This richly illustrated book opens with a map and chronology of artist Maureen Enns' travels in Western Canada. The flowing and candid accounts of these travels include discussions of the biology and management of bears; bears training aand relocation; the high wilderness and its wildlife; and the political, financial, and logistical frustrations of arranging filming and sketching (Grizzly Kingdom is linked with a televison documentary and a series of paintings of bears). The closing material includes a useful set of backcountry tips, a strategy for saving bear habitat, addresses of relevant conservation groups, and a bibliography.

People who have not had a lot of experience with bears seem, in general, to be petrified of them. That was the case with Maureen Enns. And her terror was magniied many times over when it came to grizzlies. But today, Enns can sit almost beside a grizzly in the wild and talk to it. What made the difference? Enns is a painter and wanted to do something about the big bears which are under threat across North America, even with very rigidly controlled hunting. To do something, she had to understand the animals, and to do that, she had to go out to them, and spend time with them. So Enns got permission to go into the backcountry of Banff National Park and use park facilities while there. The result was a greater understanding and appreciation of the silvertip, a collection of art and a book describing her fears and her experiences and including some of her art. I'm not big on the art - it's too stylized for my taste and it requires interpretation rather than being simply understood. But I was fascinated by her courage and her willingness to put her mind and body at risk by going out to the bears. Besides, seeing them through her eyes gives one an entirely different impression from the horror stories of so many other writers.