The Tracker: The True Story of Tom Brown Jr.

So entertaining and riveting it's hard to put down. For fans of Tom Brown, Jr. or newcomers to his great work and life, THIS is the book to start with, because its autobiographical true stories about his childhood -- how he met Stalking Wolf (the subject of Brown's second book, "Grandfather") -- with all the lessons Tom and his childhood friend Rick, all the training and adventures they received from 'Grandfather' (Stalking Wolf) when they were teenagers. Order both books, if you're sure you want to read Grandfather. But trust me, read two or three chapters of The Tracker and I predict you'll be hooked, and glad you read it first.

Some reviewers have been critical or skeptical of this book and/or it's author. My latest purchase of this book was as a gift, for a young relative who's going thru training for position as a Game Warden. My own copy was purchased many years ago, after learning of it thru other boys in my sons' Boy Scout troop at the time. There were no reviews by others that biased my view or appreciation of it at that time. I read the book thru cover-to-cover, and learned many things - about 'how to track', basic wilderness survival considerations and methods ...and about life from 'different perspectives.' Whatever criticisms some reviewers recorded in Amazon many years later, I didn't experience or consider them worth remembering. Some of the 'promotional wording' on the cover really doesn't relate to what I got out of the book. This is just too good - as instruction, as appreciation, and even just basic enjoyment. One of the most significant 'lessons' was what he described as Stalking Wolf's (Grandfather's) primary (or only?) teaching method. Unlike many "how to" books (like the typical Boy Scout Manual of the time), Grandfather never 'told them' to "do this or do that" in response to some situation. What he did (entirely, it seems, from my memory of reading it long ago) was to ask questions ...which provoked the boys to use their powers of observation and thinking processes to learn for themselves about the situations he placed them in, or pointed them toward. If someone is interested in learning about basics of tracking and/or wilderness survival, I don't think this is a resource they should overlook ...unless they're already very advanced from other 'hands on' training (maybe Special Forces or Ranger training? I never experienced those myself, so can't compare it).

My dad had been telling my brother about a book he read many years ago. "If only I could pass it on to my grandsons," he told me later. I did some research and found the book on Amazon. It was a great surprise for him when he found it and he read it in one day. He loves the stories of the tracking skills and training. A good read for adventurers, outdoors men, and others that enjoy a "this is how we did it" story.

I love this story and have read it several times. A good read, I'm estimating about a 4th-5th grade level so an easy read for young folks. And a great way to plant the seed of outdoor inspiration (& a connection with nature). At this point I keep buying copy's for friends with children. This book won't teach you how to track but with point you in the right direction for sure!

I read this book several years ago and went on to read all of the other books in the series. It has been one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. I sent a copy to my brother-in-law years ago and he thought it was some crazy thing I was into. Then he started reading. He didn't stop for a break until he was on page 135. He then went to the library to find other books in the series and they were all out. Over the years I've given numerous copies of this book to friends and I've read Tom Brown, Jr.'s field guides as well. I know that in some elementary school systems this book is on the suggested reading list. In my mind it should be required reading for everyone. It's an amazing, true story that we all could learn from.

I loved the book. It was fast paced and interesting and a great story of two young boys growing up having the commonality and circumstances to benefit from a great Native American guide. What an experience and to be so "into it!" There is an "earthy" richness to the story and the connection to land sky is compelling. I found myself wanting more of "grandfather's" spiritual wisdom and connection to life. I appreciate Tom sharing this experience. In fact, I might be a little jealous. Carl Bozeman, Author Amazon bestselling book; On Being God - Beyond Your Life's Purpose Are You Listening? Addressing The Divine Within On Human Being - Loving & Living Without Purpose

The first in the acclaimed series by Tom Brown. My wife read this, and then the Scout, and suggested I read both. We love the stories together, and both of us now enjoy spending more time outside, more time hiking, and being more aware of the beautiful nature while we are out there! I'll say this one is written in a more basic way then Tom's later books, which makes sense as it was his and his writer/editor's first. Despite the elementary writing style, the stories of Tom's life learning animal tracking and naturalism is absolutely inspiring, and fun!

I first read this book in the late 1970s and it changed my life. This book encouraged me in an already fanatical interest in tracking, which has since become a lifelong pursuit. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about nature and how to understand the intricacies of the natural world. Through intriguing stories of his own early life, Tom brings alive for the reader the lessons he learned in nature and awakens an interest in all things natural. If you want to read a book that will cause you to change the way you look at the world, that will awaken interests and feelings of wonder at the environment around you, then this is the book for you. Be prepared for a "wild" ride. (Pun intended.)

Wow could I have really believed all this the first time I read it??? I was a fan of Tom Brown, read all the books and even attended some of his in person training. But 20 years later I bought this book for my son and thought I’d reread it too and I’m left thinking, “dang, I must have been pretty naive”. Seriously, this is just silly y’all. We think a ten year old fought off any 80-pound wild dog? Killing it with a knife? And these two little boy’s spent all their time in the NJ pine barrens with no supervision. Seriously?? This book does not see true to life at all.

One of my favorite books. Enjoyable and an easy read and very inspiring. Lead me to take some of his classes and learn some of the basics of tracking and wilderness survival, but even without that urge, this is a fun book to read. My mom even liked it and she's never even been camping.

So entertaining and riveting it's hard to put down. For fans of Tom Brown, Jr. or newcomers to his great work and life, THIS is the book to start with, because its autobiographical true stories about his childhood -- how he met Stalking Wolf (the subject of Brown's second book, "Grandfather") -- with all the lessons Tom and his childhood friend Rick, all the training and adventures they received from 'Grandfather' (Stalking Wolf) when they were teenagers. Order both books, if you're sure you want to read Grandfather. But trust me, read two or three chapters of The Tracker and I predict you'll be hooked, and glad you read it first.

Some reviewers have been critical or skeptical of this book and/or it's author. My latest purchase of this book was as a gift, for a young relative who's going thru training for position as a Game Warden. My own copy was purchased many years ago, after learning of it thru other boys in my sons' Boy Scout troop at the time. There were no reviews by others that biased my view or appreciation of it at that time. I read the book thru cover-to-cover, and learned many things - about 'how to track', basic wilderness survival considerations and methods ...and about life from 'different perspectives.' Whatever criticisms some reviewers recorded in Amazon many years later, I didn't experience or consider them worth remembering. Some of the 'promotional wording' on the cover really doesn't relate to what I got out of the book. This is just too good - as instruction, as appreciation, and even just basic enjoyment. One of the most significant 'lessons' was what he described as Stalking Wolf's (Grandfather's) primary (or only?) teaching method. Unlike many "how to" books (like the typical Boy Scout Manual of the time), Grandfather never 'told them' to "do this or do that" in response to some situation. What he did (entirely, it seems, from my memory of reading it long ago) was to ask questions ...which provoked the boys to use their powers of observation and thinking processes to learn for themselves about the situations he placed them in, or pointed them toward. If someone is interested in learning about basics of tracking and/or wilderness survival, I don't think this is a resource they should overlook ...unless they're already very advanced from other 'hands on' training (maybe Special Forces or Ranger training? I never experienced those myself, so can't compare it).

My dad had been telling my brother about a book he read many years ago. "If only I could pass it on to my grandsons," he told me later. I did some research and found the book on Amazon. It was a great surprise for him when he found it and he read it in one day. He loves the stories of the tracking skills and training. A good read for adventurers, outdoors men, and others that enjoy a "this is how we did it" story.

I love this story and have read it several times. A good read, I'm estimating about a 4th-5th grade level so an easy read for young folks. And a great way to plant the seed of outdoor inspiration (& a connection with nature). At this point I keep buying copy's for friends with children. This book won't teach you how to track but with point you in the right direction for sure!

I read this book several years ago and went on to read all of the other books in the series. It has been one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. I sent a copy to my brother-in-law years ago and he thought it was some crazy thing I was into. Then he started reading. He didn't stop for a break until he was on page 135. He then went to the library to find other books in the series and they were all out. Over the years I've given numerous copies of this book to friends and I've read Tom Brown, Jr.'s field guides as well. I know that in some elementary school systems this book is on the suggested reading list. In my mind it should be required reading for everyone. It's an amazing, true story that we all could learn from.

