Synopses & Reviews
For centuries wolves have haunted the human imagination. It has been accepted as conventional wisdom that they are savage predators, creatures of nightmare. Determined to overcome such misconceptions, Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent six years in a tented camp on the edge of the Idaho wilderness, living with and filming a pack of wolves. Now, in this breathtaking and lyrical memoir, the Dutchers share their experiences of life among these wondrous animals.
Wolves are so intelligent and elusive that they alter their behavior when closely observed by humans. By socializing with the pack from the time they were pups, the Dutchers were able to gain the wolves' trust and observe their behavior in a way that few people ever have. What they witnessed was remarkable: a complex nature oriented toward family life, antic play, and strong social bonds.
Yet Wolves at Our Door is much more than a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a wildlife documentary, more than an exploration of animal behavior. It is thestory of two people, brought together by their devotion to wildlife and held together by their belief in each other. It is about their struggle to keep the project alive amid marauding mountain lions, forest fires, subzero temperatures -- and the never-ending storm of controversy that surrounds the wolf.
The narrative ranges from humorous to heartbreaking and reveals some of the surprising intricacies of wolf behavior. By introducing us to the unforgettable Sawtooth Pack, Wolves at Our Door provides a window into the lives of these astonishing creatures and a fresh look at ourselves.
Review
General Norman Schwarzkopf (Ret.)
My son Christian and I had the rare experience of literally sitting next to the Sawtooth Pack wolves while they were eating their lunch. Through Jim and Jamie Dutcher's efforts, the exciting story of these wolves is one that can be enjoyed by all of us who dearly love wild America.
Review
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
author of The Social Lives of Dogs
Wolves At Our Door offers a direct appeal to the very people who might not otherwise read about wolves, and if these people feared or hated wolves, the book will probably convert them. Deeply felt and remarkably original, this should be required reading for everyone living in a state that harbors wolves, or expects to harbor them someday. I loved this book.
Review
Jamie Lee Curtis
I am in awe of the dedication that Jim and Jamie Dutcher have put into their study of wolves, and I'm fascinated by the many sides of their rich story. It is a tale that is alternately beautiful and brutal, tragic and hopeful. As much as this is a book about wolves, it is also a book about human nature. It serves as a reminder of how badly our human spirit needs wolves and all wild creatures.
Review
Peter Matthiessen
author of The Snow Leopard
A fascinating, candid, and well-written account of exciting (and romantic) years in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains in the close company of a wolf pack, and of hard obstacles overcome and discoveries made in regard to the domestic and parental life of these exceptionally intelligent social animals, unfairly demonized and killed since agricultural man first claimed dominion over our wild earth and its resources so many centuries ago.
About the Author
Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker
Jim Dutcher has been producing documentary films since the 1960s. His works include the
National Geographic special
A Rocky Mountain Beaver Pond, and ABC World of Discovery's two highest-rated films,
Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies, and
Wolf: Return of a Legend. Co-producer
Jamie Dutcher is a sound recordist and former employee of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Together they created the Discovery Channel's most successful wildlife documentary film,
Wolves at Our Door, the story detailed in this book. The film went on to win two Emmy® Awards, one for Jim's cinematography and one for Jamie's sound. A photography book about their groundbreaking project,
The Sawtooth Wolves, was published in 1996. The Dutchers reside in Ketchum, Idaho.
Table of Contents
ContentsIntroduction
The Den
Inspiration
Wolf Camp
Jamie
Trust
Makuyi
Motaki
Filming
Kamots
Changes
Arrival
Lakota
Moving Camp
New Additions
Matsi
Motomo and Amani
The Pack
Winter
Concerns
Autumn
The Alpha Pair
The Sawtooth Pups
A New Home
Jamie's Epilogue
Jim's Epilogue
Bibliography and Further Reading