Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon

by Rebecca L. Grambo, Daniel J. Cox (Photographer)

"A new bible for wolf-lovers... Any lover of all things lupine is in safe hands. With a meticulous seamstress's eye, Grambo interweaves biological facts with lupine legends, fascinating artifacts and relevant quotes and songs."
--BBC Wildlife Magazine In this updated and expanded edition with 16 new pages, Rebecca Grambo paints an intimate portrait of an animal that has fascinated, inspired and terrified people throughout human history. Drawing on a wide variety of sources, the author weaves together ancient legends, up-to-date science, historical writings and personal observations. With penetrating photography by Daniel J. Cox, the result is a magnificent, passionate and powerful story of an animal worth understanding and preserving. Chapters New in this Wolf blends natural science, history and folklore to explore the fascination with one of the most complex creatures in the world. The book reveals how humans have interacted with wolves, from the earliest creation myths to current attempts to restore near-extinct populations. It also includes photographs of artworks depicting wolves in human cultures.

Genres: Wolves, Nonfiction, Animals, Science Nature, Nature

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Roberta Decenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really fascinating. It provides a history of the changing attitudes towards wolves from ancient times to today and how different cultures and times revered or feared them. The book goes into depth of the popular symbolism of this animal and how we as humans have allowed it to take a grip on the imaginations of our minds.

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting view into the way hunter gatherers incorporated wolves into their creation myths, or often times saw them as benevolent creatures, but once people settled and raised livestock, the relationship flipped into one of aggression and animosity. At this point, wolves are an icon for hope, and the beauty of nature. Reaffirmed my respect and love of wolves.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful depiction of wolves which kept me turning the pages right until the very end. I would highly recommend this book to any environmental or nature lover and for anyone who wants to better understand wolves and destroy the negative myths and beliefs directed at these amazing creatures.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. I loved the huge photographs and the quotes along the sides of the pages.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a very eye-opening book but it is a amazing book wolf lovers ;]

[Uvindex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A raw reality of what wolves' survival means in a man's world.

[Paula Cappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon" by Rebecca L. Grambo and Daniel J. Cox (Firefly Books). This is a treasure of photography and enlightenment about the beauty of wild wolves. If wolves are part of your spirituality, this in-depth experience written in beautiful prose and 50+ eye-popping photographs will thrill you. A gift book, absolutely. More than that, this book is so passionate, and it honors the wolf spirit in all of us. This quote expresses the essence: “Ancient wolves were earth makers and earth movers, but not earthbound. An old Norwegian riddle asks, ‘Who is the wolf who sits on the blue vault of heaven and howls out to sea?’ The answer: the wind.’ ” This is a book that belongs front and center on your coffee table as a tribute to these blessed and brave wild creatures. Highly recommended. I read this book via my local library.

[Lone Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main focus of this book is the relationship between wolves and humans, and how these animals have been viewed by different groups of people over the course of history. Essentially, it’s more about human attitudes to wolves than about wolves themselves, though it does give a brief overview of their natural history.

There are a few errors here and there, such as using subspecies names as alternative names for the entire species, and the odd misunderstanding of pack dynamics and so on. The author mentions ‘The Jungle Book’, but has clearly never actually read it as she conflates two different characters. She does the same thing with the Norse gods Thor and Tyr.

This is by no means a comprehensive study of wolves, but it’s interesting, and the photos are beautiful.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grambo does an efficient and poetic job, covering all dimensions of the wolf-human experience. We have the wolves' evolutionary origins, their family lives, their relations with primitive humans, their impact on culture and religion, their role in history as figures of good or evil, their diversity, their wars with humanity, and their recovery in recent times. Through it all we have marvelous wolf portraits provided by Daniel Cox, which capture domesticated wolves up close. It's a great memorial to a vastly important, seriously respectable beast.

[Aprill Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it this time again. It talks about what a wolf is they can be a legend they can be an enemy and they can be an icon. You must read it

[Nancy Blanton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful, good pictures, but did not quite get at what I was looking for in terms of history