I loved the book. It was fast paced and interesting and a great story of two young boys growing up having the commonality and circumstances to benefit from a great Native American guide. What an experience and to be so "into it!" There is an "earthy" richness to the story and the connection to land sky is compelling. I found myself wanting more of "grandfather's" spiritual wisdom and connection to life. I appreciate Tom sharing this experience. In fact, I might be a little jealous. Carl Bozeman, Author Amazon bestselling book; On Being God - Beyond Your Life's Purpose Are You Listening? Addressing The Divine Within On Human Being - Loving & Living Without Purpose

The first in the acclaimed series by Tom Brown. My wife read this, and then the Scout, and suggested I read both. We love the stories together, and both of us now enjoy spending more time outside, more time hiking, and being more aware of the beautiful nature while we are out there! I'll say this one is written in a more basic way then Tom's later books, which makes sense as it was his and his writer/editor's first. Despite the elementary writing style, the stories of Tom's life learning animal tracking and naturalism is absolutely inspiring, and fun!

I first read this book in the late 1970s and it changed my life. This book encouraged me in an already fanatical interest in tracking, which has since become a lifelong pursuit. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about nature and how to understand the intricacies of the natural world. Through intriguing stories of his own early life, Tom brings alive for the reader the lessons he learned in nature and awakens an interest in all things natural. If you want to read a book that will cause you to change the way you look at the world, that will awaken interests and feelings of wonder at the environment around you, then this is the book for you. Be prepared for a "wild" ride. (Pun intended.)

Wow could I have really believed all this the first time I read it??? I was a fan of Tom Brown, read all the books and even attended some of his in person training. But 20 years later I bought this book for my son and thought I’d reread it too and I’m left thinking, “dang, I must have been pretty naive”. Seriously, this is just silly y’all. We think a ten year old fought off any 80-pound wild dog? Killing it with a knife? And these two little boy’s spent all their time in the NJ pine barrens with no supervision. Seriously?? This book does not see true to life at all.

One of my favorite books. Enjoyable and an easy read and very inspiring. Lead me to take some of his classes and learn some of the basics of tracking and wilderness survival, but even without that urge, this is a fun book to read. My mom even liked it and she's never even been camping.

I have purchased this book several times over the years, most recently sent to my grandson, Airborne, fighting in the high Hindu Kush mountains of northwestern Afghanistan...where reading the ground can save your life. He reccomends the book highly and hopes to, one day, meet Tom Brown, Jr. Brown has taught Spec Ops also. I also keep in my library his "Vision" and "Grandfather", among others. The ancient skills he teaches are entwined with ancient spiritual wisdom, a valuable combination. For those unfamiliar with Brown's life work and the ways of the ancient Apache - as 'bequeathed' to Brown by Grandfather (Stalking Wolf) - there are several YouTube clips. Any skill learned can be valuable. The skills Brown teaches can save your life.

I found this at the library 20 years ago and read it to our 2 young daughters. We did a chapter a day and found it the greatest adventure book ever. After reading this book, I went on to read all of the books Tom Brown wrote concerning his further adventures and instruction from Grandfather in the natural and spiritual order.

This is one of my favorite books, and I read it again every few years, just for the sheer pleasure of it. I also love his other books for teaching me to be more aware and more tuned in to what I might learn from the natural world as I come into contact with it.

I give at least two copies a year away as a gift. This is my favorite short-read-learn-natural-systems-be-uplifted book.

An amazing true story about amazing people. I don't much like the word "amazing" but there are such people in this book. If you have an outdoors person in your life they will likely appreciate this book. It's a classic.

I liked this book. It's about being invisible in nature--like the rest of nature, people can blend in to the point of being invisible enough to be able to reach out and touch a wild animal. It's also about special relationships with a grandfather. It would be a great book to read to kids.

This book opens up a world you couldn’t possibly imagine!! You have to read it and experience it for yourself.

For any nature lover, this book will give you a new way to look at the outdoors and the creatures and species that fill it. If nothing else, Tom Brown is a terrific story teller.

This diminutive softback is not short on instruction and interest. I highly recommend it and Mr. Brown's sequels to anyone in search of true adventure and outdoor know-how. I'm familiar with the NJ Pinebarrens, of which Tom often references. It would be an excellent gift for that outdoors enthusiast who may be difficult to shop for.

This book is a must read for all those who love the outdoors, and it's not written in a boring manner. If you're new at the outdoors, this is a good one to start with.

Life changing! Wow this book really hits home. I wish I could go back to my youth walk in Toms shoes. What a journey. Amazing!

We enjoy reading the Tom Brown books and I believe this one is my husband's favorite and probably my second favorite.

I enjoyed reading this. Most of the plants are not found in my area (Arizona), oh well.

This is a book that is honest and inspiring. If you want a book about a real hero--read Tom Brown's Tracker

Interesting reading and worth the price

I can't put it down.

Awesome

Great Great read

This inspiring book will help you open up your mind and your eyes to the world around you. it reminds us to slow down and observe our surroundings, and in this day with all answers being handed to us through the internet, it reminds us how to seek out answers for ourselves.

Great book

very satisfied

Great

Phenomenal life story. Very much one of my heroes of the real world.

Tom Brown fascinates me. He grew up in the sparsely populated Pine Barrens region of southern New Jersey. When he was eight years old, he met Rick in the woods, and the two boys became the best of friends. Rick's father was stationed at a nearby base, and his grandfather was Stalking Wolf, an old Apache tracker. The Tracker was the first of Tom's many books, and it introduced us to the amazing world that he was blessed to experience. Stalking Wolf was one of the last Apaches to be trained in the old ways, by elders who were still wild and free. The wilderness was his home, church, and school. He could follow tracks on a dark night -- by blind touch. He could perceive the trail of a mouse across dry gravel. His stalking skills allowed him to sneak up on deer and touch them, an ability that some modern hunters no longer have. He earned his name by touching a wolf, a nearly impossible feat. He could read the patterns of the land -- the smells, the snapping twigs, the alarm calls of animals, or the sudden silence of the bird music. He was completely in tune with the land, both physically and spiritually. Stalking Wolf taught Tom and Rick for eight years. "He taught us to make use of everything, to live with the least disruption of the earth, to revere what we took from the woods, to master our fear, to hone our special skills sharper and sharper, to expand our senses and our awareness, to live in the space of the moment and to understand eternity." The boys learned tracking, stalking, awareness, self-control, survival skills, and spiritual consciousness. They spent all their free time outdoors, studying nature, and practicing their skills. They rarely saw their parents on weekends or summer vacations. Tom became completely at home in the wilderness. He could go into the woods, naked and empty handed, and spend the whole summer living off the land -- confidently, comfortably, fearlessly, and joyfully. He could catch a deer and kill it with a knife. Often he would wander far beyond familiar places, and not be sure where he was, but being "lost" was never a cause for fear or panic. "Everything I could want was immediately at hand. If I was lost, I seemed better off than a lot of people who weren't. I was always at home, wherever I was. Only when I came out of the forest did I find out how easy it is to get lost." Stalking Wolf taught the boys that there were no greater or lesser spirits. The spirit of an ant had no less significance than that of a bear or a brother. He loathed all aspects of the civilized world, and he avoided contact with it, to the best of his ability. Despite what white people had done to his land and his people, he did not hate them, because they were lost, unhappy, and didn't know any better. But he did hate their way of thinking and living -- "they killed their grandchildren to feed their children." The boys absorbed his love for the land and the wild ones who lived there. Like Stalking Wolf, they could not comprehend the mentality of people who brought in bulldozers, or dumped their trash, or drove through the woods. Outsiders were like space aliens, displaying no respect for the place. "True lostness is when you have forgotten the spiritual center of your life, when your values have gotten so warped with time that you do not remember what is truly important." One day, Tom discovered a number of dead deer in the woods. Their shoulders and hindquarters had been removed, and everything else was left on the ground to rot. New York restaurants would pay good money for prime cuts of fresh venison. Tom was horrified. He followed the tire tracks to an old cabin, and found the four poachers. In a blind rage that he barely remembered, he attacked them, beat them up, bent or smashed their guns, destroyed the cabin, and burned their truck. He took bold action to defend the land. "The woods were my life and still are." The Tracker is a treasure. It reminds me of my boyhood years, when we spent our days in the woods and fields, swamps and lakes, in a beautiful rural countryside that has since been erased by a cancer of strip plazas and McMansions. I developed a strong bond with nature. Only later in life did I realize that most folks never had this experience. So many grow up in manmade environments, and many of them never experience anything else. Tom's bond with nature went far deeper than my own, because he was lucky to find a wise elder to guide him. I grew up in a community of General Motors factory rats. Despite being raised in consumer society, and despite submitting to a public school education, Tom was able to remain detached from the civilized mindset and follow a healthier path. It wasn't easy. He had to straddle two totally different realities. He was routinely mocked and ridiculed for displaying his intense respect for nature and spirit, for not going to college, for not pursuing a corporate career. The civilized crowd could not comprehend what he valued and loved, because they had no spiritual connection to life. When we envision a healthy, sustainable future, it's going to be a world where people have remembered how to live with the land and the community of life. Throughout his journey, Stalking Wolf was frustrated by the difficulty of finding people to teach. Almost no one was interested in learning the old ways, because this knowledge had no value in the modern world. His elders encouraged him to keep trying: "The things of truth and spirit will never pass away. Our ways will not die. In the final days, man will seek again the things that we know." Tom established a wilderness school, and he has spent his adult life teaching the old ways to eager students. The story continues. Richard Adrian Reese Author of What Is Sustainable

if you have a son. you must get this book for him to read. it is epic.

