The Ghost Walker

by R.D. Lawrence

Chronicles the ten months the author spent in the mountains of British Columbia stalking a puma and learning about the life and habits of the elusive animal in its natural environment

Genres: Animals, Memoir, Nonfiction, Natural History, Wildlife

242 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

R.D. Lawrence was a Canadian naturalist and wildlife author. Born aboard ship in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of Spain on September 12, 1921, he moved to Canada in 1954. RD Lawrence died of Alzheimer's on November 27, 2003 in Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada.

RD Lawrence's many books are published in 26 countries and 15 languages and take us to animal habitats far from humans; to the boreal forests of North America alive with puma, beaver, bear, timber wolves and eagles, to the frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest where orcas thrive, and to the sharks of the Red Sea.

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to work on reviewing all the wildlife books in my library.

Lawrence is a magnificent and earthy wilderness writer and this book about the cougar (mountain lion) is beautiful and haunting. You will walk beside Lawrence as he tracks this powerful cat from season to season. Highly readable and totally enthralling.

Ten stars.

[I’ve been fortunate to see them in the wild and even had them on my land on several occasions. In one case the 200 pound cougar had to be caught and relocated.]

[David Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In search of a mountain lion observe, the author winters alone in the Selkirk range of British Columbia. Here he studies and forms a bond with a large male cougar. The writing feels very authentic and focused. It's just this guy on the ground tracking and comprehensively detailing the wildlife and the ecosystem. While self-critical, the author doesn't feel the need to comment on conservation as a whole. His relationship with the cougar and his genuine passion for wildlife provides a special insight into mans relationship with nature. Highly recommend.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent close-up view of the life of a cougar. Lawrence even follows a particular cougar
around at night and observes his stalks. Many of the best stalks end up duds, but one deer can provide food for a week.
Here you get a story and not a bunch of cold observations with tables and graphs and jargon!

[Pat Parkhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's intriguing adventures and fascination of the wild certainly have me enticed. Onto more of RD Lawrence's awesome adventures!!

[Tim Nason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific memoir of the author's solitary wilderness study of two mountain lions in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir by Canadian biologist/author [[R. D. Lawrence]]. He lived in a tiny, remote cabin in Canada's Selkirk wilderness for a winter while learning the habits and gaining the trust of a mountain lion.

It's not quite science, as, although Lawrence made copious notes of his observations which no doubt are of scientific benefit, he believed he had a psychic connection with the cat along with a sort of mutual friendship.

Although he called the cougar "Ghost Walker", I think the title could also apply to the man.

Fascinating stuff since I've seen mountain lions along my creek twice in the years I have lived here.

Recommended for anyone interested in wilderness and/or mountain lions.

I'd be interested in reading some of his other nature memoirs.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another book I listened to on tape. The author is a naturalist with a particular fondness for pumas. The book gives back-
ground on the author's beginning interest in a puma at the London Zoo, then tells of his year of living among the puma in western Canada. He never went armed on his adventures into puma territory, because he felt if he knew he had that advantage over the puma, he would not be careful and sensitive to their lifestyle and could not relate as a friend to them. This book reminded me that I think I like animals, but perhaps not so much. I certainly would not spend a winter tracking them through the snow. Also, these people have more patience than fisher- men, just waiting, then waiting some more for the animal to make an appearance. It was a well-written book about an animal/man adventure. BUT I wouldn't even trust Shamu.

[Leslie Patten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the 1970s, Lawrence is a Canadian who went into a remote wilderness of B.C. for an entire winter. He scoped out by plane first where he might find cougars living, then went in and set up camp. A remarkable journey and fascinating page-turner. If every word is true, Lawrence saw things about cougars that few, even today's researchers with GPS, have witnessed. Highly recommended

[Chad Jamieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great one by R.D Lawrence.

[Gv · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy to have found this book again! I read it as a child and loved it and have looked for it for years! Will write more when I reread it :)

[Brooke Gilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how the author developed relationships with both a wild cougar, who he named Ghost as well as a captive cougar named Tom. Tom was actually the catalyst to the author wanting to study these magnificent animals.

[Who · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both a study of outdoorsmanship and the behavior of cougars in the bush. Better than Walden

[Gregory B · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 40 years old this is the ONLY BOOK that has ever kept me until the Very last word . BRAVO. In one word ADVENTURE!