Most Popular Books by Ernest Thompson

A boy with a consuming interest in nature finally realizes his dream of living in the woods like an Indian. Includes drawings and explanations of camping techniques and Indian crafts mentioned.

An immediate success upon its first publication in 1898, Wild Animals I Have Known gave the animal story new credibility and power as a literary genre and remains Seton’s best-loved work.

First published in 1911, “Rolf in the Woods” is a classic adventure story by Ernest Thompson Seton. It tells the tale of Rolf, a young teenage orphan with nothing to speak of. He works tirelessly on his authoritarian uncle’s farm until one day he meets a Native American called Quonab. They become friends and Rolf learns many great life lessons from him, including outdoors survival and self-defence. However, it’s not all fun and adventure in this moving coming-of-age novel. Considered to be among the 100 greatest stories ever written, “Rolf in the Woods” is not to be missed by any fiction lover or collector of Seton’s seminal work. Ernest Thompson Seton (1860 – 1946) was an English-born Canadian author and wildlife artist who founded the Woodcraft Indians in 1902. He was also among the founding members of the Boy Scouts of America, established in 1910. He wrote profusely on this subject, the most notable of his scouting literature including “The Birch Bark Roll” and the “Boy Scout Handbook”. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Tales of animals are not accidentally so loved in many countries by adults and children. The heroes of the stories written by the famous Canadian writer Ernest Thompson Seton, and among them stands out for its originality the "The Pacing Mustang", are animals and birds. However, often their life and behavior are more exalted and noble than that of people. A beautiful black mustang was a pacer, that is, when running, he moved first both right legs, then both left. The Mustang took home mares with him and they eventually got used to the wild life.

First published more than a century ago, The Biography of a Grizzly recounts the life of a fictitious bear named Wahb who lived and died in the Greater Yellowstone region. This new edition combines Ernest Thompson Seton’s classic tale and original illustrations with historical and scientific context for Wahb’s story, providing a thorough understanding of the setting, cultural connections, biology, and ecology of Seton’s best-known book. By the time The Biography of a Grizzly was published in 1900, grizzly bears had been hunted out of much of their historical range in North America. The characterization of Wahb, along with Seton’s other anthropomorphic tales of American wildlife, helped to change public perceptions and promote conservation. As editors Jeremy M. Johnston and Charles R. Preston remind us, however, Seton’s approach to writing about animals put him at the center of the “Nature-Faker” controversy of the early twentieth century, when John Burroughs and Theodore Roosevelt, among others, denounced sentimental representations of wildlife. The editors address conservation scientists’ continuing concerns about inaccurate depictions of nature in popular culture. Despite its anthropomorphism, Seton’s paradoxical book imparts a good deal of insightful and accurate natural history, even as its exaggerations shaped early-twentieth-century public opinion on conservation in often counterproductive ways. By complicating Seton’s enthralling tale with scientific observations of grizzly behavior in the wild, Johnston and Preston evaluate the story’s accuracy and bring the story of Yellowstone grizzlies into the present day. Preserving the 1900 edition’s original design and illustrations, Wahb brings new understanding to an American classic, updating the book for current and future generations.

''Snap'' is the nickname of the bull terrier, which the old friend gave to the hunter as a puppy. Its character the dog showed from the very first days of acquaintance, but the experienced owner managed to find a common language with him and raised a fearless fighter. Once Snap participated in the hunt for wolves and coyotes. None of the breeds of dogs could cope with wild animals. And only a small Snap fearlessly entered a real battle with predators. He won, but ...