Horribly depressing but an excellently written and important book.

Interesting look at the eight species of bears, their wildness as well as their place within the human world, both culturally and physically.

(Or, should we say how we’ve pushed our world into theirs, thereby making their world smaller and less inhabitable…Much of the book also discussed current and past conservation efforts, along with the need for major future changes in order to preserve entire species, with devastating and irreversible consequences occurring possibly as soon as century’s end.)

I have cherished a deep love for bears since infancy when I received my very first teddy bear plush that still occupies a place of honor on my bed. Prior to reading this remarkable book, I must confess that I couldn't have named all eight bear species. Of course, the Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, Polar Bear, and Panda were readily recognizable to me. If I delved into the recesses of my memory, I might have been able to recall the Sun Bear and Sloth Bear. However, the Spectacled Bear and the Asiatic Black Bear (also known as the Moon Bear) were unfamiliar to me, a realization that saddens me, for every bear deserves our admiration and respect.

What I truly admire about Gloria Dickie's work is her commitment to giving each bear species its rightful moment in the spotlight, treating them all with equal importance. Her in-depth exploration of the unique challenges these majestic creatures face in their struggle for survival and her insightful suggestions for how we can contribute to their well-being are both inspiring and enlightening.

I can't help but think that if my grandfather, a retired forest service ranger, were still with us, he would have cherished this book even more than I did. It aligns perfectly with his passion and expertise. I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this book on his behalf. Each time Gloria Dickie marvels at the wonder of these magnificent bears, it brings to mind the image of my grandfather, a man who shared her reverence for these beautiful creatures

What a fascinating and well-researched book about the eight remaining bear species on the planet. I wasn't really sure I'd be able to handle this because I'm such a softy and I know how terrible humans are, but it was definitely doable, even if you're a big animal person. It was fascinating to learn about the bears, especially the ones I don't know as much about, like the sun bear and sloth bear. Gloria (a journalist, so it's told well from a curious perspective) really takes you on a fascinating journey around the world. And while the "imperiled future" part of the title is quite daunting (especially for the polar bears

Bears are my favorite animal; to me, this book was a disappointment.

This book falls into the trap of many nonfiction books, in that it does it's job and nothing more--I'm familiar with her editor of Norton and know the general nonfiction style, and am not a fan of it (even though I'm a big fan of him). One could even argue that it doesn't even do it's job, since Dickie barely sees any bears. I was looking for a book that was denser, but it was quite fluffed up with random anecdotes that didn't tell me a whole lot about anything. I'm just not sure how this book is any different from information I could find in the most basic article or a Wikipedia page. The writing itself was kind of trite and uninteresting too. :(

(Edit: Many of the positive reviews of this book are from people who have never even heard of all the Bears species--which is totally fine, but is clearly speaking to the intended audience. To me, the ideal reader of this book is someone who (a) has never heard of a "bear" and has no idea what it is and (b) has also somehow attained a high school reading level.)