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The Tracker: The True Story of Tom Brown Jr.
A true story of survival from one of America's most respected outdoorsman.
"The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself every so many feet, telling you more about itself until you can almost see it, even before you come to it. The mystery reveals itself slowly, track by track, giving its genealogy early to coax you in. Further on, it will tell you the intimate details of its life and work, until you know the maker of the track like a lifelong friend."
In this powerful memoir, famous "Pine Barrens" tracker Tom Brown Jr. reveals how he acquired the skill that has saved dozens of lives—including his own. His story begins with the chance meeting between an ancient Apache and a New Jersey boy. It tells of an incredible apprenticeship in the Wild, learning all that is hidden from modern man. And it ends with a harrowing search in which far more than survival is at stake.
"The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself every so many feet, telling you more about itself until you can almost see it, even before you come to it. The mystery reveals itself slowly, track by track, giving its genealogy early to coax you in. Further on, it will tell you the intimate details of its life and work, until you know the maker of the track like a lifelong friend."
In this powerful memoir, famous "Pine Barrens" tracker Tom Brown Jr. reveals how he acquired the skill that has saved dozens of lives—including his own. His story begins with the chance meeting between an ancient Apache and a New Jersey boy. It tells of an incredible apprenticeship in the Wild, learning all that is hidden from modern man. And it ends with a harrowing search in which far more than survival is at stake.
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
58 people are currently reading
1758 people want to read
About the author
Tom Brown Jr.
30 books217 followersTom Brown Jr. was an American naturalist, tracker, survivalist, and author from New Jersey, where he ran the Tom Brown Jr. Tracker School.
In his books, Brown wrote that, from the age of seven, he and his childhood friend Rick were trained in tracking and wilderness survival by Rick's grandfather, "Stalking Wolf" (whom Brown stated was Lipan Apache). Brown wrote that Stalking Wolf died when Brown was 17, and that Rick was killed in an accident in Europe shortly thereafter.
Brown spent the next ten years working odd jobs to support his wilderness adventures. He then set out to find other people in New Jersey who were interested in his experiences. Initially Brown met with little success, but was eventually called on to help locate a crime suspect. Though the case won him national attention, he and authorities in the Ramsey, N.J. area were subsequently sued for 5 million dollars for charging the wrong person. Despite this controversy, he was able to build on this exposure to develop a profession as a full-time tracker, advertising his services for locating lost persons, dangerous animals, and fugitives from the law. According to People magazine, "He stalks men and animals, mostly in New Jersey."
In his books, Brown wrote that, from the age of seven, he and his childhood friend Rick were trained in tracking and wilderness survival by Rick's grandfather, "Stalking Wolf" (whom Brown stated was Lipan Apache). Brown wrote that Stalking Wolf died when Brown was 17, and that Rick was killed in an accident in Europe shortly thereafter.
Brown spent the next ten years working odd jobs to support his wilderness adventures. He then set out to find other people in New Jersey who were interested in his experiences. Initially Brown met with little success, but was eventually called on to help locate a crime suspect. Though the case won him national attention, he and authorities in the Ramsey, N.J. area were subsequently sued for 5 million dollars for charging the wrong person. Despite this controversy, he was able to build on this exposure to develop a profession as a full-time tracker, advertising his services for locating lost persons, dangerous animals, and fugitives from the law. According to People magazine, "He stalks men and animals, mostly in New Jersey."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
June 4, 2009
No series of books has impacted my life and worldview more than Brown's. This book was givin to me by a teacher in high school and it changed me forever. I have read this book more times than any other. It will forever be a part of me. I have attended Tom's school in New Jersey and learned more in that space of time than in any course I have taken in college or university. I cannot recomend this book too much. If you love the outdoors and believe in the Spirit-that-moves-through-all-things this is a must read, and read, and read, and...
June 4, 2011
Some people worship Tom Brown as a god. Some people think he is a complete fraud. I have no opinion on him either way, and I read this book as such. Some of the adventures are a stretch. However, everything is told in a fashion that kept me reading. Fiction or non-fiction? I don't care. I found the book entertaining. If you go into it with no preconceived notions about Tom Brown, I think you will enjoy the book.