When I first read this book back in the early 80's, I immediately went to Brown's Tracking School and loved it. He is the real deal and there is a lot of fundamental knowledge to learn and hone over the years from his books. They are fascinating and informative. These books will not disappoint the reader and you will learn very valuable skills. I highly recommend ANY of Tom Brown's writings!!

A classic, must read, for anyone seeking higher awareness.

This book is more than meets the eye the information is very valuable.

This is the interesting story of a man who developed an almost supernatural ability to track people who get lost in the wilderness. The book tells how he developed the ability, what he does, and the valuable work he has done using this ability to help find people, including working with law enforcement. I gave the book to a couple of friends to read, and they enjoyed it too.

Wonderful book.

The Tracker is an easy read, thanks to both the author's succinct writing style and the fascinating content. It's the true story of Tom Brown's training from an Apache elder in the ways of wilderness survival, tracking and connectedness with nature. It's told like a series of short stories, each one focusing on one aspect of his training, involving some major incident or adventure, and ultimately the lesson he learns. For example, one chapter he chronicles his suspenseful escape from a pack of wild dogs, who he hates at first but eventually learns they are 'guardians', important members of the forest that protect it from human encroachment. Highly recommended for anyone interested in naturalism, wilderness survival, native American knowledge or the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

I stumbled upon this book (or rather, I was directed by Amazon to this book) because I've bought and read a fair number of books and collections of short stories about hunting and fishing. I think that anyone who appreciates the out of doors will like this book, whether a hunter, fisherman, hiker, camper, bird watcher, whatever. I had never heard of Tom Brown before buying this book, but I did a bit of Googling and discovered that he is one of the last true outdoorsman. This book is (purportedly) the story of his teen years when he began his lifelong journey to learn about and live with the natural world. He learns to camp, fish, hunt, track, stalk and generally appreciate nature in his native southern New Jersey with an old Apache Indian (!) as his mentor. As I state in the title of my review, it is pretty clear after reading even a few pages of this book that this man has a great love of the out of doors and for nature. The book is a fairly easy read, each chapter is more or less an independent little short story with a continuous thread connecting them. The author makes several basic, profound observations in this book that may be of interest to potential readers. First, as one other review says, nature doesn't have to be hostile or mysterious. All it takes is a bit of patience, some careful observation, and a healthy dose of respect for nature for one to co-exist with the wild. As Mr. Brown repeatedly points out, the observation part is the key. If you want to know how nature works, just watch and learn. Sit quietly in the woods and see what happens around you. It is all one giant classroom if you want to learn. Second, most of the book (obviously based on the title) is focused on tracking - both two legged and four legged critters. This has always been a mystery to me, and it seems part art and part science. That is pretty much the way that Mr. Brown describes it. If you want to learn a little about tracking, I'd definitely recommend this book. The main drawback to this book is that, on the surface, some of it is simply not believable and to foist this off as non-fiction is a bit cheeky. There may be some truths to every story, and Mr. Browns tracking skills seem to be well documented (I don't know him personally and have never taken any of his classes), but some of his stories just stretch the imagination. For example, several of his stories involve long, detailed chases by packs of wild dogs in which it is clear that he would have been torn apart if they caught him. I'm not sure what part of New Jersey Mr. Brown grew up in, but I grew up in PA about a decade after Mr. Brown and spent my fair share of time in the woods, and I never even heard of anyone even seeing A wild dog, let alone a pack. Maybe things had changed in ten years, or NJ was very different than PA, but these seem like embellishments. Second, I can't imagine any pre-teen actually spending hours patiently watching a single track to see how it degrades with time. No 13 yr old that I ever met had that much patience. I really get the sense that many of the stories are significantly embellished, and pretending that they are real is not believable. Bottom line though is that this is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about nature. It will certainly make you more aware of certain things on your next wilderness expedition (no matter how big of small), and it will also open your eyes as to HOW to appreciate nature and what to look for. I give it four stars because some of it is clearly overblown, and while good, it is not the type of all time classic that you'll read many times (e.g. Robert Ruark's The Old Man and the Boy).

It's Tom Brown. What can I say. All the rest of us are just wanna bees. Best stories ever. My scouts and their dads love this book.

I think I had a misunderstanding on what exactly is a "trade paperback", but this is identical to the book I had many years ago. As for the content, Tom Brown Jr.'s story is truly incredible and worth reading.

Absolutely great book. His best! I became much better at tracking and in the Outdoors. You will have to do it to understand. Just reading is not going to teach you to understand many of the things he tries to tell you. I knew things I never described until he talked about them. To be your best at tracking, Hunting, the Outdoors you must make a transition into the spirit of being in the wild. That can only be done by going out and doing it.

One book after another continue to reveal that Brown is a master of exaggeration and fiction. These tales have been proven over and over to be nonsense. Don't get sucked in by the ;positive reviews; I think most of them are phony

Read this book over 20 years ago and recently bought it for my adult son. It really stuck with me, I doubt if a month passes I dont think about it in some way. It's an incredible story and it opened my mind to what people are capable of.

This book changed my life for the better. Reverence, new found respect, and a clearer vision for the Flora and Fauna of our beautiful forests and wild places. I hold all of Tom Brown Jr's books very close and recommend them to everyone who is searching for life's meaning, or simply want to spend time in the woods. This book is the starting off point for any of his works. A must read!

Read this in the 90s and purchased for husband because he likes prepping, survival n wildlife. Sweet book!

This was the second book I read from Tom Brown Jr. These books changed the direction of my life.

I enjoyed this first of Tom Brown's books. I originally believed every word. Rereading many years later, I see some discrepancies. I think Mr. Brown is a great storyteller who is basically factual; maybe he just gets carried away with details. With time, we all remember past events sometimes as we would like them to be, not what really happened. Or maybe every word is true. I don't know, really. One thing I know is true----his woodcraft is amazing, absolutely incredible, and I never get tired of reading about how he learned his encyclopedic knowledge of nature and tracking.

Far-fetched nonsense. Totally unbelievable from the wild dog attacks to the sneaking up on deer close enough to swat on their butts. I would rather believe in Bigfoot than the tall tales found in this book.

Anything that can get my husband to read is a winner for me.

Whether it can be tracked online with your legal documents, criminal history, military records, or education record. In the outdoors this is even more true. This is the story of the surprisingly spiritual journey a New Jersey boy undertakes and acquires those ancient skills. It is also a primer on the the trail we ourselves are leaving across the landscape of our lives and those we interact with- no matter how fleeting.

This has been one of my favorite books since I was a child. Having grown up in a densely populated Native American state (New Mexico) and also living in New Jersey I connected with this book immediately. Having love for wilderness and the outdoors made this book an instant classic in my eyes. It’s one of the few non fiction books I’ve read that is relevant across multiple generations.

Received as expected. It is a good book. Tom has an entirely different perspective on the woods than most city people or even most country folk. I read the Reader's Digest Condensed book when it was release back in the 70's or 80's (not sure when) and enjoyed it very much. That is why when I saw it I bought the whole book. I was not disappointed.

AWESOME writer---have read ALL of his books---teaches how to NOT fear the outdoors and many SURVIVAL skills.

