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    Never Cry Wolf
    Never Cry Wolf
    Never Cry Wolf
    Audiobook4 hours

    Never Cry Wolf

    Written by Farley Mowat

    Narrated by Adam Sims

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    More than half a century ago, the naturalist Farley Mowat accepted an assignment to investigate why wolves were killing Arctic caribou. Mowat’s account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone – studying the wolf population and developing a deep affection for these wild creatures (who were no threat to caribou or man) – is today celebrated as a classic of nature writing, at once a tale of remarkable adventure and an indelible record of the myths and magic of wolves.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateJul 1, 2010
    ISBN9781843793946
    Author

    Farley Mowat

    <p><b>Farley Mowat</b> was a Canadian writer, environmentalist, and activist. After serving in the military and exploring as a field technician in remote areas of Canada, Mowat published his first book, <I><b>People of the Deer</I></b>, in 1952. Over the next half-century he published dozens of titles and is best known for <I><b>Never Cry Wolf</I></b>, an account of his adventures with Arctic wolves in northern Manitoba, <I><b>The Dog Who Wouldn't Be</I></b>, a book for young adults, <I><b>The Boat Who Wouldn't Float</I></b> about his adventures sailing along the Newfoundland coast.</p>

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    Reviews for Never Cry Wolf

    4/5

    636 ratings45 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Humorous book. Read it before. Good narration. Recommended.
    • 5/5
      I read this book a several times, both in Hungarian and in English. It has been my favourite ever since I read it as a teenager. A wonderful piece of literature about learning to respect (and love) the misunderstood nature out there, with a healthy dose of humour--and the author's self-reflection that each and every human being should practice, every day.

      (Could use a language update though...)
    • 5/5
      What a powerful story. I couldnt stop listening. Dont miss it.
    • 5/5
      Farley Mowat humor speaks for the whole Canada, what joy.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read, nature or otherwise. Such a lovely story of a family of wolves told with reverence and humor. I can see why it’s a classic.
    • 5/5
      So funny! After reading a little about the book, I learned that "non-fiction" is too strong of a word to describe this book, more like "based on true events". Even while listening, it was evident he had some fun with the facts, but it gave for some out loud laughter. Highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating and often hilarious story of his study of wolves in Northern Canada. From an unceremonious beginning, he soon finds all of his preconceptions about the species shattered.
    • 4/5
      Never Cry Wolf is a very entertaining story of about wolves. Farley Mowat, the author, tells of how he spent the better part of a year living in the arctic tundra studying wolves and their habitat for the Canadian government. This was during the late 1940’s and in those days, wolves were still considered one of man’s greatest enemies.Although slightly dated, for example Mowat refers to the indigenous people as Eskimos, I found this a fun read. His descriptions of wolfish life are interesting and observant. This book, originally published in the early 1960’s helped to stir an interest in the preservation of these fascinating animals, who were taken almost to the brink of extinction before we overcame the myths and realized these creatures deserved their place in the food chain and were not a threat to mankind at all.Never Cry Wolf is a fine example of an adventure book that promotes the environment and wildlife preservation. I believe it’s light-hearted humorous approach makes it appealing to people of all ages and this is one of the reasons that it is still used in schools today.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written and wonderfully informative without being dry. Highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      A very fun adventurous book.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful use of the English language.
      Whilst it is a book on the scientific study of wolves it is essentially one mans account of his realisation of the destructive nature of man and the understanding of the harmony that exists in nature without us.
    • 5/5
      Fun easy read, very entertaining and informative about wolf habits and social life!
    • 5/5
      Well written, smart sense of humor. Hard to stop listening when I had to go to work!
    • 5/5
      great insight into the wolfs behaviour and also the behaviour and lessons learned by the trackers
    • 4/5
      4,3 stars

      This is a surprisingly funny and moving book; both an ode to wolves as well as a lament for the treatment of them. I can only wish there has been a change in how wolves are regarded these days in comparison to the sixties when this book was written, but I'm not too hopeful. A very solid read none the less, which made me chuckle as well as unexpectedly swallow back tears, by the end.