January 5, 2008
I did not care for this book at all. I have a hard time believing this book is non-fiction, as most of the situations Mr. Brown discusses seem extremely far fetched. I do not recommend.
March 23, 2015
Tom Brown fascinates me. He grew up in the sparsely populated Pine Barrens region of southern New Jersey. When he was eight years old, he met Rick in the woods, and the two boys became the best of friends. Rick’s father was stationed at a nearby base, and his grandfather was Stalking Wolf, an old Apache tracker. The Tracker was the first of Tom’s many books, and it introduced us to the amazing world that he was blessed to experience.
Stalking Wolf was one of the last Apaches to be trained in the old ways, by elders who were still wild and free. The wilderness was his home, church, and school. He could follow tracks on a dark night — by blind touch. He could perceive the trail of a mouse across dry gravel. His stalking skills allowed him to sneak up on deer and touch them, an ability that some modern hunters no longer have. He earned his name by touching a wolf, a nearly impossible feat. He could read the patterns of the land — the smells, the snapping twigs, the alarm calls of animals, or the sudden silence of the bird music. He was completely in tune with the land, both physically and spiritually.
Stalking Wolf taught Tom and Rick for eight years. “He taught us to make use of everything, to live with the least disruption of the earth, to revere what we took from the woods, to master our fear, to hone our special skills sharper and sharper, to expand our senses and our awareness, to live in the space of the moment and to understand eternity.” The boys learned tracking, stalking, awareness, self-control, survival skills, and spiritual consciousness. They spent all their free time outdoors, studying nature, and practicing their skills. They rarely saw their parents on weekends or summer vacations.
Tom became completely at home in the wilderness. He could go into the woods, naked and empty handed, and spend the whole summer living off the land — confidently, comfortably, fearlessly, and joyfully. He could catch a deer and kill it with a knife. Often he would wander far beyond familiar places, and not be sure where he was, but being “lost” was never a cause for fear or panic. “Everything I could want was immediately at hand. If I was lost, I seemed better off than a lot of people who weren’t. I was always at home, wherever I was. Only when I came out of the forest did I find out how easy it is to get lost.”
Stalking Wolf taught the boys that there were no greater or lesser spirits. The spirit of an ant had no less significance than that of a bear or a brother. He loathed all aspects of the civilized world, and he avoided contact with it, to the best of his ability. Despite what white people had done to his land and his people, he did not hate them, because they were lost, unhappy, and didn’t know any better. But he did hate their way of thinking and living — “they killed their grandchildren to feed their children.”
The boys absorbed his love for the land and the wild ones who lived there. Like Stalking Wolf, they could not comprehend the mentality of people who brought in bulldozers, or dumped their trash, or drove through the woods. Outsiders were like space aliens, displaying no respect for the place. “True lostness is when you have forgotten the spiritual center of your life, when your values have gotten so warped with time that you do not remember what is truly important.”
One day, Tom discovered a number of dead deer in the woods. Their shoulders and hindquarters had been removed, and everything else was left on the ground to rot. New York restaurants would pay good money for prime cuts of fresh venison. Tom was horrified. He followed the tire tracks to an old cabin, and found the four poachers. In a blind rage that he barely remembered, he attacked them, beat them up, bent or smashed their guns, destroyed the cabin, and burned their truck. He took bold action to defend the land. “The woods were my life and still are.”
The Tracker is a treasure. It reminds me of my boyhood years, when we spent our days in the woods and fields, swamps and lakes, in a beautiful rural countryside that has since been erased by a cancer of strip plazas and McMansions. I developed a strong bond with nature. Only later in life did I realize that most folks never had this experience. So many grow up in manmade environments, and many of them never experience anything else. Tom’s bond with nature went far deeper than my own, because he was lucky to find a wise elder to guide him. I grew up in a community of General Motors factory rats.
Despite being raised in consumer society, and despite submitting to a public school education, Tom was able to remain detached from the civilized mindset and follow a healthier path. It wasn’t easy. He had to straddle two totally different realities. He was routinely mocked and ridiculed for displaying his intense respect for nature and spirit, for not going to college, for not pursuing a corporate career. The civilized crowd could not comprehend what he valued and loved, because they had no spiritual connection to life.
