Otherwise

by Farley Mowat

A Canadian icon gives us his final book, a memoir of the events that shaped this beloved writer and activist.

Farley Mowat has been beguiling readers for fifty years now, creating a body of writing that has thrilled two generations, selling literally millions of copies in the process. In looking back over his accomplishments, we are reminded of his groundbreaking He single-handedly began the rehabilitation of the wolf with Never Cry Wolf. He was the first to bring advocacy activism on behalf of the Inuit and their northern lands with People of the Deer and The Desperate People . And his was the first populist voice raised in defense of the environment and of the creatures with whom we share our world, the ones he has always called The Others .

Otherwise is a memoir of the years between 1937 and the autumn of 1948 that tells the story of the events that forged the writer and activist. His was an innocent childhood, spent free of normal strictures, and largely in the company of an assortment of dogs, owls, squirrels, snakes, rabbits, and other wildlife. From this, he was catapulted into wartime service, as anxious as any other young man of his generation to get to Europe and the fighting. The carnage of the Italian campaign shattered his faith in humanity forever, and he returned home unable and unwilling to fit into post-war Canadian life. Desperate, he accepted a stint on a scientific collecting expedition to the Barrengrounds. There in the bleak but beautiful landscape he finds his purpose — first with the wolves and then with the indomitable but desperately starving Ihalmiut. Out of these experiences come his first pitched battles with an ignorant and uncaring federal bureaucracy as he tries to get aid for the famine-stricken Inuit. And out of these experiences, too, come his first books.

Otherwise goes to the heart of who and what Farley Mowat is, a wondrous final achievement from a true titan.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Book Club, Canadian Literature, Canada

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2008

About the author

Farley McGill Mowat was a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.

Many of his most popular works have been memoirs of his childhood, his war service, and his work as a naturalist. His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books.

Mowat studied biology at the University of Toronto. During a field trip to the Arctic, Mowat became outraged at the plight of the Ihalmiut, a Caribou Inuit band, which he attributed to misunderstanding by whites. His outrage led him to publish his first novel, People of the Deer (1952). This book made Mowat into a literary celebrity and was largely responsible for the shift in the Canadian government's Inuit policy: the government began shipping meat and dry goods to a people they previously denied existed.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship RV Farley Mowat was named in honour of him, and he frequently visited it to assist its mission.

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as mowat's previous, semi-autobiographical wilderness adventures, he still captures hearts via his recollections of wwii and his early life - how his love for 'the others' came to be. as well, we learn of mowat's failings - professionally and personally, and how he either overcame them or sidestepped them.

the story propels us thru his life, the joyless areas full of loss and the moments of rediscovery and rebirth.

[Christopher Fulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A great book, having no prior knowledge of Mowat nor his previous works. I was quite captivated and was extremely upset by the ending, which I’m having a difficult time coming to grips with. I’m not as upset about the abruptness with which the book ended as I am with the action he took. I really do wish the book detailed the ending or remainder of his relationship with Frances, as I was also a little upset when I read the cover of the book after, noting that his wife’s name was actually Claire. This book is truly from a different time, though unfortunately not far enough in the past to justify the changes we experience today.

[Carolyn Whitzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of two books I had set aside for cottage reading, and it was very well suited to that task. Mowat seems from another time. Well he is… born in 1921, early environmentalist. When I read him as a child he seemed to have been around forever, but he was a little older than my parents. He writes well about his youthful adventures in Saskatchewan and Toronto. He writes not at all about his actual war experiences or his clearly painful
reentry into civilian life afterward. His best but most shattering section is the last, where he is vainly trying to prevent starvation of Ahalmiut people in the Far North. He didn’t care for people much. It is easy to see why.

[Chris Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all of Farley Mowats books, and this was no exception. After reading any book of his I have an urge to travel in the north, because he writes about it so beautifully. The part of this book about his military experience was really good, it kind of shows how he became who he was. This would have been 5 stars, but the book just ends, with no resolution to if his marriage survived, or if the plane came, or if they had to make use of the meat stores they were preparing just in case.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book evoked a roller coaster of emotions, highs and lows. My laughs were often out loud and sadness just as heart felt. Wars and needless death will do that. Our Government's bureaucratic bungling during that time was monumental and devastating for Native peoples in the far North. One would think those lessons would be remembered and yet the bungling and bad decisions continue today. Melancholy has set in so a nice brisk walk in the rain is in order!

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a wierd book. It seems like it is merely the collected notes from which he wrote other, better crafted stories. Huge chunks of this book are almost identical reproductions of chapters from his other books and he also includes, at times, pages full of raw diary entries. I don't understand what the point of this book is, because if you read his other, better written, works, then this book has nothing original to offer.

[Sarah Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the honesty of this book; the author doesn’t shy from the regret he had about all the animals killed during his collection phase. I’m hooked - want to read more of his books about indigenous peoples and nature!

[Drew Branson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Mowats life, doesn't go in depth into any part of it though. I think it was his last book

[Dhaivat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Phillip Aho · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read. Mowat earthy and personal.

[Pam Coll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, but some exaggeration? Whatever, he's a legendary person in so many ways. A great read.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, from several perspectives.
As biography it covers his boyhood, teen years and part of his Army service in WW2.
Boyhood - features his interest in nature and companionship of his dog.
Teen years - his membership in the ornithology club of Toronto and his adventures in collecting specimens (kill 'em all, to preserve and study them). The northern adventures and his first brush with bureaucratic distancing that condemned a band of natives to starvation and would later influence his Army service.
Army - his adventures as a recruit and as collector of all sorts of items for the war museum of Canada. We learn about his part in the Black Brant research rocket program.
On the return trip with all their collected items, Mowat meets a Danish ship captain who is also a bird watcher and we learn of the terrible toll the war had taken on sea life, both avian and marine' from the sinking of so many ships and the release of so much oil onto the sea.
He turns from the kill'em and preserve 'em mode to a watch and admire mode that made up his subsequent life.
Illuminating about many aspects of Canada before, during and after WW2.

[Arlene Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Farley Mowat covers a very short period of time on his life in this book but they were the years of his development into an outspoken conservationist. These years were interrupted by the second world war and you can see how these years helped to shape his growth. I was fascinated by the practises of the conservationist who felt they had to kill everything is sight in order study it. Not just one or two of a species but everyone. The reason being the variation they might find in a species. Having just seen the Avian display at the Field Museum in Chicago, I now understand why there were so many birds of the same species tied together by the legs lying on their backs. As Farley said, birds on their backs and mammals on their stomachs. Thank goodness the conservationists have changed their philosophy. I too found it ended abruptly so I may have to find other books to follow his life.

[Raimo Wirkkala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mowat is always a pleasure to read and I thought it appropriate, on the news of his passing, to finally read this memoir that had sat neglected since its purchase. He revisits ground he has covered in earlier memoirs so this book will have a nostalgic quality to those familiar with those earlier books. If, however, you have never read Mowat you will experience a fine introduction to the man and what made him tick.

[Jennifer Best · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Mowat's adventures as a young man living in and exploring Canada in the days when parents would allow a young boy to venture off into the woods with only bare minimum and a buddy or two. The book offers a peak into Canadian life, wildlife, and the change of Mowat's nature from bird hunter to wildlife documentarian.

[Bob Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Otherwise’ was another Farley Mowat treat possessing many of his trademarks. It had history, humour, activism, exaggeration, memoirs, personal drama and of course a great autobiographical story of his early life.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but thought it ended rather abruptly.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hits the spot, especially if you're an animal lover and outdoors person..

[Fraser Hoban · Rating 4 out of 5]

His love for animals is unparalleled