      I think I need to read more on this topic in the future.
    • 5/5
      Recommended for: nature lovers, those interested in wolves (although I had no interest before I started this book)A friend who’d read this, gave me a copy to read in the summer of 1976 and I was riveted. I love the true story of a man who goes to study wolf behavior for the Canadian government and finds the unexpected. I got very attached to those wolves, and learned a great deal about wolf behavior. I don’t want to give away what happens, but want to say that although most of the story is very entertaining, told with great wit, and has many very humorous parts, I did cry also. I’ve reread this book several times and never cease to enjoy it. Readers 11 & up can enjoy this book.
    • 5/5
      learned a lot about wolves and Inuit.
    • 4/5
      How did I fail to read this book before now? Certainly I knew of it and that there was controversy about whether it was factual. But somehow I had neglected actually cracking open the pages. When I saw that it was one of the Canadian audiobooks my library's streaming service was highlighting for this special birthday year I decided it was time to remedy my dereliction.Mowat tells a story of his journey on behalf of the Canadian Wildlife Service to study wolves in the subarctic and their responsibility for the cataclysmic fall in the number of caribou. Contrary to the then current thinking he found that the wolf pack he studied rarely killed caribou and instead much of their diet was small mammals such as mice and lemmings. He discovered that trappers and hunters were responsible for the slide in caribou numbers. He also saw that the family life of the wolf was quite social. There was a bachelor male who acted as "uncle" to the wolf cubs in addition to the mother and father. As well other wolves came to visit, something that astounded Mowat but was treated as commonplace by the resident Inuit. His book turned public opinion in favour of wolves and changed management practices such as offering bounties for wolves which resulted in wholescale poisoning of wolf packs (plus other animals).If you read (or listen to) this book as a fictionalized amalgam of many researchers' findings written in a humourous and entertaining fashion in order to make a point then you will get out of it what Mowat wanted you to. On the other hand if you want every word to be true then you will be disappointed because, although Mowat did go to the north on a similar study, he did not go alone and he employs hyperbole with a heavy hand.
    • 4/5
      I read this long time ago - not too long after the movie, I think. I do recall I liked it. Probably should read it again.
    • 1/5
      Unappealing. Seemed to plunge into 70's hippie philosophy with alacrity. Wolves are great, but people philosophizing...
    • 4/5
      This delightful memoir is based on two summers and a winter that Farley Mowat spent in the subarctic regions of southern Keewatin Territory and northern Manitoba as a biologist studying wolves and caribou. Sent there by the Canadian government to, as he describes it, confirm the hateful myths then firmly held about wolves, Mowat instead learned about the symbiotic relationship between wolves and caribou and the terrible toll being wrought on both populations by white man's intrusion into the ecosystem. With humor and respect, Mowat tells the story of one family of wolves. Through this storytelling, he captures the vast beauty of the region, the majesty of both the wolves and the caribou on which they depend (although he illuminates the fact that the wolves primarily eat mice when such are plentiful), and the bemused innocence of the local natives as they worked to understand this white man's behavior. I chuckled out loud more than once and finished this quick read with a resounding sense of satisfaction. Four happy stars.
    • 4/5
      “We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be...”Mowat, a naturalist/biologist is given an assignment: spend the summer in the subarctic and study wolf behavior, particularly, their feeding habits. Mowat discovers one wolf family and follows them closely, for several months. It is an eye-opening experience, giving him a deeper understanding and compassion for this misunderstood animal.This is a terrific read. Funny and adventurous. I have heard much of it is fictionalized, but as a story, it really resounds. Surprisingly, it was written, about 50 years ago but still remains fresh and entertaining.
    • 2/5
      Received via NetGalley and Open Road Media in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
      Also posted on Silk & Serif

      I have such a complicated opinion when it comes to Never Cry Wolf. On the one hand, Mowat changed the way people looked at the the mysterious wolf and developed the understanding that wolves are more in tune with nature than our own species seems to be. Unfortunately, Mowat goes about writing his novel in the wrong way: his tone is condescending, his stories meant to be entertaining only make him sound incapable and his constant complaining about his superiors "refusing" to help him do his job make him look rather pathetic. Regardless, Mowat's book is one of the first books to really capture a sliver of the social, predatory and familial behaviours of the enigmatic wolf and thus deserves some level of respect.

