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 Idaho's wilderness, living with and filming a pack of wolves. Now, in this lyrical memoir, the Dutchers share their experience of life among these intelligent and elusive animals. andlt;BRandgt; 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 and strong social bonds. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Wolves at Our Doorandlt;/Iandgt; is much more than a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Dutchers' Emmy Award-winning Discovery Channel documentary. It is the story 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.
Review
Peter Matthiessen author of andlt;Iandgt;The Snow Leopardandlt;/Iandgt; A fascinating, candid, and well-written account of exciting and romantic years in the close company of these exceptionally intelligent and unfairly demonized animals.
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.
Synopsis
The documentary filmmakers Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent six years living with a pack of wolves in the Idaho wilderness. Their film, Wolves at Our Door, garnered two Emmy awards and is the Discovery Channel's highest rated nature documentary ever. This book, illustrated with the authors' magnificent photographs, presents the full story of their experiences and brings to life in intimate detail the character and social patterns of wolves in their natural habitat.
The Dutchers describe the distinctive personalities of individual wolves, the close relationships between parents and the offspring, and the strong social bonds of the pack as a whole. Filled with wonderful vignettes of everyday events and activities -- including charming glimpses of the wolves at play -- Wolves at Our Door overturns common misconceptions and offers an unprecedented portrait of these highly intelligent, social animals.
About the Author
Emmy Award-winning filmmakers andlt;Bandgt;Jimandlt;/Bandgt; and andlt;Bandgt;Jamie Dutcherandlt;/Bandgt; produced the Discovery Channel's most successful wildlife documentary, andlt;Iandgt;Wolves at Our Door.andlt;/Iandgt;
Table of Contents
Contents Introduction
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