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erinjp123's review against another edition
3.0
The stories about Brenin were endearing, and the philosophy was interesting but Rowlands was so full of himself it made it painful at times to read it. An OK read but nothing I'm interested in going back to.
cavaroc's review against another edition
3.0
Though I loved reading about his experiences owning a wolf as a pet and the life-changing events that came with it, his shortsighted and pessimistic views of humanity got in the way too much for me to really enjoy it consistently.
ckrupiej's review against another edition
4.0
"A vida é demasiado escorregadia para permissas e conclusões"
knitswithbeer's review against another edition
5.0
This book does not disappoint. It's been on my reading list from the same time The Chimp Paradox was, but was out of print. It makes a good companion piece to the Chimp but is far more existential and evocative than it is analytical. When asked by my Parents in Law for a Christmas gift suggestion I was delighted it was available. They bought me The Chimp too. Hope they're not thinking I'm all analytical and dry. Time for a port.
We are, the author says, at our best in those moments of our lives when the Pit bull has us by the throat and we are without hope. 3017 had a few of those and I hope my inner wolf approves of how I responded. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
We are, the author says, at our best in those moments of our lives when the Pit bull has us by the throat and we are without hope. 3017 had a few of those and I hope my inner wolf approves of how I responded. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
bmg20's review against another edition
4.0
'The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death and Happiness' was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Open Road Media.
This book is part memoir, part story of the 11 years spent with his wolf named Brenin and the impression that he made on his life, and part philosophical interpretation of what it means to be human. I can’t claim to be a true lover of Philosophy; however, this book and the author’s writing style kept me engaged. The novels main emphasis tends to focus on the differences between men and wolves from a philosophical stand point. Not only his personal philosophical views but also various different philosophers’ and how their opinions and views apply to certain situations.
The book does not consistently tell the story of his life with Brenin, rather there are bits and pieces interspersed throughout the book with philosophical concepts in between. I would have liked to see more time spent on the connection between him and Brenin because their relationship was pretty amazing.
“But when I remember Brenin, I remember also that what is most important is the you that remains when your calculations fail – when the schemes you have schemed shudder to a halt, and the lies you have lied stick in your throat. In the end, it’s all luck – all of it – and the gods can take away your luck as quickly as they confer it. What is most important is the person you are when your luck runs out.”
The novel was very intellectually stimulating; I just wish I had more knowledge of philosophy in order for me to be able to truly appreciate it. Insightful, nonetheless, and I did enjoy the experience.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
This book is part memoir, part story of the 11 years spent with his wolf named Brenin and the impression that he made on his life, and part philosophical interpretation of what it means to be human. I can’t claim to be a true lover of Philosophy; however, this book and the author’s writing style kept me engaged. The novels main emphasis tends to focus on the differences between men and wolves from a philosophical stand point. Not only his personal philosophical views but also various different philosophers’ and how their opinions and views apply to certain situations.
The book does not consistently tell the story of his life with Brenin, rather there are bits and pieces interspersed throughout the book with philosophical concepts in between. I would have liked to see more time spent on the connection between him and Brenin because their relationship was pretty amazing.
“But when I remember Brenin, I remember also that what is most important is the you that remains when your calculations fail – when the schemes you have schemed shudder to a halt, and the lies you have lied stick in your throat. In the end, it’s all luck – all of it – and the gods can take away your luck as quickly as they confer it. What is most important is the person you are when your luck runs out.”
The novel was very intellectually stimulating; I just wish I had more knowledge of philosophy in order for me to be able to truly appreciate it. Insightful, nonetheless, and I did enjoy the experience.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
liberrydude's review against another edition
4.0
Deep thoughts 101. Great merging of "dry philosophy" -the meaning of life and the very personal journey through life of the author and his wolf. Heartfelt. You can learn a lot from a wolf.
afonsob's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The story of a philosopher and his pet wolf, literally. Not many books give me chills when I finish them. The author tells the story of his and Brenin’s (the wolf) life together, from the moment he saw an ad for wolf pups on the classifieds page of an Alabama paper to about 10 years later, after Brenin’s death. While telling us about the challenges and joys of having a pet wolf and being an anti-social drunkard (by his own admission), the author explores several topics in philosophy, including animal rights, the nature of friendship and love, the meaning of life through an existentialist lens, and the meaning of death, all in an effort to understand this non-human animal he’s come to love more than anything else in life. It’s a very moving read. The author makes us feel like we are living his and Brenin’s life with them which makes Brenin’s death feel more intense one thousandfold. I’ll change the rating to 5 stars in a few months if I still think about this book then.
poachedeggs's review against another edition
4.0
An accessible 'beginner's philosophy'-type book (much better than Sophie's World), revolving around the life and times of a wonderful wolf, Brenin, with his owner, Mark Rowlands himself.
Quite unlike schmaltzy books about animals that romanticise man's relationship with their pets and encourage you to run out to get a dog/hamster/rabbit/iguana immediately, Rowlands's memoir actually makes its reader feel quite unequal to the task of managing the intense relationship between a human and an animal that the latter deserves in any domesticated situation.
I was quite uncomfortable with the man=ape=simian argument, but I need to think through that a lot more...
I wonder if I am going to surprise myself one of these days by becoming vegetarian.
[The edition I read, which is published by Granta, is pretty awful though. The copy editor had not spotted a few glaring errors - e.g. 'gave him a wide birth' and 'I did not have clue' (argh!). The phrase 'consisted in' was also used several times, which threw me off - is this particular to the U.K.? I can't trust internet sources nowadays.)
Quite unlike schmaltzy books about animals that romanticise man's relationship with their pets and encourage you to run out to get a dog/hamster/rabbit/iguana immediately, Rowlands's memoir actually makes its reader feel quite unequal to the task of managing the intense relationship between a human and an animal that the latter deserves in any domesticated situation.
I was quite uncomfortable with the man=ape=simian argument, but I need to think through that a lot more...
I wonder if I am going to surprise myself one of these days by becoming vegetarian.
[The edition I read, which is published by Granta, is pretty awful though. The copy editor had not spotted a few glaring errors - e.g. 'gave him a wide birth' and 'I did not have clue' (argh!). The phrase 'consisted in' was also used several times, which threw me off - is this particular to the U.K.? I can't trust internet sources nowadays.)
hannasandmann's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.5
This book depicted the connection between the author and the wolf beautifully and the philosophical insights were super interesting.
But here is the reason for major point deduction:
I was especially looking forward to reading this book and seeing the merge of philosophy and biology/ecology. However, that was not what happened. Biological statements were just dropped as facts and reletavised with the usual "some studies say this and some say that" without any citations, which is a detrimental way of dealing with science. Unfortunately, this makes the author look not just a little arrogant.
Also,the way Mark Rowlands acquired the wolf is deeply problematic in my eyes but he reletavises that as well, which is a pity, because adressing it properly would not have diminished the value of the book in the slightest.
But here is the reason for major point deduction:
I was especially looking forward to reading this book and seeing the merge of philosophy and biology/ecology. However, that was not what happened. Biological statements were just dropped as facts and reletavised with the usual "some studies say this and some say that" without any citations, which is a detrimental way of dealing with science. Unfortunately, this makes the author look not just a little arrogant.
Also,