photo study, not a scientific one, nevertheless responsibility for their care beyond the filming project remained. Our culture tends to "throw animals away" when we are done with them. But if we've interfered with their lives, or kept them as pets, our care and relationship with them should continue through the animals' life span, because they've been compromised in their ability to lead their lives without us.

This book helps to shed new light on the age old fears and myths of wolfs. Written by Jim and Jamie Dutcher it details their human experience with an animal that for so many years has been persecuted and misunderstood by people. They open the door into the secret lives of these animals never seen before. This book is sure to enrich and change your ideas of the animal human relationship. I was deeply touched by this story!

This was an awesome book. Though I have seen the documentary several times, reading the chapters by Jim and Jamie made me feel like I was there with them. I empathize with what they wanted to accomplish and am grateful to them for bringing the true story of the family life of the wolfpack to light. I cried with them through the tragedies and losses. Wolves are magnificent animals; they have so much to teach us - we should listen to this story.

One other reviewer mentioned that some of Jim Dutcher's remarks in the book were extremely biased, and I would like to take this opportunity to agree with that remark and set some of the record straight.

First of all, there is a rift between WERC and Jim Dutcher. Each side has its own version of what has happened and what is happening, and, obviously, if you listen only to Jim, you're going to have a very one-sided piece of information. If you have never been to WERC, then don't criticize its care of the wolves.

I had the opportunity to work at WERC as a summer intern after my sophomore year of college. The relationships between the handlers and the wolves was unbelievable. These people care so much about the wolves there, and from what the current handlers have told me, so did the past caretakers. I can assure that there was no "abandonment" of the wolves by the caretakers. If they were being fed over the fence (and I have no idea whether or not this is true), then at least they were being fed. And the only thing I can think of that would result in a short period of severely limited socialization would be a policy change of the board of directors, which, I can assure you, would be backed with plenty of justification and probably very much disliked by the caretakers (believe me, they WANT to be with the wolves).

Jim, on the other hand, did abandon the wolves. I disagree with the whole notion of purchasing wolf pups, for whatever project, as this encourages the captive breeding of wolves for pets or hybridization or other purposes. He knew this project wasn't going to last forever, and surely he had to know the complexity of the relationships he was forming with the wolves, and yet he continued with the project anyway. Granted his work has increased knowledge of wolves and has probably furthered conservation efforts, but the individual wolves - Motomo, Amani, Kamots, Chemukh, and all the rest - had to pay the price. Furthermore, since Jim left the wolves at WERC, he has visited them only once or twice.

Please, before you go making rash judgements about WERC (or about IDFG, even), please consider ALL the facts. WERC is probably one of the most beneficial institutions in the country as far as raising wolf awareness. People may have justified problems with the employees and board of directors at a personal level, as they do in any organization, but I assure you, the wolves are being cared for in a most satisfactory manner.

This was an ecellent book about the sawtooth wolves and their lives. It not only looks at the wolves but also tells about how and where they were born. Its chapters tell the entire story of the wolves.
The chapter titles are:
Introduction-tells a little about living with wolves
The Den-tells about being inside a wolf den
Inspiration- tells how Jim decided to raise wolves
Wolf Camp- tells what the wolf camp yurt looked like and where it was
Jamie-How Jim met Jamie and how and when they where married
Trust- how Jim and Jamie got their first wolves
Makuyi- why this beautiful wolf was removed from the pack
Motaki- what happened to this wolf
Filming- starting the film Wolf: Return of a Legend
Kamots- about how this wolf came to be the alpha of the pack
Changes- important changes that took place during the years
Arrival- tells about the arrival of more human team members
Lakota- about this omega wolf and Jamie's relationship
Moving Camp- about moving the camp to another location inside the fense
New Additions- about the new pups Wyakin, Wahots, and Chemukh
Matsi- tells about sweet and brave gentle Matsi the beta wolf
Motomo and Amani- tell about the brothers of Matsi and how they interact with the pack
The Pack- about all the wolves mingling together
Winter- how the pack interact in the winter
Concerns- about concerns with permit for area
Autumn- about the autumn and the wolves
The Alpha Pair- about the competion for alpha female and about the mating season
The Sawtooth Pups- about the alpha's pups Ayet, Motaki, Piyip
A New Home- about the wolves going to Idaho for a new home
Jamie's Epilogue- about Jamie's thoughts for all the things that happened
Jim's Epilogue- about Jim's view from living with the wolves

So, that is all the chapters and I hope this review was helpful to you.


P.S. You might want to check out the movie too; for actual footage.