This is part where the Inuit tell their story about the origins of the wolf. This is not how it happens in the book, but the contours of the story are the same.
The film takes place in Alaska. The novel takes place in Keewatin, which is a place you probably never heard of.
The book is also much funnier than the film. The part where one of the wolves hooks up with a husky bitch is the most vivid and hilarious description of canine courtship I’ve ever read.
And yes, I’m aware of all the controversies about Mowat’s account, especially the theory that wolves live on mice when they den. Yes, this is at best creative nonfiction.
But there’s nothing wrong with creative nonfiction, provided one understands what part is creative.
The writing is good. It makes the reader appreciate wolves, the arctic, and the native peoples who live there.
If I want biology, I’ll read Mech. If I want to have a reason to admire this animal, I’ll read Mowat.
