Product Description

"A remarkable story about the bond between a man and his dog ... Lawrence combines adventure with a keen appreciation of the natural beauty of the land."
- Publishers Weekly

The North Runner is a true and moving story of the building of trust between a man and an exceptional dog that was half wolf, half Alaskan Malamute, and the resulting mutual affection and respect between them.

R.D. Lawrence, a biologist and internationally recognized naturalist, takes us on a remarkable journey as he and Yukon embark on a life in the wilderness of British Columbia. Working as a team, the man and wolf-dog explore thousands of miles, survive the rigours of the wilderness and encounter the natural world in all its grandeur and brutality.

This story ranks as a nature classic.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1309595 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author

R.D. Lawrence, the son of an English father and a Spanish mother, was born at sea, aboard a British passenger ship sailing in Spanish territorial waters. His early years in Spain and his Spanish Civil War and World War II experiences are well-documented in his autobiography, The Green Trees Beyond.

After taking up residence in Canada in 1954, Lawrence concerned himself with the environment and with the study of wildlife and plants. His contribution to our understanding of nature through his long-term field studies and award-winning publications was significant and continues to receive international acclaim.

The author of twenty-seven books, R.D. Lawrence was published in twenty-six countries and fifteen languages. The author passed away at the age of 82 on November 27, 2003, in the village of Haliburton, Ontario.

Customer Reviews

The story of a wolf/dog hybrid & the man who befriended him
R.D.Lawrence's book "The North Runner" is quite simply magnificent. It tells the true story of one man's friendship with a savage dog/wolf hybrid that sees man as his natural enemy, especially as he has been ill-treated since puppyhood.

When Lawrence takes the Hybrid into his home he finds that he has true savage on his hands, and that it will take all his skills as a naturalist to tame an animal that was more wolf than it was dog. This is not a sentimental book though Lawrence and the hybrid he names Yukon do become friends, rather it is a story about two creatures getting to know one another, in an unforgiving world.

Yukon is testament to man's inability to understand the mind and soul of a wolf. Lawrence eventually realizes that Yukon will never be a "people" dog and that the remainder of his life must be spent in the wild with wolves. And so Lawrence makes the ultimate sacrifice, he lets Yukon go, giving him the freedom that should have been his from birth.

This a poignant, funny, humorous and often sad book about a man and a hybrid and how they learnt to respect and love one another, yet never loose sight of which side of the fence that each belonged. For all nature lovers, especially those with a passion for dogs, wolves and hybrids.

Since I wrote this review in 2002, this book is now back in print which I am really pleased about.

I am also sad to say that R.D. Lawrence passed away in November 2003 aged 82 so for all you nature lovers out there, this is the time to stock up on his books before they go out of print again.

The best wolf story ever
I happened across this book at a swap shelf and had never heard of Lawrence before. But after the first paragraph I was hooked; I just had to find out what all happened to his dog Yukon in the three years they were together.

Lawrence had a great attention to detail without ever mentioning anything trivial. His focus was on Yukon, not himself. And the way the story unfolded, dealing with other animal encounters and the weather (as is inevitable in the Canadian wilderness) there is not a page of this book that falls into the mundane. Every animal, every person, every event in this story comes to life.

I could see my own dog in this story. I've often felt my dog Sammy was part something wild, be it Grey wolf or coyote, as Sammy shows so many similiar traits to Yukon.

Although I "recycle" my books at book swaps, this is one book I'm holding on to. If you love dogs, the wilderness, Canada or the outdoors and the environment, this book is a must-read.

A DOG LOVERS MUST READ
AS ALWAYS AS I AM A FAVORITE READER OF R.D. LAWRENCE HE BEFRIENDS A WILD WOLF DOG AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THIS ANIMAL WHO RELATES SO MUCH TO HIM. MR. LAWRENCE IN HIS MOST DISCRIPTIVE WAYS AS ALWAYS TELLS THE STORY OF HOW HE TAKES THIS WILD ANIMAL FROM AN NATIVE INDIAN WHO BEATS THIS ANIMAL SHORT OF DEATH AND SHOWS HIM PASSION AND IN TURN IN TIME THIS DOG RETURNS THE FAVOR IN SAVING HIS LIFE. A TRUE BOOK AND A MUST TO READ A DOG LOVERS AND A NATURE LOVERS BEST STORY EVER