Jim Brandenburg (1945–2025)

“Face to face with Wolves” is actually a booklet rather than a book (29 pages with very big type, big margins, plenty of space, photos and other visuals). It gives a good visual impression, and the photographs are amazing (What else can you expect from wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg?)

It is also a warm and charming story about Brandeburg’s personal history with wolves.

The booklet’s weakness is the quality of its factual information – it seems sloppily researched. It is in show more several places factually inaccurate or misleading, and seems to build on Brandenburg’s personal gut feelings and interpretations based on old stereotypes, rather than up to date wolf science.

Ironically, one of the world’s most renowned wolf scientists – David Mech – was Brandenburg’s team mate while he lived with the Ellesmere island wolf pack. Mech subsequently wrote several books and other literature about his observations of the pack over 10 years, and his studies were been ground breaking in changing the understanding of wolves’ natural family structure. Mech has since denounced the traditional alpha beta omega jargon as mainly irrelevant/misleading when describing the dynamics of wolf packs (families) in the wild. Yet Brandenburg promotes precisely that jargon and its associated stereotypes in his book along with other outmoded misconceptions, despite this book being published in 2008 where plenty of modern wolf research was available.

In conclusion: while he photos are fantastic, the book fails at its purpose, which is, I suppose, to educate about wolves to those new to the world of wolves. The book’s “fact booklet” format combined with the poor quality of its facts is why I give the book a two star rating despite its great visual quality. show less

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is the book that I find myself lifting off the shelf when I need to reconnect with something inside that inspires my own art. Whatever the author intended, the result is visually poetic.

The concept is simple, one photograph each day for 90 days. Only one shot. One chance to capture the essence of that one day. The exercise was designed to take the author, famed photographer Jim Brandenburg, back to the fundamentals of his craft; focus, light, show more study. He describes it as a self-assignment, something to sharpen his wits again. His subject was just outside his back door, the Minnesota North Woods.

What he has created in this inspiring book is nothing short of miraculous.

The images are stunningly beautiful and so completely natural and real, that I am transported into them. I can hear and smell them. The accompanying narrative adds dimension and texture without explaining too much.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves nature or photography, and certainly a must have for anyone who loves both! show less

This book is photographically brilliant – visually amazing!

“Brother wolf” offers a breath taking visual journey through the world of wild wolves; invites the reader to explore their magic and elegance and their relations with other wildlife (prey, partners and competitors).

But… it does have a weak side: the text. While it is at times interesting and beautifully written, it seems largely driven by projections of the author’s “gut feeling” biases and romantic stereotypes onto his show more subjects, especially the wolves. It is at times directly misinforming and definely not rigourous.

Having experienced this problem with all 3 books by Brandenburg I’ve read, I no longer really trust his words; I never know when statements are the author’ guesses, projections and myths, and when they are actual facts, so I don’t trust any of them. The writing is also very repetitive and romanticising.

So – if only rating the book’s text content, then I would give it 1 out of 5 stars. If only rating its visual quality, 5 out of 5 stars. That shouldn’t prevent anyone from buying or reading book, because it really is a visual masterpiece; a dream journey which, visually, gives amazing insights. The text should just be read with “a grain of salt”. show less

This informative book is strongly focused in on the images, with the text pertaining to the particular image(s) on that given page. I know that when I was younger, I was fascinated by seeing actual photographs of wild animals, and I think that most children are, no matter what age. Even at age 2-3, most children will look at one of these photos, engage, and say "Wolf! Wolf!" or something along those lines. The photos definitely capture the attention of even the youngest children. Even if show more they are perhaps too young to understand the information within the text, they can look at the photos, familiarize themselves with wolves, and as they get older, they will be able to retain more and more of the information that's being read to them. show less