Us furries identify ourselves online using personas with animal characteristics. Most of us feel that we can identify with said animal in some way, while the undecided tend to be "shapeshifters". However, behind our screens and under our fursuits (You know, if that's your thing), we are all simian - Homo Sapiens. Human. And we carry with us all the associated tendencies and weaknesses that will always be present to some degree, regardless of how hard we try to rise above them.
One evening in Alabama, many years ago, University Professor Mark Rowlands brought home a wolf pup named Brenin that he had just purchased. He had no idea of the impact the wolf would have on his life in the years to come, nor of the strength of the bond that would form between them. As Mark impressed the importance of discipline and trust on Brenin as he matured, the wolf, in turn, began to change Rowlands. They became like brothers - they became a pack.
This book is not a work of fiction. It is not written in strict chronological order, nor is it in the form of a story. But I still consider it art.
The Philosopher and the Wolf is, first and foremost, a philosophical essay that talks about the true essence of what it means to be human - and it is not a very flattering image. Human beings, materialistic and selfish by nature, are calculating, scheming creatures. We define the value of things based on what they can do for us. We tend to see other animals as inferior, and tend to call our particular brand of intelligence superior to that of what we consider "lesser creatures". Rowland's book overturns these assumptions and attempts to teach us, through relating his own philosophical contemplations and his experiences with Brenin, the lessons his brother wolf taught him about the true nature of Love, Death, Strength, Courage, Happiness, and the meaning of Life.
Reading this book has had a profound effect on my view of the world, and has made me take a good long look at my own beliefs and goals. It has moved me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who aspires to be more - it may just help shape who you are.