This book changed my life when I first read it 22 years ago. Reading The Tracker completely changed my (then) negative view on faith and religion. I learned that I had much more control over my life than I had ever thought by putting some of what I read into practice. I purchased it again recently for my daughter in the hopes that she will find it useful as she begins her journey into adulthood and her career on law enforcement.

This book introduces the reader to the world of Tom Brown Jr. I have pretty much read everything by him and have taken classes with him. Great, life-changing stuff, in a good way. I walk differently now. I listen more intently. I am more present. I often purchase this book just to give away. Read it, I highly suggest it.

I read this book many , many years ago in grade school. It's a life changing book. It changes the way you think about the wilderness. It's a great story about Tom Browns education in the art of tracking and we get to follow him along thru his adventures. It's made all my time outdoors more interesting.

This is one of those epic amazing people books. About an outdoors survival guy, my husband couldn't shut up about him, books. A mans book of hero worship proportions. About (wait for it) a tracker. (one who tracks...anything). My girly interest is minimal to non existent, personally, but if I were lost in the dessert or anywhere I would really be changing my tune. I'll stick to the tamer wilds with signs pointing out how far the trail is, thanks.

If you are wild at heart this is a book that will take you on a journey and you will be glad you went. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was inspired to embrace the outdoors even more so in my life.

This is the first of Tom Brown's series, and the book that started a journey for me. Tom shares so much wisdom in his books. A great series, especially for young men and women, or for just the novice.

A must for any outdoors interested person.

Good reading

Nice to have a copy again.

Not for everyone, but I had a copy a long time ago. It got me interested in animal tracks, just wanted to read it again.

Interesting and an easy read.

Good book

The writing style made reading this book effortless and with each passing chapter I couldn't wait to read the next. A great, great story!

Loved it

One of those books I want everyone to read.

It's Tom, naff said, adventure grabs and can't put down

Good Book!

Great experience would highly recommend

GREAT !!

😊

While reading the book, some of the stories seemed a little far fetched so I decided to research the characters, Tom, Stalking Wolf and Rick. Lots of information on Tom, but essentially none on the other two. There are many who are skeptical that Stalking Wolf or Rick even existed. I am now one of those people. I thought I was buying a biography (The True Story of....) to read, now I'm not so sure. As a result, the story was less enjoyable.

Badass. Can't say enough about this.

Very good book. Only reason for not giving 5-stars is because only masterpieces should be reserved for that status. While this is a very good book with much entertainment, it is not a masterpiece. I highly recommend it to any one.

loved the book

I really enjoyed the tracking expertise.

I love this book. I would love to meet Tom Brown in person at his tracker school on the East Coast someday too!

It really brings my spirit alive!

Suggested by business guru Michael Gerber

Book much smaller size than expected

This is an awesome story of Tom Browns Life. I was most amazed that he came from New Jersey, because only Liberals and boring non country people are associated with the arm pit of the nation.

The definitive Tracker. Tom Brown Jr. Begins his unique and exciting flavor of the Outdoor/Nature/Spiritual movement of the 20th century. Boy meets mysterious Native American teacher and eventually becomes the world's prominent outdoor survival teacher. Fun and mystery and discovery are waiting for you within this small book. A must read for any and all Nature/Spiritual/Self Improvement folks.

Are the stories in The Tracker true? I don't know. Does it matter? Maybe not. It will change the way you observe and perceive the environment. The stories are pretty hard to swallow - if they are true they are certainly remarkable. I suspect that, as with most stories, they are rooted in a kernel of truth, but have grown and expanded in the author's mind over the years. Kind of like a fish story, in which the fish gets bigger each time the story is told. The story is not completely true after a while, but there was in fact a real fish which inspired it. The Tracker is kinda like that.

This is a great reminder of what I love about nature.

Compact in size

Fascinating adventure stories with with a blueprint on how to live closer to the earth. More than just a survival manual.

Made me realize there is more to life than society I love being alive with happiness and peace! Live on everyone enjoy your lives for you not live once but life to the best you can be!!

Very good read. Will definitely buy more by this author.

Very easy read and for sure a classic! Ever knew about him. Found thiss book due toa 90 year old young friend of mine!

great read if you enjoy the outdoors then there is something there for you. I have studied animals an bugs since I was a child this brought back many things I had seen and done. Tom Brown Jr. is the real deal. Having seen people that thought they new what they were doing but did not. Very enjoyable read.

This was a gift. I don't see him reading it any at all.

Cool book in which you can learn alot about tracking! Entertaining story kept me turning the pages and the ending was enlightening!

Wonderful true story! Amazing skills and how they were learned.

This is a repackaged version of an older book with very small type and difficult to read..

This is a good book especially for outdoor-oriented people or people involved with scouting. It really shows how a boy can be inspired by the adults around him and ultimately change his whole outlook on life.

Excellent Quality & Packaged Well !! Would Definitely Buy from this Seller AGAIN !! THANKS !!

I am happy supprised how good the book is. Very interesting. When it was recommended to me I found it in the nature area. I thought "how could this be something interesting to me", well is is a very good story.

Very interesting stories, all of which could be true (I don't know why so many people doubt that which they know little about). Main problem with this book is that TOM BROWN JR. IS A TERRIBLE WRITER. This sentence for instance, "I was glad of that, and I would not have traded my goosebumps for some long-smothered driver's hot tub for anything in the world." It's not grammatically correct, it's odd, and it doesn't make sense. Why hasn't anyone mentioned this?

It was a mandatory school book report, but I actually enjoyed reading it. It starts to get interesting after page 90ish. I would recommend it for anyone interested in the outdoors

As someone pointed out this book is a pure fiction. An example is at one point these two kids are out with their Indian guild and they are to find something to eat in the winter. They had no clue because the lake is FROZEN so the Indian tells them turtle. The kids start digging and the Indian takes a stick a starts poking it into mounds he sees until he hears the hollow shell. If the lake was frozen the mud where the turtles are would be too and you wouldn't be getting a stick in there unless it had a jack hammer tied to the end of it. If this is supposed to be real then Tom Brown must need support for his big head. I'm talking everything from him signal handedly taking down the mob; witches in the woods; to being so skilled that he could walk up to any animal in the woods and slap it on the butt before it knew he was there. The book is actually kind of ridiculous and I would think was a kid's book except he talks about how a bunch of drunken guys in the woods wanted to rape him at one point. If you expect to learn anything about tracking from this book you will be disappointed because it just keeps repeating you have to go out to the woods and learn it yourself. If you want a guild look else where if you want a fairytale then look no further.

Interesting for the ideas expressed. Many questions on the veracity of the experiences recounted.

Sometimes somewhat slow

Not true.

After hearing how he jumped on the back of the deer and slit it's throat, I called bulls***. That was the last time I picked up the book. What a waste.

As a certified wildlife tracker I can assure you that Tom Brown and his books are rubbish. This man started a cult that prays on the feeble.

Great story until I found out it was largely plagiarisized and made up. There are many arguments that although the author is indeed a good tracker that he’s also a fraud. Google it.

"The Tracker" by Tom Brown is more than the story of a boy learning to be a man. The book takes place in a humble New Jersey woods called The Pine Barrens. Tom and his best friend Rick learn respect and love for nature from "Grandfather," an aged Indian who sprinkles wisdom into his lessons. Two eager boys soak up his knowledge. Certain images from this book will remain with me forever. Brown tells the story of a man lost in the woods. Panicked, the man travels in heartbreaking circles, not far from help, but he is too frightened to think. In another tale, Brown talks of his experiences as a boy scout and how the entire scout troop (lost in a blizzard) was so frightened they actually prepared to die because they didn't know how to help themselves. Those two incidents both pained and enlightened me. The Pine Barrens is a sacred place, and you will finish this book knowing a few of its secrets. And you'll find a few nuggets of insight into the world of nature. You might even be surprised at what you learn about man. I'm really not much of an outdoorsman, but when I finished the book I wanted to spend more time in the wilderness and try to learn something from this wonderful world.

I read this book only a few years ago, but it and the author have left a permanent mark on me for the inspiration and wisdom that I found. I followed the first book, by reading all of his other life story books. The stories of Tom and the teachings of Grandfather have shown me knowledge which goes beyond religions, which goes beyond society, and which answers many of the timeless questions that I have always asked. Though "The Tracker" is the first book of his that must be read, the stories within "Grandfather" and the wisdom offered in "Awakening Spirits" have given me glimpses into the oneness of all things and has led me to a new respect for all things, big and small, beautiful and not. For all things are truly part of one thing. I have recently found that Tom offers classes to teach this timeless knowledge of the world and our place in it. One of my goals of next year is to take his first introductory class and then to follow that with his healing classes. I cannot imagine a finer endeavor to plan for next year.