When we envision a healthy, sustainable future, it’s going to be a world where people have remembered how to live with the land and the community of life. Throughout his journey, Stalking Wolf was frustrated by the difficulty of finding people to teach. Almost no one was interested in learning the old ways, because this knowledge had no value in the modern world. His elders encouraged him to keep trying: “The things of truth and spirit will never pass away. Our ways will not die. In the final days, man will seek again the things that we know.” Tom established a wilderness school, and he has spent his adult life teaching the old ways to eager students. The story continues.
Stalking Wolf was one of the last Apaches to be trained in the old ways, by elders who were still wild and free. The wilderness was his home, church, and school. He could follow tracks on a dark night — by blind touch. He could perceive the trail of a mouse across dry gravel. His stalking skills allowed him to sneak up on deer and touch them, an ability that some modern hunters no longer have. He earned his name by touching a wolf, a nearly impossible feat. He could read the patterns of the land — the smells, the snapping twigs, the alarm calls of animals, or the sudden silence of the bird music. He was completely in tune with the land, both physically and spiritually.
Stalking Wolf taught Tom and Rick for eight years. “He taught us to make use of everything, to live with the least disruption of the earth, to revere what we took from the woods, to master our fear, to hone our special skills sharper and sharper, to expand our senses and our awareness, to live in the space of the moment and to understand eternity.” The boys learned tracking, stalking, awareness, self-control, survival skills, and spiritual consciousness. They spent all their free time outdoors, studying nature, and practicing their skills. They rarely saw their parents on weekends or summer vacations.
Tom became completely at home in the wilderness. He could go into the woods, naked and empty handed, and spend the whole summer living off the land — confidently, comfortably, fearlessly, and joyfully. He could catch a deer and kill it with a knife. Often he would wander far beyond familiar places, and not be sure where he was, but being “lost” was never a cause for fear or panic. “Everything I could want was immediately at hand. If I was lost, I seemed better off than a lot of people who weren’t. I was always at home, wherever I was. Only when I came out of the forest did I find out how easy it is to get lost.”
Stalking Wolf taught the boys that there were no greater or lesser spirits. The spirit of an ant had no less significance than that of a bear or a brother. He loathed all aspects of the civilized world, and he avoided contact with it, to the best of his ability. Despite what white people had done to his land and his people, he did not hate them, because they were lost, unhappy, and didn’t know any better. But he did hate their way of thinking and living — “they killed their grandchildren to feed their children.”
The boys absorbed his love for the land and the wild ones who lived there. Like Stalking Wolf, they could not comprehend the mentality of people who brought in bulldozers, or dumped their trash, or drove through the woods. Outsiders were like space aliens, displaying no respect for the place. “True lostness is when you have forgotten the spiritual center of your life, when your values have gotten so warped with time that you do not remember what is truly important.”
One day, Tom discovered a number of dead deer in the woods. Their shoulders and hindquarters had been removed, and everything else was left on the ground to rot. New York restaurants would pay good money for prime cuts of fresh venison. Tom was horrified. He followed the tire tracks to an old cabin, and found the four poachers. In a blind rage that he barely remembered, he attacked them, beat them up, bent or smashed their guns, destroyed the cabin, and burned their truck. He took bold action to defend the land. “The woods were my life and still are.”
The Tracker is a treasure. It reminds me of my boyhood years, when we spent our days in the woods and fields, swamps and lakes, in a beautiful rural countryside that has since been erased by a cancer of strip plazas and McMansions. I developed a strong bond with nature. Only later in life did I realize that most folks never had this experience. So many grow up in manmade environments, and many of them never experience anything else. Tom’s bond with nature went far deeper than my own, because he was lucky to find a wise elder to guide him. I grew up in a community of General Motors factory rats.
Despite being raised in consumer society, and despite submitting to a public school education, Tom was able to remain detached from the civilized mindset and follow a healthier path. It wasn’t easy. He had to straddle two totally different realities. He was routinely mocked and ridiculed for displaying his intense respect for nature and spirit, for not going to college, for not pursuing a corporate career. The civilized crowd could not comprehend what he valued and loved, because they had no spiritual connection to life.