      Never Cry Wolf is an easy read filled with what appear to be anecdotal tales of a man's experience living near a wolf den while on a government contract to study the "vicious beasts" that are wolves. Mowat explains to the reader how the initial understanding of the wolf was shaped by the political climate of the time rather than fact. He also links the violence that man enacted on the Caribou whose dwindling numbers were blamed on the insatiable wolf to this political struggle. He then provides stories and experiences as evidence of a kinder, gentler wolf with keen intelligence and anthropomorphic behaviours.

      Upon some research it seems that Never Cry Wolf is a semi-ficiton which was written based on Mowat's experiences while studying various species in the Canadian arctic as a civil servant. I'm uncertain if this makes the book any more palatable for me considering the effects it had on the media image of the wolf. If anything it makes me concerned that people are naive enough to believe anything they read before doing some research or critical thinking.

      Did I find it humourous? Definitely not. Do I think this belongs in education? Perhaps. The novel has value in educating people about the poor critical thinking skills our society fosters and it is a decent tale to dispose of bad image issues wolves seem to still inherit today. Was I entertained? Yes. I feel Never Cry Wolf is a fictional novel that change the way people looked at wolves and highlighted the errors in political thought during its years of publication. I think its an important book to read, but I also don't know if I would leap to the conclusion "classic".

      This book will appeal to nature and animal lovers, conservationists, students and people who enjoy a good story with a flair of the dramatic. Although not a classic novel, there is wealth in reading this novel at least once in a lifetime.
    • 5/5
      Never Cry Wolf was a "must read" book in the 1970s, and I can't think of a person I knew who would admit not having read it. This new edition will not have the same broad reach or cultural importance, but a reader coming to it in 2015 should know that it is on many people's "Great Books" list, and that Farley Mowat (I have always loved that name.), primarily with Never Cry Wolf, helped shape the environmental movement (or perhaps "movements") that we know today. Mr. Mowat's work is controversial because it is fictionalized. Many of his books, including Never Cry Wolf, are like films "based on a true story." Estimating the degree of fictionalization depends a bit on the politics of the critic and the Wikipedia article on NCW outlines the controversy. More detailed discussion of Mowat's background story can be found with a quick web search that will also bring up many obituaries and memorial tributes. Mowat was vocal and pugnacious about his ideas. He was denied entry to the USA in 1985, purportedly for his leftist leanings. He tells that story in the 1986 "My Discovery of America," now out of print. Never Cry Wolf became so important in part because it is so very readable. Laugh out loud funny in places, it is warmly appealing to even the youngest reader. It is the kind of gift to give a child to induce book addiction. Anyone with any love of nature will like it, in part because it is so exotic.Never Cry Wolf is set in a world we can't remember and can hardly imagine, one where naturalists retained direct methodological links with 19th century luminaries. A world where it is normal for naturalists and explorers (and, latterly, Peace Corps volunteers) to revel in fieldwork that kept them out of sight for months and years at a time. Today communication is too easy and our fear of the world is out of control. Grant-making agencies, and the organizations they fund, impose strict fieldwork safety guidelines, and Peace Corps has been sued into becoming a nanny agency tasked with reporting every time a Volunteer burps. It is nearly impossible to imagine naturalists and anthropologists who preferred, and were able to pull off, an uninterrupted scientific life.This new edition of Never Cry Wolf includes a nice little Farley Mowat biography with photos that makes it even more appealing as a gift for a young person you are trying to subvert. It ignores the controversy surrounding the book and I think this is a bad choice by the publisher.I received a review copy of Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (Open Road) through NetGalley.com.
    • 1/5
      Bleh. One of the most uninteresting and horribly written book I've read in a while.

      Want proof? It took me nearly a month to read this book.

      Not only that, but its filled with blatant lies about wolves.

      Example: According to this garbagebook, apparently wolves live off of mice. Coming from someone who knows little regarding wolves prior to reading this novel, I know for a fact that wolves do NOT only eat mice. What a ridiculous lie.