I actually read this book almost a year after taking Tom's Standard Class at his Tracking, Nature, and Wilderness Survival School. Because of this, I noticed subtle things, written on a level that would pique a reader's interest in the wilderness, but would confirm other things to anyone who has learned under Brown or one of his students. If there is one thing the book emphasizes, it is that nature need not be mysterious, dangerous, or foreboding. Once a person works in harmony with nature, all the fear vanishes, and the only mystery is discovering new and exciting things that one had previously missed. Many resources exist outside of Brown's school, many of which can be found here on Amazon, and while self-education can be long and arduous, you will find no better education than learning about nature.

I still wonder how it was that such a simple book has impacted my life so greatly. I didn't buy this book on Amazon the first time, but I have shared it with many who have been touched by the story over the years. Are you seeking something more from life than the rat race our culture has become? Are you truly happy? Do you question,"Who am I? How can I find purpose?" Maybe you love the outdoors and like to track deer and rabbits and observe birds in their habitat. Have you felt a deep connection to yourself when you are quiet in nature and listening? There is so much to the stories here that I reread them again and again and discover something new each time. Yes, this is a true story. But don't take my word for it. Decide for yourself.

Tom Brown, Jr. is the greatest nature writer, outdoorsman, environmentalist of all time, bar none! Move over Henry David and Ralph Waldo, Brown's insights into the Earth and our connection to it are destined to become classics of American literature (presuming, of course, that human society lasts long enough, a highly dubious proposition). What Emerson and Thoreau only dreamed of, Brown accomplished, and lucky for us all, Brown is willing to teach. Welcome to the incredible world of Tom Brown, Jr. where every day is an exicting journey of adventure, discovery and insight. By now, Brown's story is familiar: at the age of seven he met an Apache Elder named Stalking Wolf (a psuedonym used by Brown for legal and personal reasons), who spent sixty years wandering the entire Western Hemisphere. Along the way, Grandfather, as Brown affectionately refers to Stalking Wolf, gathered an incredible fount of physical and spiritual knowledge that remains unequaled in either Western, or Eastern writings (Yes, move over Yoga and Buddhism, for which I have great respect, but Grandfather blows them all away). To Brown, Stalking Wolf imparted this incredible knowledge. This book takes us through the years Tom spent learning from Grandfather. Tom illustrates and explains Grandfather's teaching method known as "Coyote Teaching" - something akin to the Socratic Method, but worse! He shows us how Grandfather used Coyote Teaching to inspire and prod Tom and his friend Rick, into seeking deeper and deeper insights into life, and also to impart the physical skills of tracking, stalking and survival for which the Apaches were unequaled. Concepts introduced include the "concentric rings", i.e. being able to read the actions and reactions people and animals generate as they travel through the forest, stalking, the ability to travel silently and unseen through the landscape, and a hint of the spirituality to come (no, there is no religion here, or anywhere else for that matter in Brown's books. Just practical techniques for going further in your beliefs whatever they may be). This book is chock full of stories of adventure, discovery and learning. The Tracker is mainly autobiographical and only forms an introduction to Brown and Grandtather's teachings. This is not my personal favorite, but don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it to everyone. However, it's only the beginning. To obtain a true sense of Grandfather's teachings one must go further and read Brown's other books. I hope The Tracker inspires you to do so. One final word: for lovers of mystery and detective novels this is the book for you! Brown introduces you to the arts that enable one to become a real life Sherlock Holmes, something even Conan Doyle couldn't do. Welcome to a lifetime of learning, discovery, and insight!

This book really touches the heart. I have done several courses with Tom, which I have to say were far, far better than anything the military offers. I met a former Air Force survival course instructor, who told me that what Brown taught in the first course- the Standard- a week long- taught him more than he learned in his instructors course in the Air Force, which lasted 6 months. I met an instructor from the SERE course, at a Brown training, he was smart enough to be out improving himself. Tom calls himself a "coyote teacher", and is somewhat incomprehensible at times, and at other times is strikingly lucid, with a great message. Yes, he has an ego, but who doesn't. He reminds me a bit of Crocodile Dundee- some great skills, mixed with a little BS. No teacher knows everything.

This is a marvellous book. Although the cover and back-cover illustration and summary are sensationalised the book itself is not. It is the spiritual insight gained by Tom Brown as he learns both from his Apache teacher/mentor/guide and the world itself that stands out in this book. His period of four years as a kind of apprentice of the old man and the deep friendship with Rick, the old man's grandson, are the cornerstones of a great story. It resounds, to some degree, with the adventures of Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn although his was a clearer instruction to the spirit that moves in everything. There is no question that the teacher's continuing appearance of looking at the spirit itself acting in the world is true. This can be seen by anyone paying enough attention for long enough. I'm glad I bought this book and gave it to my father to read. It is good to know that such stories are still possible in this sanitised world. I am looking forward to reading more of these stories. Its worth every cent and then some.

Tom Brown, Jr. is arguably the world's greatest tracker. Used by the FBI to help find people who have disappeared into the wilderness, and the US military to teach survival skills, he is a man who walks in the footsteps of Native American scouts. In this, his first of many books on nature awareness, tracking, stalking, and wilderness survival, Tom leads us on a magical voyage of discovery. Beautifully written (thanks to the expert help of his co-author William Jon Watkins), The Tracker is fascinating, entertaining, educational, and inspirational. If you have children and you want to introduce them to the wonders of nature, giving each of them a copy of this book is a marvelous way to do it. But be sure to buy a copy of this must read book for yourself so that you can take this exciting journey into the world of nature with them. Robert E. Levasseur, Ph.D., president of MindFire Press ([...]

I haven't yet finished reading this book but I read it every night. I am about 3/4 of the way through. If you are interested in Tom Brown then this is the book to start with. It tells the story of how he met Stalking Wolf as a child and then growing up he goes through all the lessons he learned and adventures he had in the woods. Some people say Grandfather is a fictitious character, and since there is no evidence he ever existed it is quite possible, although I prefer to give Tom the benefit of the doubt and take him on his word. And yeah maybe he did invent a sort of an imaginary teacher as he grew up in the Wilderness of the Pine Barrens getting to know Nature and learning all the skills that he possesses today. I personally am inclined to believe him and it is very likely Grandfather did actually exist. Even if Grandfather is imaginary the Philosophy contained in this book is awesome and Tom is a very wise man indeed. He inspires me. At any rate this book is a masterpiece and could only have been written by someone with a very deep and intimate knowledge of Nature and also of Spirituality. I rarely give a book five stars, this one deserves all of them.

The Tracker changed my life! Tom Brown's story helped me understand my own spiritual awakening in nature. I knew nature and spirituality were connected but did not know how to talk about it. Tom's teaching about Great Spirit and how everything is sacred and interconnected has given me the words and the voice to understand and share my experiences.

As other reviewers have noted, a rational mind will naturally wonder if there isn't some amount of exaggeration going on in Tom Brown's (admittedly wonderful) books. During the week-long course that I took from him, there were just a few moments during field work when his claim that, for example, a "female juvenile mountain lion with a full bladder" had made those faint compressions in the ground debris challenged my belief system. And his.. uhm.. somewhat loudmouth persona would be consistent with a bit of literary license. There are also some claims on the internet that there was no actual "Grandfather" or "Rick" per se, but who knows and frankly who cares. His technical information is accurate (tracking, shelter, etc.), his story is moving, I have real appreciation for Tom Brown and the work he does, and found his warmth, humor, energy and dedication very irresistable. You will notice that Carlos Castaneda, Dan Millman (Way of the Peaceful Warrior), Marlo Morgan (Mutant Msg Down Under) and others have likewise been accused of using various amounts of fiction in their "factual" books, but I found their books instructional and inspirational also. So, armed with that caveat, I would say go buy this book. I highly recommend it.

This is a "don't miss" book for anyone who wants to observe anything in nature. Tom Brown is a legend in the worlds of search and rescue, tracking, and survival. Brown is one with nature and he brings you along on his exhilerating journey from boy to man of nature. In this, his first of many outstanding books, you accompany him as he learns his skills from his Indian grandfather. FYI. Brown continues to share his skills with new through advanced students at workshops. A friend who has attended his classes, swears Brown is everthing you will see here and much more. It is a fascinating story.