When we envision a healthy, sustainable future, it’s going to be a world where people have remembered how to live with the land and the community of life. Throughout his journey, Stalking Wolf was frustrated by the difficulty of finding people to teach. Almost no one was interested in learning the old ways, because this knowledge had no value in the modern world. His elders encouraged him to keep trying: “The things of truth and spirit will never pass away. Our ways will not die. In the final days, man will seek again the things that we know.” Tom established a wilderness school, and he has spent his adult life teaching the old ways to eager students. The story continues.
March 28, 2022
The Tracker' provides an interesting glimpse into the 'old ways of the native peoples.
Abounds with insights into the art of tracking.
At times the story seems embellished, if not exaggerated. The author repeats statements by rewording the points. It gets repetitive. Otherwise, enjoyable narration.
Abounds with insights into the art of tracking.
At times the story seems embellished, if not exaggerated. The author repeats statements by rewording the points. It gets repetitive. Otherwise, enjoyable narration.
September 6, 2021
(Read it in German but can’t find that edition here)
this book was absolutely amazing and inspirational in the best way. I didn’t know anything about the author before and hadn’t even heard of him, and after doing some research after and trying to figure out what else happened, there seems to be some discussion whether it was just made up.
I don’t really care. Reading this book made me appreciate nature and every other being we share this world with even more (which I hadn’t thought possible) so I can definitely absolutely recommend it <3 It was beautifully written as well as deeply fascinating and inspiring, and I’m sure I’ll read it a few more times. I’ve always liked to watch nature, and this just makes me want to find the next best wild place and just watch for three hours <3
this book was absolutely amazing and inspirational in the best way. I didn’t know anything about the author before and hadn’t even heard of him, and after doing some research after and trying to figure out what else happened, there seems to be some discussion whether it was just made up.
I don’t really care. Reading this book made me appreciate nature and every other being we share this world with even more (which I hadn’t thought possible) so I can definitely absolutely recommend it <3 It was beautifully written as well as deeply fascinating and inspiring, and I’m sure I’ll read it a few more times. I’ve always liked to watch nature, and this just makes me want to find the next best wild place and just watch for three hours <3
December 11, 2019
Out of the thousands of books I have read over the last 40+ years, this book is not only my favorite, but it is the book that has made me who I am today. I was given this book to read while in 7th grade and it not only got me into the outdoors but taught me what life is really all about. A must read for anyone who needs direction.
January 9, 2022
Life goal: become a female version of The Tracker. Loved, loved, loved the book.
June 23, 2022
Fascinating, yet much exaggerated. I don’t know how much of the story I believe, or even how much is supposed to be true.
June 11, 2008
This is a rich and gripping bildungsroman that has served as the inspiration for many people to study nature. It's a short, quick, entertaining read. It has elements of tall-tales that may deter some readers, and delight others. I am of the latter group. One vignette that had me incredulous was later the subject of a conversation with Leon Hammer, and he verified that he had similar experiences, and that it was not too far beyond the pale.
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August 29, 2016Incredible. Based on the true events of his boyhood, growing up with a fascination and passion for the woods and tracking.
April 15, 2024
Life changing, this book is unbelievable. My soul has gained so much from this book and Tom.
September 13, 2025
best depiction I've seen of a Sherlock Holmes esk character. I liked how the author stresses very heavily living in the flow of nature, not being inherently different from it in the way he lived certain parts of his life. overall enjoyable read
July 1, 2020
Tom Brown, Jr. has plenty of insights from his experiences exploring and living in the woods that are life wisdoms, culled from experience in the wild but applicable to life everywhere and any time.
It’s quite obvious in some spots that Brown’s stories are embellished, perhaps significantly. I don’t know anyone, especially a young teenager, who can “ben[d] the shaft of [a] rifle over [their] knee.” But for the most part I have no problem with the blatant exaggeration. I’m sure this was done for the sake of increasing the stories’ intensity and appeal--a few scenes appear to be written as a Hollywood script--but it also helps show Brown’s emotional responses via hyperbole as well as the way our memories tend to aggrandize our youthful experiences. Of course, these stories are “as told to William Jon Watkins,” a poet and science fiction writer. I recall a similar feeling of arguably-embellished intensity when I read Open, Andre Agassi’s memoir, and its writing was also heavily influenced by a professional writer, J. R. Moehringer.