      All in all, this book was a waste of my time. I appreciate that it tried to make people less afraid of wolves, but it sadly failed in that.
    • 4/5
      A very entertaining (and slightly frightening) look at how Canadian bureaucracy sends Farley as a young biologist off into the true northern wilderness to spend perhaps one to two years alone studying wolves. From the supplies they send with him you know they expect him to report that wolves are bad bad bad and you should kill kill kill them all so the hunters can have their caribou. Farley expects to find what he has been told he will find, the "Big Bad Wolf." Instead, very quickly, he finds something different.Farley's time there is transformative. You could say he goes native a bit. His observations, research and studies were ground breaking. This is absolutely a book worth reading 50 years after it first came out.
    • 4/5
      Never Cry Wolf Review (Review)“Never Cry Wolf” is about Farley Mowat and his love for biology. Farley Mowat begins an interest in biology when he is as young as five years old, when he sees two catfish at his grandmother’s pond. As he grows older he is educated in biology and fulfills his dream of being a biologist. He is then called up by the Canadian Wildlife Service to investigate the problem for decreasing caribou population. The wildlife service blames this on the artic wolves. Mowat is sent to the Barren Lands where he finds out the real problem. He discovers the hunters are killing the caribou and soon realizes how much different the wolves really are. “Never Cry Wolf” is more than just a biologist project. The book shows the true side of artic wolves. The book shows their behavior and how they live their lives in the Barren Lands. The hunters were the true antagonists of the decrease in deer population. Wolves were the public expectation of the problem. This shows that people are too quick to judge someone or something by its looks and by what others say about it. This novel is trying to show the external and internal purpose. The external purpose shows that wolves are not evil killing animals. The internal purpose shows that we can’t assume anything about a person, place, thing, or idea. The biggest quote that stuck out for me was, “We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be-the mythologized epitome of a savage ruthless killer- which is, in reality, no more than a reflected image of ourselves.” This quote is the statement the book is trying to get across. That are perception on the wolf just shows how mistaken and evil we can be. I have many likes about the book. I like how this book is written in a way that not just a biologist can read it, but all people can relate to his obstacles. His humor shown in the book makes it entertaining and keeps you interested. I also liked the main storyline of the novel. I liked the adventure from being a little kid and growing up to be a biologist, studying wolves in the Barren Lands of Canada. I do not have any dislikes; the only thing I was upset about was the hunters in the novel killing the caribou. I recommend this book to all people interested in biology, wolves, and wildlife. This book is also good for people who are looking for a good read. The book is humorous, adventurous, and thrilling. This book is suited for kids in middle school and all the way up to senior citizens. I enjoyed this book and I know you will too!
    • 4/5
      I really loved this book. I really enjoyed both Mowat's voice and what he had to say. It is sad to watch humans destroy the beauty around them.
    • 5/5
      Farley Mowat has never disguised the fact that he's a man with a wagon of axes to grind, and that comes across clearly in his 1993 preface to the 30th anniversary edition of Never Cry Wolf. Happily he was drawn away from his originally intended depiction of "bureaucratic and scientific buffoonery" to tell this engaging story of his experience among the wolves of northern Manitoba's barrens in the 1940s. There's no question wolves have been given a bad rap over the centuries in everything from Little Red Riding Hood to Dracula, etc. Mr. Mowat would have you believe you have far more to fear from an unfamiliar dog in your own neighbourhood. At one point he even shoos several of them away from one of their fresh kills he wishes to examine - this while he's completely naked and unarmed. The Canadian government hired him with the expectation he would return evidence of the beast's decimation of wild caribou, but what he discovers is just the opposite. The wolf is being vilified for the reckless hunting practices of men (largely for sport) that are quickly driving the caribou herds towards extinction.This book has had a worldwide influence on how wolves are perceived, including a Russian piece of legislature I'd like to know more about. It reminded me of similar efforts to redeem the reputation of other animals such as sharks. Some facts are hotly debated, for example his claim that wolves live mainly on a diet of mice. How far to interpret Mowat's story as non-fiction (from the preface: "it is my practice never to allow facts to interfere with the truth") is a question inviting every reader to research and ponder.A quick read with the right mix of insight and humour; alternatively a great book to read a chapter of now and then, easy to come back to.
    • 4/5
      "Never Cry Wolf" is about the year the author spent in the Canadian barrens, observing wolves as part of a government project. The young biologist/naturalist finds in his study of the wolves and the surrounding fauna contradictions of what he has been taught...and what the anti-wolf bureaucrats want him to find.Never preachy, but humorous, touching, and always entertaining, I enjoyed this look into the illogic of government, the beauty of natural science, and the lamentable nature of man.