There are many people who think Tom Brown is a fraud. There are many people who worship him as almost a god. If you have preconceived notions about Tom Brown, then you may not want to pick up this book. As other reviews have stated, this book tells the childhood story of Tom Brown who learned tracking and love and respect for nature from a Native American named Stalking Wolf. You can pick up some techniques from this book. But, I think the book is largely a vivid, dramatically told story in which we follow Tom Brown through his journey. I don't care how much of it may or may not be made up. The book is well written. It's an easy read. It does a good job of placing you in these wonderful situations in nature. It is very inspiring in terms of wanting to protect the sanctitiy of nature and in terms of relaying the discipline needed to learn all you can about any subject be it nature or otherwise. I recommend the book highly.

This book reads like a young boy's fantasy of living free, unencumbered by parental supervision, in a dense forest wilderness. In this case, that wilderness is the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. This is an incredible tale of a boy, his friend and the old Apache wiseman who teaches the two boys how to survive in the wild without modern conveniences, how to interpret the patterns of nature, and how to read the tracks, signs and traces that animals and men leave as they move within nature. I don't doubt that Tom Brown is a wilderness survival expert (they are not that rare) or that he has extraordinary tracking skills. These achievements only require time and dedication. The level of skill Tom Brown displays as an adult could certainly be achieved by adulthood by any young boy with the intensity of obsession with wilderness survival and tracking and with the opportunities and freedom it appears Brown may have had as a child. Stalking Wolf (the old Apache), if he existed, gave Brown a pre-scientific, mystical point of view towards nature, and Brown never misses an opportunity to show himself superior to those who don't share his viewpoint. A tone of arrogance and contempt for those outside his religion pervades the book, and he has fashioned his biography in a way to suggest his life has transcendent meaning that the more mundane lives of others cannot have. There are so many things wrong with this as a biographical memoir, a full discussion would extend this review beyond the length amazon accepts. Brown has had 30 years to answer skeptical objections to the details of the narrative (first published in 1978), and I don't know that he hasn't already done so. It wouldn't be difficult for him to satisfy some of the doubts. The boyhood friend, Rick, certainly has a full name and attended schools in the same district as Brown. If he has died, he is buried somewhere. Stalking Wolf is Rick's grandfather (p. 5) so he is traceable in conjunction with Rick. And so on and so forth. I would have loved this book as a boy. As an adult I distrust the simplicty and tone of it.

This is one of the few books that I have been able to read from cover to cover more than once. The book is written with such vividness that you feel like you've lived the adventure yourself. The chapter on 'bear smacking' was so vivid I swear that I felt the bears breath on the back of my neck. This book should be read first, before any of his other books, as it lays a foundation for everything else he teaches. He has written a series of books on wilderness survival, tracking and native spirituality. An excellent book, an excellent series of books and an excellent author.

The Tracker is a great book that any one can enjoy. Tom Brown tels many wonderful stories from his childhood. However, I would recommend reading some of Mr. Browns field guides before reading any of his actual books. The field guides introduce you to his life and his ideas in a very smooth way. Once you understand those things, then you will enjoy this book, and others that he has written much better. Despite this, The Tacker is still a wonderful book that I believe every person should read.

Tom Brown opens your eyes to the magic, mystery, and hidden knowledge - all just in the woods. Whether fact or fiction - doesn't matter to me, i believe that we walk thru life with blinders on most the time - and forget how lost we are becoming. Like "Walden's Pond" we need to simplify and go back to listening to, learning from, and respecting the earth and it's creatures. Along the same lines of a Blackfoot proverb that I love: "All animals know more than you do"; this book tells of "Brown's childhood in the Pine Barrens [woods] of southern New Jersey and the survival skills he learned from an old Apache scout who was wise in the ways of the woods" and it's inhabitants. Worthwhile and enjoyable reading.

I was born in Southern New Jersey in the mid-1950's. Like many youths in that area, I spent alot of time outdoors. I had never heard of Tom Brown Jr until my sister told me about him. By that time, I was in my mid-forties and living out west. When I first started reading the book, I thought it was fantastic. It reminded me so much of my youth. The woods, the swamps, the quickmud - it was all true. But by the end of the book I was disillusioned. The bragging and bravado were too much and the story of beating up some hunters just ridiculous. Those not familiar with New Jersey of that time period should know that there were expanses of untended pine barrens and deciduous forests. The land, however, was all owned by someone (where not state land). Mr. Brown was guilty (as I was) of tresspassing. He was also guilty of poaching. As a legitimate hunter, I take offense to some of his statements. I admit that I went on to read many other of his books. They each went deeper and deeper into woo-woo land. Eventually, I couldn't stomach them anymore. My own research into his persona revealed a chain-smoking bully type who drives a Hummer. I have never attended any of his classes. I tend to believe that Stalking Wolf (and Rick) were invented in order to spice up his stories and to justify his actions. Is all this a big con for fame and profit? There are many good people in New Jersey. There are also some of the worst. If you choose to read this book then take away some facts and stories. Let the book inspire you. But be cautious not to slip into the grips of this craziness. Trust yourself. Find some good people to head out into the wilderness with. Those that are honest, decent and experienced.

It is important to know that even though this book may seem fictional, in truth, Tom Brown's account of his early childhood, The Tracker, is a non-fiction narrative. There are many details of the book to make one think it is fiction, but it should be remembered that our narrator was only a child and a young man during the events of this narrative. Tom Brown did an excellent job portraying the way a child should feel and act in the given situations, even though they had happened years before. It is easy to tell that Stalking Wolf and his teachings were extremely important to Brown as he grew up. He spent every day he could outside and everyday there was something to be learned from nature. The way Brown shows the communication between spirit and nature within this novel is very believable. It is easy to get lost within this child's mind, for the memories expressed are so vivid and full of life. His emotions at critical points in his life are so obvious and authentic that one cannot help but believe it. Although there is much skepticism on whether or not the events of Brown's life are truthful, the reader has to draw conclusions. I, for one, am a profound believer in this man's abilities as a tracker and survivalist. He learned from the best: an Apache scout named Stalking Wolf. He passed his secrets to Brown, and Brown passes them down to hundreds of students every year. He teaches how to survive, how to track, and how to learn the ways of nature. With this, there are many ideals and beliefs exposed. In The Tracker Tom learns many things about the way the Great Spirit flows in and out through all things. This novel is an extremely spiritual read and there are many moments in which the reader feels almost connected in a way. There was a part in the story that I found quite spiritual, when Tom finds himself with a sense of oneness with the earth. "I had heard the rushes and the lulls of the crickets and I had seen a bat and a nighthawk go across the stars. But I had not made the distinction between what was happening and myself. It was the second wonder of the night, and I felt my body tense with anticipation of the third." This shows how he felt at the time, and seeing as how he was just a boy, it makes me feel a bit less of person to know that I have not felt anything like this during my lifetime. This man has experienced more during his childhood than most will ever experience during a lifetime. Brown really shows how the price of this can yet be terrible, for there are many tragic moments within this story that are emotionally moving. One of the strong points of this novel is the way that Brown portrays the various emotions he experiences during his childhood, and the severity of each. All in all, my hat's off to Tom Brown. The Tracker is a tremendous start to a brilliant life. This book has changed me forever in many ways. I have completely new interpretation of the world around me. This is truly an inspiring and enlightening work of art. This book should be recommended to anyone who is open minded about the natural world and how it affects our own in ever way. There is a great deal to be gained from this novel on a spiritual and on an emotional level.

Is fine entertainment for anyone into nature writing, or alternative spirituality. Overall the message of love and respect for nature is good. But be aware of a few things. First, this is a work of fiction. It is not his true story, no matter how much he tries to sell it as such. The self aggrandizing false modesty is almost palpable. For anyone with a critical mind, if you are not taken by his fantastic stories, and their "deep" lessons, you will see his fairly cynical strategy of appealing to people's credulity. Second, if you do find yourself taken with it, do not beat yourself up for not being as in touch with nature as he is. There are metaphorical takeaways to be had, but do not take it at face value.