Overall, I found this a really fun read, and it will be especially so for readers who are fascinated with “the wild” or with nature in general.
Books I thought of while reading:
Jim Kjelgaard’s Big Red series
It’s quite obvious in some spots that Brown’s stories are embellished, perhaps significantly. I don’t know anyone, especially a young teenager, who can “ben[d] the shaft of [a] rifle over [their] knee.” But for the most part I have no problem with the blatant exaggeration. I’m sure this was done for the sake of increasing the stories’ intensity and appeal--a few scenes appear to be written as a Hollywood script--but it also helps show Brown’s emotional responses via hyperbole as well as the way our memories tend to aggrandize our youthful experiences. Of course, these stories are “as told to William Jon Watkins,” a poet and science fiction writer. I recall a similar feeling of arguably-embellished intensity when I read Open, Andre Agassi’s memoir, and its writing was also heavily influenced by a professional writer, J. R. Moehringer.
Overall, I found this a really fun read, and it will be especially so for readers who are fascinated with “the wild” or with nature in general.
Books I thought of while reading:
Jim Kjelgaard’s Big Red series
December 3, 2012
This novel really spoke to me, it took me back to my own childhood. I felt that lost connection, the timeless embrace of that real adventure. Though my life is vastly different from the life Tom Brown describes, I feel much the same about the forest. Though I cannot navigate or read the forest as acutely does Tom, I find that I value my time spent there the same. As a Biologist I see the forest differently than Tom, however, he allowed me into his view, this world of cohesiveness, 'the spirit that moves through all things'. It is this spiritual reminder than all things are interconnected that makes this work so important to all.
*Please note; there is a lot of people alluding that Tom's adventures may be a bit exaggerated, or in some examples fiction. But, this work is deserving of a read from all, it speaks of great adventure and true experience. I recommend one reads this work with an open mind and not forcing it to be a work of precise non-fiction.*
*Please note; there is a lot of people alluding that Tom's adventures may be a bit exaggerated, or in some examples fiction. But, this work is deserving of a read from all, it speaks of great adventure and true experience. I recommend one reads this work with an open mind and not forcing it to be a work of precise non-fiction.*
January 19, 2015
60 pages into The Tracker I didn't think that I would ever pick it up again to finish it. The premise was initially interesting to me, yet the writing and/or story through 6 chapters caused me to debate whether I was willing to plod joylessly through to the end. However the narrative and the writing subtly changed and the book was alive. From the moment that he was treed by the wild dogs, I felt, observed and shared the vibrancy of life with him. I fell into his rhythm and the pace of the writing. Every episode thereafter was tremendous, with my only criticism being that the badlands and desert trips seeming more of summaries than fleshed out chapters, though it was not enough to be a distraction that pulled my heart from the story. The ending was abrupt, and fitting. I greatly enjoyed this book.
January 21, 2022
The book is not what I expected, which was an account of a master tracker. And while there are chapters that touch upon that skill specifically, the story is really about Tom Brown, Jr.'s alleged childhood, transition to manhood, and discovery of himself and his life's purpose.
Each chapter is a short story that ties the larger narrative together. It is an easy read, though the first chapter was difficult to get through and not indicative of the rest of the book. Some of the story seems incredulous at times, and very well may be, but it's entertaining nonetheless. You can be sure you'll take away some knowledge on wilderness survival skills, tracking, and little gems of "good medicine" and life wisdom along the way.
Each chapter is a short story that ties the larger narrative together. It is an easy read, though the first chapter was difficult to get through and not indicative of the rest of the book. Some of the story seems incredulous at times, and very well may be, but it's entertaining nonetheless. You can be sure you'll take away some knowledge on wilderness survival skills, tracking, and little gems of "good medicine" and life wisdom along the way.
