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Shadow of the Bear: Travels in Vanishing Wilderness
by Brian Payton
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (2006-07-11)
ISBN: 1596911980
EAN: 9781596911987
Dewy Decimal #: 599.78
Hardcover: 256 pages
Release Date: 2006-07-11
SKU: C117HZU
Condition: Used: Like New
Comments: Clean unmarked pages. Clean unmarked cover. Dust Jacket has shelf wear. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. All orders include an e-Book about starting your own Internet Business in PDF format. FREE Domestic DELIVERY CONFIRMATION! We ship daily Mon-Sat and will let you know when your item has shipped along with your e/DC number. [HI, AK, PR, VI, GUAM, SAIPAN & West Coast customers, please use Expedited Shipping, otherwise it may take longer than the estimated 14 business days.] Items are from a smoke free and air conditioned environment.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Around the world in pursuit of the beast we fear, revere, abuse, and adore.
We’ve been meeting bears in the wilderness, and in our dreams, since the dawn of human history. Celebrated in art and myth since we began drawing on the walls of caves, they cast a long shadow over our collective subconscious. Wherever bears endure, they are an indicator of the health of their ecosystem. Their decline—some to the edge of extinction—foretells a bigger story: that of our planet’s peril.
In a series of remarkable journeys, Brian Payton travels the world in search of the eight remaining bear species. Along the way, he confronts poachers in the jungles of Cambodia, witnesses the cruelty of the bear bile trade in China, and delves into the politics of panda sex. From the reclusive spectacled bears of Peru to the man-eating sloth bears of India, Payton captures the power and beauty of these fascinating creatures while exploring their unique place within very different cultures. Vivid characters, exotic landscapes, and deft storytelling make for an unforgettable trek down the braided path of bear and human history.
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Customer Reviews
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Absolute Best on the Subject
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-03-11
In the past year I have read several books concerning the subject matter of bears and Mr. Payton's is not just a good book on bears, it is a well written book period. However, he is passionate about the subject without being overly sentimental. He travels the world seeking out encounters with endangered bears and their disappearing habitat. Many of the stories about bears are not first hand. The narrator is passing some of them along from the people he encounters in his quest. This only lends to the mystique that these creatures have.
Brian is also respectful and knowledgable of the different cultures that he encounters, giving the book a very exotic quality. There is enough focus on the bears and their plight to increase one's concern for these animal's and their habitat, which is after all, along with poaching and hunting, one of the biggest problems.
If you only read on bear book. Read this one. It should be a classic one day helping to define where we go right or wrong from this point.
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The Plight of the Bears
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-09-09
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to others. For the past 10 years I have been involved with a bear education program focusing on the American Black Bear. Black Bears are the one species of bear that can live in close proximity to humans. I have read it more than once and have leant the book to others.
Shadow of the Bear brought to light the plight of all bears and the impact it has on our lives.
For me it was a quick read and quite informative. The way Mr. Payton told the story it was both entertaining and enlighting. As I read I felt like I was with him through his adventures. As he discussed each species we also learned about the culture of the geographic area where that species can be found. Politics also plays a role in bear survival and how bears are dealt with. Mr Payton demonstrates his book just how much human actions has contributed to the endangerment of wildlife. This book should be read by those interested in bears, travel, environment and life. Hopefully as more read the book, they too will understand the importance of conserving these beautiful animals.
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"Shadow of the Bear" is especially recommended for school and community library Pets & Wildlife collections.
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-11-05
Bears have had many, many books written about them and have been long celebrated: so why the need for yet another? Brian Payton here travels the world in search of the eight remaining bear species, from Asia and Canada to South America. His blend of natural history and travelogue examines human interactions with and beliefs about bears at all levels of society, offering up a warm interaction of bear and human encounters. "Shadow of the Bear" is especially recommended for school and community library Pets & Wildlife collections.
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Adventure and Bear Study= Excellent Book
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-11-04
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
A very entertaining and interesting book on bears. As the owner of a large bear library, I really appreciate when a new bear book comes along that tells me things that I do not know. I was especially fascinated by the sloth bear section. The sloth bear's scientific study pales in comparison to the grizzly or black bear, so I really appreciated Mr. Payton's insight into these sometimes very aggresive and violent bears. The author also did and outstanding job of giving a sense of adventure to the book with great tales from remote parts of the world. On the serious side of things, the author points out correctly, that habitat destruction is the main cause of a decreasing bear population in much of the world, while poaching adds to the losses within some bear populations. Great book and an interesting read!
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