Note: The title of this book has been translated into English by me for the reading comprehension of this blog's viewers as the book itself isn't completely available in English (yet). The original title reads Wolven: Jagers van het Noorden.
Yes, I am still reviewing Dutch non-fiction in English. So let's tackle another wolf book.
Despite what the title and cover may seem to imply, this is actually not a 100% unique book. Rather, it's just a repackaging of Farley Mowat's famous Never Cry Wolf, but translated in Dutch. And to make this a more "unique" version of the book rather than a 100% re-publishing of Mowat's work, they added some extra pages (and a few brief chapters) with general information about wolves as it is understood nowadays, since Mowat's work is great but also very early in wolf research.
Do I like this? I don't know. Kind of disappointed that despite the cover not implying it, this book is honestly just another person's writing that I've already read and reviewed before. I do like the few pages included that contain more current information about wolves, and said information is really good (e.g. explaining how the alpha theory was incorrect and how packs actually work) but I'm not sure if these brief tangents are enough to make me like this book more.
Again, I like Mowat's book, but it just feels a bit disingenuous to see it re-packaged and sold partially without his name like this. Honestly if instead this book had been the writing by Viering and Knauer, just the objective information about wolves without Mowat's work spread in between, it would've made for a more unique book. Very short mind you, but it at least wouldn't be them practically re-selling his work.
So I do like the information we did get, and Mowat's writing, but I don't like how it was presented here. The first few chapters were written by Viering and Knauer about how wolves live, hunt, etc., but after that about 70-80% of the book is just Never Cry Wolf.
Rating: 3/5
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