I was so captivated by this book shortly after it first came out that I attended the Tracker School in 1979. All of us wanted to believe it was possible to lead a charmed life like the Tom Brown Jr. legend. Myself and a number of others grew a little older and wiser after having met Brown in person. I gave the book away after I came home. I believe most of it is fiction. Brown made so many far fetched and fantastic claims about himself that I would have to characterize him as a megalomaniac. Brown claimed that he went through the Sun Dance ritual, a horrific ordeal that would leave large ugly scars on one's chest. Brown often went around shirtless but I don't remember seeing any scars. This was only one of a number of unbelievable stories we heard. Brown also displayed a vindictive attitude toward people he didn't like. Brown miraculously found an empty whiskey bottle under the straw where a person who left early had slept. He also laughed about people he tracked at night and caught them engaged in embarrassing acts. This should tell you something about the guy. Truth matters. We attended the school because we believed The Tracker was a true story. The money I paid into the Tom Brown Jr. legend was alot for a guy going to school and working two jobs. But I have to admit, Tom Brown Jr. taught me a valuable lesson in life. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Everyone should read this book. Don't just think about getting it, just order it now and read it a couple of times, then get The Search and read it, and then order the others. If you read them with an open mind and listen to your heart, you will be a better person. The Tracker should be required reading in school as it teaches so much about how life should be lived. It will change your life. It has changed mine. Society is doing everything wrong. We need to look more toward the spiritual side of life instead of the physical. Society is killing us with stress, routine, the need to climb the economic ladder to feel successful, and pollution. I'm too old with too many societal burdens to do what I would like to do but I will try to do whatever I can to get as close as I can.

There are some nuggets in the stories for those interested in the topic matter. However, the book is mostly quasi-spiritual hokum and tall tales based on recollections of boyhood adventures. Maybe 1/10 of the book is believable or useful. It is as if they tried to hard to make the book entertaining. Overall it came off as a bit too much of the mall ninja/ex-Marine Scout Sniper/shaman/prepper/survivalist when really the fella does actually know and do a thing or two. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a 12 year old boy or just really into smoking peace pipes and making snares.

Having read some of the earlier reviews I thought that it might be enlightening to provide a little bit of background for "The Tracker" and its author, Tom Brown, Jr. I have hunted and fished and loved the outdoors all of my life. When I first read "The Tracker" I was immediately fascinated with the thought that there still might be a master tracker and survivalist somewhere in the world and that if even 50% of "The Tracker" was true, I had to find this guy!!! First of all, though, I searched out and read everything I could by Tom Brown and began to realize just how little I knew about the "real" world. I finally contacted the publisher of "The Tracker" and was directed to a P.O. Box number in New Jersey. I wrote to Tom about the possibility of learning from him and was rewarded by being informed that he operated an outdoors school. I began to attend classes there and judged for myself if Tom was the person he claimed. My conclusion is-- that he can do everything he claims (and I have seen him do some stuff that just leaves you shaking your head). Countless newspaper stories in New Jersey and elsewhere documenting his ability to find lost people (some of whom didn't necessarily want to be found) attest to his tracking ability. His favorite phrase seems to be, "Prove me wrong!". He is confident of his ability and genuinely wants you to be able to do the same things he does. Don't let the fact that our lives are pretty much consumed by the day to day struggle to survive blind you to the fact that there is a fantastic world out there and try to remember that you once knew about it when you were young and your mind was open. "The Tracker" is a great read that you can take as fiction OR fact and enjoy equally!! Be careful, though, because it may have the same effect as the little pill in "The Matrix" and you may "wake up". In any case, it will at least remind you of how life used to be when you were young and everything was fascinating!!!

Learn to appreciate nature and the great outdoors with this adventure. A boy is inspired by the adults around him to change his outlook.

I took a survival course from Christopher Nyerges (also a fine author), and he told us about the man who learned survival in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey from an old Native American. I was delighted when I stumbled across his books. I've heard that shamans can change the world with their words; after reading this, I believe it. Unless you are completely dedicated to exploiting the earth, I highly recommend this book.

After reading this book I fell in love with the idea of being a true survivalist. Tom Brown is a great story teller and this book is a fantastic read. It begins with learning about the North American Indian ways through to his life as a tracker and many tales in between. I highly recommend this book.

I agree with Joshua Drake in his review "Unbelievable". His comments are about what I thought in reading the book, with the addition of embellishment or fabrication to make a point. Some questions that occurred to me are: Most native group names follow a cultural pattern. Is Stalking Wolf a name found among the Athabascans, let alone the Apache? And does expertise in the deserts of the Southwest automatically produce such abilities in the forests of the Northeast? Could this person be literary license to provide authenticity? Does it not stretch coincidence that, when he and Rick were not on speaking terms, each would find something marvelous, and each race to find the other at about the same time and over the same path? Would merely freeing a pack of ferocious. ravenous, feral dogs from a quarry make them well disposed to one? Especially when the entrapment was of short duration? True the boys provided a light lunch. Then there was the story of his battle with the poachers which he won without destroying his hands smashing the block walls or on miscreant jaws; and with no attempt on the poachers' part to subdue him, except for an attempt to load a shotgun. As a police officer I have been in similar circumstances (with assistance) and did not get off so easily. But then, I am not Tom Brown. I have also seen attempts to burn a car with a rag stuffed in the gas tank. It has never worked in my experience. I quit reading here. It is a middling story on a par with Richter's "The Light In The Forest". These are only a few of the problems that I had with the book, but sufficient to show why I did not give it 5 stars.

this is the starting point for those who want to learn about tracking, wilderness survival, and the wonders of nature in general. I think Tom Brown made up some stuff, like other people said (especially in other books) but he is still extremely important to the tracking community. You don't need to swallow all of the New Age, though. Read this book, I won't go any further about it.

I have read this book no less than five times in the past ten years. My father gave me a copy that my brother wouldn't take the time to read and, when I first looked at it, I was skeptical. I thought that I knew the Pine Barrens first hand having grown up in the same area and at the same time as Tom Brown. Reading the book was a humbling experience for me. I had never even seen the surface of what the Pine Barrens (an nature in general) had to offer. He makes believable the unbelievable. I have since purchased, read and re-read everything I can find by Tom Brown and, though I no longer live near the Pine Barrens, have developed a deeper appreciation of the natural world and my place in it. One last amazing thing about the book -- he is writing about New Jersey!

While this contains some good/useful information, theres alot of utter BS. "Grandfather" is conveniently someone no indepent source can verify ever lived. The poachers story, yeah right. Oh and "bear slapping".. Utter horse shyte. Then there is the blatant cultural appropriation for pure profit of Native American Culture. Two type sing the praises of Tom Brown, those who dont know what a hypocrite, fraud and conman he is. And those that dont care..

Many years ago someone recommended this book to me. A few years later someone else in my travels recommended this book to me and a few years after that someone else recommended this book to me. Finally, one day, I guess when it was right, I ran across the book in a used book store and bought it. I now own all of Tom Brown Jr's books. There are too many words for me to say. These books touch the deepest core of my being. I suggest starting with this one. Cheryl Charming author of Miss Charming's Book of Bar Amusements and Miss Charming's Book of Crazy Cocktails

Recollections of childhood collected. The stories contained in this work are poignant, however, I think that they are, as all memories are, tainted. Although I believe that the events are true, the stories contain the embellishments of a boy's imagination. This book reminds me of the daydreams I had as a boy, and some of the stories I could have told. So while the book is an excellent read, and contains powerful themes of friendship, respect for nature, and coming of age, I must say that I find the premise simply Unbelievable.

Tom Brown is a fantastic writer, his connection to nature is intoxicating and I really enjoyed his stories. My only gripe with this book is I honestly don't believe all of his stories they're so intense!

I was looking for books that would teach me how to survive in the wilderness and found a few books that helped me much. Not having any clue that there is a spiritual side to survival, I kept looking for more survival books. So, I saw Tom Browns Book "The Tracker", and the introduction sounded interesting, so I bought a copy. MAAAAN!, were my eyes opened, there is so much more than just building shelters, starting fires, and simple first aid!!! This book will put you on path to a MUCH HIGHER level of the SPIRIT of survival and not just the mechanics of survival. I not only recomend this book, but the WHOLE library also!