January 26, 2014
I liked this book more than I thought I would, but I read it because a friend lent it to me. A lot of reviews found the story far-fetched, but I believe the truth of it. I think people find it far-fetched because the experiences are so far from what is typical for the majority of us. As modern city and town dwellers, most of us have no idea what is possible anymore, and we have become a society so incredibly overprotective of our children that we have no idea what they might accomplish. I will read his next book, which was also loaned to me.
August 24, 2020
I read the Tracker for multiple reasons; first, I was interested in Tom Brown's encounter with the Jersey Devil and second, it's views and experience on tracking in the wilderness. I was not disappointed! I will admit, that some of the dog stories got old after a while, but I do realize they are important for his development as a tracker and understand their importance.
I appreciated the Native American wisdom he touched on and the nuances of tracking. I look forward to reading more of his work and wish I had found his book sooner.
I appreciated the Native American wisdom he touched on and the nuances of tracking. I look forward to reading more of his work and wish I had found his book sooner.
April 2, 2020
Not really my cup of tea. Some of the grammar is kind of awkward, such as the use of 'littler'. The topic is a hard one to cover in a coherent way, and the author does as well as he can. I did feel as though the book spent a very long time on Tom Brown's first few years in the woods and then sped through the tales of his adult life. If you're really into tracking or simply like to hear anecdotes of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, read on. Otherwise, read at your own risk.
December 10, 2008
I just read this book, and I thought it was terrible. It was an unbelievably conceited, self-serving work. The whole book could have been edited into one introductory chapter. While the material covered could be interesting, the voice is nauseating. I understand he's written several books. They probably could all have been edited into one.
August 4, 2012
I love this big and say it is a must read. It really shows how lame we are in our modern world. We think we are smart but we are so stupid. How many people can even go for a walk in the woods with out bringing water and snacks... let alone survive indefinitely. We could all benefit from again learning to be one with nature.
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October 24, 2014The reason I put this under fiction as well as non fiction is because, well, it is somewhat questionable sometimes how much of this book is which.
This doesn't change the fact that I loved these books and am very glad to have read them when I did (young).
This doesn't change the fact that I loved these books and am very glad to have read them when I did (young).
January 5, 2024
This book really deserves 4.5 stars.
It was a little slow for me in the beginning, but the writing is well done and the stories are fascinating! Some of them really frightening!
There was a point in the book where he was talking about becoming more like an animal and less like a man, as if that was a good thing. The problem I have with books like these is that I actually DON'T think man's purpose on life is to just be an animal. I don't think that's desirable or the purpose of life. So while the author may have felt like that was to his credit, to me it felt like this man was slipping into degenerativeness. But obviously, he ISN'T an animal and he doesn't become an animal. I simultaneously agree that we, as people, lose quite a lot the further we get from the natural world, and have lost so much already. So the author and I agree on that point. But I don't think our goal should be becoming wild and losing touch with the qualities and gifts that separate us from the animal kingdom.
But 4.5 stars! Yes, I think this book is amazing and fascinating! Just the kind of book I enjoy! Lots of nature/survival adventures and experiences.
It was a little slow for me in the beginning, but the writing is well done and the stories are fascinating! Some of them really frightening!
There was a point in the book where he was talking about becoming more like an animal and less like a man, as if that was a good thing. The problem I have with books like these is that I actually DON'T think man's purpose on life is to just be an animal. I don't think that's desirable or the purpose of life. So while the author may have felt like that was to his credit, to me it felt like this man was slipping into degenerativeness. But obviously, he ISN'T an animal and he doesn't become an animal. I simultaneously agree that we, as people, lose quite a lot the further we get from the natural world, and have lost so much already. So the author and I agree on that point. But I don't think our goal should be becoming wild and losing touch with the qualities and gifts that separate us from the animal kingdom.
But 4.5 stars! Yes, I think this book is amazing and fascinating! Just the kind of book I enjoy! Lots of nature/survival adventures and experiences.
