The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death, and Happiness

Think of Marley on steroids! Or John Grogan, instead of going out to interview newsmakers, goes instead to lead a philosophy class of undergrads, and halfway through, during a lecture on Descartes' ideas about the external world, Brenin the wolf wakes up, strolls down the aisle, and nabs lunch from a young woman's backpack. Written by Mark Rowlands, this book is an odd mixture: a manual on raising a wolf, a memoir of how this animal changed his life, and what Rowlands learned about philosophy from living with a wolf. And like Marley and Me, it's also a love story about an unforgettable pet. Rowlands and Brenin (which means king) spent over twelve years together, and because Brenin would get very destructive if left alone, most of that time was together. Rowlands describes Brenin's visits to class:he even included a note about the wolf in his class syllabi (The wolf will not harm you.) Brenin also showed up at all the professor's illegal rugby matches, where Rowlands played despite not being a student. Rowlands is not the best pet person--his wolf tried to mate with countless unwilling dogs and once the wolf almost killed a feisty dog. Brenin spent many illegal nights in motel rooms and in rowdy parties and bars where he was "chick bait" according to the author. In fact, of the two main characters, Brenin comes off as much nicer and more humane. But still this book will appeal to pet and nature lovers and people attracted to dialogues on the inner life and what it means to be human.