The book "The Tracker" was a really good book. IT was about a boy named Tom Brown who also the author of this book who loved to be around nature. He wanted to be a tracker when he grew up and he was taught the ways of tracking by his friend rick's grandpa stalking wolf. Stalking wolf taught them the ways of living in the wild and the technique of tracking and stalking. When Tom got old enough he would spend weeks at a time living out in the woods without even clothes on his back. Tom loved animals and especially to track them. Finding them after the track was his treasure that was worth it all. At the end of the book he uses his skills to find a man that was lost and near death and to save other peoples lives. While spending all his time in the woods Tom experienced many exciting and life threatining things. Some of these things were being chased and almost eaten by a pack of wild dogs. These dogs seem to be his greatest enemy through the book until the end where he helps the dogs out and they get along. This shows that we can get along with nature and we dont have to kill it. Some other dangerous things he encounters is almost drowning in quiksand and being malled by a bear. Also he finds alot of cool things about nature likd finding skulls which he likes to collect and discovering a nest of alligator skelotens. So overall this was a great book and I enjoyed reading it and it taught me to become more in tune with nature.

If more people read this book, the world would be a better place. Truly a great story about growing up in the pines. Makes you look at nature differently after you read it.

this book is the only one of Tom Brown's books that i read through but didn't completely enjoy. I think mainly because it is the story of Tom Brown Jr. as told to William Jon Watkins. I think Watkins tries to make it sound a little too poetic and loses a lot in his "translations" of Tom's stories. If you just want a good book about Tom Brown Jr., and not a field guide or a poor interpretation of his life, I would strongly recommend "Case Files the Tracker." it tells some of the same stories and many different, but i find it remarkably more interesting.

Have you ever lost your mom and dad to a plane crash? Or your grandpa to cancer? Have you ever tried to stop death? John Borne is a13 years old boy who tried to stop death. In the book Tracker by Gary Paulsen, he lives with his grandmother in the northern woods. He likes to hunt deer in the winter for food. John is trying to prevent the death of grandfather. The way he is doing this is by tracking a deer in the woods. One of John's conflicts is person vs. nature as he tracks the deer for miles and days. Yet John's bigger conflict is with himself as he is trying stop his grandfather's death by following the deer. I found the book Tracker to be cool. I enjoyed the detail in the book, like when the author described the deer being shot in the shoulder. John ran up and sliced his neck, and the red blood and steam came out on the cold, fresh snow. I enjoyed the subject of the book, because I like deer. The thing I did not like about the book was that it was too short. I wanted to read more about John and the deer.

I first stumbled upon Tom Brown when I went to Wihakowi survival camp in Vermont. The camp owners knew him personally and most of the counselers had graduated from his tracking school. I understood he knew a lot and I read the book. It's great! I can't believe how exciting his life was! I think it's more exciting than some of the novels that I've read. Get this book!

The Tracker is a great book for making you appreciate nature and helping you to step outside the the four walls you're going to be in when you read the book. I'm a guy who lives in the city of life - always have. What this book does for me is make me appreciate nature and God's creation in a much more profound way. Additionally, in reading of Tom's experiences, the book drives you to want to get out and experience nature for yourself. Few books drive you to do something outside of yourself. This one does just that.

The first chapter is the best as far as "tracking" wise...The whole Way of The Tracker lifestyle and philosophy...The rest of the book is decent..Not some life changing book as I was led to believe....I don't buy half the stories Tom tells..seems like a lot of embellishment...It's still worth reading though...It's an interesting story with a nice setting...

So incredibly true. So real. I was not one chapter into it before I was changed as a person. I was outside living, breathing. Recommended if you are willing to accept a change in your life and future.

On December 31, 2000 a good friend of mine gave me this book. Not even half way through it I was outside looking for tracks and watching nature and its course. If youre the least little bit into nature and adventure you will enjoy this incredible book. Since I read it, every weekend I'm outdoors hiking and tracking. It makes the reader very aware of what nature does on a regular basis.

There's no doubt that this book is well worth reading. Do I trust every word to be true? No, of course not. But some of the greatest inspirational stories in life are fictional, and I don't think that it limits the lessons that can be learned from Brown's stories. I found the novel to be exciting and refreshingly methodical in its composition. Even if the entire thing's a lie, much can be learned from the stories. Read and enjoy.

This book is a must have for anyone from the nature enthusiast to the avid adventure reader. In this book Tom lays out chapter by chapter the experiences that brought him to be one with the-spirit-that-moves-through-all-things. This book will truly make an impact on how you percieve your life and the life that flourishes around you. Thank You Tom!!!

Wildernes survival tales... super exciting. It does read like a movie but maybe it's all true. I've heard some people say Tom Brown is a tall tale teller, but his tales sure are fun and he has a school in NJ so....

A good read. I enjoyed the stories. I'd like to believe they were all true. I'm sure elements of them are but many of them just seem too dramatic, but hey, that's why we read, right?

Profound, yet difficult to relate to from a feminist point of view. I read it 15 years ago. Life changing and leads to further exploration. I hope to save my 13 year old nephew from Play Station hell by giving him this book for his birthday. Thank goodness he still reads.

THE BOOK TRACKER BY GARY PAULSEN.THE GRANDFATHER HAD CANCER BECAUSE HE WAS SMOKING TOP MUCH.IT IS AN EHCITING BOOK THAT I RECOMEND TO ALL STUDENT.

Just had to put in my 2cents as I'm surprised so many readers gave the book 5 stars. I had read the author's "how-to" survival guides as a kid, and enjoyed them immensely. "The tracker" had been on my reading list for sometime. I'd finally gotten around to the book this week, but was disappointed as my sense of disbelief grew, page by page. When viewed through the lens of an adult wiith a reasonable amount backcountry experience, I think most readers would recognize the stories as exagerated or downright unprobable. In addition, the writing style/voice is self indulgent. Will be using the book as firestarter this week. Not sure it's worth much else.

A must read for anyone that believes in the sacredness of nature and life. Tom Brown is truly one-of-a-kind.

Acceptable

Excellent book - gave as gift and they love it! I have most of Tom Brown's books and they are wonderful.

Good read

A great little book for folks who like the outdoors.

speedy delivery

Awesome adventure / outdoor survival read

Good quality

Deeply inspiring auto-biographical book, covering the real life adventures of the author whilst living on the edge of the Pine Barrens wilderness area of New Jersey. 82 year old Lipan Apache "Stalking Wolf", (who had avoided reservation life, and got his name by stalking and touching a Wolf) had his lifetime prophecy/vision realised when he saw the 8 year old Tom playing by the river in 1958. A ten year apprenticeship commenced, where Stalking Wolf imparted his 82 years worth of earth and spiritual based wisdom into eager participants Tom and his friend Rick. Split into 21 easily readable chapters, this shortish book covers concepts like the inter-connectedness of, and value of concentric circles in the forest, how the mice can be great teachers, the mythical "Jersey Devil", and learning how to change ones relationship to the cold. Several gripping, page turning chapters include encounters with packs of wild dogs (Tom has to think about dog pack and lead dog psychology and use great ingenuity and physical prowess to get away after 72 hours stuck in a tree) , an encounter with an angry bear, an extermination, a revenge against inconsidered humans, and the life or death tracking of a mentally impaired adult who is lost in the Pine Barrens. This book is for anyone who wants to reconnect to what we might have lost in our materalistic, scientific, evidence based world. It provides a window into how a continent used to live for tens of thousands of years until recently I found this book was one that lived contentedly in my dreams. I bought several copies and wanted to give them away and enthusiatically wanted to tell the stories within it (without giving away the endings of course!). I also felt sadness for what has been lost in terms of my understanding of nature and spirit and my natural environment. However I think that a master novelist couldn't match the impact of some of these chapters. I've never been much of a reader but perhaps i've just been reading the wrong books.......

I don’t care if the story has been dramatised, or parts were made up. I don’t even care if the whole thing was a complete fantasy. It’s just a really enjoyable book. One of those ones that stays with you. Not sure why male reviewers care because you all do the same thing when you tell a story but hey, nothing wrong with twisting a tale a little to ramp up the entertainment and get everyone laughing, cheering and crying.

Damn fine book, so hard to put down, and the type of book you want to get others to read. This book also connected me to my love of nature, and caused me to go out and embrace the earth, rather annoyingly turning me into someone who since cannot sleep comfortably indoors anymore, without fresh forest air etc.

This book is the one to read,I have only ever read 4/5 books over the past 10yrs.Looking forward to read all 19 of tom browns books.And you can buy them all at amazon..