March 9, 2021
This book is so helpful. I never thought a book could change my point of view so much. Every chapter follows a different story. The book is from the point of view of the legendary outdoorsman Tom Brown. I am interested in tracking and just learning the woods. So I bought this book to learn how to track. To be fair the book doesn't tell you what track is what. It tells you what tracking is. It is not a footprint; it is a movement. He describes it like watching the deer in front of you, or just like the deer is communicating with you. It then gets really exciting. He tells a story about tracking down an ex- army guy gone rogue. It was like learning about tracking and lessons but at the same time watching an action movie. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend reading it. Read it for the sole purpose of getting to know how amazing the wilderness is. And the way of a tracker and how to become one with the woods.
February 21, 2024
Reviews are divisive on this book, as they are on Tom Brown Jr, the man. I understand the division, but I can only give my personal reaction to the book.
As a dyslexic, who sometimes struggles to read, this book is easy to read and I enjoyed it on that sense alone. Even if it was (is?) fiction, I would still have enjoyed this book and read it through. This is a good book for people who struggle with reading and I've heard that some schools have put it on their curriculum. The writing can be a little clumsy at times, but the story flows easily.
Given that it's presented as non-fiction, and Tom Brown teaches classes, which I eventually took, I have a much deeper fondness for this book than most books I've read because I've seen many of the places described in this book. I've met the author, and the book and the classes are intertwined for me. This, and other books by Tom Brown Jr have had a profound effect on me, more than any other books I've read.
As a dyslexic, who sometimes struggles to read, this book is easy to read and I enjoyed it on that sense alone. Even if it was (is?) fiction, I would still have enjoyed this book and read it through. This is a good book for people who struggle with reading and I've heard that some schools have put it on their curriculum. The writing can be a little clumsy at times, but the story flows easily.
Given that it's presented as non-fiction, and Tom Brown teaches classes, which I eventually took, I have a much deeper fondness for this book than most books I've read because I've seen many of the places described in this book. I've met the author, and the book and the classes are intertwined for me. This, and other books by Tom Brown Jr have had a profound effect on me, more than any other books I've read.
May 28, 2020
Tonight I finished The Tracker by Tom Brown Jr. (as told to WJ Watkins). It was fun reading about Brown’s childhood adventures learning about New Jersey’s Pine Barrens from the inside. He and his friend Rick learned survival and tracking skills from Rick’s grandpa Stalking Wolf and yet the more he tracked, the more he discovered about himself. Brown’s eye for detail is thrilling to me; I love seeing the details as I saunter yet what I notice is but a slice of what can be noticed. The book culminates in a search that Brown led for a man with developmental disabilities. I reject the book cover’s claim that The Tracker is on par with Carlos Castaneda’s books about Don Juan. However, I did enjoy reading it and recommend it.
January 3, 2022
The Tracker is one of my favorite books of all time, if not my most favorite. The book is based on a true story about a young boy and his friend that live in New Jersey. Him and his buddy meet an old Indian chief that lives in a cabin in the Pine Barrens. The Indian chief goes by the name of Stalking Wolf. He teaches the two boys all about trapping and surviving in the wilderness. Tom's buddy ends up moving away after Stalking Wolf dies so he can get a job and begin his life but Tom's stays to watch after the cabin and has some crazy things happen to him. I loved this book because it was full of adventure and suspense. It taught me some real things that I could use in my life right now and gave me a better understanding of what it takes to live off the land.
August 28, 2024
The Tracker was an inspirational joy to read. Learning about a white man who was able to connect so deeply with nature inside and out is a fascinating way to live life. Many of my memories as a child running through the woods playing Tarzan were stirred awake. I felt a connection to myself I have not felt in a long time. The word steward has come to my conscious mind a lot recently and I feel this book shows what that can look like when someone feels the call for Learning and feeling the love in the connections and interdependence so deeply.
February 18, 2025
4 stars for what it is, 3 stars for my personal enjoyment. The book starts out strong: surprising style and philosophic weight. For me unfortunately, though, its stories quickly become indulgent, self-laudatory, and meaningless—the art of tracking disappears and is replaced by boasts of boyhood feats. Had I read this book when I was in 3rd grade, I would have loved it. Even until I was 12, maybe. It’s a good book for what it is, but it did not have quite enough constancy and abiding intrigue to keep this adult’s devoted attention🤷♂️
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